The Sydney Roosters' finals hopes are alive and kicking with a 30-14 defeat of the Dolphins that exacts revenge for a shock opening-round loss to the NRL's newest team.
Just when a premiership push threatened to end the way it began - with a stunning ambush from the Dolphins - the Roosters ran in four second-half tries to one at Allianz Stadium and nullified their rivals' strong start.
With victories in their final three games, the Roosters will finish with a 13-11 record and a chance to play finals if other results fall their way.
"We're still in the fight," coach Trent Robinson said.
"There are a couple of things that need to happen for us but it's also probable that they will happen."
But any finals campaign will be a short one if they cannot iron out execution issues that have plagued them all season, and again in the first half on Saturday night.
Despite the Roosters' wealth of early opportunities, it took Dolphins forward Ray Stone going to the sin bin for a high shot on Drew Hutchison for the home side to open up a comfortable lead.
"I thought the sin bin was way over the top, it had a huge impact on the game," Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett said.
The Roosters blew the scoreline out from 12-8 to 24-8 while Stone was off the park and did not look back.
"The first half probably wasn't smooth," captain James Tedesco said of the Roosters' attack.
"At the start of the year we probably would've dropped our heads and not come up with points but I feel like we turned it around on the run.
"That's the difference, the past month or so we've had the belief that we can create some opportunities and score some points."
The halves combination of 200-gamer Luke Keary and utility Hutchison pulled the strings for the Roosters in their big second half.
Keary ran left to set Billy Smith up for a try that gave the home side their first lead and then kicked cross-field for a flying Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Hutchison grabbed the first try-scoring double of his NRL career to help blow the scoreline out.
The Dolphins' already minuscule finals chances are now gone.
Stone's sin-binning, head knocks to Connelly Lemuelu, Kenny Bromwich and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and a shoulder injury to hooker Jeremy Marshall-King stacked the odds against the visitors.
The game played out much the way the Dolphins' season has unfolded.
They turned back the Roosters' early advances with the resilient defence to lead 8-6 at the break but could not contain their experienced rivals once the hosts found some rhythm.
"I don't think our football was too bad, it was just the amount of injuries we took and the decision that we got on the sin bin," Bennett said.
Signed to a train-and-trial deal after a stint abroad, Dylan Napa made his first Roosters appearance since the 2018 grand final, coming on to a cheer from the crowd in the final 20 minutes.
