Match Details
Match Date	21st Jun, 2013
Opponent	Sydney Roosters
Result	Loss 18-20
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	20,275
Referee	Matt Cecchin Gavin Badger

A dodgy glute muscle almost robbed Sonny Bill Williams of appearing against his former club but it was his move to the halves which halted his real star power.

Perhaps the biggest half in league history, Williams’ space was limited in his side’s 20-18 win minus NSW halves Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney against Canterbury. But he was still a threat and you’d like to see him play there fully fit.

Williams was in real doubt leading into the game and was forced to undergo a solo fitness session only minutes before kick-off but finally gave himself the all clear to play.

Despite taking the field, Williams, who was still booed by the bitter Bulldogs faithful, wasn’t anywhere near peak fitness after hurting himself at training on Thursday.

The Roosters played the same 17 named early in the week but had five positional changes, including Williams at halfback and Daniel Mortimer at five-eighth.

Williams starred when the Roosters beat Canterbury 38-0 at their last meeting in round six but he was left a support act on Friday night with Mortimer’s touches proving the difference.

Mortimer was sensational, laying on two identical tries against the side where his surname is idolised. Now generally limited to bench hooking cameos as he sits behind the NSW halves, Mortimer showed the form which saw him lead Parramatta to a grand-final appearance in 2009. He kicked well and handed Boyd Cordner a double by taking the line on.

While Mortimer controlled the bulk of the Roosters attack, Williams chimed in as a traditional half at times. Camped largely on the righthand edge, he attacked one closer to the ruck than he usually would, had he played in the back row. In parts though, he operated at first receiver and roamed sparingly in his return to the venue where he won a premiership as a fresh-faced Bulldog in 2004. He kicked too. Twice. With limited success. His first-half grubber trickled innocuously into touch but his second effort almost presented winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck a try.

Queensland’s 18th man, Martin Kennedy, damaged his knee late in the game trying to prevent Canterbury’s Krisnan Inu from scoring and young teammate Dylan Napa was put on report for a shoulder charge which left James Graham unavailable to return after being hit late in the first half.

The Roosters struck first on Williams’ side but it was left to Anthony Minichiello and Shaun Kenny-Dowall to combine for Kenny-Dowall to crash over for one of two tries.

The ruthless Dogs sensed an opportunity and took stock of a wounded Mortimer and sent their most potent attacking weapon in Ben Barba straight at the Rooster.

Mortimer had been limping in the lead-up to the try as the Roosters defended their try line. Instead of pinning Tony Williams at him, Barba took aim and the Bulldogs fullback had too much pace for the injured Rooster to give Canterbury their only points of the first half.

Mortimer recovered and got his team back in front when a deft pass to Cordner resulted in Bulldogs halfback Trent Hodkinson opting for the dummy runner to let Cordner stroll through a gap. This was replicated in the second half for Cordner’s double.

Strangely, Bulldogs coach Des Hasler waited until almost 30 minutes before he called on reinforcements in Sam Kasiano and Dale Finucane as his side trailed 10-6 at half-time.

On the back of four consecutive wins, including a tough tussle against Manly last week, the Bulldogs were flat. The loss opened up a six competition point advantage between the two teams. The Roosters have secured third place and the Bulldogs are at the bottom of the eight.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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