Latrell Mitchell of the Roosters scores a penalty try in the first half of the Round 9 clash with Canberra. The Sydney Roosters have survived a major fightback and troubling injury toll to hold off a stubborn Canberra 30-24 in an NRL Magic Round thriller. Roosters winger Daniel Tupou was carried from the field and taken to hospital with a neck injury before his side were forced into a desperate rearguard action to save the day at Suncorp Stadium. While it wasn’t a convincing win, it was a valuable two points for the Roosters against top four contenders the Raiders, Trent Robinson’s side extending their winning streak to eight games. Live stream the 2019 NRL Telstra Premiership on KAYO SPORTS. Every game of every round live & anytime on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14 day free trial > Tupou lay prone for several minutes as he was tended to by medical staff before being taken off in a medicab. Superstar centre Latrell Mitchell also sent a scare through the Tricolours and NSW State of Origin camps when he went down with a groin injury in the first half. After tearing apart the Wests Tigers with a three-try effort ranked by many as the best individual performance in recent memory, Mitchell looked in ominous early touch, scoring two tries to set up a 24-6 halftime lead. However he pulled up lame as he crossed for his second in the 28th minute, clutching at his groin and in obvious pain. Daniel Tupou is taken from the field Source: Getty Images Yet in a minor Magic Round miracle, Mitchell retook the field in the second stanza, easing concerns of anything too serious. Skipper Boyd Corder (head knock) was also forced off in the first half and the toll seemingly threatened the outcome as Ricky Stuart’s side came storming back. The Raiders also had their problems with winger Jordan Rapana going down with a suspected PCL injury. They trailed 30-6 with 30 minutes remaining but tries to Charnze Nicoll- Klokstad, Jack Wighton and Michael Oldfield in 17 minutes set up a grandstand finish. The Raiders had a chance to level in the last minute when Nick Cotric broke through on the left edge and they looked certain to score before he lobbed the ball forward to an open Jarrod Croker. MORE TO COME. MATCH CENTRE: Roosters vs Raiders SYDNEY ROOSTERS 30 (1 penalty try) (L Mitchell 2 C Cronk M Ikuvalu J Tedesco tries L Mitchell 3 S Taukeiaho 2 goals) bt CANBERRA 24 (J Croker C Nicoll- Klokstad M Oldfield J Wighton tries J Croker 4 goals) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Peter Gough. Crowd: 29,686.<doc-sep>And with Canberra's Jarrod Croker leading the NRL points race, second rower Elliott Whitehead topping the intercepts and fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad having the most run metres, the Raiders can light up a stadium themselves. Then again, Latrell Mitchell will be there and he rattled off 26 points from a hat-trick and seven goals in the Roosters 42-12 demolition of the Wests Tigers at the SCG last weekend. So as long as he has the ball in hand the punters will get a show. This top-four clash is missing a little of its entertainment factor now that Canberra's English enforcer John Bateman is out with a fractured eye socket. Raiders: The Raiders will start 1-17 after Aidan Sezer and Emre Guler were omitted 60 minutes before game time. Hudson Young will fill the shoes of injured Englishman John Bateman, who looks set to miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured eye socket. The other change to the side which beat Penrith in Wagga Wagga is the return of Jordan Rapana (ribs) on the wing, with Bailey Simonsson moving to the bench. Jack Murchie and Royce Hunt were cut from the squad on Saturday. Roosters: The Roosters will start 1-17 with Lindsay Collins and Sam Verrills the last two to be dropped from the bench. Matt Ikuvalu returns on the wing, with Joseph Manu shifting back to centre and the ever-reliable Mitch Aubusson moving back to the bench. Lachlan Lam and Josh Curran were cut from the initial 21-man squad on Saturday. Key match-up The 85kg, 179cm frame of Luke Keary - a two-time premiership winner at five-eighth - taking on the 95kg, 189cm frame of Jack Wighton, who is a newbie to this No.6 caper. Wighton is a powerful runner and has scored three tries to Keary's one but the Roosters half is all over him in try assists, forced drop-outs and line-break assists. For the Roosters to win Just keep engaging the team's three leading try scorers in Mitchell (6), Daniel Tupou (5) and James Tedesco (5) in any attacking raid.This