Building Combinations and Growing Confidence: Season 2022 So Far

With plenty of change heading into the 2022 season, the Sydney Roosters have been building their confidence through new combinations as they look to charge through to a sixth consecutive finals series.

With seven wins from their opening twelve matches, Trent Robinson's men will be looking to power through the State of Origin period and finish the season in style. 

Before we recap the first half of the season, here are some statistics from Rounds 1-12.

The Stats That Matter

• The Roosters have fielded 24 players in the first 12 rounds of the competition - only the North Queensland Cowboys have fielded less with 20. 
• There have been 2 players who have made their Club debut in 2022, with Kevin Naiqama pulling on the Red, White and Blue in Round Round 4, while Terrell May made his NRL debut in Round 11.
• Eight players have featured in all 12 games so far - Nat Butcher, Angus Crichton, Drew Hutchison, Luke Keary, Joseph Manu, James Tedesco, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sam Walker.
• Comparatively, only four players did so in 2021, those being Daniel Tupou, Isaac Liu, Joseph Manu and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
• The Roosters sit in 6th position on the NRL ladder with 7 wins and 5 losses, with the 7th best attack (269 for) and the 5th best defence (216 against) with a 53 point positive differential. 
• The Roosters have a 4-2 record at home and a 3-3 record away, averaging 22 points for and 18 against, but have only won 2 of 5 matches at the SCG.
• With 4 wins from 4 matches, the Roosters have conquered Queensland, averaging 32 points for and conceding an average of 16 points while in the sunshine state. 
• In attack, Trent Robinson's side are third in linebreaks (60), fifth in running metres (20,198) and all runs (2194) and third in kick return metres (2401).
• In defence, the Tricolours are third in tackles made (4117), third in missed tackles (374) and equal first in intercepts (7), but have also recorded the third most errors (139).

 

Round 1: Ill-Discipline Cruels Roosters in Opener

With plenty of new faces in the line up both in the form of returning juniors and recuperating stars, it was a far from ideal start to season 2022 with a 20-6 loss at the hands of the Newcastle Knights.

Ill-discipline cruelled the side throughout, with Paul Momirovski capping his return to the Tricolours with a late try in a frustrating afternoon for Roosters players, Members and supporters alike.

In a positive though, the match marked the return of Lindsay Collins and Luke Keary from their respective ACL injuries, while Momirovski and Connor Watson made their long-awaited 'second debuts' for the Roosters.

Sydney Roosters 6 (Paul Momirovski try; Sam Walker penalty goal) def by Newcastle Knights 20 (Dane Gagai, Enari Tuala, Jake Clifford, Dominic Young tries; Jake Clifford 2 goals) 

 

Round 2: Roosters Light Up SCG With Striking Performance

It wasn't long before the Roosters bounced back in style with a 26-12 win over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at the SCG, which saw new halves pairing Luke Keary and Sam Walker combining in scintillating form.

The close rivals went hammer and tongs at one another, with the Tricolours bouncing to an early lead with tries to Drew Hutchison and Daniel Tupou in the opening ten minutes.

Nat Butcher and Sitili Tupouniua crossed in the latter stages of the first half to bring a dominant 22-nil lead at the break - and while it was a clunky start to the second stanza, Butcher staked his claim for a starting position with a performance with his second four-pointer sealing the match in the 67th minute. 

 

Sydney Roosters 26 (Nat Butcher 2, Drew Hutchison, Daniel Tupou, Sitili Tupouniua tries; Sam Walker 3 goals) def Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 12 (Karl Lawton, Daly Cherry-Evans tries; Reuben Garrick 2 goals)

Round 3: Resilient Roosters Unable to Overcome Rabbitohs

In a contest that had the intensity of a finals match, the Roosters fought tooth and nail throughout the entirety but ultimately were unable to overcome an early 12-nil deficit against arch-rivals South Sydney.

Captain James Tedesco, centre Joseph Manu and five-eighth Sam Walker all put in strong performances with the former two getting on the scoreboard, while Siosiua Taukeiaho led the way for the forwards, running 145 metres in just 52 minutes. 

It was a disappointing result following a strong bounce back the week prior, but the Roosters were about to show their prowess in the tropics as they ventured on a two-week trip to Queensland. 

Sydney Roosters 16 (James Tedesco, Joseph Manu, Daniel Tupou tries; Sam Walker 2 goals) def by South Sydney Rabbitohs 28 (Cameron Murray, Alex Johnston, Cody Walker, Keaon Koloamatangi, Latrell Mitchell tries; Latrell Mitchell 3 goals) 

 

Round 4: Roosters Bring the Heat to Townsville in Dominant Display

Easts claimed a memorable 28-4 victory against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville despite being without Head Coach Trent Robinson and the mercury tipping close to 30 degrees in steamy conditions.

