Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has scored twice in his 250th NRL match, guiding the Tricolours to a semifinal win over Manly.
The Roosters scored six tries to three in the 40-16 win in front of more than 40,000 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
The victory earns the Roosters are trip to Melbourne next Friday to face the Storm in the first preliminary final.
Tedesco was exceptional on Saturday night, setting up the opening try of the match before scoring two of his own.
The Roosters' forward pack out-muscled Manly from the early stages, boosted by the return of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Victory Radley.
The night started poorly for the Sea Eagles who lost centre Tolutau Koula to a head injury on the first tackle of the match.
Koula, a week after scoring the match-winning try in the elimination final, tackled Waerea-Hargreaves but was hit by a stray elbow from the Roosters' enforcer.
The Manly centre went off for a Head Injury Assessment (HIA) that was classified as a category one, ending his night after less than 10 seconds.
Tolutau Koula of the Sea Eagles leaves the field for a HIA during the NRL Semi Final match between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, September 21, 2024. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
Jake Trbojevic then went off for his own HIA after a clash of heads on the second tackle of the night, but the NSW State of Origin captain was able to return.
After a frantic opening to the match, the Roosters were able to convert possession and territory dominance into the opening try of the match.
Tedesco threw the perfect flat pass to a charging Radley who scored under the posts.
A penalty goal from Joesph Sua'ali'i extended the margin to eight points as the Roosters continued to assert themselves.
Manly gave away the first three penalties of the night which kept the Roosters on the front foot.
The Roosters then jumped out to a 20-point lead with tries in the 32nd minute to Tedesco, and the 36th minute when Sandon Smith sliced through the Sea Eagles' defence.
Manly scored a much-needed try on the stroke of half-time when Haumole Olakau'atu grounded a terrific chip kick from Daly Cherry-Evans.
But any hope of another finals comeback win for Manly was dashed in the 43rd minute when Roosters winger Daniel Tupou scored following a Manly knock-on in the first set of the second half.
A second Sua'ali'i penalty goal extended the lead to 28-4 before Tedesco scored his second try of the march after some stylish play from centre Joey Manu who set up the score with several sidesteps and an offload.
Two tries in the final 20 minutes put some respectability to Manly's score, but the game was well and truly decided.
Winger Dominic Young iced the game for the Roosters when he scored untouched in the right corner following Manu plucking a ball from a Smith kick and then offloading with one hand.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
That is all for semifinal weekend in the NRL.
The Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters are marching on into the preliminary finals.
But they have their work cut out for them if they are to topple Melbourne and Penrith.
ABC Sport will have live digital and audio coverage of the preliminary finals next Friday and Saturday night.
We hope you join us then.
Goodnight.
The Sydney Roosters were well-beaten last week against Penrith.
Coach Trent Robinson said his team had a shift in mindset during the week which led to a great performance tonight.
"We trained pretty hard this week, which you don't normally do in semifinals," Robinson says.
Both coach Anthony Seibold and captain Daly Cherry-Evans have said they are proud of what Manly has accomplished this season.
They were outclassed by the Roosters tonight but were able to make the finals despite a year that was hampered by injuries to key players.
"It's been a really positive year. It's been a really enjoyable year," Seibold said.
Manly coach Anthony Seibold has described the start of the match, losing two players to a HIA within 209 seconds, was surreal.
He said his team were outplayed tonight, despite a spirited effort.
"It was really tough. The start was a little bit surreal in some ways," he said.
"I was really proud of the guys … the Roosters were too good for us tonight."
Connor Watson has just spoken ABC Sport about the physicality of the Roosters' semifinal win over the Manly Sea Eagles.
"The nerves before the semifinal might have caught up to me at the end there, but it was a good win ... The start was crazy, mate, to be honest, to get two blokes HIA in the first two plays is unheard of."
Tom Trbojevic has spoken to ABC Sport after Manly's season came to an end at the hands of the Roosters.
"Disappointing mate, disappointing ... To go out this way, we're a better side than we showed today ... You don't get second chances here in the finals."
Joey Manu has spoken to ABC Sport about the physicality of the game tonight, where the Roosters emerged the clear victors.
