The beauty of two competition points is in the eye of the beholder, and in the case of Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith there was plenty to like about the ugly way his side began resurrecting its NRL season on Sunday.

Less than 24 hours after Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens refused to allow his troops to indulge in the team victory song after a scrappy victory over Penrith, Smith found something endearing in the way his depleted squad ended a five-match losing streak by staggering to a 12-10 win over Newcastle.

No, this wasn't the Roosters' finest hour, and it's a far cry from the type of performance many had expected from the side in 2011 following last year's heroics, but as Smith noted it was a start.

"I know we've got a lot of work to do and I think we gave ourselves a little platform today to build on, a bit of confidence from a win," Smith said after his side's third win of 2011, their first in six weeks.

"If we can get some more over the next few weeks you never know, we might just get a rally up before the season's out - there's a long way to go.

"We knew when we were coming here today that we would have to work hard and grind it out. We've got boys coming from everywhere at the moment to play for us.

"... we know we can play a lot better than that - but when you're missing 11 guys out of your top 25 I don't think you expect icing on the cake or strawberries on the top, you're just happy to get a good hard, strong gutsy performance and I thought everyone of our guys did that for us today."

And for all their ills both on and off the field this season, the Roosters now find themselves just four points outside the top eight, and have key playmaker Todd Carney showing glimpses of his best.

With Mitchell Pearce and Nate Myles to return from representative duty next week and Tom Symonds set to strengthen the backrow, things are starting to look up again for the men from Bondi.

But Sheens was in no mood to share a drink from Smith's glass half full, as he lambasted his error-riddled side for almost throwing away a 20-18 victory which saw the Tigers jump above Canterbury into seventh.

Sheens suggested a similar offering against premiers St George Illawarra next week would see his side lapped by 100.

Just above the Tigers are the surging Warriors, who made it five wins on the bounce on Sunday with a 12-6 triumph over South Sydney.

After starting the season with three straight losses, the Warriors have suddenly added some resolve to their game, with coach Ivan Cleary crediting an improved attitude to defence on the dramatic turnaround.

"The best thing about today was our defence and this was the first time we've kept anyone to 10 points (this season)," Cleary said.

"If you can defend well then you're always in with a chance to win any game."

The reduced round wraps up on Monday night when Parramatta host a star-depleted Cronulla side.

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