Sydney Roosters have secured their sixth successive NRL win, beating Wests Tigers 33-8 at ANZ Stadium on Friday night, with Brendan Elliot scoring two tries.
The Tigers stout defence coupled with poor handling from the Roosters kept the home side in the contest at halftime 8-4, before the Tricolours clicked into gear in the second half.
The visitors scored three-tries-to-one in 20 minutes after the break through Elliot, Sam Moa and James Maloney to move the score to 26-8 and put the result beyond doubt.
The win keeps the Roosters sitting comfortably in the top four with six rounds of the regular season remaining, while the Tigers remain rooted to the foot of the NRL ladder.
Rival custodians Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and James Tedesco were the best for their respective sides, with Maloney coming into his own for the Roosters after the break following a slow first half in front of 10,186 fans.
Daniel Tupou opened the scoring out wide for the Roosters in the 14th minute following an early penalty goal from Maloney, with Tedesco sprinting over for the Tigers' reply in the 26th minute.
But with both sides struggling to complete their sets, that was the way things remained until halftime.
The Roosters forwards gained the ascendancy after the break with Siosiua Taukeiaho helping to take his side forward. Curtis Sironen tried hard for the Tigers.
A 71st minute Maloney field goal stretched the Roosters lead before Elliot, who was playing on the right wing for Shaun Kenny-Dowall, crossed for his second try just before fulltime.
A Pat Richards try in the 59th minute was the only time the Tigers troubled the scorers after the break.
Chris Lawrence limped off in the second minute for the Tigers with an ankle injury and didn't return.
Martin Taupau was put on report and sinbinned with four minutes to play for striking Maloney.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said his side didn't find their groove until after halftime.
"We probably didn't build it enough in the first half, we were not patient enough," he said.
"Their energy in defence was good and our rhythm in attack was missing.
"I thought in the second half our bench forwards paved the way."
Tigers coach Jason Taylor wasn't happy.
"I haven't been this disappointed after a game this year because we just beat ourselves," he said.
"We were good enough to win that game. I thought we should have won it. But our mistakes were just not good enough. We just kept dropping the ball."
Taylor suggested Lawrence's injury could be season ending but more will be known when he undergoes scans next week.
Robinson said Kenny-Dowall, who was hospitalised earlier this week over concerns for his mental wellbeing following the domestic violence-related allegations made against him, was improving.
"He is getting better," Robinson said.
The Tigers announced after the game prop Keith Galloway will be released at the end of the season from the final year of his contract with Galloway to take up a three-year deal with Super League outfit Leeds Rhinos.
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