The Sydney Roosters are banking on the spirit which propelled them to one of the greatest wins in the club's proud history to carry them all the way through to the NRL decider.

As they did on any number of occasions this season the Roosters rallied from the dead to beat Wests Tigers 19-15 in golden point in Saturday night's qualifying final, their reward a semi-final back at the Sydney Football Stadium against Penrith on Saturday night.

The tri-colours trailed 15-2 with just 14 minutes remaining when miracle after miracle began unravelling, the hero of the night Todd Carney adamant the Roosters had more in them.

"We've fought all year, the Roosters are never dead no matter what we're down by, we've showed that we could come back," Carney said.

As for his struggles to get the Roosters going in the first half, the recently-crowned Dally M medallist said: "The momentum was all with the Tigers, no-one was going to play good in that first half with the possession we had.

"We knew if it turned, anything could happen." While concerned with another slow start - which have become the calling card of the Roosters in 2010 - coach Brian Smith refused to criticise his troops.

Rather Smith looked at the positives, like the fact they get to play another week, a scenario which wouldn't have occurred had they lost given Canberra's upset win over Penrith.

"We've got some issues about how we start the game and it could well come back to bite is," Smith told ABC radio.

"But at this point of time ... while ever they can fight like that, they won't get me to growl too much." Prop Jason Ryles turned his attention to the Panthers, admitting the biggest challenge would be to get the side up again mentally and physically after the 100-minute epic.

"I thought we were gone there to be honest, but we just kept hanging in there," Ryles said.

"The mental part of it will be big, getting our feet back on the ground and preparing for whoever we've got next week, because the reality of it is if we get beat next week our season is finished." While there were no doubt some tired legs after the game, the Roosters reported no injuries with Smith to have his full complement from which to choose from against the Panthers.

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