Roosters bash the Bulldogs black and blue to sound finals alarm

For a team that was supposed to be rebuilding, according to those outside the Roosters’ opulent Allianz Stadium walls (and quietly, a few within the Tricolours HQ), Trent Robinson’s side is giving the 2025 title race one hell of a shake.

And for a pack featuring roughly $3.5 million in Origin and international talent, it is undoubtedly hustling, bustling Kiwi prop Naufahu Whyte who is now the Roosters’ spiritual leader.

Just ask Canterbury, beaten first physically with Whyte leading the assault, then on the scoreboard too – 32-12 – as the front-rower bagged two tries in nine minutes and doubled his career tally.

For all the hand-wringing after a small galaxy of stars left the building and the Broncos put 50 on them in round 1, the Roosters have suddenly emerged as one of the NRL’s form sides.

How else can you describe them? In the past three weeks they’ve outmuscled Manly in the wet, thrashed the Dolphins and now trounced the Bulldogs, a genuine premiership contender. All while knowing their season could be all but scotched with a loss anywhere in that run.

All season, Whyte has been immense. And for all the representative credentials of his teammates like Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton and Victor Radley, the 23-year-old with big hair and a bigger motor is the top prop around Bondi way.

By the time Robinson gave him his first breather on Friday night, Whyte had two tries, 113 metres from 17 runs and 22 tackles to show for his 54 minutes at the coalface.

“I thought the system of play these guys wanted to play pulled [the Bulldogs] apart and then Naufahu has been leading the way a lot in that,” Robinson said.

“He’s been impressive, really impressive.”

Skipper James Tedesco added: “He’s been here for a while and this year I think he’s just matured and grown as a person and a player. He’s really turned into a leader... he’s become one of the best front-rowers in the game.”

The Roosters’ timely run has lifted them into the top eight with games against Parramatta, Melbourne and South Sydney to finish the season. Their finals fate is now not only in their hands, but alongside Penrith, Robinson’s side suddenly shapes as one rivals won’t fancy crossing in September.

Canterbury’s yo-yoing of late meanwhile, is cause for concern. A 42-4 carve-up of Manly, into an insipid loss to the Tigers, back to their best against the Warriors, and now beaten black and blue by the Roosters is hardly an encouraging form line.

“I sort of blame myself there,” a quietly fuming Cameron Ciraldo said.

“Guys are carrying niggling [injuries] and they just get through training instead of actually training. I’m going to stop that. If you can’t train it results in a performance like that.

“We’ve got a deep squad and a lot of good players who didn’t play tonight. If we don’t want to prepare to win then I’ll put someone in that does.”

Aside from Enari Tuala’s opening try, and a late Matt Burton intercept, the Roosters had the Bulldogs covered.

Standing opposite Tuala, Daniel Tupou was a natural target for Sam Walker’s chipped and dinked kicks – putting a pair of tries on a platter for the veteran.

Between Tupou’s first two tries came a rough and tumble grind the Roosters slowly gained the ascendancy of. Thanks to Whyte.

The big man’s first try was fortuitous, a late Angus Crichton offload falling his way when Canterbury’s line couldn’t be cracked.

But Whyte’s second was a front-rower’s dream – with Lachlan Galvin a bug on his windshield and carried for five metres to the tryline, along with three of his teammates.

The Bulldogs’ rally came all too late from 26-6 down. After the Roosters had dominated the physical exchanges for an hour, Canterbury found their shoulders and hammered the Roosters into errors.

Each error that left them defending deep in their own end was covered by scramble defence, though. And Canterbury turned balls over as they pushed passes and chased points.

Tempers frayed along the way too – with Sam Hughes and Max King both on report for high shots, though Billy Smith may have the most to worry about for an ugly cannonball tackle.

Otherwise for the Roosters, who finished in style as Tupou claimed his third try of the evening, life is looking pretty good.

That’s the cherry on top for the Roosters and Daniel Tupou, who dives over for his hat-trick try in the left corner after some lovely passing from Sam Walker and James Tedesco. Tupou is now past 180 tries and closing in on Billy Slater’s career tally of 190. Tupou is 34 years old but has still got it.

Walker meanwhile can do no wrong and fades his right-foot conversion in from the left touchline, capping a dream night for the Roosters.

It’s hard to believe they came into tonight’s game sitting ninth on the ladder, but they’ll leapfrog the Dolphins and Sharks – at least for now – and climb into seventh place.

Roosters beat Bulldogs 32-12 at Allianz Stadium

Great defence again from the Roosters now – the Bulldogs go left, the Roosters defence slides, Mark Nawaqanitawase holds his spot on the wing, and when the ball finds Jacob Kiraz the Tricolours swarm to tackle him over the sideline.

Another penalty for a high tackle against the Bulldogs, this time on Max King, but after Roosters players run in again referee Grant Atkins has words with Tricolours skipper James Tedesco. If another Roosters player runs in for a bit of argy bargy they’ll be spending the final minutes of this one in the sin bin.

Meanwhile time has just about run out on the Bulldogs tonight.

Roosters lead 26-12 with five minutes left

Another Roosters error now, Mark Nawaqanitawase doing well to bring down a bomb then beat the attempted tackle of Viliame Kikau, only to lose his grip on the ball while getting tackled. It gives the Bulldogs a new set 10 metres out from the Roosters’ line – another try here could make this a very interesting finish.

It’s not a great set from the Bulldogs, but it finishes well when they go through the hands to the left, and Jacob Kiraz kicks ahead and tackles Hugo Savala in the in-goal.

But this time Savala’s dropout is a short one, which goes off Stephen Crichton’s legs and ends up in the hands of Spencer Leniu. The Roosters have it back, and Billy Smith is hit high by Sam Hughes on the following play. The Roosters don’t like it and players are rushing in from everywhere. The referee calms things down and it’s a penalty to the Roosters.

Roosters lead 26-12 with 11 minutes left

Everything’s going the Roosters’ way now – so much so that even when the Bulldogs get a trip upfield via a penalty and Lachlan Galvin puts up an attacking bomb, it backfires. Galvin’s bomb is a little too deap, Daniel Tupou takes it in the in-goal, and charges upfield to take a quick 20-metre tap.

The Roosters charge down into Canterbury territory with their seven-tackle set, and on the last, another perfect Sam Walker kick is on the spot for Tupou to leap over Enari Tuala and score his second. All too easy.

Roosters lead 24-6 with 25 minutes left

A rare error from Connor Tracey, who makes a meal of a Hugo Savala bomb, gives the Roosters another shot at the Bulldogs line. And they go in again, Naufahu Whyte running off Sam Walker and carrying three Canterbury defenders over the tryline with a bullocking run.

The Roosters scored 64 points last week. They won’t match that tonight but they are every chance of running away with another big win, even against this excellent Bulldogs defence.

Roosters lead 20-6 after 47 minutes

It’s all Roosters now. Five-eighth Hugo Savala makes a half break, then Sam Walker puts up another testing bomb, Mark Nawaqanitawase taps it back, and James Tedesco kicks for the in-goal to force another dropout. The Bulldogs kick it long and hold on for the final few seconds, and will be happy to go into the half-time break.

Roosters lead 14-6 at half-time