Round 5
Penrith Panthers 12 l. Sydney Roosters 28

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Roosters continue to crow
Sun April 13, 2008
Premiership heavy weights and the NRL's glamour club Sydney Roosters took further steps as the team to beat on Saturday night as they downed Penrith 28-12 despite Willie Mason and Anthony Minichiello watching from the stands.

The Roosters showed their depth and quality with Coach Brad Fittler being able to rest two Internationals and also drop David Shillington back to the NSW VB Cup competition for disciplinary reasons.

Penrith stuck it to the Roosters early on and the scores were locked at nil-all until the 24th minute when Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored. The Panthers struck back with Luke Lewis scoring a fine try in the 30th minute and the Bondi boys regained the lead when Frank-Paul Nuuausala crashed over. The Roosters went into the break leading 12-6.

Amos Roberts extended the Roosters lead three minutes into the second half and from there the Roosters were never in trouble as the Panthers offered nothing in attack and the Roosters power was just too much for them.

Eventually Penrith cracked and the Roosters scored quick tries to Craig Fitzgibbon and Mitchell Pearce to extend the margin out to 28-6.

Geoff Daniela scored a late try for the Panthers, but it meant little except getting Penrith into double figures.

The Roosters proved last night that they are the team to beat this year and are playing at a level above Melbourne and the other 14 sides are merely making up the numbers.

PANTHERS 12
Tries (2)
Luke Lewis 30m
Geoff Daniela 75m

Conversions (2/2)
Jarrod Sammut 31m
Jarrod Sammut 76m

Penalty Goals (0/0)

Goalkickers (2/2)
Jarrod Sammut 2 from 2

ROOSTERS 28
Tries (5)
Shaun Kenny-Dowall 24m
Frank-Paul Nuuausala 33m
Amos Roberts 43m
Craig Fitzgibbon 66m
Mitchell Pearce 71m

Conversions (3/5)
Craig Fitzgibbon 34m
Craig Fitzgibbon 44m
Craig Fitzgibbon 72m

Penalty Goals (1/1)
Craig Fitzgibbon 58m

Goalkickers (4/6)
Craig Fitzgibbon 4 from 6

MATCH STATS
Roosters in brackets
Errors: 15 (12)
Completions: 25/35 (35/44)
Penalties: 5 (6)
Scrums: 5 (4)
Tackles: 334 (269)
1 on 1 Tackles: 37 (24)
Missed Tackles: 42 (24)
Line Breaks: 2 (4)
Offloads: 7 (12)
Runs: 142 (182)
Runs Metres: 1119m (1456m)
Try Assists: 1 (2)
40/20s: 0 (0)
Line Dropouts: 1 (2)
Roosters in brackets

LEADING PLAYER STATS
All Runs Metres
Sammy Perrett 225
Petero Civoniceva 170
Nate Myles 140
Shaun Kenny-Dowall 137
Michael Gordon 131

All Runs
Sammy Perrett 25
Petero Civoniceva 19
Michael Gordon 18
Nate Myles 17
Shaun Kenny-Dowall 17

Tackle Breaks
Sammy Perrett 10
Shaun Kenny-Dowall 7
Anthony Tupou 6
Luke Lewis 5
Lopini Paea 4

Tackles
Nathan Smith 45
Craig Fitzgibbon 36
Luke Priddis 34
Luke Lewis 34
Tony Puletua 30

1-on-1 Tackles
Nathan Smith 5
Iosia Soliola 4
Craig Fitzgibbon 4
Luke Lewis 3
Mitchell Aubusson 3

Missed Tackles
Jarrod Sammut 7
Nathan Smith 6
Petero Civoniceva 5
Luke Lewis 4
Maurice Blair 4

Full Panthers v Roosters Match & Player Stats



Minichiello, Mason and Shillington to miss Panthers clash
Tue April 8, 2008
Source: www.sydneyroosters.com.au

Sydney Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello has been given the week off after pulling up stiff from last Friday night's win over the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Minichiello, who has had two surgeries on his back, was given the advice from team medical staff to sit out the coming match and further matches if necessary.

Roosters head physiotherapist, Tony Ayoub, said resting Minichiello is just a precaution at this stage dismissing claims that the injury is career threatening.

"Mini's pulled up a little stiff and sore after the game on the weekend," Ayoub said.

"In light of his history and given the advice from his Neurosurgeon and an opinion from a couple of other medical professionals we've decided to give him some time off, maybe a week or two and then we'll reassess it."

"It's just the back problem that he has had, he's got a couple of old disc bulges that have been operated on and every now and then he gets sore so were giving him some time off," he said.

For the former player of the year, Minichiello said he was initially worried but confirmed it is only a precaution.

"I'm taking the advice of the coach and the doctors," Minichiello said.

"It was a little sore two days after the game, naturally with the history of my back sometimes you do get a little bit worried, that's why we did the MRI and it showed up all good so it's only a little bit of a scare."

Willie Mason will also miss this weekends game due to a knee injury he picked up in last weeks win, although it is expected he will return for the Roosters heritage round clash against the Newcastle Knights at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday 20 April.

"Willie has a grade one strain of his medial ligament on his left knee and he'll be right to play next week," Ayoub said.

Club CEO, Brian Canavan, also addressed David Shillington's absence from the Roosters line-up this weekend.

"The club has an internal policy relating to alcohol and David drank alcohol on the wrong day of the week and was late to training the next day," Canavan said.

"The coaching staff and the club have made the decision that he will play NSW Cup this week."

PENRITH PANTHERS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS at CUA Stadium, 7.30pm
PANTHERS: Rhys Wesser, Luke Rooney, Michael Jennings, Brad Tighe, Michael Gordon, Maurice Blair, Jarrod Sammut, Tony Puletua, Luke Priddis, Petero Civoniceva (capt), Frank Pritchard, Luke Lewis, Nathan Smith. Interchange: Paul Aiton, Frank Puletua, Brendon Worth, Matthew Bell, Geoff Daniela, Joseph Paulo. (two to be omitted).

ROOSTERS: Sam Perrett, Amos Roberts, Mitchell Aubusson, Sia Soliola, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Braith Anasta, Mitchell Pearce, Mark O'Meley, Riley Brown, Nate Myles, Setaimata Sa, Anthony Tupou, Craig Fitzgibbon (capt). Interchange: Lopini Paea, Frank Paul-Nuuausala, Brent Grose, James Aubusson, Mickey Paea (one to be omitted).

Referee: Bernard Sutton

News sent by: www.sydneyroosters.com.au

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