Rooster 32
Soldier 12

Warriors coach Nathan Brown has spoken a lot about the lessons this season, and one that is important.

His team was competitive for a long time against the depleted Roosters, but were still on the wrong side with the score 32-12 on Sunday night.

After Canberra’s heightened magic, it’s a jolt back to reality.

There were significant defensive problems, as they conceded six attempts, and could have let in a few more times, but for some desperate defenses.

It wasn’t all bad – as the Warriors took a 12-4 lead midway through the first half – before the Roosters then pulled off 28 unanswered points.

Under Trent Robinson they rose to fame for their iron curtain defense, and that’s a clear difference in a game where both sides lose a lot of balls.

As well as impressive scrambling, the Sydney team were also aggressive in their line pace and gradually beat the Warriors, who were torpedoed by many faults on their own part.

The Warriors acknowledged some relatively gentle trials, which would have made the review uncomfortable.

They also missed Addin Fonua-Blake’s presence, with the marquee prop teetering with an unspecified knee injury in the 14th minute.

The Roosters have been badly affected by injuries this season, but the creative use of paychecks over the past few years means they still have an impressive roster.

They have 10 internationals in action, including Jared Waerea-Hargreaves as an impact option off the bench.

The Warriors enjoyed a solid start, amidst a frenetic start to the match.

They opened the scoring in the seventh minute, after Adam Pompey picked up a Kodi Nikorima bomb. It was a favorable touch – as the ball ricocheted off Joseph Manu’s shoulder – but only as a reward for the flat, fast ball of the previous set.

The Warriors could have been superior, but Nikorima lost the ball a few yards from the line, after Roger Tuivasa-Sheck broke through.

The tackle by Brett Morris was crucial, as James Tedesco crossed over a minute later, escaping after isolating Wayde Egan in the defensive line.

After some sustained pressure, the Warriors’ second attempt came via an unusual route, with Tohu Harris first being tackled by Tuivasa-Sheck near the right in the 21st minute.

But the Roosters responded, with two sets of reps after a cheap turnover ended with Nat Butcher falling off Sam Walker pass.

If it hurts, the next Cock’s try is even more painful. Talented possession by a rare Tuivasa-Sheck error, Brett Morris was somehow caught in the corner.

The Warriors were a touch of luck moments later, as Angus Crichton’s attempt scraped off for a marginal hurdle. There was more parity after the break, and the Warriors did well to force consecutive goalless drop-outs but took the wrong options and the Roosters held on.

It was frustrating to see, with their biggest threat Ben Murdoch-Masila not being exploited at all with the starting ball during those four sets.

The extravagance was punished, as the Roosters plowed the field before Brett Morris sniped over from a half-dummy in the 53rd minute.

If it felt like a deadly blow, as the Warriors had dominated possession in the second half until then, the final nail minutes later, with a Tuivasa-Sheck error of its own, from an ambitious Bayley Sironen pass, allowed Drew Hutchison to run under the post. .

Another miraculous recovery never looked possible, with so much gasoline running out in the first half, even though Ken Maumalo came close, with his hand hitting the sidelines as he landed in the corner, before late Josh Morris tried to freeze the win for Rooster.

Rooster 32 (B Morris 2, J Tedesco, N Butcher, D Hutchison, J Morris tries; S Taukeiaho 3 goals, S Walker goal)
Soldier 12 (A Pompey, T Harris tries; K Nikorima 2 goals)
HT: 16-12