Roosters comeback from a comeback to down Bulldogs

In a game to be talked about for years to come, the Roosters have come from behind after leading by 22-0 to defeat Canterbury 38-28 in front of 13589 fans at Allianz Stadium.

Having established a 22-point lead inside as many minutes, the Roosters appeared headed for a big win but the Bulldogs rallied to fight their way back into the contest.

Crossing for three tries to reduce the halftime deficit to just six points, the Bulldogs gained the ascendancy early on in the second half before taking the lead through replacement winger Corey Thompson in the 55th minute.

On track to record their biggest ever comeback in the clubs 80 year history, the Bulldogs held a 28-22 lead with less than 15 minutes remaining before Jared Waerea-Hargreaves produced the hit-up of the season to turn the momentum back in favour of the Roosters.

With tries through Blake Ferguson, Michael Jennings and Jackson Hastings; the Roosters managed to prevail 38-28 in a game that had it all.

Becoming the youngest player to reach the 200 game milestone, Mitchell Pearce produced a stellar game alongside James Maloney, with each player producing three try assists.

For the Bulldogs, Moses Mbye continued to impress with another strong performance in attack, while youngster Shaun Lane also showed a number of strong touches alongside a try.

In a game that yielded 12 tries, the biggest cheer of the night was afforded to Kane Evans' brutal hit of Sam Kasiano which brought the Allianz Stadium crowd to their feet.

While the Roosters won out on the scoreboard, they look to be without prop Sam Moa who left mid-way through the first half with a dislocated wrist which should see him spend time on the sideline.

Next week the Roosters travel to Newcastle to take on Sunday afternoon, while the Bulldogs will face off against ladder leaders Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Match Details

Sydney Roosters 38 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28
Venue: Allianz Stadium
Crowd: 13589
Halftime Score: Sydney Roosters 22 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (38)
Tries: Daniel Tupou (2), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Michael Jennings (2), Blake Ferguson, Jackson Hastings
Conversions: James Maloney (5/7)

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (28)
Tries: Shaun Lane, Trent Hodkinson, Josh Morris, Corey Thompson (2)
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (4/5)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
2 points - Moses Mbye
1 point - Mitchell Pearce

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to League Unlimited's coverage of Round 21 Friday Night Football between Sydney Roosters and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Allianz Stadium.

The Roosters will be without Isaac Liu who is replaced by Jackson Hastings on the bench.

Curtis Rona and Frank Pritchard are out for Canterbury with Corey Thompson coming onto the wing and Danny Fualalo moving to the bench. Shaun Lane will start in the second row.

Mitchell Pearce will play his 200th NRL for the Roosters after debuting back in 2007.

Jared Waerea-Hargeaves takes the first run of the night.

1: Sam Perrett has little trouble taking a bomb against his former club.

2: Perrett does well again to defuse a James Maloney high ball.

3: Roosters will start a set inside the Bulldogs half after Aidan Guerra was ruled to have not played at a Hodkinson kick.

5: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Daniel Tupou. Kick to come.
Sam Perrett is unable to get to the ball before Tupou touches down for the first try of the night.

5: Nice work from Maloney to grubber in-goal for the Tupou try.

6: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
From the touchline, Maloney nails the kick.

9: Hodkinson kicks for Sam Perrett, but after video review the Roosters will get a 20 metre restart.

10: Penalty to the Roosters - Maloney finds touch 20 metres out from the Bulldogs line.

11: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Kick to come.
A poor attempted tackle by Trent Hodkinson allows the Roosters fullback to touch down for a try.

12: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney unsuccessful.
From a similar position to the first try, Maloney pushes the kick left.

13: Daniel Tupou is claiming a try; tremendous work from Blake Ferguson to bat the ball back followed by a great kick from Maloney to isolate Sam Perrett.

13: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Daniel Tupou. Kick to come.
We've just seen one of the tries of the season! Roosters 14-0. KTC.

14: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
The Roosters are going better than the clock. 16-0.

15: The Roosters are making metres at will at the moment.

16: Canterbury get a relieving penalty after the Roosters almost get another set from a Sam Perrett falcon.

17: Michael Jennings latches on to a Moses Mbye cross field kick.

18: Mbye draws another penalty after Jake Friend fails to release the Bulldogs #6.

19: Corey Thompson pulled down short of the try line.

19: Brett Morris puts in a kick for Sam Perrett, but Daniel Tupou is able to see the ball roll over the dead ball line. Roosters 20 metre restart.

20: Friend chips for Tupou, but the ball finds touch 10 metres out from the Bulldogs line.

21: Sam Kasiano is set to come onto the field for Canterbury.

22: Sam Moa on for the Roosters.

22: Ferguson finds a bit of space but Josh Morris is able to cut him down.

23: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Michael Jennings. Kick to come.
Stop the fight. The Roosters are annihilating Canterbury.

23: Put that try down to James Maloney taking on the line.

24: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
From right in front, Maloney adds the extras.

25: Canterbury haven't played poorly so far, the Roosters are just on another level.

26: Waerea-Hargreaves comes up with the first error for the Roosters.

26: Tuivasa-Scheck and Waerea-Hargeaves have both run for 100 metres so far.

27: Canterbury penalty 10 metres out from the try line after a series of inside passes.

28: Shaun Lane is claiming a try after the back rower latches onto a Moses Mbye bomb.

28: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Shaun Lane. Kick to come.
Lane scores another try for Canterbury.

