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SYDNEY - Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes couldn't remember seeing Sonny Bill Williams play a better game of rugby league and doubted he ever would again.
Such was the performance of the 21-year-old Kiwi superstar that his own coach couldn't believe a footballer with more than a decade ahead
of him would produce a better match-winning effort.
Williams proved exactly why he is "paid the big bucks", leading the Bulldogs to a rampant 38-6 victory over a stunned Sydney Roosters side at Telstra Stadium tonight move to 10th on the NRL table.
The SBW Show left Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon convinced Williams in full flight, like he was tonight, is simply unstoppable.
Stepping up in the absence of NSW stars Willie Mason, Andrew Ryan and Hazem El Masri -- and with Mark O'Meley suspended -- Williams tore apart the Roosters, scoring two tries, going within centimetres of two more and setting up another with a trademark flick over the top of the defender that he labelled a "fluke".
It was an intimidating effort from the Dogs with prop Jarrad Hickey and winger Cameron Phelps also bagging a double, while the night was simply diabolical for the Roosters, culminating in halfback Mitchell Pearce sitting on the pine with a back injury that requires scans tomorrow.
The night belonged to Williams, the 21-year-old stepping across in the 12th minute and diving on a Brent Sherwin grubber in the 49th for his two tries.
He twice stretched his right arm out towards the tryline, but his first effort in the second minute hovered above grass before he was pulled back and his second in the 33rd was controversially ruled short of the chalk by video ref Chris Ward.
Williams was eventually rested in the 73rd minute and received a standing ovation from the blue and white army.
"I don't know what he could do to play much better than that tonight," said Folkes.
"He was pretty dominant for most of the game ... He cannot do a lot more than that."
Fitzgibbon agreed, saying the opposition barely stands a chance when the young second rower is in such dominant form.
"Playing against him like that I suppose I don't know if you can stop him it's just a matter of minimising him," said Fitzgibbon.
"He is going to get you at some stage he is just that good."
Williams was humble afterwards and made a deliberate effort to thank fans for supporting him after a dramatic past month where he was "hammered in the papers" for getting fined A$650 ($720) by police for public urination and forced to admit a problem with alcohol.
"I really don't like talking about myself too much," said Williams after three times redirecting questions about his own performance into plaudits for his team-mates.
"I have been in dramas the last couple of weeks and I just said thanks to the fans who stuck by me and I was trying hard to make amends.
"It's been tough but with the help of family and friends I can get through it."
Lopini Paea claimed the Roosters only try in the 28th minute but their mistakes were unforgivable.
Pearce twice failed to find touch with his penalty kicks while replacement forward Frank-Paul Nuuausala ignored four support players to blow an absolute sitter of a try in the 22nd minute.
Fullback Amos Roberts was placed on report for a high shot on Aaron Wheatley late in the game.
- AAP