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Latrell Mitchell made a compelling case for a NSW State of Origin call up before being injured in the Sydney Roosters’ 24-18 NRL win over Canterbury at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The Roosters centre set up two tries and scored one in a dynamic first-half performance which would have made NSW selectors sit up and take notice.
However he finished the game on the sideline with a sternum injury, putting any potential involvement in Origin One on May 31 in doubt.
The Roosters surged to a 20-6 halftime lead before the Bulldogs worked their way into it, only for Mitchell Pearce to seal the result with a 76th minute try.
Pearce all but confirmed a recall to the Origin arena with a blue-chip performance but it was 19-year-old Mitchell who starred.
He broke the game open midway through the first half when he set up two tries in the space of six minutes.
His slight of hand put Michael Gordon through a hole on a wrap around play set up Daniel Tupou in the 14th minute before he put his side in front by flinging it inside for Jake Friend in the 16th.
Mitchell capped off a remarkable 20 minutes when he dived on a Pearce grubber to give his side a 20-6 lead at the break.
Will Hopoate, stepping onto a football field on a Sunday for the first time since round five last year, got the Bulldogs back into the match when he floated a long ball for Kerrod Holland.
When Mitchell went down with injury, Josh Jackson ran through the hole and Matt Frawley crossed to reduce the margin to two.
The game was marred by a refereeing blunder with nine minutes to go when Bulldogs winger Brett Morris put a grubber in, regathered and looked like he had given his side another set on the Roosters line when assistant referee Alan Shortall waved six again.
However head referee Gerard Sutton overruled him and said the Roosters defender did not play at the ball.
The Roosters then worked play upfield and sealed their fourth win from five games when Pearce scored.
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