Game Summary
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Sydney Roosters served up an entertaining contest in Round 10 of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Belmore Sports Ground, with the Roosters ultimately running out 28-10 winners in a game that was closer than the scoreline suggests.
The Bulldogs drew first blood midway through the first half when halfback Alex Conti grubbered through the line and Josh Curran followed up to score. Conti pulled his conversion to leave the score at 4-0.
The Roosters hit back quickly and with clinical precision. Rex Bassingthwaighte combined slickly with halves Reece Foley and Toby Rodwell before releasing Tom Rodwell to cross and level at 4-4. Toby Rodwell slotted the conversion to give the Roosters a 6-4 lead.
Benaiah Ioelu then entered the fray at dummy-half, crashing over off a quick play-the-ball inside the Bulldogs' 20 to extend the lead to 12-4 heading into the final 10 minutes of the first half.
The Bulldogs refused to fold. A fortuitous try saw the ball ricochet off several players before rolling into the hands of Logan Spinks, who dotted down with Conti converting to cut the deficit to 12-10 at half-time.
The second half saw the Roosters take firm control. A slick back-line move midway through the half - sparked by Junior Pauga keeping the ball alive - allowed Jaxson Allen to score and push the lead to 18-10. Junior Tupou then showed his power with a one-on-one try off a scrum play, and Tom Rodwell capped a brilliant double with a finish in the corner to seal the result.
The Roosters ran out 28-10 victors, crossing five times to the Bulldogs' two, with Toby Rodwell landing four from five conversions. For the Bulldogs, it was a tale of missed opportunities in attack despite holding their own for long periods.
Talking Points
Alex Conti continues to impress at halfback for the Bulldogs. The 19-year-old was lively and direct throughout, finishing with multiple try assists and constantly threatening the Roosters' line.
Benaiah Ioelu was arguably the game's most influential forward. After a big outing last week he had a another big impact for the Roosters, capping his afternoon with a try.
Rex Bassingthwaighte caught the eye in his first extended run at NSW Cup level. The UNE SG Ball star was dangerous with the ball in hand and handled the pace of the game with considerable maturity for a player of his age.
Key Moment
The Roosters' try through Jackson Allen at the start of the second half proved the turning point. It extended the lead to 16-10 and swung momentum firmly in the Roosters' favour just as the Bulldogs looked capable of drawing level.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs have the bye in Round 11 and will be keen to regroup before a tricky run of fixtures. The Roosters head to Bear Park - North Sydney Oval - to face the in-form Bears.
