Round 16
Bulldogs 38 d. Sydney Roosters 6

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Pearce out for six weeks
Tue July 3, 2007
Source: www.sydneyroosters.com.au

Mitchell Pearce is expected to be out for six weeks after undergoing an MRI scan this morning and being diagnosed with a stress reaction to the right side.

Dr. John Orchard was at length to confirm that this was not a stress fracture of the bone, with the scans showing signs of early overload to the lower lumbar area.

He will rest and take part in light training over the next six weeks, and the early diagnosis indicates the injury will not have any long term consequences.

"Mitchell's condition is not uncommon for players his age, however we do not expect it to be a long term problem," said Dr. Orchard.

"Some players can carry this injury while playing, but given Mitchell's age, it is important that he gets the right treatment now to ensure it does not become a reoccurring problem."

News sent by: www.sydneyroosters.com.au


The Sonny and Shifty Show
Tue July 3, 2007
Sonny Bill Williams and Brent Sherwin had two of their finest matches to steer the Bulldogs to an impressive 38-6 victory against one-time arch-rivals Sydney Roosters.

Williams hasn't been in the best of form this season with the exception of his one-man effort against the Warriors and Sherwin has been one of the Bulldogs most consistent since being recalled to the top grade in Round 6 without fully dominating a match. Sherwin was also handed the goal kicking duties of Hazem El Masri and landed five goals from seven attempts for good measure. Sherwin was always a goal kicker during his development years in the lower grades and in fact was included in the 1998 reserve grade side on the wing as a specialist goal kicking option despite El Masri being the fullback that year in reserve grade.

For the Bulldogs to be any threat to the competition this season, the form of both Williams and Sherwin is absolutely critical to the success and failure of the side. Williams as he proved last night and in 2004 is one of the most talented game breaking forwards in the game and Sherwin when on song is up there in the absolute elite of halfback's.

Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes sprung a major surprise on match eve with Jersey Flegg winger Heka Nanai replacing State of Origin winger El Masri on the left flank. It was leaked on a Bulldogs Bulletin Board forum on Friday that Nanai would be the replacement, but various radio and newspaper publications expected that Daniel Holdsworth would be the five-eighth shifting Ben Roberts and Daryl Millard out wider. The selection of Nanai was a brave one by Folkes and one that proved to be successful with Nanai having a solid debut and gives the youngsters hope that Folkes will give them their opportunity.

The Bulldogs started the match the side most likely as they split the Roosters defence at will with Jarrod Hickey crossing in the 6th minute when he backed up a break from Sherwin to score under the posts. Sherwin took over the goal kicking duties from El Masri and added the extras.

Sherwin was in the thick of the action in the 12th minute when an excellent inside flick pass saw Williams cross over for the first of two tries. Sherwin was again spot on with the conversion attempt with the Bulldogs up 12-0.

The Bulldogs lost their way after the two early tries and the Roosters slowly worked themselves back into the match. Setaimata Sa had a try disallowed for double movement, but the Roosters weren't to be denied when Lopini Paea crashed over from close range following a nice ball from Craig Wing where Nick Kouparitsas was caught out of position.

Williams appeared to have got the Bulldogs back in control when he went from dummy half close to the line only for the video referee after minutes of looking to rule no try. It wasn't clear cut evidence that it was or wasn't a try, however, the Bulldogs didn't receive any benefit of the doubt in the decision and not the first time it has happened to them this season with the infamous Hickey no try in Round 1 the most notable incident.

Millard scored two minutes from half-time when a great flick pass from Williams saw the right centre score wide out. Sherwin's conversion was just wide of the posts and the Bulldogs led 16-6 at the break.

Williams wasn't to be denied scoring a double when he crossed over in the 49th when he was in the right position to collect a trademark Sherwin grubber kick. Sherwin converted the try from near the sideline for the Bulldogs to lead 22-6.

The Roosters appeared to have scored when a Joel Monaghan cross field bomb was fumbled by the Bulldogs and dived on by Anthony Tupou for the try. Whilst Tupou's feet were in the air when he dived on the ball, replays showed that he started from outside the field of play and therefore Tupou was deemed to be have out with the video referee correctly ruling a Bulldogs drop out for the first offence.

Cameron Phelps scored two impressive tries in the space of three minutes to blow the scoreline out from 22-6 to 32-6 with the match firmly in the Bulldogs keeping heading into the final ten minutes. The double by Phelps and later on coming within an absolute whisker of scoring a freakish try that would have a hat-trick was an impressive reward for a local Bulldogs junior who does his job without fuss and plays with plenty of heart, passion and desire on a weekly basis.

Hickey crashed over for his second try in the final stages to give him his first career double and a rare feat of scoring the first and last try in a match.

The Bulldogs 38-6 victory on top of defeating Manly 27-8 at the Fortress has seen them put impressive back-to-back victories for the first time in a long time. Consistency has been the Bulldogs problem since they won the Premiership in 2004 and they need to continue putting together good performances if they are to be a threat this season.

All the attention has been placed on Williams since the match and deservedly so following his performance. Sherwin was every bit as good and dominant as Williams and his form this season has been building up to this performance. Sherwin with form like this is the best halfback in NSW and only behind Johnathan Thurston in the pecking order when on song and displaying the dominance that he showed last night.

Two players to impress for future Bulldogs selection were interchange props Brad Morrin and Aaron Wheatley and both showed that there's future beyond Mark O'Meley who hasn't been in good form this season and is bound for Bondi next year. Morrin and Wheatley chewed up the metres while Hickey and Kane Cleal also took advantage of being given a starting berth.

The Roosters unfortunately were extremely disappointing where the knives are again out for coach Chris Anderson following the performance. Anderson was drafted into the Roosters this season where he's coming in on the back of the post-Brad Fittler era and has had to deal with poor recruitment and retention decisions of the previous two seasons. Anderson has decided it was time to blood youngsters and slowly clean out the unrequired quantity within the Roosters, where that policy takes time, effort and at times pain. However, Anderson has been there and done that before and if given the chance by Roosters management he'll deliver them success and a stronger long-term culture for the future.

Last night's match played in front of a bumper crowd of 20.722 is best summed up as 'The Sonny and Shifty Show'.

Mon July 2, 2007
• Bulldogs v Roosters kicks off the School Holidays
  
Tue June 26, 2007
• Folkes names six-man bench, O'Meley out for one match
  

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