SYDNEY ROOSTERS 32 CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 12
TOM SMITH, Allianz Stadium, Friday
SAM WALKER, Naufahu Whyte and Daniel Tupou all starred as the Roosters dominated the Bulldogs in a Friday night blockbuster.
Walker had the ball on a string off his boot, kicking for two of Tupou’s three tries, while Whyte laid the foundation up front and was rewarded with the first double of his burgeoning NRL career.
Kicking off the inaugural Gadhu Gathering — a celebration of Indigenous people’s profound contribution to Rugby League, with three games taking place at Allianz Stadium across Round 24 — the Roosters put on a show for the 31,399-strong crowd.
When these teams met back in Round 11, the Dogs mowed down a 14-point half-time deficit to storm home to a 24-20 victory.
There was no such comeback here, as Walker and captain James Tedesco, who notched a game-high 221 running metres, guided their side to a statement win.
The result lifts the Roosters into the top eight — at least until Saturday’s action — and leaves the Bulldogs four competition points plus for-and-against adrift of the table-topping Raiders.
The Tricolours closed the gap on the eighth-placed Dolphins by spanking them 64-12 last Saturday, although Trent Robinson lost Siua Wong to concussion, replaced here by Blake Steep.
The Bulldogs returned to the winners list with a professional defeat of the Warriors the same day, following their shock loss to the Wests Tigers a week earlier.
Cameron Ciraldo’s only change to that 17 was bringing back fullback Connor Tracey earlier than expected from his freak abdominal injury.
Things started brightly for the visitors, who crossed first via Enari Tuala in the right corner on 11 minutes.
But Tupou monstered Tuala in the air to claim a Walker bomb and touch down his first try soon after.
Then Lachlan Galvin’s offside infringement — sprinting off his line to pressure a Walker kick — attracted a penalty which the young playmaker turned into two points.
With the Chooks hammering Canterbury’s line, Whyte’s first try came with a huge slice of luck, when Josh Curran mishandled an Angus Crichton offload into his arms metres from the line.
Leading by eight at the break, the Roosters’ lead looked even healthier when Whyte snared his second six minutes after the restart.
This time, the wrecking ball shrugged off four blue-and-white jumpers to find the stripe and complete his maiden brace.
When Walker unleashed another perfect kick onto Tupou’s head, the Tricolours looked all but home at 26-6 as the clock ticked over the hour mark.
Matt Burton snaffled an intercept to sprint 85 metres and give Canterbury faint hope of a miracle fightback.
But some sharp hands by Walker and Tedesco put Tupou into the left corner to put the finishing touches on a commanding scoreline.
Tupou’s career try tally now moves to 182, past Manly legend Steve Menzies into fourth on the all-time try-scoring list.
The Bulldogs now have another monster Friday night clash in Round 25, flying to Melbourne to take on the Storm, while the Roosters travel to Parramatta to face the Eels on Saturday night.
GAMESTAR: Breakout big man Naufahu Whyte scored two tries, which was rich reward for another damaging shift with ball in hand.
GAMEBREAKER: Daniel Tupou’s 78th-minute try completed his hat-trick and his team’s impressive win.
MATCHFACTS
ROOSTERS
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Billy Smith
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Hugo Savala
7 Sam Walker
10 Lindsay Collins
14 Benaiah Ioelu
17 Spencer Leniu
11 Angus Crichton
13 Victor Radley
8 Naufahu Whyte
Subs (all used)
9 Connor Watson
12 Egan Butcher
15 Salesi Foketi
16 Blake Steep
Tries: Tupou (16, 55, 78), Whyte (37, 46)
Goals: Walker 6/6
BULLDOGS
21 Connor Tracey
1 Jacob Kiraz
3 Bronson Xerri
4 Stephen Crichton
5 Enari Tuala
6 Matt Burton
7 Lachlan Galvin
8 Max King
9 Bailey Hayward
10 Samuel Hughes
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Jacob Preston
13 Jaeman Salmon
Subs (all used)
14 Kurt Mann
15 Harry Hayes
16 Josh Curran
17 Reed Mahoney
Tries: Tuala (11), Burton (63)
Goals: Crichton 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 8-6, 14-6; 20-6, 26-6, 26-12, 32-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: Naufahu Whyte; Bulldogs: Bailey Hayward
Penalty count: 9-5
Half-time: 14-6
Referee: Grant Atkins
Attendance: 31,399