Roosters beat Dogs to climb into top eight as Daniel Tupou overtakes Steve Menzies on all-time tries leaderboard
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The Roosters banked their third consecutive victory in a 32-12 win over the Bulldogs on Friday to climb into the top eight, at least for the night, as Daniel Tupou scored a hat-trick to overtake Steve Menzies on the all-time tries leaderboard.
Tupou bagged three tries and middle forward Naufahu Whyte scored a double as the Roosters rose from ninth to seventh on the ladder, going a win clear of the Dolphins and drawing equal with the Sharks on 28 points, who they lead in differential.
The Sharks will face the Titans on Saturday as the Dolphins take on the Broncos in the Brisbane derby, meaning the Roosters could still finish the round outside of the top eight.
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But regardless of what transpires over the remainder of round 24, the Roosters claimed a crucial two points and reaffirmed in no uncertain terms that they will be capable of doing damage in the finals if they qualify.
The Bulldogs, who are sitting third on the ladder, have now lost two of their past three games, and will play the Storm, Panthers and Sharks in a tough finish to the regular season.
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At Allianz Stadium on Friday night, Tupou drew level with Manly Sea Eagles legend Menzies on 180 first-grade tries when he crossed for his first of the game, before moving clear with his second and extending his lead on "Beaver" when he completed his hat-trick.
Tupou (182 tries) is now the fourth-greatest try-scorer in the league's history, behind Ken Irvine (212), Alex Johnston (209) and Billy Slater (190).
The exceptional short kicking game of young halfback Sam Walker and the aerial brilliance of Tupou came to the fore in the 16th minute, with the towering winger leaping above Enari Tuala to catch a Walker kick just inside the left touchline and score the Roosters' first try of the match. Walker then nailed a difficult conversion to level the scores at 6-6.
Daniel Tupou scores one of his three tries. Getty
The Roosters took an 8-6 lead in the 27th minute after Canterbury halfback Lachlan Galvin was penalised for being off side, before Whyte grabbed the first of his two tries when he pounced on a loose ball and scored the easiest four-pointer he will probably ever score. Walker converted to extend the Tricolours' lead to 14-6 late in the first half.
Whyte snared his second try five minutes into the second half, and the powerful Kiwi did so with a pulverising carry. He charged onto a Walker short ball and made light work of Galvin's defensive resistance as a couple of other Bulldogs players tried in vain to help the 19-year-old. The Roosters led 20-6 after another successful Walker conversion.
Tupou surpassed Menzies on the all-time tries list after again jumping above Tuala to catch a Walker kick in the 56th minute, before the Roosters No.7 added the extras to extend the hosts' lead to 26-6.
And although Matt Burton picked off a Sandon Smith pass and ran 85 metres to score just after the hour mark, errors and ill discipline would do Canterbury no favours over the remainder of the game.
Tupou rounded out his hat-trick when he iced a clinical short-side play with two minutes left on the clock, dotting down again in front of a 31,399-strong crowd.
Whyte, who's emerged as a spiritual leader of the Roosters' forward pack in the post-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves era, took 17 carries for 113 run metres and made 22 tackles, while edge forwards Angus Chrichton and Egan Butcher were brilliant, too.
Roosters centre Billy Smith was placed on report for a hip-drop tackle early in the match, while Bulldogs forwards Sam Hughes and Max King were booked by referee Grant Atkins for high shots late in the game.
