The Roosters have taken a major step toward the minor premiership, beating Penrith 12-6 in a result that moved them two points clear at the top of the table a month out from the finals. It was a significant win for the Roosters for more than one reason: they did it without James Tedesco, ended Penrith’s long edge in the matchup and got a match-winning double from Daly Cherry-Evans.
Cherry-Evans opened the scoring after 19 minutes and later sealed the contest at the death by powering through to put the Roosters ahead by six. For a 37-year-old playing his 373rd NRL game, it was the sort of performance that showed why the Roosters have relied on experience and composure during the Premiership Season.
Why the result mattered
The Roosters had lost 12 of their previous 13 matches against Penrith before this game, so the shift was not just about the ladder. It was about finally beating a team that had held the upper hand for a long stretch. The Roosters’ Bondi Wall also returned a month out from the finals, and the timing could not have been better.
Penrith were also dealing with a notable absence, playing their first test without Isaah Yeo. That mattered in a match where every defensive set counted, especially with both sides needing to keep the game tight. The Roosters finished the job with a familiar formula: pressure, resilience and enough strike to turn one score into two.
A familiar edge at the right time
The Roosters have now won 12 of their past 13, which is a strong run at the moment when form matters most. Earlier in the week, there were reports linking Daly Cherry-Evans with Hull FC in the English Super League, but for now his focus was firmly on delivering for the Roosters.
Andrew Voss summed up the scale of the result by saying, “This is unheard of.” That feels fair enough. Beating Penrith, moving clear at the top and doing it with a clutch performance from Cherry-Evans gives the Roosters real momentum heading into the final stretch.
For Penrith, the defeat is a reminder that the margin at the top is slim. For the Roosters, it is the kind of win that can shape the run-in and reinforce belief that their best football is arriving at the right time.
