The Roosters have bounced back in style from last week's loss to the Knights with a convincing 40-16 win over the Cowboys at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to set up a home semi-final.
It was the Roosters' backline that made their presence known scoring 36 points between them, including a try double from five-eighth Tarryn Aiken and a career-high 16-point haul from halfback Jocelyn Kelleher.
It was a confident start from the Cowboys who came out and tested the Roosters defence early, and it was their captain Kirra Dibb who opened the scoring with her signature ‘show and go’ move. She converted her own try for a 6-0 lead.
The Roosters hit back in the 15tth minute when Aiken broke through the defensive line, scooting down the left side before passing in field for Corbin Baxter to score her seventh try for the season.
Kirra Dibb Try
Momentum was in the Roosters' favour as Isabelle Kelly raced away to score their second try in three minutes. Kelleher made no mistake slotting the conversion to make it 12-6 to the Tricolours.
The Cowboys continued to stay in the grind, and it was the boot of Tahlulah Tillett who threaded a kick through for second row Bree Chester to collect and score in the 25th minute.
It was the scrambling defence from the Cowboys that looked like they were going to hold the Roosters out right before half-time, but off the back of a charged down kick, Olivia Kernick found herself with the ball before a chip and chase from Aiken saw the Roosters score on the siren.
Isabelle Kelly Try
The second half was all the Roosters as Aiken got things going with her second try before Jayme Fressard, Otesa Pule and Kelleher all crossed.
Despite playing with 12 players after Pina Hopoate was sin binned in the 55th minute the Roosters scored twice in that time and the game was in the bag at 36-10.
It was Jetaya Faifua who had the last word with a great individual try for the Cowboys but the night belonged to the Roosters as they march into the finals with plenty of confidence.
This article contains content that is only available on pan66.com
Match Snapshot
- The Roosters have scored more than 30 points in every one of their seven victories in 2023.
- Roosters forward Pani Hopoate was put on report and sent to the sin bin for an alleged hip drop tackle that led to Jasmine Peters being assisted off the field with an ankle injury.
- The Roosters lost star pairing Millie Boyle (shoulder) and Keeley Davis (hamstring) on Friday due to injuries.
- Tyler Bentley and Millicent Scutt made their NRLW debuts for the Roosters while Alisha Foord made her NRLW debut off the bench for the Cowboys.
- Isabelle Kelly had 15 runs for 206 metres and broke nine tackles for the Roosters.
- Tarryn Aiken was superb for the Roosters with two tries, two try assists and four line break assists.
Otesa Pule Try
Plays of the Game
Tarryn Aiken's two tries were key to the Roosters' win, the first coming on the stroke of half-time when she chipped over the top and regathered. She then got the second half started by putting Isabelle Kelly into a hole with a sweetly timed pass and backing up on the inside for the Roosters' fourth try of the night.
Tarryn Aiken Try
What They Said
“It was a little bit clunky, we weren’t completing very high. At half-time we were seven from 14, so 50 per cent completion. We were lucky to be in front to be honest, so we just spoke at half-time about trying to build a bit more pressure and let the points come more naturally instead of trying to force them which I think the girls did a great job of that in the second half.” – Roosters coach John Strange
Roosters: Round 9
“We asked them to come here and have effort and we absolutely got that first half, but just fell away in the second half. Just attention to detail around a few things and obviously getting to the end of a long season now - the scoreline blew away in the second half which is disappointing. But in the first half there was definitely effort there.” – Cowboys coach Ben Jeffries
Cowboys: Round 9
What's Next
The Roosters head into the post-season full of confidence and will host a semi-final next weekend while the Cowboys' debut season ends with a 2-7 record but plenty of positives to take into 2024.