Reigning premiers win, but are still far from their best.
The Sydney Roosters have started to get the defence of their NRL title on track after recording their third win-in-a-row after defeating the Wests Tigers 30-6.
While on paper it was an easy win for the tri-colours they were far from their best making 12 handling errors and completing 30-42 sets.
A scratchy start from both sides saw several handling errors and neither side able to build pressure through completed sets.
Daniel Tupou scored first for the Roosters after he captalised on Sonny Bill Williams attracting defenders, with the powerfully built winger bashing his way across the line.
James Maloney just missed the conversion from the sideline, but the Roosters played from in front after just 11 minutes.
However, neither side were happy with the beginning of their performance, with only 4-9 sets of six completed between both teams.
Sydney continued their reputation for giving away cheap penalties, as they gave easy metres to the Tigers to get out of their own half several times in the first half.
Wests were able to get into the arm-wrestle early in the game, putting away some of their flamboyant plays until they had done the hard work up the middle of the field.
Their opponents, however, looked to go wide too early in the set and as a result, the Tigers were able to defend well in spite of trailing early.
Micheal Jennings scored his side’s second for the game, after William put James Maloney into a gap before the Roosters five-eighth found the speedy winger.
While the margin might have been 10 to the reigning premiers, they were playing far below the standards they have shown early in the season.
Tupou scored his second for the game on the end of a flowing backline movement from a Roosters side that looked to have woken up after 40 ordinary minutes.
Replays were called for to look at a possible obstruction in the lead-up to the Sydney winger sailing across the line, but none was found as the score quickly became 14-0.
Maloney hit the left-hand upright and the margin was maintained at the break.
Jennings have his side the perfect start to the second half after scooping up a forced pass y the Tigers coming out of his own half.
The easy try came as a collective punch to the Tigers’ who started the second half with plenty of purpose, only to see the score become 20-0 and their chances of victory decreasing significantly.
Desperate Tigers’ defence on the line saw them deny Maloney what looked to be a certain try as he went to put the ball down.
The red light was shown and Wests avoided what would have been a killer blow to their chances of walking away with the two competition points.
However, the Roosters would not be denied soon after, with their fifth try of the night going to Boyd Cordner finishing another move on their left edge to make the score 24-0.
Chris Lawrence scored a consolation try for the Wests Tigers when he cleaned up a grubber kick, with the conversion making the score 24-6 with 11 minutes left in the game.
As if they didn’t need one, the Roosters bagged another four pointer as Mitchell Pearce continued his side’s pleasing night out.
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