NRL: SBW relieved Roosters made it

Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Getty Images

Sonny Bill Williams isn't used to emptiness, but that's how his NRL career almost ended on Friday night.

The cross-code star admitted the Roosters' performance in their epic 31-30 triumph over the Cowboys in the elimination final at Allianz Stadium, "wasn't a great feeling".

A win is all the Roosters needed to book a blockbuster preliminary final date with the Rabbitohs on Friday, but they'll need to be a lot better to beat Souths.

Letting the Cowboys storm back from 30-0 down has left the Roosters feeling vulnerable and exposed up the middle of the field. North Queensland got on a roll and didn't look back.

Williams was poor. He dropped balls and was left sprawled on his back after being beaten all ends up by Johnathan Thurston, when the Cowboys ace darted over for a second-half try.

To add to the feelings of frustration, Williams was denied a try in the final few minutes when he thought he'd grounded the ball.

But the fact is the Roosters live to fight another day. And Williams remains on track to add to his incredible legacy by claiming a second premiership in as many years in his cameo career for the Roosters before returning to rugby union and the All Blacks.

"It's pretty tough," said Williams when describing his emotions post-match. "The way they were rolling through our ruck, it wasn't a great feeling out there.

"We just clinched it at the end there and, thankfully, that's how footy goes sometimes. Thankfully the coin landed in our favour.

"One win away from the grand final. It's a big game this week and we've got to turn our attention to Souths who are in great form and are at another level."

Already the mind games have started. Roosters five-eighth James Maloney believes the Rabbitohs might find the burden of expectation too much to handle.

Souths haven't appeared in or won a grand final since 1971 and for the past two seasons have fallen at this same hurdle - a game short of the premiership decider.

Maloney knows the pressure will all be on Souths, it's simply up to the Roosters to ensure the Bunnies players feel the heat.

"Obviously they've had a couple of years where they've come so close and no doubt that will be playing on their minds, so we'll see how it goes," Maloney said.

"Hopefully it comes into play. Hopefully we can put ourselves in a position in the game where that can start weighing on their minds. But it won't happen until we start really well and we make them go to some dark places."