The Sydney Roosters secured their ninth consecutive finals berth with a dominant 36-6 win over arch-rivals South Sydney on Friday night.
James Tedesco starred, setting up tries and leading from the front, while Mark Nawaqanitawase bagged a hat-trick to outshine Rabbitohs’ Alex Johnston.
Despite fiery clashes involving ex-Rooster Brandon Smith and a brief Souths resurgence, two quick tries against a 12-man defence swung the game decisively.
With the win, the Roosters locked in at least eighth place and will face either Cronulla or the Warriors in week one of the NRL finals, continuing their remarkable streak since 2016 despite losing $4 million worth of talent last off-season.
