The Sydney Roosters may have lost Sio Siua Taukeiaho to injury and might be without Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for several weeks after their scratchy 20-12 NRL win over Canterbury.
Sio Siua Taukeiaho limped from ANZ Stadium in the 67th minute on Sunday in worrying signs for the Roosters’ prop given his history of knee injuries including an ACL tear in 2016.
Front-row partner Waerea-Hargreaves might become a victim of the NRL’s crackdown on late shots after being put on report for a hit on Jack Cogger.
The Roosters went into the match looking to reinforce their status as premiership favourites but, outside of the opening 30 minutes, never really impressed.
The result keeps them in third spot but, after Melbourne’s loss to Manly on Saturday, they are six points off top spot.
Before last week’s 48-10 dismantling of Newcastle, the Roosters had won only two of five games during a difficult State of Origin period and because of a taxing injury toll.
They timed their run to last year’s premiership to perfection, and they showed signs they had flicked a switch on Sunday as they romped to a 14-0 early lead.
The Roosters looked like they were toying with the Dogs in the first half and, while they took a 14-0 advantage into the break, it could have been much more.
Cooper Cronk was denied because of a James Tedesco forward pass and Joey Manu put his foot on the sideline as they blew two golden chances in the opening six minutes.
But Tedesco opened his side’s account when he finished off a stellar play started by a skilful Waerea-Hargreaves offload.
And when Manu ran over the top of Kerrod Holland, the Roosters’ machine was showing signs of hitting full stride.
But the Dogs were let back into the match, enjoying 67 per cent of possession and winning the penalty count 8-2 in the second half which allowed Reimis Smith to give his side their first points.
But when Lachlan Lewis, playing his first game back from an ankle injury, dropped the ball cold from the kickoff, Brett Morris crossed from the next set to make it 20-6.
Despite being out of the contest for most of the match, the Dogs provided a few nervous moments when Will Hopoate flew high to reel in a Lewis bomb and give Smith his second of the day.
But the Roosters still did enough to hold on against the 15th-placed Bulldogs.
Canterbury enforcer Dylan Napa (late shot) and Renouf To’omaga (crusher tackle) will both be scrutinised by the match review committee.
