The Sydney Roosters booked their place in the UNE Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final with a thrilling 36-26 victory over the Illawarra Steelers at Leichhardt Oval, setting up a decider clash with the Newcastle Knights.
The Roosters struck first through Tai Skipps, but the Steelers responded quickly, with Preston Sager leading the charge. Off the back of a set restart, the Steelers shifted right finding Destin Tausala, who produced a sharp offload on the short side to Sager. He powered his way over giving Illawarra a 12-6 lead.
The Roosters hit back through Marquis Sando and Harper Boothroyd, before Skipps added his second to edge his side ahead. However, Sager completed a first-half hat-trick to keep the Steelers in the contest, then Kahuitara Te Ra Chase crossed late to reduce the margin to 20-18 at the break.
Illawarra carried that momentum into the second half and struck immediately through Asher Chapman (pictured) in a brilliant coast-to-coast effort. The try pushed the Steelers in front 26-20 and had them on the brink of a major upset.
But the Roosters responded under pressure. Levi Scarlett sparked the comeback with a crucial try to close the gap. The defining moment came through Andy Toia, who muscled his way over to reclaim the lead and swing momentum back in the Roosters’ favour.
From there, the Roosters controlled the closing stages, with Amaziah Pritchard sealing the result late to cap off a strong second-half performance.
Despite the loss, the Steelers showed immense fight led by Sager’s hat-trick and a relentless attacking effort. Ultimately, it was the Roosters’ composure in key moments that proved the difference in their 36-26 finals victory.
By Claire Stegbauer | nswrl.com.au
File Image | Denis Ivaneza