Radley returns in tough win for Roosters
Sydney Roosters were forced to grind out a 22-16 win against last-placed Canterbury on Saturday night as Victor Radley made a dignified return to the field at Bankwest Stadium.
The 23-year-old hit the ground running after a five-week suspension with 45 of his signature bone-rattling hits that all stayed legal.
Even that was a quiet night for the Roosters lock compared to his last outing, when he was sin-binned twice and subsequently banned for five games from two separate charges, ruling him out of a State of Origin debut.
Instead, his aggression was measured and the Roosters needed all of it.
The Bulldogs were far from the side that was thrashed 66-0 by Manly last week.
Earlier this week Kyle Flanagan was named in the halves against his former side but was dropped for Lachlan Lewis, who scored a double in a gutsy showing.
His first came 17 minutes in when, early in the set, he chipped for himself and gathered to score one for the opportunists.
The energetic half was on the spot again for his second when Roosters fullback Joseph Manu was manhandled back in goal, losing the ball in the process allowing Lewis to pounce.
A try to Nick Meaney through soft goal-line defence brought the Bulldogs level at 16-all on the half an hour mark, but the Roosters did enough to close it out.
Early on three-game rookie Billy Smith celebrated his return after a long lay-off with injury when Sam Walker and Drew Hutchison put him over in the corner.
Sitili Tupouniua followed him over soon after and the Roosters looked ominous up 10-0 after just eight minutes before the Bulldogs muscled up.
Tries to Manu in the 30th minute and then Matt Ikuvalu with 18 minutes to play sealed the tough win.
Although it was a better showing for the last-placed Bulldogs, they will cop heat from the NRL for a clerical error.
Forward Joe Stimson was named to start in the official team list an hour before kick-off, but he came off the bench with Renouf Atoni starting in his place.
The NRL is investigating the call and the Bulldogs are expected to cop a fine for the blunder.
