Round 4
Sydney Roosters 10 l. Brisbane Broncos 32

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

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

Roosters slump further as Broncos win in professional style
Fri April 6, 2007
The Sydney Roosters have slumped to their 4th successive big loss of the season with defending premiers Brisbane Broncos putting in a professional performance winning 32-10 at Aussie Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Roosters they are still stuck on 999 wins with that elusive 1,000th victory seeming many miles away as the once great club continues slump further down the slippery dip.

After a tough opening ten minutes, the Broncos opened the scoring in the 11th minute when incumbent Australian fullback Karmichael Hunt scored. Darren Lockyer converted the try for the Broncos to lead 6-0.

Steve Michaels extended Brisbane's lead in the 20th minute when he crossed over with the conversion attempt wide of the mark. Shaun Berrigan put the Broncos well clear with a try on 26 minutes and Lockyer's conversion made it 16-0.

The Roosters scored on the stroke of half-time through Shaun Kenny-Dowall to give the Bondi boys some hope heading into the second half with Craig Fitzgibbon converting reducing the margin to ten points.

Lockyer ensured the Roosters wouldn't get within striking distance with a piece of brilliance five minutes in the second half to turn defence into attack creating a great try for Greg Eastwood. The conversion attempt for unsuccessful with the Broncos up 20-6.

Joel Monaghan got the Roosters in double figures for the first time this year with a try in the 51st minute and despite Fitzgibbon's conversion attempt being wide of the mark, the Roosters produced their best football for a ten minute period as they desperately tried to get back into the match.

A deft grubber kick from Shane Perry found space with Lockyer on the spot to score the try and convert with the Broncos safely home leading 26-10 heading into the final 15 minutes.

Michaels scored his second try with six minutes remaining in the corner and Lockyer's conversion from the sideline capped off a strong night for the Broncos.

It was a professional performance by the Broncos who used their superior power in the forwards and the class of Lockyer to get them home in the wet conditions.

The problems at the Roosters will only sadly get deeper and Chris Anderson's time as coach will soon come to an end with the Roosters looking for a short fix to solve the problems that are much deeper than whoever is coach and whichever players they sign.

Anderson has a proven record in development and building teams from the basement up. However, the Roosters have to show patience in their coach, but it's unlikely to be that way with the knives already out for the two time premiership winning coach and also a championship winning coach in England and at Test level in savage fashion.

The Roosters in their 100th season now loom as odds-on favourites for the wooden spoon unless something dramatic happens to one of the other 15 clubs. The Roosters came 14th out of 15 last year and appear headed to be 16th out of 16.

Advanced Search