Both the Roosters and Bulldogs came into this game under pressure after last start losses, but it was the Bulldogs who were most under fire, ultimately responding with a 16-12 victory over their long-time rivals.
Early on it was the Roosters who turned out looking like a bottom placed side as they gave up two very soft tries off the back of their own errors to trail by six points at halftime.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the 14th minute after a Matt Burton grubber was fumbled by Joey Manu. In the following set, Josh Addo-Carr picked up the ball at dummy half and darted down the blindside to barge over in the corner for a good try. Burton failed to convert from the left sideline.
In the 21st minute, the Roosters tried a play off the back of a scrum, but Addo-Carr juggled an intercept and ran 85 metres to score. Burton converted to give the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead.
The Roosters crossed inside the final two minutes when a Luke Keary Crossfield kick found Joseph Suaalii, who had had a horror game up til this point, took a great catch in the Bulldogs in-goal and scored. Sam Walker's sideline conversion was poor. At halftime, the Bulldogs held a 10-4 lead.
The Roosters were the first to score in the second half when James Tedesco drifted right and then slipped through the defence to score a soft try. Adam Keighran failed to convert from touch.
In the 55th minute the Bulldogs replied when they shifted the ball right where Matt Dufty lobbed a long ball over the out-of-position Kevin Naiqama to Jayden Okunbor who scored in the corner. Burton converted from touch to give the Bulldogs a 16-8 lead.
In the 74th minute the Roosters kept themselves in the game, despite Some questionable passes in the lead up before Keary puts up a kick for Naiqama, but it misses its mark, however Sitili Tupouniua cleans up the loose ball and scores in the left corner. Keighran failed to convert from out wide. With 5 minutes remaining, the Bulldogs held a narrow 16-12 lead.
In the 78th minute Sam Walker hit Joey Manu out the back who somehow got a miracle flick ball along to Joseph Suaalii who burrowed down low to score in the right corner - however. The Bunker reviewed it and found that Suaalii's boot grazed the sideline - no try!
A hectic final 2 minutes saw the Roosters throw all forms of cabinetry at the Bulldogs, but the Dogs held firm and got a much needed victory.