With the big guns off to Vegas for the NRL season opener, it was the young guns’ time to shine in Sydney’s ultimate rugby showdown.
Under the watchful eye of reserve-grade coach Brett Morris, the Roosters’ rookies, led by the brilliant Joseph Taipari and powered by the formidable duo of Corey Ross and Salesi Foketi, tore up the field.
The action kicked off just four minutes in, with Roosters’ Fijian powerhouse Meli Nasau slicing through the Rabbitohs’ defense like a hot knife through butter. But the Bunnies weren’t going down without a fight, with Matt French muscling his way over the line to close the gap.
Not to be outdone, the Roosters’ Turoa Williams flew over the try line, untouched, following some slick teamwork by Taipari and Ethan Clark-Wood. Ross then smashed through the Rabbitohs to score, off a genius Taipari grubber, pushing the score to 14-6.
Just before the halftime whistle, Foketi thundered over the line, thanks to a genius offload from Benaiah Ioelu, leaving the Rabbitohs trailing at 20-6.
The second half saw the Roosters ramp up the heat, with Coby Thomas and Kyron Fekitoa turning the left edge into a no-go zone for the Bunnies, further extending the lead. Callum Gromek, not to be left out, sprinted in two quick tries, making it a mountain too high for the Rabbitohs at 36-6.
Though Rabbitohs’ Leon Te Hau put up a brave fight to close the gap, the Roosters had the final say with Michael Coleman and Emery Jolliffe sealing the deal, ending the game at a staggering 46-10.
The Roosters’ next-gen stars have sent a clear message – they’re here to dominate. What a night for the Roosters, and what a warning shot for the rest of the league.
