The Dragons went down to the Roosters 26-14 in their Jersey Flegg clash at Wentworth Park on Sunday afternoon.
Aaron Gorrell's men were left to rue a collection of uncharacteristic errors along with some clunky attack as they fell to just their third loss of 2026.
It was halves Ryder Williams and Carter Mareko who sparked much of the Roosters' joy with the ball as they stormed to a gritty win despite spending a period late in the match with a man in the bin.
Match: Roosters v Dragons
Round 22 -
home Team
Roosters
10th Position
away Team
Dragons
1st Position
Venue: Wentworth Park, Sydney
The Roosters lost Julius Mitchell in the opening stages to an apparent wrist injury seeing James Finegan inserted into the action.
Connor Sadler was placed on report for a dangerous throw 13 minutes in offering the hosts an attacking chance, but the Dragons managed to repel the oncoming raid.
Lucas Borg was called upon to make a one-on-one try-saver on EJ Mahu-Delamere a quarter of the way in and was up to the task as both sides remained in search of the clash's opening points.
The Roosters were able to find the contest's first points 26 minutes in through Kade Maguire who scurried over in the left-hand corner off the back of a seemingly forward pass to make it 6-0.
Shadi Hammoud and Viliami Amone combined beautifully to secure the Dragons' first points of the afternoon prior to the break with the former producing a pinpoint pass to send the latter slicing through a hole and scoring under the sticks. Tom Kirk knocked over the extras to tie things at six-apiece.
The Roosters nosed back ahead early in the second half with Ryder Williams crafting a flick pass to a supporting Jackson Stewart to make it 10-6.
The Dragons fell further behind shortly after with Mahu-Delamere intercepting a cut-out ball and racing away 90 metres to score despite a spirited Toby Rumble chase.
Aided by a kick-off error, the visitors were able to find a needed try the next set with Eden Hodges putting in a perfect chip kick for Rumble who skied above his opposite to pinch the ball out of the air and get it to the ground to bring it back to 14-10.
Undeterred, the Roosters struck next with Carter Mareko weighting a grubber for Darcy Smith to pounce on and push their edge back out to double digits.
Finegan was sent to the bin for the Roosters as the clash neared its home stretch for a dangerous throw on Leeroy Weatherall.
Despite being down a man, the Roosters struck a decisive blow with Williams putting Smith over for his second of the afternoon as time ticked away.
Kirk found a late try for the Red V off a deft Shadi Hammoud kick but it proved in vain with the Tricolours holding on to hand the Dragons their first loss since early June.
