Veteran Brett Kimmorley turned on a halfback masterclass to lift the Bulldogs to joint lead of the NRL table courtesy of a 28-4 win over the last-placed Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium last night.
Kimmorley unleashed the full repertoire of tricks to run a listless Roosters side ragged, the crafty
playmaker given an early mark by coach Kevin Moore after having a hand in four of the Bulldogs five tries along with a crucial 40-20 kick.
The win lifted the Bulldogs level with the Dragons on 36 competition points, though they remain second on the ladder with two rounds remaining with the red and whites enjoying a 68-point advantage in points differential.
Kimmorley's display shone like a beacon in a game which struggled to get going, the Roosters never really testing the home side even after Ben Jones crossed just before the break to make it 12-4 at halftime.
Luke Patten scored a double inside the opening 21 minutes, the veteran fullback feasting on the crumbs of a Kimmorley bomb before the No.7 dummied and sliced through on the halfway line to find 'The General' for a 12-0 lead.
The Bulldogs threatened but failed to go on with the job as they looked to put the visitors away, the Roosters making them pay with some quick hands seeing Jones cross out wide.
Kimmorley nabbed his 40-20 six minutes after the restart and, from the ensuing set of six, created some space for Daniel Holdsworth to put Josh Morris over.
He completed the job when he put Greg Eastwood into a gap for Hazem El Masri to score to go ahead of Dragons rival Jamie Soward at the top of the pointscorers list.
- AAP
