Matt Ikuvalu was the first Roosters player to score five attempts in one match since 1955 after receiving a late substitute for Brett Morris in Thursday’s 42:16 win over the Cowboys.
Morris injured his groin during the warm-up and Ikuvalu made the most of his first game since round two to equal Brian Allsop’s move against Parramatta at the Sydney Sports Ground 65 years ago.
South Sydney aviator Alex Johnston was the youngest NRL player to bag a quintet in 2017. Ikuvalu had made four attempts in 15 NRL games on Thursday.
There was no sign of the final scoring, but the cowboys got the upper hand early on when the Roosters only completed 64 percent of their sets in the opening verse at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
But they exploded with five attempts in 20 minutes after the break to win. The attack on the right caused nightmares for their opponents.
Ikuvalu scores a double as the Roosters extend the lead
Tricolor’s five-eighths Luke Keary grabbed a double, while full-back James Tedesco caused an uproar and threatened almost every touch to record 236 meters and two trial assistants.
Morris joined Captain Boyd Cordner (rested), winger Daniel Tupou (syndesmosis), Isaac Liu (broken rib), Victor Radley (ACL) and Sam Verrills (ACL) in a burst Chooks emergency room.
Hooker Jake Friend was replaced by Lachlan Lam in the 24th minute after a head hit.
North Queensland also remained intact. Valentine Holmes was unable to play the second half due to his persistent ankle problems.
Holmes, who switched from a full-back to a full-back, admitted before the game in the Fox League that he wasn’t in full fitness, and this was evident when he started limping.
North Queensland defeated the premieres without Cordner in round 17 of last season and they wanted to start another boilover with a lot of intensity.
They finally broke through the tough hooker Reece Robson in the 23rd minute. The former dragon used a fast ball game from Jason Taumalolo, fooled Nat Butcher with a dummy at the second marker and carried him and Tedesco to the line.
A penalty for a high duel against support Jared Waerea-Hargreaves allowed Kyle Feldt to score a close-range penalty that would have led to 8-0, but he sprayed it into the post. The Steeden bounced off the cowboys, but they couldn’t turn it into an attempt.
Tedesco produced some magic to get his team on the board in the 32nd minute and silky shoveled a Kyle Flanagan pass to send Ikuvalu.
The sublime Tedesco pass ensures Ikuvalu
Siosiua Taukeiaho ensured that the chooks were at the top during the break. The prop was shaped to pass Robson and burst. Then she flicked to Sitili Tupouniua, who received the reward for pushing himself up in support.
Whatever Trent Robinson said to his troops at halftime, it worked immediately when Ikuvalu tried in a row to stun North Queensland. Ikuvalu first achieved a sensational finish in the air and his next game was just as impressive as he stayed in the touchline with millimeter accuracy.
The Roosters hummed their attack on the right edge and made their third attempt in five sets when Tedesco broke into the open from a Flanagan inside ball and was connected to Keary.
Hess insulates Flanagan on the left
Moments later, Keary was over again after Tedesco launched Lindsay Collins into space and he saw the playmaker racing next to him.
A long Flanagan ball positioned Ikuvalu one on one with Ben Hampton and he proved too strong to reach his fourth in the 61st minute. Keary stepped across the field for the man of the moment to fly high for his fifth.
Cowboys oarsmen Coen Hess and Robson rushed over to try to comfort themselves in death, but they couldn’t take the shine out of Ikuvalu’s incredible night.
