Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has reached a century of NRL tries as the Tricolours returned to winning ways with a 44-16 defeat of struggling Gold Coast.
Tedesco scored a hat-trick and wingers Daniel Tupou and Joseph Suaalii bagged doubles as the Roosters ended a two-game losing run with the eight tries to three win at Mackay's BB Print Stadium on Saturday.
The loss is Gold Coast's fifth in a row and leaves their season hanging by a thread with just two wins from nine games in 2022.
Justin Holbrook's men, playing without injured star David Fifita, made a perfect start when Beau Fermor pounced after Suaalii spilled a Will Smith grubber in the third minute to take an early 4-0 lead.
Tedesco reached his career ton in a quick reply by the Roosters in the sixth minute, combining with Joey Manu to score what would be the first of six tries through Gold Coast's left side defence.
Despite losing Sam Verrills to a shoulder injury and having Lindsay Collins sin-binned for a shoulder charge on Corey Thompson, the Roosters extended their lead when Tedesco crossed for his second in the 24th minute - busting through a weak tackle from Brian Kelly on his way to the tryline.
Suaalii and Siosiua Taukeiaho then took advantage of the Titans' left edge to blow the score out to 24-4 with five minutes to play in the first half.
Another kick by Smith led to the Titans' second try when it rebounded off Angus Crichton's leg into the grateful grasp of Sam Lisone who crashed over to make it 24-10 at the break.
Gold Coast scored first in the second-half through Herman Ese'ese to get within eight of the Roosters before Tupou and Tedesco scored tries to put Trent Robinson's team back in command.
Tupou and Suaalii finished off late moves to put gloss on the scoreline for the Roosters.
The Titans will hope to end their losing run when they host St George Illawarra next Saturday while the Roosters face Parramatta next Sunday in a mouth-watering clash.
