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Origin wreaks havoc with NRL contenders in round 12

The depleted Sydney Roosters missed their five Origin stars in a thrilling loss to Canberra.

The depleted Sydney Roosters missed their five Origin stars in a thrilling loss to Canberra. Photo: AAP

The series hasn’t even begun but State of Origin has already taken its toll on the NRL competition, with two title heavyweights missing their chance at moving into the top two.

A day after a depleted Brisbane failed to consolidate second spot, the Sydney Roosters missed their five Origin stars in a thrilling 24-16 loss to Canberra on Sunday.

The loss means the Roosters fall out of the top four for the second time this season, allowing St George Illawarra to move into fourth spot on points differential after enjoying the bye.

A weakened Cronulla were the only team inside the top quarter of the ladder to enjoy a win after skipper Paul Gallen inspired his team to a 9-8 comeback victory over Canterbury on Saturday.

However they are still two points behind competition leaders Melbourne, who also got a week off.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the Sharks showed how to win through the Origin period.

“This is a really important period to be a really good team. But to be the best team, you’ve still got to go and win those games,” Robinson said after the loss to the Raiders.

“What Cronulla did last night, that was really impressive. To go and win that game against Canterbury like they did, that was really impressive. We almost did it today.

“I feel like we’re a good team and a good club to show what we did today, but we’re still striving for that. If we want to be the best, we probably could’ve finished that off. That’s our target still.”

Eighteen of the 34 players named to play in Wednesday’s Origin opener come from teams that entered round 12 inside the top four – seven of which came from the Broncos.

And that heavy representation certainly told, with Shaun Johnson and the enigmatic Warriors taking full of advantage of the baby Broncos to score a sorely needed 28-10 win.

The result came in a week when Broncos coach Wayne Bennett wanted five-eighth Anthony Milford to play against the Warriors if he wasn’t picked in the Maroons’ starting line-up.

He was eventually selected at five-eighth, with 18th man Johnathan Thurston later ruled out with a shoulder injury.

The Sharks have provided four players to the interstate series, but found a lift from former Blues skipper Gallen, who produced two moments of brilliance to set up a one-point win.

The Bulldogs had lost three of their own to Origin duty, and weren’t helped by the early loss of captain James Graham to a neck injury midway through the first half.

In the only other match of the shortened round, South Sydney turned in arguably their worst first half of the season to surrender to a 22-16 defeat to a Mitchell Moses-led Parramatta.

Raiders stave off Roosters

In the only round 12 match played on Sunday, Canberra stood firm despite a spirited fightback from the Sydney Roosters side, scoring a scrappy 24-16 NRL win at GIO Stadium.

Jordan Rapana was instrumental in the Raiders posting back-to-back victories, causing havoc on the right wing in the first half to pick up a try-scoring double.

Despite being without Mitchell Pearce, Boyd Cordner, Dylan Napa, Aidan Guerra and Blake Ferguson, the new-look Roosters pushed Canberra late.

In contrast, the Raiders were only missing Queensland forward Josh Papalii and the man who replaced him in the second row, veteran Sia Soliola, who was superb in defence and attack.

Roosters skipper Jake Friend opened the scoring after 10 minutes, making a run from dummy half and slipping through the Raiders defence.

Rapana responded three minutes later, beating Daniel Tupou before defying Kane Evans’ attempt to hold him up in the tackle with Jarrod Croker’s conversion levelling the scores.

Quick passing allowed Rapana to put the Raiders in front 10 minutes later, with centre Joey Leilua assisting his second try to demonstrate the threat posed by the Raiders’ right-edge combination.

Croker passed 1500 career points in the NRL just before the half-hour mark by getting on the end of an Aidan Sezer grubber.

A superb piece of athleticism by Joseph Manu to dive over in the corner for the first points of the second half got the Roosters back in the hunt.

Michael Gordon’s brilliant conversion reduced the margin to four with 16 minutes remaining.

A Jarrod Croker penalty opened up an 18-12 lead for the home side but a brilliant run from Roosters fullback Michael Gordon set up Latrell Mitchell who crossed near the sideline to get the visitors within two points.

Aidan Sezer picked up a wild pass in the final minute to score the sealing try, with Croker adding the points to give them an eight-point winning margin.

Canberra’s win – their sixth of the season – lifted them back into the eight, while the Roosters remain in the top four despite the loss.

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