Round 9
Sydney Roosters 24 d. Gold Coast Titans 18

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Fitzgibbon hopeful of playing, Nutley cleared of suspension
Tue May 15, 2007
Source: www.sydneyroosters.com.au

Roosters Captain Craig Fitzgibbon is confident a twisted ankle suffered in his side's win over the Titans won't keep him out of next Saturday night's clash against the Storm.

"I think I'm a pretty good chance of playing at this stage," Fitzgibbon said.

"It's the same left ankle that troubled me last year, so I understand the injury and the best way to treat it.

"I would say I'm better than a 50/50 bet of being fit for Melbourne."

Meanwhile, prop Danny Nutley has taken the early guilty plea after being charged with a Grade 1 Dangerous Throw against the Titans and will be free to play against the Storm this Saturday night.

Nutley's clean record with the judiciary ensured he would not have enough points accumulated to warrant suspension.

It's a huge bonus for the Roosters who are expected to be without several key players for the clash with both Origin teams to be picked on Tuesday morning.

News source: www.sydneyroosters.com.au


Spirited Roosters overcome fast finishing Titans
Tue May 15, 2007
Source: www.titans.com.au

A spirited team effort from the Sydney Roosters saw them register a 24-18 victory over a fast finishing Gold Coast Titans outfit at Aussie Stadium on Sunday.

A small Mother's Day crowd was on hand to witness a determined Sydney Roosters team post just their second win of season '07, with a flat first half effort costing the Gold Coast Titans the two premiership points.

Seemingly suffering from the Monday night football curse, the Titans failed to capitalise on some promising attacking opportunities in the first half, with the Gold Coast side struggling for cohesion in the halves for much of the match.

The Roosters dominated in every aspect of play throughout the first half, with the home side's 10-0 half time lead flattering the visiting Coast team. Titans coach John Cartwright half time blast had the desired effect, with the Titans storming home in the second half to almost secure an unlikely victory.

After a scrappy opening quarter to the match, a seventy metre runaway try to Roosters centre Sam Perrett allowed the home tem to post first points. An uncontested Scott Prince bomb was claimed by Perrett in space, with the nippy Roosters centre showing the Titans cover defence a clean pair of heels to race away under the posts. Sydney skipper Craig Fitzgibbon had no problems with the simple conversion to hand the home team an early 6-0 advantage.

The Roosters went further ahead in the 21st minute, with some great interchanging of passing from the Sydney backline enabling Joel Monaghan to cross out wide. Fitzgibbon's conversion attempt swung wide, but the home side had the ascendency at 10-0.

With the Titans noticeably off their game, the Roosters took control of the match, and should have led by more than ten points at the main beak, with only poor execution preventing them from posting further points.

The Roosters started the second half in the same mood as the first, with scheming Roosters half Mitchell Pearce ducking through some soft Gold Coast defence, before offloading to a rampaging Fitzgibbon to score beside the posts. Another simple Fitzgibbon conversion pushed the Sydney team out to a commanding 16-0 lead after 44 minutes.

However, the Titans struck back through a dubious try to interchange backrower Gavin Cooper just five minutes later, with television replays suggesting that Prince's offload to the bullocking Cooper was forward. Rugby Union convert Mat Rogers slotted the easy conversion to finally get the visitors on the board.

Inspired by their first try, the Gold Coast struck again in the 55th minute, with yet another brilliant one handed offload by Prince putting tireless lock Luke Swain over for a rare four pointer. Rogers got his side within four points thanks to his second goal inside five minutes, with the Titans charging back into the contest at 16-12.

A 61st minute penalty goal to Rooster Amos Roberts put the home team back out by a converted try, with New South Wales fullback aspirant Anthony Minichiello scoring a crucial converted try to put the home team out to a handy 24-12 lead.

Making amends for a quiet first half, creative Titans half Scott Prince weaved his way through four Roosters defenders to score a brilliant solo try with ten minutes left on the clock, with Rogers's third conversion giving the visitors a remote chance of snatching an unlikely victory.

But try as they might, the Gold Coast could not crack the resilient Roosters defence over the final stages, with the Sydney team holding onto record a 24-18 victory.

The Sydney Roosters now face the tough road trip to Olympic Park to take on the Melbourne Storm next Saturday night, whilst the Gold Coast Titans will meet the St George-Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium on Friday night.

Sydney Roosters 24
Tries: Sam Perrett, Joel Monaghan, Craig Fitzgibbon, Anthony Minichiello
Goals: Craig Fitzgibbon 2, Amos Roberts 2

Defeated

Gold Coast Titans 18
Tries: Gavin Cooper, Luke Swain, Scott Prince
Goals: Mat Rogers 3

Report source: www.titans.com.au

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