Joseph Manu was the star of the show, scoring two tries and setting up two more against Queensland State of Origin centre Valentine Holmes, while his winger Kevin Naiqama also touched down in his Club debut.

A dominant display in the forwards saw Lindsay Collins, Victor Radley and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves all exceed 130 run metres, with the ball-playing lock breaking the line twice and completing a team-high 36 tackles. 

Captain James Tedesco also had a strong showing, running for a game-high 215 metres and providing two line break assists and two tries in one of the biggest wins of the season so far. 

 

Sydney Roosters 28 (Joseph Manu 2, Paul Momirovski, Victor Radley, Kevin Naiqama, Daniel Tupou tries; Sam Walker 2 goals) def North Queensland Cowboys 4 (Murray Taulagi try)

 

Round 5: Resolute Roosters Scrape Past Broncos in Thriller

The Roosters made it back-to-back victories in Queensland with a resounding 24-20 comeback win over the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium in a thrilling contest that few will forget. 

The Roosters overcame multiple deficits - trailing 10-nil at the break - to complete an eight-point win over a brave Broncos side, holding off the home side in a frantic finish that went to the death.  

Manu claimed a brace of tries for the second time in as many weeks, while barnstorming second rower Sitili Tupouniua sealed the result with just minutes remaining from a Sam Walker grubber kick. 

Walker had a night to remember, scoring the side's opening try before providing the match-winning four-pointer along with kicking three conversions as the Red, White and Blue claimed their third win of the season. 

 

Sydney Roosters 24 (Joseph Manu 2, Sam Walker, Sitili Tupouniua tries; Sam Walker 3, Paul Momirovski goals) def Brisbane Broncos 20 (Corey Oates 3, Kotoni Staggs tries; Adam Reynolds 2 goals) 

 

Round 6: Scrappy Roosters Finish Off Warriors in White-Hot Fashion

The Sydney Roosters celebrated Easter Sunday with a 22-14 victory over the New Zealand Warriors at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the Club celebrated the 20 year anniversary of the 2002 Premiership. 

Donning their 2022 Heritage jersey in homage to the 2002 side, the Roosters channelled the heroics of Brad Fittler's men to overcome an early eight-point deficit and complete a perfect afternoon at the hallowed SCG.

Veteran winger Daniel Tupou moved into equal second on the Club's all-time tryscorer's list with a first-half four-pointer, while Kevin Naiqama and Sam Walker scored second-half tries to seal the result. 

Teenager Joseph Suaalii and hooker Sam Verrills both made their long-awaited first appearance for season 2022, while halfback Luke Keary put in a trademark performance in his 100th game for the Club. 

 

Sydney Roosters 22 (Daniel Tupou, Kevin Naiqama, Sam Walker tries; Sam Walker 3 goals; Sam Walker 2 penalty goals) def New Zealand Warriors 14 (Edward Kosi, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak tries; Reece Walsh 2 goals; Reece Walsh penalty goal) 

 

Round 7: A Clunky ANZAC Day Affair

They mounted an almighty comeback, but the Roosters were ultimately unable to overcome rivals the St George Illawarra Dragons on ANZAC Day, going down 14-12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Featuring plenty of highlights on either side of the ball, the Tricolours found themselves with a mountain to climb with a 14-nil halftime deficit, with 15 errors and a 65% completion rate cruelling them.

Still, the men in Bondi Blue managed to come within two points of their opponents to set up a grandstand final ten minutes, with James Tedesco running over 300 metres, Joseph Manu breaking the line three times and scoring a late try while Sam Verrills made 50 tackles in a 64-minute stint with zero misses. 

 

Sydney Roosters 12 (Sitili Tupouniua, Joseph Manu tries; Sam Walker 2 goals) def by St George Illawarra Dragons 14 (Francis Molo, Jaydn Su'A tries; Zac Lomax 2 goals; Zac Lomax penalty goal) 

 

Round 8: Errors Haunt Easts in Tight Contest

It was a forgettable outing at Accor Stadium in Round 8 as the Roosters fell to the last-placed Bulldogs 16-12. 

Fighting tooth and nail throughout the match, Trent Robinson's men were forced to come back from a 10-nil deficit they chased for most of the first half, but were ultimately unable to nab the two competition points. 

Despite a late charge that saw a try denied in the dying stages, ultimately errors sustained throughout the match halted the side's momentum - with positives coming in the form of Adam Keighran's first appearance of the season and Joseph Suaalii's first try of 2022. 

 

Sydney Roosters 12 (Joseph Suaalii, James Tedesco, Sitili Tupouniua tries) def by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16 (Josh Addo-Carr 2, Jayden Okunbor tries; Matt Burton 2 goals) 

 

Round 9: Tedesco Triple Topples Titans in Tropics

Another trip to Queensland and another bounce back to the winner's circle occurred when the Roosters trounced the Gold Coast Titans 44-16 at BB Print Stadium in Mackay.

