The Sydney Roosters have risen to fourth on the NRL ladder after an emphatic 26-8 win over the Bulldogs in torrential weather at Industree Group Stadium on Saturday evening.

The only dampeners on the evening for Trent Robinson’s men came late in the game, with Junior Pauga sent off for a nasty high shot on Connor Tracey in the 72nd minute, then Sam Walker found himself in the sin-bin for a leg pull after Viliame Kikau was held.

Despite his late indiscretion, Walker was best on ground – his four conversions, penalty goal and three try assists crucial as the mercurial halfback continued his excellent season for the Tricolours.

“Mate, you’re off,” was all the explanation referee Grant Atkins needed to give Pauga for his coat-hanger on the Canterbury fullback after he had passed the ball wide.

He later explained to captain James Tedesco that it was careless and direct and he “had no choice”.

Heavy rain plagued the NSW Central Coast all day long and a curtain-raiser played on the same field made for a sub-optimal surface – and points were at a premium for both sides in the wet as the Chooks proved too good in Gosford and put the brakes on Canterbury’s three-match winning streak.

The Bulldogs were at times their own enemy, struggling to hold on to the ball in the unfavourable conditions with critical errors coming in costly positions and leading to points against.

Brandon Smith was influential in his return to the Roosters line-up after a disciplinary issue kept him out of last week’s victory over Parramatta Eels, kicking an important 40-20 and rekindling his combination with James Tedesco before earning an early rest from Robinson.

Roosters run rampant in the wet

The match was interrupted by a pitch invader in the 31st minute and play was held up when she ran past the play-the-ball area.

A couple of minutes later play was stopped again when referee Grant Atkins found her phone on the playing field in one of the more bizarre incidents of the season.

The Bulldogs were first to cross the line after Jacob Kiraz put Jeral Skelton into space and the winger passed to Jeaman Salmon who scored the opening four-pointer despite the last-ditch efforts of Dominic Young.

Soft hands from Roosters stars straight from a close-range scrum led to their their first try of the night as Brandon Smith linked with Joey Manu and Sam Walker before Young crashed over in the 21st minute.

Smith was showing good signs in his return to the team, combining with Tedesco as they dominated through the middle.

The enigmatic No.9 was involved once more with a 40-20 and the Roosters capitalised immediately when Nat Butcher finished off Walker’s perfectly weighted dink behind the Bulldogs’ line. Walked added the two points with the boot to give his side a 14-4 half-time advantage.

A Skelton dropped ball was not the start to the second half Cameron Ciraldo was looking for and Canterbury were immediately punished as Walker notched another try assist on Terrell May’s try.

Skelton would make amends just five minutes later after Toby Sexton latched on to a misguided tap back, finding his winger who ran the length of the Industree Group Stadium pitch to get the Bulldogs within two converted tries.

In the 65th minute however the Bulldogs’ hopes of a fourth straight victory were extinguished once and for all with second-gamer Blake Steep benefiting from more Walker magic to score his first NRL try.

With some quick footwork Tracey confused Pauga, leading to an illegal high shot that ended the Roosters centre’s night.