Sydney Roosters put their hands up
May 25th 2008 10:58
Roosters winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall scored a hat-trick as his side produced a five star performance
Ladies and gentlemen we now have a team in the NRL that can challenge the Melbourne Storm for glory in late September.
That team comes in the form of the Sydney Roosters who today showcased an expedition of football that was flawless to say the least.
From minute one, the Roosters blew the New Zealand Warriors of the park at their home ground where prior to this clash, they had maintained an unbeaten record this season.
Many would have expected a Warriors victory given their challenging home aura in recent seasons.
After all, their recent record at Mt Smart suggested a long evening for the Tri-colours after their previous performance in New Zealand yielded a 40-16 loss for Brad Fittler's men.
How times have changed.
Two seasons later, the Warriors are the ones copping it from their fans and the Roosters are on top of the table for the first time in two years.
In what was their best performance of the season, the Roosters clearly displayed all the necessary aspects of a side that is capable of claiming the premiership in tremendously entertaining style.
Braith Anasta's combination with Mitchell Pearce is paying dividends for the Tri-colours, hence their supreme domination over opposition in recent weeks.
You have to go back to the glory days when the chooks had a decent halves pearing which was ironically occupied by current coach Brad Fittler.
Since his retirement from the game, the Roosters have suffered immensely in both attack and defence in previous seasons and seemed bereft of all leadership and passion.
Since Freddy's introduction to the head coaching role, Fittler is now apart of the team once again and the results are finally being produced.
Anasta is in career best form and looks likely to give the Dally M medal one hell of a shake at seasons end.
His kicking game has been sublime and his combination with young half Mitchell Pearce has ensured stability in a position where the Roosters were clearly out of sorts.
At this present period, they are the form, and most lethal halves combination in the premiership.
But's that not the only area where the chooks have dominated this season.
In order for the likes of Anasta and Pearce to dominate, a platform must be made by the forwards to ensure constant pressure in attack.
This is an area where the Roosters have had a supreme edge on their opponents this season.
The likes of Mason, O"Meley, Paea, Myles, Fitzgibbon and Tupou have constantly provided their side with the necessary go forward to allow their halves to seize control.
And it has worked to a charm this season.
Mark O'Meley's form in particular these past couple of weeks has been nothing short of inspirational.
Against the Eels he was unstoppable and against the physical pack of the Warriors he stood tall and led from the front.
His stats against the Warriors read 20 hitups for 154 metres in what was a damaging performance against his opposition.
Lopini Paea and Willie Mason also had solid games after backing up from Origin just three nights ago. Mason made 117 metres and provided a beautiful offload for his side's second try of the afternoon.
Speaking of good performances for the Tri-colours, winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall was virtually having a field day back in his native New Zealand.
He bagged a hat-trick of tries to become the competitions leading try-scorer with 8 four pointers and also amassed 221 metres for the chooks in what was arguably his finest performance in his blossoming career.
The kiwi backpacker, along with Israel Folau, is now probably the most dangerous winger in the competition with his ability to leap over opposition players and more often than not come up with a try.
Watch this space ladies and gentlemen because both Kenny-Dowall and the Roosters are heading north very quickly.
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