Afire with football feather-fever from kick-off, the Pointsbet Stadium surely witnessed the best game of the season as the Sydney Roosters downed the Sharkies in a panoply of spectacular table-turning plays. (Bravery of Billy’s jaw dropping, says Teddy, 12/9). Reducing the initially ebullient Cronulla team to a pile of frustrated flake by game’s end, the grit and valour of the red, white and blue guernseys was unmatched. Injured, depleted, yet focused, this remarkable team on Friday will venture across the Murray, unenviably their version of the Rubicon. Let no fan watching the Pointsbet game last Saturday lose faith in this team’s professional class, meritorious spirit or vitality. New players, fresh with the youthful ethos of natural talent might well bring their own Sydney version of thunder to the ailing Storm. Broken, thrashed and justly put to the sword by Brisbane last week, the 26-nil scoreboard is surely lightning inspiration to the Chooks of an awaiting victory on their Melbourne horizon. Contrary to the headline “Chooks heading for chop”, 12/9, this plucky team of sprightly roosters will surely get to cross another road. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta. 13Sep2023.