Rugby league: New Zealand Warriors NRL finals hopes over after thrashing at hands of Sydney Roosters

Adam Blair of the Warriors and teammates look dejected after a Roosters try. Photo / Getty

The Warriors' season is officially over.

After weeks on the tightrope, their slim finals hopes were extinguished with a comprehensive 42-6 defeat to the Roosters.

The Warriors' plans were thrown into disarray in the eighth minute, as Gerard Beale left the field with a serious knee injury, necessitating a backline reshuffle.

It was far from ideal, taking Chanel Harris-Tavita out of the halves and requiring Kodi Nikorima to play more minutes than planned.

But even given those changes, this wasn't the statement performance the Warriors needed.

This was a death or glory game, but most of the team, apart from irrepressible captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, didn't exhibit the necessary desire.

At the least, given what was at stake, you'll expect the Warriors to go down swinging, but it was all a bit flat.

They had a chance early on – as the Roosters started slow in the first quarter – but once the Bondi team clicked into gear the result never looked in doubt.

The Warriors' attack lacked precision most of the afternoon, as passes missed the mark, runners got in each other's way and even when there was a half break, no one showed the anticipation to back up.

But defence was the biggest issue, as the Warriors dropped up first up tackles all afternoon; lacking the intensity they had brought to the contest against the Sea Eagles last week.

They also failed to take advantage of a strong wind in the first half, and turning with a six point deficit was always going to be a big ask, as the Roosters scored six second half tries.

In the first match in their history at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Warriors made the perfect start, when Blake Green's precise chip was anticipated perfectly by a charging Tuivasa-Sheck to dot down under the posts.

The Warriors looked up for it, forcing some early errors from the reigning premiers, but the injury to Beale was a major blow. The veteran centre suffered a ruptured patella tendon as he stepped awkwardly taking a hit up, and led to Harris-Tavita moving to left centre, Peta Hiku switching sides and Kodi Nikorima coming into dummy half.

The visitors' attack was clunky – twice in succession the decoy runner got in the way – and they also coughed up errors. The Warriors also twice gifted the Roosters seven tackle sets in the opening quarter, as their kickers adjusted to the different dimensions of the SCG.

The Roosters came back into the match, with a simple try to Latrell Mitchell on the left edge, after the Warriors defence hung off. The home side then went ahead, with Joseph Manu diving over, one play after Harris-Tavita had made a superb try saving tackle.

The home side went further ahead after halftime a Luke Keary solo effort, as the Kangaroos halfback left Green dead for pace.

A James Tedesco try – off a clever but simple tap move – sealed the result, as the Warriors defence was guilty of going to sleep, before Brett Morris profited after the visitors couldn't deal with a towering Keary bomb.

Tevaga's sinbinning for a late hit on Cooper Cronk was debatable but followed the trend of recent weeks, and Mitch Aubusson forced his way over soon afterwards, with the officials ignoring a possible double movement.

Mitchell grabbed his second after the right edge defence was again exposed, in a sorry end to the match, before a Daniel Tupou try on the hooter ended an awful day.

Roosters 42 (L Mitchell 2, J Manu, L Keary, J Tedesco, B Morris, M Aubusson, D Tupou tries; L Mitchell 5 goals)
Warriors 6 (R Tuivasa-Sheck try; C Harris-Tavita goal)
Halftime: 12-6