Sydney Roosters

Ruthless Roosters trounce Tigers

Mitchell Pearce, Aidan Guerra and Connor Watson all scored two tries each in the 40-18 victory.

Watson 'Friend-zoned' despite strong showing

The 27-year-old hadn't missed a game in nearly two years but was forced to sit out the Roosters' fourth-straight win after he copped a knock to the mouth in the final minute of the Round 3 clash against the Panthers.

"I got hit with something – an elbow or something – and it pushed my three front teeth in," he said on Monday morning.

"I went and got them pulled back and now I've got a wire holding them in place. The dentist said that should keep them there and hopefully I don't get a whack and lose my front teeth.

Roosters coach praises 'complete' Gordon

The 33-year-old turned back the clock to score a double against the club he played 108 games for at the beginning of his career, and rallied to pull off a try-saving tackle on Panthers centre Tyrone Peachey in the dying stages of the enthralling encounter at Pepper Stadium. 

Roosters edge Bulldogs in a thriller

It took nine rounds for the Tricolours to register two wins in 2016, but last year's strugglers have already equalled that mark a fortnight into the new season. 

The halves pairing of Luke Keary and Mitchell Pearce picked up from where they left off on the Gold Coast with the duo playing a part in almost all of their side's five tries. 

There were plenty of positive signs for the Bulldogs who started and finished the game on fire despite being ravaged by injuries throughout the contest.  

Hat-trick hero Mitchell gets 'pass mark'

As the Roosters ran riot in the first half to open up a 28-0 lead at the break Mitchell was one of the major beneficiaries, scoring two tries in the first 40 minutes before sealing the 32-18 Telstra Premiership win with the final try of the night.

Robinson was unaware that Mitchell had even scored the first hat-trick of his young career and said the decision to move him into the centres was made just two days after the 2016 season came to a close.

We need to find killer instinct: Roosters

But for skipper Jake Friend - who isn't interested in making excuses - it's a reminder of just how ordinary they were last year.

Hanging over the Roosters' annus horribilis is a sense of 'what could have been?'

Brisbane Broncos beat Sydney Roosters 24-14 to make NRL finals picture a little bit brighter

The Broncos sit in fourth place after the first game of the final round, but will be overtaken by North Queensland if the Cowboys beat the Titans on Saturday.

Canterbury is also an outside chance of passing last year's runners-up, but would need to beat South Sydney by 45 points on Friday to make that happen.

Regardless of how it ends up, Brisbane will happily take the two points for a fifth-straight week although the performance left a bit to be desired with the playoffs looming.

Cooper unlucky again: Qld selectors

Queensland selector Allan Smith admits Cooper will remain in the queue along with fellow Cowboys back-rower Ethan Lowe when they finalise June 22's Origin II team on Monday.

Smith said only injuries would pave the way for Cooper's maiden Origin due to the selectors' loyalty to incumbent bench forward Guerra.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Smith told AAP when asked about Queensland's Origin II side.

"Our biggest issue is how everyone pulls up."

Melbourne Storm on top of NRL ladder after hammering Sydney Roosters

The emphatic victory saw the Storm reclaim first place on the ladder from Cronulla and they will hang on to it despite the fact the Sharks are yet to play their round-14 game.

Cronulla would have to beat reigning premiers North Queensland by more than 42 points on Monday night in what would be its 10th-straight win to take top spot back.

On Saturday night, the Storm looked every part worthy ladder leaders as long-serving stars Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk led them around the park.