Shock 25-24 defeat threatens Roosters' minor premiership hopes

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Roosters 24 Wests Tigers 25SportNRLNRL 2026

Stunning Tigers upset derails Roosters’ minor premiership hopes

Updated August 23, 2026 — 6:26pm,first published 4:26pm

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The Sydney Roosters lost a thriller to the Wests Tigers – but the defeat may have also cost them the minor premiership, and even an all-important top-two finish.

This loss to the Wests Tigers will hurt even more when the Roosters wake up on Monday morning and they look at the NRL ladder.

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A Jock Madden field-goal with just over a minute remaining sealed the 25-24 result.

The Tigers were excellent and deserved the win. They had lost their past eight games, and looked truly out of gas – and ready for the taking – in the final 10 minutes.

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Their 24-12 lead became 24-all following to a breathtaking Roosters try involving some Mark Nawaqanitawase magic, before a Tigers intercept put Madden in the box seat to do what most people expected Daly Cherry-Evans to do at the other end of the field.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson was aware of what the loss meant to the club’s hopes of hosting a qualifying final.

“There are two games to go,” Robinson said. “We didn’t win today, we know what we want to do, we still want to be the best team in the comp this year, and that opportunity is sitting right there.

“Today didn’t help, but it’s still our choice.”

The most impressive Tiger was skipper Api Koroisau, who did not stop trying his heart out and attempted four tackles in the one passage of play when Nawaqanitawase somehow kept the ball alive for Sam Walker to score.

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“I reckon that’s as proud as I’ve ever been as a coach,” Benji Marshall said.

“I’m proud of the effort. That’s one of the best wins we’ve had as a club.”

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Even the most rusted-on Tigers supporters would have rolled up on a sparkling Sunday afternoon hoping the hammering would not have been too heavy.

The Roosters simply needed to win to remain in first place with two rounds remaining, with their next games at the same venue against the Dolphins and South Sydney. Do not expect Souths to do then any favours in the final round.

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They looked clunky in attack, were poor with their handling, and could be without a few players moving forward – including Victor Radley who came from the field for a head injury assessment. Even if Radley passed his HIA, he could risk a ban for high shot on Patrick Herbert.

Siua Wong was also penalised and placed on report for a high shot in the first half on Madden.

The Warriors are suddenly in first place with two games remaining on New Zealand soil. A qualifying final and then a potential semi-final or preliminary final on the other side of the Tasman is a huge advantage.

Penrith remain in second with games against Canterbury and the Tigers to come. Suddenly the latter might not be the cricket score it looked on paper before the weekend.

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It was a disastrous start for the visitors when Alex Twal was brought from the field in the opening minute after being knocked out by some friendly fire from teammate Tony Sukkar.

And when Billy Smith strolled past Jeral Skelton to score in the third minute, things looked ready to go to script.

But the Tigers raced in three tries in seven minutes, and should have led by more had Madden not botched all three conversion attempts.

When Smith bagged a double before half-time, the Roosters drew level, but it was not a proper reflection of the Tigers’ effort and dominance.

The Tigers were excellent in defence early in the second half, turning the Roosters away for three straight sets before marching downfield and scoring through Solomone Saukuru. Fainu put Jahream Bula into space with the fullback slowing down just enough before the last line of defence before Saukuru caught up with him in support.

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When Koroisau created an overlap down the short side and finished the brilliant play to give the Tigers a 12-point lead, the upset looked well and truly on the cards.

Nawaqanitawase thought he had finished another brilliant individual try, only for the bunker to spot a knock-on.

But there was no stopping him when he charged back infield and flicked a ball for Walker to score. It was outstanding.

Walker kicked a penalty goal from 35 metres out with three minutes remaining, but the Tigers were not to be denied.

Good on the Tigers. The Roosters have their work cut out now.

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Sharks rally to beat Titans and stay in top-four race

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Cronulla snapped a shocking two-game losing streak to revive their NRL top-four finals hopes with a potentially season-saving 30-22 win over the lowly Gold Coast.

The victory was anything but convincing as the Sharks recovered from an eight-point second-half deficit to prevail at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday.

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Quietening some doubters, Cronulla will nevertheless bank the priceless two competition points and move on after staying in the hunt for an all-important double chance in the looming finals.

No team in NRL history has won the premiership from outside the top four.

To snatch a top-four berth, though, Craig Fitzgibbon’s side still likely need to beat Parramatta next week and Melbourne in the final round and hope the fourth-placed Dolphins lose to either the Sydney Roosters or Titans.

But they are still in the race at least after rebounding from successive defeats to their wooden-spoon bound St George Illawarra neighbours and fellow 2026 also-rans Canberra.

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This time it was Ronaldo Mulitalo who crossed first, the prolific winger moving past the great David Peachey on the Sharks’ all-time leading try-scorers’ list with his 111th four-pointer for the club.

Only club legend Andrew Ettingshausen (165) remains above Mulitalo.

But the celebrations were short-lived, with Jojo Fifita quickly replying for Gold Coast to level up the scores at 4-4.

Even after Sione Katoa put the Sharks back in front, the Titans responded to regain the lead through AJ Brimson after Puru’s back chat gifted the Titans a penalty, an extra 10 metres and field position to strike back.

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Like Mulitalo, Phillip Sami became the Titans’ highest-ever try-scorer with his 78th four-pointer that gave the hosts a 16-8 lead at the break.

But Cameron McInnes, Addin Fonua-Blake, Katoa and Mulitalo all scored after a half-time rev-up from Fitzgibbon to keep the Sharks in the 2026 title race.

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More:

NRL 2026

Cronulla Sharks

Gold Coast Titans

Sydney Roosters

Wests Tigers

Christian Nicolussi covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.

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