LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The NRL football world was left gobsmacked after the Sydney Roosters were left reeling in a chaotic clash against the Bulldogs.
In a game that will go down in rugby league annals, the Roosters nearly mounted a miraculous comeback in a 30-26 loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium.
As the Bulldogs basked in the glow of the 20-year anniversary of their memorable 2004 premiership team, the Roosters crashed the celebration in a truly calamitous fashion.
The opening 40 minutes saw them trailing 26-0, with Dom Young sent off and star players Sam Walker and James Tedesco ruled out due to concussion.
It was a nightmare start for the Roosters, losing a captain's challenge within the first 25 seconds and allowing the Bulldogs to pile on three tries without reply, establishing an imposing 18-0 lead against the highly-fancied Roosters.
And the hits just kept on coming.
Halfback Walker's game was prematurely ended by an inadvertent knee from Stephen Crichton as he slipped off a tackle after a pass from Viliame Kikau.
The Roosters found themselves in a maelstrom of chaos and misfortune, struggling to regain their footing in an increasingly volatile match.