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THE
St George Illawarra Dragons premier league
side has fallen at the final hurdle losing
the grand final 30-8 to the Sydney Roosters
at Telstra Stadium today.
After
finishing minor premiers, albeit on for and
against over the Roosters, Mick Potter’s
side couldn’t do the business in the
big one.
Rooster’s
winger Gavin Lester was the man of the moment,
grabbing three tries and also spending time
in the sin-bin.
“The
other team just played too well,” a despondent
Potter said.
“We
made way too many errors and just couldn’t
get back into it.”
Potter
was critical of his sides composure, claiming
mistakes cruelled their chances as they pushed
numerous passes.
“We
just tried to score off every set and that’s
just not possible in a grand final,”
he said.
“I
thought we might correct it in the second
half but we just got worse and worse.”
Both
teams traded chances in the opening exchanges
but mistakes at crucial times left each side
empty handed.
Bryan
Norrie, Ryan Powell and Henry Perenara all
went close for the Dragons while George Rose
bombed a chance for the Roosters inside the
first 15 minutes.
It
was Lester who opened the scoring, when Iosia
Soliola made a break from a scrum, passed
inside to Grant Rovelli who then sent Lester
over in the 16th minute.
Just
three minutes later Tyrone Smith had extended
the lead to 10-0 after some clever play from
Luke Dorn.
The
classy five eighth grubbered behind the defence
for Todd Byrne to scoop up and draw the fullback,
giving Smith a free run to the line.
Dragons
winger Andrew Frew kick started the minor
premiers assault when he scooped up a loose
Daniel Holsworth pass and darted past two
defenders in the 27th minute.
It
looked as if the red and whites were ready
to push ahead further when Perenara made a
long break, passed to David Howell who then
sent Clint Greenshields towards the line.
But
Lester came from the far wing and brought
the Dragons fullback down just one metre short
before being sin-binned for a second effort.
Rather
than go into their shell, the Roosters continued
to attack with a man down and were rewarded
with a try to Tevita Metuisela.
The
replacement did well to back his way through
a three man tackle to score and increase the
lead to 16-4.
With
only seconds remaining before the break Dragons
centre Wes Naiqama reduced the deficit to
eight with a clever try from a scrum.
The
Fijian flyer was able to get on the outside
of his opposite number and give the Dragons
some much-needed momentum into the break.
But
they failed to capitilise and it was the Roosters
who pushed ahead 18-8 following a Dorn penalty
goal.
Almost
immediately the tri colours put the match
out of reach when Lester gleefully accepted
the crumbs from a contested bomb and extended
to 24-8.
A
last chance at a rally went begging when Powell
failed to ground a bouncing ball in the in
goal with 10 minutes to play and Lester’s
third try in the final minutes left the Roosters
to celebrate their second premiership of the
day.
SYDNEY
ROOSTERS 30 (Gavin Lester 3, Tyrone Smith,
Tevita Metuisela tries; Luke Dorn 5 goals)
d. ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 8 (Andrew Frew,
Wes Naiqama tries)
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