Sydney Roosters in devastating blows to Joey Manu and Sitili Tupouniua

Sydney Roosters enjoyed a superb 26-12 win over Manly Sea Eagles, but they will be counting the cost of that victory.

A number of Roosters men suffered injuries from the game, including Connor Watson (shoulder), Sitili Topouniua (head knock) and Joey Manu (knee) after their win over the Sea Eagles.

“Connor had a shoulder injury, but if I needed him he could have come back on,” head coach Trent Robinson said.

“They could have strapped him up if we needed him, but we didn’t, but he will have to go and have a look at it.

“Sitili remembers everything, but he felt sick so he was obviously concussed there. He felt a bit crook five minutes after.

“Manu looks OK. He had ice on it there, but, I’m not sure exactly what was wrong with it.”

It was apt that this game was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground because the Roosters looked like they would put a big score on Manly before the Sea Eagles finally responded in the second-half.

By the time they came out for the break, though, they were 22-0 down courtesy of a first-half Sydney onslaught.

Drew Hutchison and Daniel Tupou struck inside the first ten minutes as Sam Walker and Luke Keary ran riot before Nat Butcher got on the board himself on 22 minutes.

16-0 became 22-0 just after the half-hour mark when Sitili Tupouniua took a superb Keary pass to go over unchallenged under the posts. Walker’s third conversion made it 22-0.

Manly did strike first after the break, Karl Lawton scrambling through after Dylan Walker came close.

But, the respite didn’t last long and Butcher got his second on 67 minutes, skipping past Tom Trbojevic for a fine score.

The Sea Eagles did have the last word, though, after Daly Cherry-Evans followed up a great Reuben Garrick kick.
Sydney really did underline their credentials as one of the teams too beat in 2022 after a disappointing loss in round one.