NRL LIVE updates: Roosters open up lead over Parramatta in Tupou’s 300th

It’s a great night for Daniel Tupou, who celebrates his 300th game in style now with a trademark try, jumping to bring down a pinpoint Hugo Savala bomb and score in the corner. That’s been his bread and butter for a decade at the Roosters, and he has a chance for a hat-trick now.

The Roosters battled to break through some excellent Parramatta defence in the first half but they’re running away with the game now.

Savala converts from the left sideline.

Roosters 22, Eels 6 with 12 minutes left

A big ball-and-all tackle from Billy Smith shuts down an attacking raid from Parramatta, as the Roosters are put under pressure for one of the few times in this match.

And the Roosters get some breathing space when Cody Ramsey, who has looked good replacing James Tedesco at fullback, takes a pass from Hugo Savala, slices through a gap, draws the last defender and sends Smith clear to score the Roosters’ third try.

Roosters 16, Eels 6 with 18 minutes left

The Roosters are back in front – and who else but Daniel Tupou to regain the lead for his team, in his 300th game in the NRL. The winger finishes off a backline move in style, taking a Billy Smith pass, running down the sideline and leaping over in the corner.

The crowd rises for one of the Tricolours’ favourite sons, and their all-time leading try-scorer.

Roosters 10, Eels 6 with 27 minutes left

Egan Butcher loses the ball on the attack but the referee has already spotted Parramatta’s Teancum Brown is offside, so instead of the usual six-again the Roosters receive an old-fashioned penalty. They take the shot at goal, and Hugo Savala levels the scores.

Roosters 6, Eels 6 with 31 minutes left

Parramatta makes the perfect start to the second half, Jack Williams taking a Dylan Walker pass and breaking through the defence in centre field, drawing the fullback and sending Joash Papalii clear to score.

It’s a simple conversion from right in front, and incredibly the Eels lead.

Eels 6, Roosters 4 with 37 minutes left

The second half is underway. Will the Roosters continue to dominate this game and run away with it, or with the Eels’ defensive efforts pay off?

Here’s how the teams compared on the stats sheet in the first 40 minutes.

Well, it’s not looking like a blowout at least. But this game hasn’t provided too much excitement for the Allianz crowd just yet – although the Eels’ coaching staff would probably be pretty happy with their team’s defence in this one.

Mark Nawaqanitawase created one try with a typically freakish offload, and came up with another couple of stylish offloads – one after taking a bomb one-handed, another after grabbing an intercept – but he’s been a bit of a lone hand for a Roosters side lacking its usual attacking polish (and four Origin players, to be fair).

Parramatta have had a couple of chances themselves and can get right back into this one if they start the second half well.

Roosters 4, Eels 0 at half-time

More chances and more errors from the Roosters as news comes from the Parramatta sheds that Ronald Volkman has failed his HIA.

Then Billy Smith cops a shoulder charge from Jordan Samrani, who is put on report, and the hosts get yet another attacking opportunity inside the Eels’ 20 metres.

The Roosters are clearly lacking the attacking polish of Sam Walker and James Tedesco, an erratic Egan Butcher pass going to ground and almost leading to an intercept, but the Eels drop it as well so it’s yet another scoring chance for the Tricolours.

And now Hugo Savala knocks on after copping a big hit from Jack Williams.

Good defence from the Eels this half – they’re doing great to be only 4-0 down – but there have been 15 errors in this first half.

Roosters 4, Eels 0 after 39 minutes

Eels half Ronald Volkman goes off for a HIA – it’s a category 2 head knock, so he’s a chance to return in 15 minutes – before Parramatta finally break through for their first big attacking play of the game.

Volkman’s replacement Joash Papalii slices through the middle after taking a nice offload from Teancum Brown, and Parramatta power into the Roosters’ half with the hosts’ defence on the back foot.

They then send it left, for Josh Addo-Carr to tiptoe down the sideline and dive over in the corner – but he got a little too close and planted a foot on the touchline before scoring. No try.

Roosters 4, Eels 0 after 25 minutes