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The Sydney Roosters have beaten the Melbourne Storm 14-6 in a frantic preliminary final in front of an enthralled crowd of 32,814 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Roosters lead 8-0 at the break thanks to an opportunistic Boyd Cordner try, along with two Latrell Mitchell penalty goals.
But the Storm thundered back in the second half thanks to a Cameron Smith-inspired try for Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who crashed over from close range.
Storm captain Smith refused to confirm after the match whether or not he would play next season, but professed to still enjoy his football after running for 29 metres out of dummy half and assisting one try and one line-break.
A bruising contest ebbed and flowed with the margin just two points, but it was the reining premiers who extended their lead with just over ten minutes remaining through a James Tedesco try.
The Roosters will look to defend their title against the Raiders next Sunday at the Olympic stadium after the Raiders beat the Rabbitohs in Canberra on Friday night.
The game started with a bang when opposing props Siosiula Taukeiaho and Asofa-Solomona were both sent to the sin bin for a fiery scrap at the very first play-of-the-ball.
Despite the explosive start, neither should have much to fear from the judiciary, with Kevin Walkers suggesting the skirmish was little more than "a push in the face" on commentary.
Latrell Mitchell notched the early penalty to hand the Roosters the lead but no other points were scored with both teams down to 12 men.
The Roosters had the best of the early exchanges but were left relying on the defensive brilliance of Mitchell, whose goal-line take under pressure from a Smith aerial bomb defused an early Storm attacking raid.
From that platform, the Roosters crossed the line first thanks to a brilliant leap from Daniel Tupou, who offloaded under incredible pressure, with four players around him, to Cordner who touched down.
From the kick off though Luke Keary handed the ball straight back to the Storm after kicking a knock-on straight to the on-rushing Storm line.
Although Melbourne could not capitalise on that occasion, that incident sparked a series of errors from the hosts as Victor Radley lost the ball in a one-on-one strip and Mitchell Aubusson lost the ball in a tackle.
In a first half that ebbed and flowed with the frantic desperation of a match already in golden point, both teams flew into challenges almost unimpeded by the referees whistle.
Roosters captain Cordner had a stunning half, running for 91 first-half metres by attacking the line on the edge of the ruck.
One such run lead to the Roosters second penalty goal of the night, followed by Cordner playing the ball quickly to catch Jahrome Hughes not square.
Trailing 8-0 at the break, Storm coach Craig Bellamy would have revved his side up at the half-time break, and the visitors came out firing, earning three sets on the bounce with some bruising play up the middle.
The Roosters then went up the other end to force the Storm back inside their own 10, but Smith used all his guile and experience to catch the Roosters offside, before orchestrating a break up the middle through Hughes to set up giant prop Asofa-Solomona to crash over from short range and reduce the deficit to two points.
The momentum continued to swing until Joseph Manu stripped the ball off Cameron Munster to dive over under the posts, only to see the try refused by the video ref for a knock on off the thumb of Tedesco.
After that blow, the Roosters began flirting with disaster as Melbourne earned a repeat set just inches from the try line after a high bomb was allowed to bounce by the Roosters defence, but incredibly the home line held firm and repelled the Storm challenge.
Soon after, Tedesco atoned for his error by diving over from close range after a mesmerising run by former Storm half Cooper Cronk — who otherwise had a quiet night.
Brandon Smith ghosted in and across the Roosters line with just over five minutes remaining, but Tedesco was there to hold the ball up and preserve the Roosters lead.
The Roosters will now take on the Raiders in next Sunday's grand final at the Olympic stadium, with a chance to earn repeat premierships for the first time since 1974-75.
Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, australia, nsw, paddington-2021, bondi-junction-2022, vic, melbourne-3000
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