Roosters cruise past Bulldogs
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The Roosters casualty ward is filling once more just as it had emptied with Siosiua Taukeiaho and Boyd Cordner facing time on the sidelines after the premiers' 20-12 disposal of the Bulldogs on Sunday.
Both Taukeiaho and Cordner failed to finish an otherwise regulation win for the Tricolours due to calf injuries, while Jared Waerea- Hargreaves also finished on report.
Taukeiaho's injury is of greater concern for Roosters medical staff as both he and Cordner await further assessment on Monday, with NRL.com understanding that the captain is unlikely to play next week against the Titans
Tongan prop has been arguably the best front rower in the game this season, and the Roosters will be sweating on his fitness after he was helped off by trainers, barely able to put weight on his right leg.
Coach Trent Robinson also revealed after full time that English winger Ryan Hall (patella) will be out for "two or three" weeks, while rising lock Nat Butcher is also recovering after playing the last month with a broken rib, joining captain Jake Friend (broken arm) on the sidelines.
"Siua and Boyd are both very similar, both calf [injuries]," Robinson said.
"All I know is that they didn't get the shot gun where they couldn't carry on.
"Siua carried on for a couple of plays, although limping a lot but it wasn't the one where you're going 'I can't move' which can often be the case in a calf so that's a positive sign for both of them.
"We've rested Nat Butcher today, he's had a broken rib for four weeks, playing with a broken rib.
"With Zane [Tetevano] and Isaac [Liu] coming back, [Butcher's] been playing very well but been playing tough, so that was an opportunity to get him repaired."
Waerea-Hargreaves' poor judiciary record may count against him as well if he is charged for his late hit on Jack Cogger, with the Roosters facing the Gold Coast next Sunday.
Match: Bulldogs v Roosters
Round 19 -
home Team
Bulldogs
15th Position
away Team
Roosters
3rd Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Joey Manu meanwhile sat out last week's impressive thumping of Newcastle under Trent Robinson's rotation policy but the Kiwi centre stood tallest as Canterbury were put to bed.
While hype and headlines have followed Latrell Mitchell all season it was Manu's edge where the Tricolours consistently cashed in.
The 23-year-old emerged with a try and could well have more as he terrorised opposite number Kerrod Holland.
A foot into touch denied Manu first try-scoring honours while he was also held up across the line in the opening stanza.
After several close-run things in the first 10 minutes, it was James Tedesco who eventually ran away with first points.
The star fullback finished under the posts from a Jared Waerea-Hargreaves charge and offload that split Canterbury up the middle.
With the Roosters looking likely even from their own half before handling errors took hold, the Bulldogs were unlucky not to bite back with a rare attacking foray in the 19th minute.
Luke Keary's superb ball-and-all tackle on Josh Jackson kept the skipper at bay, while a Latrell Mitchell penalty goal from 40 metres out inched the premiers further ahead.
Having been denied by the touchline Manu took no chances in the 26th minute as the Kiwi star simply trampled over Holland and two more Bulldogs from close range for a 14-0 advantage.
With 58 per cent of first half possession and the lion's share of it in good field position, the Roosters would have wanted better returns despite the healthy halftime lead.
Four repeat sets for the Bulldogs straight after the break only underlined that.
Canterbury's desperate defence on Mitchell, with four defenders on hand to shove him not only away from their try line but into touch, doubled down on their early second half dominance.
Due reward came in the 55th minute through Reimis Smith, the winger crossing out wide after Will Hopoate exploited a right-side overlap.
Dylan Napa on report
The Roosters extinguished the threat of an upset immediately.
Again a simple shift to Manu's edge produced points, Holland rushing in on the Kiwi's decoy run for Brett Morris to stroll over.
Morris's latest four-pointer against his former side takes him to 149 career tries, with his next to make him just the 12th man past the 150-mark in the game's history.
Short of that there was little for the Roosters to celebrate with Taukeiaho under assessment and a performance that rarely got out of second gear.
The Bulldogs meanwhile finished with forwards Dylan Napa and Renouf To'omaga on report for respective late hits and crusher tackles. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was also put on report for a high shot late in the game.