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Hodkinson gets the Bulldogs back in the contest.

30: Kane Evans and Sio Siua Taukeiaho on for the Roosters.

30: Sam Kasiano and Kane Evans exchange words as the Bulldogs get a penalty.

31: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Josh Morris. Kick to come.
Is a comeback on the cards. Morris is able to hold off Brendan Elliott to score.

32: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
The Bulldogs are right back in this one.

33: Sam Moa is off clutching at a lower arm injury.

33: Kane Evans puts a big shot on Sam Kasiano from the kick off.

33: Evans has been placed on report for a shoulder charge.

35: Tuivasa-Scheck cleans up for the Roosters. On the next tackle Taukeiaho earns a penalty.

37: RTS puts the ball on the toe, but his kick rolls dead.

37: Brendan Elliott does well to catch an Mybe bomb intended for Corey Thompson.

38: Bulldogs to start their set inside the Roosters 30 metre zone following a charge down.

38: Huge work from the Roosters to hold up Moses Mbye after he was over the line.

39: Mbye looks to have made amends for being held up by delivering a superb cut-out pass for Corey Thompson to touch down.

39: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Corey Thompson. Kick to come.
The Bulldogs have more than made up for the slow start.

40: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
The kick is waved away. Roosters take a 22-16 lead to the break.

40: Bulldogs back on the field.

40: Roosters ready to kick off for the second half.

40: Klemmer takes the first run of the second half.

41: Shaun Lane charges through the Roosters defence.

41: Hodkinson puts in a woeful bomb, but is able to get a second kick away.

42: Klemmer takes the Bulldogs into the Roosters half.

43: Klemmer coming off with a shoulder injury; big blow for the Bulldogs.

44: Jake Friend puts in another strong kick to turn around the Bulldogs.

45: Friend finds some room to move for the Roosters.

45: Blake Ferguson is unable to latch onto a cut-out pass from Mitchell Pearce.

46: Great work by the Bulldogs to spread the ball through the Morris brothers; but the play is called back for a forward pass.

48: Brendan Elliott has leapt to catch a bomb, but in putting the ball over the line he is deemed to have made a double movement.

48: No Try. Penalty to Canterbury.

49: Sam Moa out with a dislocated wrist. He'll be looking at time on the sidelines, but fortunately for the Roosers they have Isacc Liu and Suaia Matagi available.

49: Corey Thompson is able to trap Brendan Elliott in goal after a well placed kick from Mbye.

50: Hodkinson is claiming a try. He dummied and took the line on, but he may have been held up.

50: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Trent Hodkinson. Kick to come.
Amazingly the Bulldogs are going to be level.

51: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
The scores are tied. From 22-0 down, the Dogs have somehow tied the score.

52: Tuivasa-Scheck has lost the ball giving the Dogs yet another chance.

54: Sam Perrett has failed to come up with the ball with the line wide open. However the Dogs will get another set following a knock on from Daniel Tupou.

55: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Corey Thompson. Kick to come.
It's all the Bulldogs! Moses Mbye with a wonderful long ball exposes Brendan Elliott and Corey Thompson gets his second.

56: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
He's done it again. Hodkinson puts it straight between the posts.

58: Daniel Tupou is hit by three Bulldogs before finally being put to ground.

58: Sam Perrett takes a high ball close to his own line.

59: Lloyd Perrett takes his first run of the night.

59: Pearce puts Aubusson into a gap but the Bulldogs cut the second rower down.

61: A crazy last tackle sees the Roosters spread the ball from sideline to sideline. Bulldogs line drop out.

61: Cordner driven back as he seemed destined to score.

62: Jennings is tackled short of the line after putting on some fancy footwork.

63: Maloney elects to run the ball on the last tackle, but Josh Morris tackles the Roosters playmaker.

64: This has been a crazy game of football. The Roosters looked set to score 50, but the momentum has changed so far in favour of Canterbury that the Roosters are struggling just to keep up.

65: Brett Morris has no trouble picking up a Roosters bomb.

67: Hodkinson has to bat the ball dead with Jennings and Guerra in pursuit. Line drop out.

67: David Klemmer back on for the Bulldogs.

68: Waerea-Hargreaves produces the hit-up of the season. Awesome work from the Kiwi prop.

68: Ferguson is claiming a try. Video Ref will check grounding and touchline, but it looks to be a try.

68: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Blake Ferguson. Kick to come.
If Maloney can add the extras we'll be locked up again.

69: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney unsuccessful.
The kick has hit the upright. No Goal.

71: Mitchell Pearce is clutching at his leg. It was awkwardly twisted in Eastwood's tackle.

72: Jackson Hastings on for the Roosters.

73: Jennings looks to have scored. We'll see whether he's grounded it, but the Roosters may have taken back the lead.

73: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Michael Jennings. Kick to come.
As he did in the 2013 Grand Final, Michael Jennings manages to get the ball down only centimetres from the dead ball line.

74: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney adds the extras. Roosters 32-28.

77: Waerea-Hargreaves puts a great shot on and the Bulldogs lose possession through Tim Browne.

77: Mitchell Pearce is over the line, but the referee wants to check if he's got the ball down.

80: Jackson Hastings belts the ball over the sideline.

80: TRY SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Scored by Jackson Hastings. Kick to come.
After the Bulldogs make an error, the youngster scores on the siren.

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Conversion attempt by James Maloney successful.
Maloney is successful and the Roosters win 38-28 in one of the most bizarre games we've seen.