NRL: Roosters charge into grand final

AAP

28 Sep, 2013 09:15 PM3 mins to read

Michael Jennings of the Roosters celebrates scoring a try with his team mates during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights. Photo / Getty Images.

The Sydney Roosters rounded off a difficult week by holding their nerve to comfortably beat a gallant Newcastle 40-14 and book their place in next Sunday's NRL grand final against Manly.

Four tries in a blistering 13-minute second-half spell was enough to end the season of a Knights side roared on by more than 15,000 of their supporters who made the trip down to Sydney.

The Roosters' build-up to the game was disrupted by a report linking three of their players to performance-enhancing substances - but Trent Robinson's side showed no signs of distraction and were ruthless after halftime as they blew away Wayne Bennett's men.

Newcastle had more than held their own in the first half, holding out the home side comfortably in the opening half-hour with James Maloney and Tyrone Roberts exchanging penalties to tie the scores at 2-2.

But their plans were thrown into disarray midway through the opening stanza when Danny Buderus was forced out of the game after being knocked unconscious, coming off second-best trying to bring down the onrushing Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

It was a sad end to a glorious career for the retiring former NSW skipper as he was given a standing ovation from the 37,752 crowd as he was taken to hospital as a precaution.

The loss of their talisman appeared to affect the Knights with Daniel Tupou and Michael Jennings crossing for the Roosters just before halftime, to make the score 12-2 before Roberts kicked his second goal on the stroke of the halftime to narrow the gap.

But it was the Roosters who started fastest after the break with Aidan Guerra, Jennings, Mitch Aubusson and Jake Friend going over to effectively end the game as a contest and book their place in a second grand final in four seasons.

However, the Knights refused to go down without a fight with the impressive Jarrod Mullen, who was in no way overshadowed by the equally outstanding Mitchell Pearce and Maloney, teeing up former Rooster Joey Leilua for two late consolation tries.

But Guerra had the final word crashing over again in the final seconds with Maloney adding the extras with his fifth successful conversion.

Pearce said the Roosters are a better side than when they last made the grand final and went down to St George Illawarra but expects a huge test from the Sea Eagles.

"We're in a different position to last time, we were really focused on this game and credit to the boys we did what we had to do,'' Pearce said.