Bulldogs thrash Roosters to take out minor premiership

The Bulldogs have taken out the minor premiership after hammering the Sydney Roosters 42-10 in front of a 23,391 crowd at ANZ Stadium.

A flawless second half performance from the Bulldogs reaffirmed their position on the top of the ladder.

The homeside got off to a perfect start, opening up the scoring in the first minute after Ben Barba found some space on the outside before combining with Josh Morris who scored. Krisnan Inu added the extras.

The Bulldogs were over again in the 12 minute through Josh Jackson who scored the first of his three tries. Inu added the extras to give his side a 12-point lead.

A spate of posession saw the Roosters hitback in the 19th minute through Tautau Moga. Braith Anasta failed to convert.

The Roosters were over again in the 24th minute through Anthony Minichiello. Anasta added the extras on this occasion.

A swing of posession to the Bulldogs in the 33rd minute saw Frank Pritchard muscle his way over. Inu converted the try.

It was all the Bulldogs in the second half as they scored 24 unanswered tries the first coming through Kris Keating in only the 43rd minute.

The Bulldogs were over again in the 54th minute, before Jackson put the result beyond doubt in the 67th minute. Jackson claimed his hat trick five minutes later.

The Bulldogs will host the Sea Eagles next weekend, in the hope of earning a break for week two of the finals and guaranteeing themselves a spot in the preliminary finals week. They bounced back in style from their thrashing at the hands of the Canberra Raiders last weekend and should be in fine form for their clash with rivals the Manly Sea Eagles. 

As for the Roosters, they will say good bye to Anasta who played his last game for the Bondi club today. It has been another disappointing season for the Bondi club after a promising start, but with their young side getting some more games under their belt, 2013 should be better.

Match Details
Canterbury Bulldogs 42 defeated Sydney Roosters 10
National Rugby League - Round 26 - Saturday September 1, 2012 7:30pm
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Referee: Jared Maxwell and Gavin Badger
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead and Chris James
Touch Judges: Jason Walsh and Clayton Sharpe
Crowd: 23391
Halftime: Canterbury Bulldogs 18 Sydney Roosters 10

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - James Graham
2 Points - Krisnan Inu (7 Conversions)
1 Point - Josh Jackson (3 Tries)

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (42)
Tries: Frank Pritchard, Kris Keating, Ben Barba, Josh Morris, Josh Jackson (3)
Conversions: Krisnan Inu (7/7)

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (10)
Tries: Anthony Minichiello, Tautau Moga
Conversions: Braith Anasta (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Good evening folks and welcome to ANZ Stadium where the Canterbury Bulldogs take on the Sydney Roosters.
A win for the home side tonight will guarantee them the minor premiership. As for the Roosters, they will be hoping to give captain Braith Anasta in his final game for the Bondi Club.
Both our teams are 1-17.
1 min: Braith Anasta kicks off to bring us underway at ANZ Stadium.
2 min: TRY
TRY! Ben Barba finds some space 40 out from his own line and races away before offloading to Morris who scores close to the posts. Krisnan Inu's conversion attempt is successful.
Canterbury Bulldogs 6-0
4 min: The Bulldogs are pinned for a forward pass and the Roosters will get their first set of the game.
10 min: The Roosters are pt to run it on the last on their own 30 but SKD is caught with ball 35 out from his own line and the Bulldogs will go on the attack.
11 min: The Bulldogs receive a penalty on tackle three and will get another six.
13 min: TRY
TRY! The Bulldogs spread it out wide and Josh Jackson scores in the corner. Inu converts from the sideline.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-0
18 min: The Roosters get a tackle count restart a few metres into the Bulldogs' half.
20 min: TRY
TRY! Mitchell Pearce attracts a few defenders before passing to Aidan Guerra who offloads in a tackle to Tautau Moga who scores in the corner. Anasta fails to convert.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-4
21 min: The Roosters receive a penalty just over halfway and will go on the attack again.
23 min: Pearce grubbers into the ingoal and Sam Perrett is forced to bat it dead.
24 min: Anthony Minichiello might have a try here.
25 min: TRY
TRY! Pearce grubbers into the in goal on the last and Minichiello races through and grounds it in the corner. Anasta adds the extras.
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-10
26 min: Minichiello is penalised for a deliberate forward pass in goal after he tried to keep the ball in play as he was falling over the dead ball line.
28 min: Anasta cleans up an Inu kick in his own in goal and passes to Moga who gets out of the in goal. The Bulldogs are then pinned for an illegal strip.
28 min: Ther Roosters receive a penalty on the second tackle 30 out from the Bulldogs' line.
29 min: Barba is trapped in goal fielding a Pearce grubber and the Roosters will get another set.
31 min: Shaun Kenny-Dowall spills the ball on the fourth tackle and the Bulldogs are off the hook.
32 min: The Bulldogs receive a penalty 10 metres into the Roosters' half.
34 min: TRY
TRY! Frank Pritchard forces his way over the try line. Inu adds the extras.
Canterbury Bulldogs 18-10
36 min: The Bulldogs will get a penalty up the field after the Roosters a penalised.
37 min: Josh Reynolds forces a line dropout.
38 min: The Buldogs force another drop out.
40 min: The Roosters survive a third set and that will be the half. The Bulldogs lead the Roosters 18-10.
41 min: Inu gets us underway in the second half.
44 min: TRY
TRY! James Graham offloads to Reynolds who finds a gap and goes through, he passes to Barba who offloads to Kris Keating who scores. Inu converts.
Canterbury Bulldogs 24-10
49 min: The Roosters will get a scrum just short of halfway after Sam Kassiano loses the ball.
50 min: The Roosters receive a penalty.
51 min: Jonathon Wright diffuses an Anasta chip in his own in goal and the Bulldogs are off the hook.
52 min: Kenny-Doiwall attempts an intercept 45 out from his own line but knocks on and the Bulldogs will get a scrum 40 out from the Roosters' line.
54 min: Barba might have a try here.
55 min: TRY
TRY! Barba grounds a Reynolds cross-field kick just short of the deadball line. Inu adds the extras.
Canterbury Bulldogs 30-10
56 min: A short kick off works out for the Roosters and they're on the attack.
57 min: Perrett grabs an intercept and the Bulldogs are off the hook.
57 min: The Roosters receive a penalty.
60 min: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck loses the ball 30 out from his own line and the Bulldogs will go on the attack.
60 min: Reynolds forces a line drop out.
60 min: The Roosters come up with the ball after a short line drop out.
65 min: The Bulldogs will get scrum 10 out from the Roosters' try line.
68 min: TRY
TRY! Reynolds kicks through and Inu fields the ball and passes to Jackson who claims his double.
Canterbury Bulldogs 36-10
74 min: TRY
TRY! Jackson has his hat trick courtesy of some good dummy half work from Ben Barba. Inu adds the extras.
Canterbury Bulldogs 42-10
78 min: The Bulldogs receive a penalty and will go right on the attack.
79 min: Inu might have a try here.
79 min: No try! The Bulldogs will get a line dropout.
79 min: Tuivasa-Sheck saves the day for the the Roosters and races down field before being ankle tapped by Greg Eastwood.
80 min: Pearce gets a line drop out and there won't be enough time to take it. The Bulldogs defeat the Roosters 42-10.