'Every team needs a Jared': Roosters vow to maintain aggression

Sydney Roosters forward Angus Crichton knew that he was next.

Crichton had just witnessed the brutal collisions that forced Manly’s Tolutau Koula and Jake Trbojevic from the field in the opening two tackles of Saturday night’s sudden-death final and was preparing to take the next carry.

“It was knockout, re-set, knockout, re-set, and I was taking the third one,” Crichton said. “I was thinking 'surely not another one'.”

Blocking out any thoughts of self-preservation, Crichton ran the ball into the tackle of Haumole Olakau'atu and Reuben Garrick before offloading to centre Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i.

“That's what that footy is about. It takes you back to that Origin game [this year’s series decider in Brisbane] where everyone’s getting knocked out.

“It was a brutal start to the game but that’s why fans love our game.”

With Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returning from suspension to be among five players for whom the next loss will be their last with the club, the Roosters were always going to be physical.

England lock Victor Radley also defied a fractured shoulder to play and scored the opening try, before being rested for the second half.

"You need a Jared in your side, he is a leader from his actions and his words," Radley told Triple M.

Even just in the circle before we went out ... it was some speech.

"He just gets everyone up for it and does that from the kick off.

"That start was crazy, two people with HIAs, you don't want to see them, but it was just on. That's what finals footy is."

Radley was initially not expected back until the grand final if the Roosters were to make it, but he convinced coach Trent Robinson and his team-mates that he was ready to play against the Sea Eagles.

"We trust him. I believed it when I saw it out on the field. He wouldn't put himself in a position if he wasn't ready to go and he couldn't perform," Crichton said. "You always know what you are going to get with Rads.

"I love having him in our middle, he is always reliable, and he is going to bring that aggression, line speed, those tackles and he has a lot of good touches around the ball and makes players around him better players." 

The question now is whether the Roosters can repeat that effort on Friday night against the Storm in Melbourne.

“We will be right, when we get that roll on I think it’s easy to pick up where we left off,” Crichton said. “We will bottle it, channel it, and make sure we go and do it again.

“We’ve got to channel that aggressive sort of mindset, go and be brutal as a pack, simple plays, get to our kick and just take them into that grind.

“They’ve been the best at it, we just need to take them on at their own game.”