A Jessica Sergis hat-trick boosted the Roosters to a 38-8 win over the Dragons at NRLW Magic Round in Wagga Wagga on Saturday afternoon.
The Dragons, who entered the match as heavy underdogs, showed plenty of spirit keeping things locked at 4-apiece until just shy of the half-hour mark.
The class of Sergis, Isabelle Kelly, and Corban Baxter however proved too much to overcome as Nathan Cross' squad came up short.
Match-ending HIAs to Tyra Ekepati and Kasey Reh made life all the more difficult for the Red V with ill-discipline – 10 errors and eight penalties – again proving costly.
Match: Dragons v Roosters
Round 5 -
home Team
Dragons
10th Position
away Team
Roosters
1st Position
Venue: Geohex Park, Wagga Wagga
The Dragons got off to a disappointing start with a botched kick-for-touch handing the Roosters an attacking opportunity with Keeley Nizza burrowing her way over out of dummy-half to make it 4-0.
Maria Paseka went close to answering for the Dragons off a Kasey Reh bomb but was held up over the line.
The Dragons were rewarded for their defensive spirit with Taliah Fuimaono having a crack out of acting half and spinning her way out a tackle to get the ball to the turf and lock things up.
Jessica Sergis was able to find a try to put the Roosters back ahead before the Tricolours, boosted by another penalty, went over on the stroke of half-time through Jasmin Strange.
Tyra Ekepati was taken from the field a half-hour in for a HIA which ruled her out for the remainder of the match seeing Tahlia O’Brien inserted into the action.
The first points of the second stanza belonged to the Roosters with Jayme Fressard finding her way over in the left-hand corner.
NRLW Match Highlights: Magic Round vs. Roosters
The Dragons were able to keep their composure however with Zali Hopkins throwing a peach of a cut-out to O’Brien who dummied and charged her way to the stripe for the first try of her NRLW career to cut the deficit back to 20-8.
Helped by a Dragons yardage error, the Roosters surged further ahead with Sergis charging through off a Corban Baxter delivery for her second.
Reh left the field late for a HIA as the Dragons were forced into a further re-shuffle before Taina Navidi was denied a try by the video officials due to an obstruction.
Kelly and Sergis nabbed late tries to seal it for the Tricolours as the Dragons fell to their third loss on the trot.
NRL Press Conference: Magic Round vs. Roosters