trio ran more than 200 metres each against the Wests Tigers. Back in the engine room prop Sio Taukeiaho keeps things purring nicely. For his 46 minutes on the SCG last weekend, he made 155 metres and 71 post-contact metres, no matter how many defenders were hanging off him. For the Raiders to win Play like they did for the 54 minutes Bateman wasn't on the field in Wagga Wagga last week, due to his facial injury. The Raiders are second, to the Rabbitohs, in the amount of possession they rack up and lead the NRL in dummy-half runs. Their forward pack are committed and cunning and well-managed by No.9 Josh Hodgson. Brett Kimmorley says Disappointing news with John Bateman being out. But Josh Hodgson is playing well, Jack Wighton is turning into a running, ball-playing five-eighth and they have tough forwards. I think they’ll challenge the Roosters. Latrell Mitchell was unbelievable last weekend and Luke Keary can continue to put pressure on Brad Fittler to pick him for Origin. Roosters by 6 Stat Attack The Raiders surprisingly are the worst in the NRL in conceding penalties, but the Roosters are second, to the Eels, in the number of handling errors. It sounds like it could be a stop-start kind of game but with the likes of Nic Cotric, Nicoll-Klokstad, Tupou and Mitchell on the field, that ain't going to happen. And another thing ... The man who has played in eight NRL grand finals, winning three with two different clubs - Cooper Cronk - will surpass the man who has won four premierships with the same club - Darren Lockyer. The former Broncos skipper finished his NRL career on 355 games and Cronk plays his 356th in this round. There is only one man out in front now: Cameron Smith playing his 393rd this weekend.<doc-sep>
Ouch: Latrell Mitchell of the Roosters is taken from the field in pain during the round nine NRL match against Canberra Raiders. The Sydney Roosters survived a major fightback and troubling injury toll to hold off a stubborn Canberra 30-24 in an NRL Magic Round thriller in Brisbane. Roosters winger Daniel Tupou was carried from the field and taken to hospital with a neck injury before his side were forced into a desperate rearguard action to save the day at Suncorp Stadium. They also benefited from a first half penalty try when former Warrior Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad kicked out at the ball held by Latrell Mitchell as he crossed in the corner. GETTY Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of the Raiders scored a try but conceded a penalty try against the Roosters. While it wasn't a convincing win, it was a valuable two points for the Roosters against top four contenders the Raiders, Trent Robinson's side extending their winning streak to eight games. READ MORE: * Super sub steps up * Warriors magical in Dragons win * How the Warriors rated * Storm smash woeful Eels Tupou lay prone for several minutes as he was tended to by medical staff before being taken off in a medicab. GETTY IMAGES It's spectacular as Jack Wighton of the Raiders scores a try against Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium. Superstar centre Mitchell also sent a scare through the Tricolours and NSW State of Origin camps when he went down with a groin injury in the first half. After tearing apart the Wests Tigers with a three-try effort ranked by many as the best individual performance in recent memory, Mitchell looked in ominous early touch, crossing twice including the penalty try to set up a 24-6 halftime lead. However he pulled up lame as he scored in the 28th minute, clutching at his groin and in obvious pain. GETTY IMAGES Daniel Tupou of the Roosters is taken off the field and off to hospital after suffering a neck injury. Yet in a minor Magic Round miracle, Mitchell retook the field in the second stanza, easing concerns of anything too serious. Skipper Boyd Corder (head knock) was also forced off in the first half and the toll seemingly threatened the outcome as Ricky Stuart's side came storming back. The Raiders also had their problems with winger Jordan Rapana going down with a knee injury. GETTY IMAGES Jordan Rapana of the Raiders receives treatment during the round nine NRL match against Sydney Roosters. They trailed 30-6 with 30 minutes remaining but tries to Nicoll-Klokstad, Jack Wighton and Michael Oldfield in 17 minutes set up a grandstand finish. The Raiders had a chance to level in the last minute when Nick Cotric broke through on the left edge and they looked certain to score before he lobbed the ball forward to an open Jarrod Croker.