Defensive performances come no more courageous than the Roosters’ effort against Manly in Round 9 at Brookvale Oval earlier this year.
Having won just two matches at the venue since 1997, conceding an average of 32.9 points in the process, Trent Robinson’s men knuckled down and allowed just two tries and two line-breaks in their 16-4 defeat of the home side.
The two-tries-to-one victory came on the back of some determined defence – conceding 12 fewer missed tackles in the match – as well as some spirited running which saw the visitors carve an additional 134 metres.
Most pleasing for Robinson, perhaps, was the fact his team managed to hold on for the win despite being a man short for 11 minutes, with prop-forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves sent from the field late in the match for a high swinging arm to the head of Manly front-rower George Rose.