Four sin-binned as Roosters wallop Dolphins
Joel Gould |
The Sydney Roosters have thrashed the Dolphins 64-12 and sent a warning to the rest of the NRL after four players were sin-binned in an explosive confrontation.
A huge melee erupted at Suncorp Stadium after Roosters flyer Mark Nawaqanitawase scored the second of his three tries in the ninth minute.
Tricolours’ forward duo Spencer Leniu and Naufahu Whyte were binned, as were Dolphins pair Frank Molo and Aublix Tawha after a fiery clash broke out.
From the ensuing kick-off Siua Wong was knocked senseless in an accidental head clash.
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said the Roosters deserved the win but was dumbfounded by his two players being marched.
“I don’t understand the sin-binning,” Woolf said.
“The opposition score, we are standing in the dead-ball area and two guys come over pushing and shoving and shaping up. I don’t know what our blokes are supposed to do.
“Do we have to allow ourselves to get punched to not get sin-binned? But that’s not why we lost the game.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said it was “a lot of hot air”.
“It was push and shove but … four off was a lot,” he said.
“One from each side would have been enough because nothing really happened.”
The late and great Arthur Beetson would have loved the physicality in a showdown that honoured his enormous legacy to both clubs.
The rugby league Immortal won premierships at the Dolphins in 1965, in the Brisbane Rugby League competition, and Roosters in 1974-75.
They stay in ninth position on 26 points, equal with the eighth-placed Dolphins. The hosts’ for and against is still superior but it took a battering in their biggest ever loss.
Roosters captain James Tedesco had a blinder and won the Artie Legacy Medal for man of the match, but had plenty of mates. The Dolphins, without eight of their best players, hit a brick wall and were unable to thwart the rampant visitors.
Dolphins lock Kurt Donoghoe was heavily involved in all the early heated moments, with counterpart Victor Radley in his face. It was magnificent theatre. The physicality of the clash was a throwback to the Beetson era, but the Roosters had all the aces.
Nawaqanitawase leapt high to snaffle a Hugo Savala bomb to open the scoring.
The man they call “Marky Mark” was in again after brilliant work by centre Robert Toia. Then all hell broke loose with the sin-binnings before the Roosters administered torment upon torment.
Speed demon Tevita Naufahu, who scored twice, crossed out wide with a show of blistering speed.
Roosters centre Billy Smith went over after a sensational Tedesco tip-on. Radley crashed over and Savala scored before Leniu, relishing his reputation as the man opposing fans love to hate, stormed over to make it 36-6 at the break.
Tedesco notched a double inside eight minutes of the second half getting underway.
Nawaqanitawase was at it again to snaffle a high ball and take the Roosters beyond 50 and the procession continued with Daniel Tupou notching a late double.
The Roosters, brilliantly guided by half Sam Walker, made a huge statement while the ill-disciplined and bumbling Dolphins have a huge task to recover from what was a rugby league lesson they must learn from quickly.
AAP
