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Nick Markham | Rugbyleaguelive.com | 05/09/08 | 0
VIDEO - All the brutal action from a rainy SFS
AUDIO - Minichiello: 'It's great to be back'
AUDIO - Nate Myles: 'It was a special effort'
The Sydney Roosters lost one superstar but regained another as they bravely defeated St George Illawarra 10-0 in their NRL clash tonight to secure fourth place and a coveted home final next week.
Star recruit Willie Mason will miss the rest of the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in just the 10th minute.
The Test and NSW forward requires a full knee reconstruction and is not only a huge loss to the Roosters' premiership pursuit but will also miss Australia's World Cup campaign.
But in positive news for the Roosters, former Golden Boot winner Anthony Minichiello made a stunning comeback by scoring a try in his first NRL game in almost three months.
Minichiello was making his third comeback from a potential career-ending spinal injury, this time returning from bulging discs in his neck after lower back injuries crippled his previous two seasons.
The former Test and NSW fullback added plenty of spark to the Roosters and scored the first try from a Braith Anasta grubber in the 45th minute to set up the win in horrendous conditions with persistent heavy rain.
New skipper Anasta added a second try in the 59th minute after he and Sam Perrett pounced on Dan Hunt's fumble.
It was a gutsy win for the Roosters, featuring tremendous courage in defence after losing Mason so early in the game.
The victory ensures the Roosters will host fifth-placed Brisbane in a final here at the Sydney Football Stadium next Friday.
The Dragons will have to wait until Sunday to see if they claim sixth spot as Canberra can jump them with a win of 17 points or more over the Bulldogs.
There could be a heavy cost for the Dragons from tonight's defeat with forward Ben Creagh suffering concussion after being pole-axed off the ball in the 28th minute by Setaimata Sa.
Creagh was motionless for a few minutes and never returned to the field.
Sa suffered a head cut in the heavy clash but played out the game and was surprisingly not penalised by referee Shayne Hayne for taking Creagh out when he didn't have the ball.
The Roosters may have further consequences from the game as fellow star recruit Mark O'Meley was placed on report for a high tackle on Jason Ryles as Mason was being assisted from the field.
A devastated Mason said he would not dwell on his serious injury but use the extended break to come back better next year.
"That's life. I'm not going to cry about it," said Mason.
"These things happen for a reason. Maybe I needed a break like this to re-ignite the flames to pick up and play top level rugby league.
"It's how you come back from things like this that make all these things worthwhile.
"I will come back next year and have a massive crack."
Minichiello admitted he was relieved to get through his first NRL game unscathed, particularly after he was barrelled over onto his head in the second half.
"It was a massive relief, the game out there was pretty brutal tonight and I came through pretty good," said Minichiello.
"I did get a good work out. My ears were ringing after that (tackle) but the neck felt pretty good so it gave me a bit of confidence."
Dragons coach Nathan Brown conceded his men did not play smart football against the Roosters and failed to match their physicality.
"They definitely played smarter than us," said Brown.
"They were just a little bit more aggressive than us.
"That's the first time in a long time we can say the opposition has been more physical than us."
SYDNEY ROOSTERS 10 (B Anasta A Minichiello tries C Fitzgibbon goal) bt ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 0 at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: S Hayne.
They definitely played smarter than us
Nathan Brown, Dragons coach
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