SYDNEY ROOSTERS 12 DOLPHINS 26
CHRIS JONES, Allianz Stadium, Saturday
THE DOLPHINS needed to win this game by more than twelve points to replace the Rooster in third place on the NRL ladder, and they did it in style, winning by 14 points, including two tries to superstar winger Selwyn Cobbo.
It was the Roosters second successive defeat, after their shock one-point loss to the Wests Tigers las week, and their woes were exacerbated by the loss to injury of their star halfback Sam Walker, who was taken from the field with what appeared to be an ankle injury in the 53rd minute.
Things had looked much better for the Roosters early in the game, as Robert Toia broke through to score their opening try, converted by Walker.
The Dolphins equalised in the 21st minute when Herbie Farnworth followed an Isaiya Katoa bomb to take the ball from the grasp of Roosters fullback James Tedesco to tough down.
And they took the lead nine minutes later when Cobbo touched down from a scrum move before he was in again to make it 6-14.
And when Max Plath scored just before the interval to take the score to 6-20 for the Dolphins, things looked grim for the Roosters.
Jeremy Marshall-King piled on the agony for the Roosters when he scored direct from dummy-half early in the second half before Walker had to leave the field.
The Dolphins ran into trouble when Tom Flegler and Morgan Knowles were sin binned, resulting in them having eleven men on the field for several minutes and during that time Salesi Foketi pulled a try back for the Roosters, but it was too little, too late, as the Dolphins’ Premiership credentials were there for all to see.

ROOSTERS: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Billy Smith, 3 Hugo Savala, 4 Robert Toia, 5 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6 Daly Cherry-Evans, 7 Sam Walker, 8 Naufahu Whyte, 9 Reece Robson, 10 Lindsay Collins, 11 Salesi Foketi, 12 Siua Wong, 13 Nat Butcher; Subs: 14 Connor Watson, 15 Spencer Leniu, 16 Egan Butcher, 17 Taylor Losalu (not used), 18 Cody Ramsey (not used), 19 Tommy Talau
Tries: Toia (8), Savala (70); Goals: Walker 1/1, Savala 1/1
DOLPHINS: 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2 Jamayne Isaako, 3 Jack Bostock, 4 Herbie Farnworth, 5 Selwyn Cobbo, 6 Kodi Nikorima, 7 Isaiya Katoa, 8 Thomas Flegler, 9 Jeremy Marshall-King, 10 Tom Gilbert, 11 Max Plath, 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, 13 Morgan Knowles. Subs: 14 Ray Stone, 15 Francis Molo, 16 Felise Kaufusi (not used), 17 Brian Pouniu (not used), 18 Brad Schneider (not used), 22 Kurt Donoghue
Tries: Farnworth (21), Cobbo (30, 34), Plath (39), Marshall-King (48); Goals: Isaako 3/5; Sin bin: Flegler (61) – professional foul, Knowles (68) – dangerous tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-10, 6-14, 6-20; 6-26, 12-26
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match: Roosters: Reece Robson; Dolphins: Herbie Farnworth
Penalty count: 6-6; Half-time: 6-20; Referee: Todd Smith; Attendance: 23,216