The Roosters have thrashed the Eels 38-14 to keep their top two hopes alive on a water-logged Allianz Stadium.
Roosters winger Dom Young starred with a hat-trick, but left the game early and was seen with his hamstring iced up, however the Roosters reported it was merely precaution.
Following a torrential rain shower shortly before kick off, many parts of Allianz Stadium were flooded, which led to spectacular scenes, with players slipping and sliding all over the ground.
MATCH CENTRE: Roosters v Eels, scores, stats, blog
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“They are playing in diabolical conditions,” Corey Parker said on Fox League about the dire-looking Allianz playing surface.
The Roosters committed a few uncharacteristic errors early, but regained their composure to score three tries in the first 22 minutes.
Spencer Leniu broke the duck in the 10th minute, proving too strong close to the line, before the two Roosters flanks Young and Tupou scored in quick succession.
They went into the sheds up 24-4, after a brilliant solo effort from James Tedesco, who fooled opposite number Clint Gutherson en route to the try line.
Despite the big lead at half time, the Roosters didn’t rest on their laurels.
They scored three tries to extend the lead to 38-4 when Young completed his hat-trick with a 58th minute try.
“He’s toying with the Eels is Dom Young,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.
While the Roosters looked a premiership threat at times, their opposition gave them every opportunity.
Parramatta tried hard but had a whopping 55 missed tackles.
What also didn’t help was the Eels having two men sent to the sin bin throughout the game, with the Roosters out scoring Parramatta four tries to zero during those 20 minutes.
The first of those, Eels prop Wiremu Greig was given his marching orders for a high shot on Connor Watson, with the Roosters star subsequently ruled out for the game for failing a HIA.
The Eels crossed for two late consolation tries to save some face on the scoreboard.
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WHAT WE LEARNED (by Martin Gabor – NCA Newswire)
RED HOT ROOSTERS
It may have been wet but the Roosters were on fire as they showed why they boast the best attack in the NRL this season.
Dom Young bagged a hat-trick on the right wing after overcoming a hamstring injury, and he had plenty of support on Friday with James Tedesco and Brandon Smith both finishing with two assists each.
Sam Walker was also at his brilliant best with a trademark chip over the top for Sitili Tupouniua to score in his 100th game.
SIN BIN FRIDAY
The Roosters will be without lock forward Connor Watson next week after the Blues rookie was knocked out of the contest as a result of an ugly shot from Wiremu Greig.
Watson was being held upright in a tackle by two Eels defenders before Greig charged in and whacked him in the head with a tackle that will likely earn the ire of the match review committee.
The forceful shot to the head will keep Watson out of next week’s trip to the Gold Coast after the Bunker deemed it a category one head knock.
Greig wasn’t the only Parramatta player to spend 10 minutes off the field, with Brendan Hands marched early in the second half for a professional foul which was punished a few plays later by Young who slid over for his second try.
Skipper Clint Gutherson is also in trouble after he was placed on report for kicking Tedesco as he tried to toe through a loose ball in the first half, while the Roosters lost Naufahu Whyte to the sin bin for a professional foul.
LEGEND SLAMS STATE OF THE ART SURFACE
League legend Corey Parker has savaged the Allianz Stadium surface which resembled an “aquatic centre” as the Roosters kept their heads above water to remain in the hunt for a top-two finish.
The Roosters were always in control in their dominant 38-14 win over the Eels to move within two points of the Panthers, and you can only imagine what the score would have been if the field wasn’t covered in puddles.
A powerful storm swept through Penrith on Thursday, but it was a deluge of a different kind in the CBD as 8mm of rain and deafening thunder provided the locals with some unexpected pre-game entertainment.
The storm didn’t last long but Allianz Stadium gave the impression that Sydney had been soaked all week with puddles everywhere you looked which is surprising given the venue is only two years old and should have better drainage.
“They’re certainly not the conditions that you’d expect at a stadium like that after so much money has been put into it,” Parker said on Fox League.
“I understand there was a fair downpour, but that is diabolical.”
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