"You could see it from the first two tackles, straight away ... You love these games, and you enjoy them, and we're lucky to get to go again next week."
Sydney's Angus Crichton has joined ABC Sport after the Roosters defeated the Sea Eagles 40-16.
"We knew we had to come out firing on all cylinders tonight, and we started strong ... We know we've gotta keep going, keep getting better, but; brick-by-brick."
Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has scored twice in his 250th NRL match, guiding the Tricolours to a semifinal win over Manly.
The Roosters scored six tries to three in the 40-16 win in front of more than 40,000 fans at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The victory earns the Roosters are trip to Melbourne next Friday to face the Storm in the first preliminary final.
The Roosters may have saved their best until last.
Sandon Smith put up a kick to the corner which was caught by centre Joey Manu.
The centre then casually throws a one-handed pass to winger Dom Young who grounds the footy in the corner.
Manly have their third try of the night, with Ben Trbojevic running a great line and busting through the Roosters defensive line to score.
It was a beautiful no-look pass from Manly five-eighth Luke Brooks to Trbojevic, who busted through Joey Manu and Sandon Smith.
Sandon Smith has kicked a penalty goal to extend the Roosters lead to 36-10.
It comes after James Tedesco was taking off the ball during a kick-chase.
Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic was the Sea Eagles who gave away the penalty, and frankly is lucky not to be in the sin-bin.
Joseph Sua'ali'i appears to have been limping earlier, and he did not take the penalty goal.
The Roosters centre is continuing.
Well done Tommy Talau.
He has produced a moment of individual brilliance to score for the Sea Eagles.
Daly Cherry-Evans kicked across the field to an unmarked corner, with Talau screaming through.
The Manly winger gets a hand on it and forces it forward.
But he gets ahead of the footy while it is still in the air, and is able to get his hand on the ball and grounds it.
A terrific effort from Talau.
The Roosters are too good.
James Tedesco has his second try of the night, on the back of some brilliant skills from his teammates.
Joey Manu made four Sea Eagles miss, gets an offload away, and two more passes from Roosters leads to Tedesco scoring.
Connor Watson threw the final pass after a picture-perfect sidestep.
The Roosters are too good tonight and they are going to win.
Joseph Sua'ali'i has kicked another goal to extend the Roosters' lead to 28-4.
Manly thought they had a scrum 10 metres from their own line after Nat Butcher dropped the ball attempting to score.
Roosters captain James Tedesco has immediately asked for a challenge, claiming Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans was illegally holding him back off the ball.
He is right. Lazy from Cherry-Evans who just held on for no reason.
The Roosters lead by four converted tries.
Oh no.
We have seen a howler from referee Grant Atkins.
A Rooster, it looked like Nat Butcher, has knocked-on, while running back towards his own goal-line.
The ball has gone forward and collected by James Tedesco, but Atkins has called it backwards.
ABC Sport's Luke Lewis thinks that decision is as bad as it gets.
"That is the worst decision I have ever seen."
Daniel Tupou has scored in the corner, on the set after Manly conceded a knock-on.
It was too easy for the Roosters, who shifted to the left and Tupou dived into the corner.
Sea Eagles are poised to make a 2nd half comeback. The first step to making a spectacular comeback is to give the opposition a big lead - Manly have done that part well, but the second step of running down that lead is not so easy...
- Mike
We have kick-off for the second half of the second NRL semifinal.
The Roosters, with a 20-4 lead, kick-off and they will be running the the right of your screen.
Manly needs to make a strong, but they drop the ball in the opening set.
Manly challenge the decision, but the bunker says Manly's Josh Aloiai placed the ball on the foot of a Rooster.
That is categorically wrong. Aloiai placed the footy on the ground and it was kicked (accidentally) away from the Roosters' tackler.
Harsh against the Sea Eagles.
Manly have something to build on after scoring in the final minute of the first half.
The missed conversion will hurt, but it is the brightest moment in a half which was dominated by the Sydney Roosters.
The Roosters were physically dominant and scored three tries, including two in four minutes, to have a nice advantage at half time.