It was a memorable night of milestones for the Roosters, with a James Tedesco hat-trick including his 100th NRL try, becoming the 76th player in the competition's history to claim a century of four-pointers.

Daniel Tupou also etched himself further in the Club's record books, leapfrogging former teammate Shaun Kenny-Dowall to become the Roosters' second-highest tryscorer of all time with a double.

Youngster Joseph Suaalii also bagged a double - the first of his career - as the side's combinations clicked, producing their highest score of the season to date with the eight-try performance, setting themselves up for a Magic Round thriller.

 

Sydney Roosters 44 (James Tedesco 3, Daniel Tupou 2, Joseph Suaalii 2, Siosiua Taukeiaho tries; Sam Walker 5, Paul Momirovski goals) def Gold Coast Titans 16 (Beau Fermor, Sam Lisone, Herman Ese'ese tries; Toby Sexton 2 goals)

 

Round 10: Late Scare Overcome as Roosters Down Eels in Magic Round

Captain James Tedesco celebrated a century for the second week in a row with a win in his 100th match in the Tricolours in a thrilling 31-24 win over the Parramatta Eels in Magic Round.

Tedesco continued his rich vein of form with a trademark try and 250 metres to his name, while Sam Walker showed off his wizardry with a fifteen point haul in a memorable performance at Suncorp Stadium. 

The Tricolours completed a third consecutive victory in the NRL's annual Magic Round, with a 21-6 halftime lead propelling them to a fifth victory for season 2022 despite a second-half scare from the Eels that at one point saw just a single point separating the sides. 

In another personal milestone, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves joined former teammate Jake Friend as the fourth-most-capped Rooster after notching up his 264th appearance for the Club, capping the occasion with the opening try of the match, while Joseph Suaalii finished with another double. 

 

Sydney Roosters 31 (Joseph Suaalii 2, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, James Tedesco, Sam Walker tries; Sam Walker 3 goals; Sam Walker 2 penalty goals; Sam Walker field goal) def Parramatta Eels 24 (Isaiah Papali'i 2, Mitchell Moses, Ryan Matterson tries; Mitchell Moses 4 goals)

 

Round 11: Brave Performance Against Premiers

It was a proud effort from the Roosters in their battle against the Penrith Panthers in Round 11, going down 32-12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Despite a number of omissions from the side that defeated Parramatta, the Tricolours bravely fought against the defending Premiers in a tireless effort with the scoreline failing to accurately reflect the final result. 

The night marked the first-grade debut of Terrell May, who became Sydney Rooster #1209 from the interchange bench as over 14,482 Roosters Members and supporters braved the wet and chilly conditions. 

The Club also celebrated another Premiership milestone with members of the 2021 NRLW Grand Final-winning side honoured pre-game as they took the field for a lap of honour in front of their adoring fans. 

 

Sydney Roosters 12 (James Tedesco, Paul Momirovski tries; Sam Walker 2 goals) def by Penrith Panthers 32 (Jarome Luai 2, Apisai Koroisau, Stephen Crichton, James Fisher-Harris tries; Nathan Cleary 5 goals; Nathan Cleary penalty goal)

 

Round 12: Gadigal Roosters Run Hot in Icy Conditions to Sink Sharks

A week of celebrations has finished in appropriate fashion with the Gadigal Roosters defeating the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 36-16 at Shark Park on Dharawal Land in the NRL's Indigenous Round.

In their first visit to Shark Park since 2019, the Tricolours completed their seventh consecutive victory over the Sharks, matching their record from 1967-1970 in front of a sold-out crowd.

Captain James Tedesco and halfback Luke Keary had strong showings a day out from State of Origin selection, while winger Daniel Tupou bagged a trademark double as the Red, White and Blue ran out to a 20-nil lead. 

Connor Watson - a proud Gamilaroi man - provided plenty of impact from the bench in a stint that saw him score the final try of the match after a busy period going between lock and hooking duties. 

 

Gadigal Roosters 36 (Daniel Tupou 2, Nat Butcher, James Tedesco, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joseph Manu, Connor Watson tries; Sam Walker 4 goals) def Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16 (Ronaldo Mulitalo, Sione Katoa, Cameron McInnes tries; Nicho Hynes 2 goals)

 

As they head into their Round 13 clash against the Canberra Raiders down in the nation's capital, the Roosters will be looking to continue their recent form and springboard themselves into the back end of the season as they aim for Premiership 16. 

With six home games left in season 2022, we're offering you the chance to Call Yourself a Rooster for 30% off ALL Sydney Roosters Full-Season Memberships as we aim to break the 18,000 Member mark!