The Roosters overcame the loss of playmaker Luke Keary to a suspected fractured jaw in the first half to hold off the Knights and secure a 18-16 victory on Saturday.
Keary left the field in the 25th minute and didn't return after collecting the boot of Knights winger Dom Young while attempting a tackle, leaving Drew Hutchison and rookie halfback Sandon Smith to get the job done at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The pair's task was made significantly easier by a huge effort from stand-in fullback Joey Manu, who put his hand up for 29 carries resulting in 317 run metres, in addition to scoring a try to ensure his side lost little in the absence of captain James Tedesco.
Veteran wing Daniel Tupou also had 23 carries for 296 metres and his try shortly after Keary left the field in the first half was crucial.
Three tries and a penalty in a first half which they dominated – enjoying 58 percent possession and breaking 23 tackles – gave the Roosters a 18-6 lead at the break, which proved enough, despite them going scoreless in the second half.
Earlier Newcastle had made a dream start when Kalyn Ponga broke the defence open to set up Young on three minutes, but the Roosters hit back promptly through Nat Butcher after a half break from their new No.7 Smith.
Ponga and Gagai combine to send Young in
Manu then sliced through the middle for his own, and after the Knights had a possible second for Young ruled out for a knock on, the Roosters compounded the misery by adding a third four-pointer through Tupou.
Tupou crashes through Gagai to get over
Ponga denied Hutchison in the shadows of half-time, but on the ensuing set the Roosters were awarded a penalty which Sandon Smith converted for a 18-6 advantage, with that play ending up the difference in the end.
Tries to Young and Bradman Best inside the final 25 set up a thrilling finish, but some spirited defence from the Roosters, including a late strip from Egan Butcher to regain possession for his side, sealed the result.
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Match Snapshot
- Luke Keary suffered a suspected fractured jaw in the 25th minute and was ruled out of the remainder of the game.
Keary leaves the field
- Lachlan Fitzgibbon left the field for a HIA which he failed seven minutes into the second half. Adam Elliott underwent and passed a HIA after leaving the field just before the break.
- The close nature of the game was shown in the defensive stats, with Newcastle finishing having made eight tackles more than their opponents, while they each missed 35 tackles.
- Fitzgibbon and Jack Hetherington were placed on report within a minute of each other three minutes from half-time, for tackles on Sitili Tupouniua and Joey Manu respectively.
- The Roosters have now won 12 of their past 14 games against the Knights.
- Dominic Young has scored nine tries in his past seven games.
Play of the Game
A classy try as part of another huge performance from Joey Manu as the Roosters' makeshift No.1. As support players loomed, Kalyn Ponga had little choice but to go for the dummy, and from there Manu strolled in.
Big Joey Manu dummy too good for Ponga
What They Said
"The dressing room is really hurting. We've done a really good job of our preparation of late and I don't want them to lose heart by losing by two points each week or coming close. We've just got to stick at it, there's no point packing it in. We punched enough holes in them, we just couldn't find that last bit of execution and errors [hurt us]. We're yet to put together an 80-minute performance." - Knights coach Adam O'Brien.
Knights: Round 16
"There was a lot of pride at the end there. At 18-10, I thought it was a real tussle. I thought we defended well, Junior Pauga had an amazing try-saver on the left-edge. The boys dug deep, they worked hard for what they got, they were really consistent in their defence the whole game and they carried out of their end.
"People get boots all the time at different angles but to break his (Keary's) jaw like that, that’s our game. It’s really difficult. He’s been leading the way with this man (Jared Waerea-Hargreaves) during the week and on the weekends for us. He’s really been fighting hard, but that’s life isn’t it?” - Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
Roosters: Round 16
What's Next
The Knights head to Penrith on Saturday to take on the premiers at BlueBet Stadium, while the Roosters host the Raiders at Allianz Stadium. The Tricolours will be nervously awaiting scans on Keary's jaw and will hope James Tedesco and Lindsay Collins will be able to back up four days after Origin II in Brisbane.