Well, Group 4 rugby league does not get much better than that.
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Before a rugged-up bumper crowd at Jack Woolaston Oval on Saturday afternoon, Kootingal-Moonbi came home strong to beat North Tamworth 32-24 in a match that radiated a finals intensity.
It was the Roosters' veteran prop Kyle "Yum Yum" Cochrane who supplied the one-two that led to the knockout and Norths' third home loss since round three of 2015.
In the 73rd minute, he muscled his way over the tryline. No 7 Sam Taylor slotted the easy conversion and the Roosters led 28-24.
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Three minutes later, Cochrane hit Nick Zahra with a delightful long ball and the winger scooted over out wide to seal the win.
It was the Roosters' second straight defeat of Norths at Jack Woolaston Oval. They won a golden-point thriller 19-18 in round nine last year.
"Always good to come here and get a win against Norths," Cochrane said, adding: "Good credit to the boys. They played hard ... So, I'm pretty pleased with the two points."
![PRECISION: Roosters No 7 Kurt Hartmann probes for a weakness. PRECISION: Roosters No 7 Kurt Hartmann probes for a weakness.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/1aee89a5-ffe2-4acb-bc78-854b3a93ae3c.JPG/r0_0_4288_2430_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In securing their second win of the season, against one loss, and condemning North Tamworth to their first defeat this campaign, Kootingal-Moonbi had to erase and early 12-0 deficit and then go blow for blow with an in-form Bears side boasting a potent mix of youth and experience.
Norths led 18-16 at half-time. And it was not until the 46th minute that Kooty took the lead for the first time, when No 16 Ryan Kelly-Payne showed great strength to score from close range. Taylor converted from in front and it was 22-18 to the visitors.
Norths' only try of the second half came in the 68th minute when No 13 Kobe Bone - who played Jersey Flegg for North Sydney last year - charged on to an inside pass from No 6 Scott Blanch and did well to scramble over the tryline. Fullback Adrian Graham added the extras: 24-22 to the home side.
![AIR CHOOK: Kooty winger Dylan Clarke pulls in a Sam Taylor cross-field kick and scores. AIR CHOOK: Kooty winger Dylan Clarke pulls in a Sam Taylor cross-field kick and scores.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/8aa11318-c04b-4cf8-9da1-d0e6f8b56740.JPG/r0_505_4078_2849_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While Cochrane produced the KO blow, Taylor produced two sweet high balls that led to first-half tries.
First, winger Dylan Clarke sailed high to pull in a cross-field kick. And then former Parramatta Eels flyer Ethan Parry rose high to claim a bomb, before crashing over under the uprights. Used off the bench, Parry was an energetic, menacing presence.
No 4 Johnny Seabrook, who joined Kooty from Pirates this season, was named man of the match. In the 35th minute, he showed good hustle inside Norths' 10m zone to score.
Cochrane said the Roosters got "a lot of confidence" from the win. "All the young fellas really stood up today," he said, adding: "That's really good for us as a club."
ROOSTERS 32 (Ryan Kelly-Payne, Ethan Parry, Dylan Clarke, Johnny Seabrook, Kyle Cochrane, Nick Zahra tries; Sam Taylor 4 goals) BEARS 24 (Amachai Roberts, Ethan Collins, Livinai Tuicakau, Kobe Bone tries; Adrian Graham 4 goals). Group 4 best and fairest: 3 Johnny Seabrook (K), 2 Jake McManus (NT), 1 Brendan Austin (K).
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