[Source: NRL]

The Sydney Roosters ensured favourite son Jared Waerea-Hargreaves celebrated his milestone game in style on Sunday as they downed the Dragons 42-12 at Allianz Stadium.

The veteran prop became the foundation club’s most capped player of all time with 307 games, coming up with 143 run metres, six stitches in his head and a sin binning as the Roosters climbed to third on the ladder.

Fittingly it was Waerea-Hargreaves laying the platform the opening try with a storming run that finished just short of the tryline before Sam Walker grubbered expertly for Victor Radley to follow through and score. Walker converted for a 6-0 lead.

The Roosters extended their lead to 8-0 shortly after when Walker knocked over a penalty goal after Jaydn Su’A was pinged for a late tackle on Brandon Smith.

Come the 17th minute and the Roosters went down to 12 men when milestone man Waerea-Hargreaves was sin binned for a dangerous tackle but the Dragons were unable to capitalise despite having a number of tackles inside the red zone.

On the back of an offside penalty against Matt Eisenhuth the Roosters cashed in down the right edge when James Tedesco put Dom Young over in the corner for his 13th try of the season. Walker added the conversion for a 14-0 lead.

A deft grubber by Ben Hunt earned the Red V a repeat set in the 31st minute but Moses Suli came up with an error and the pressure valve was released.

With three minutes remaining in the half the Dragons finally cracked the Roosters line when Jacob Liddle scurried over from dummy half and the sides went to the break with the home side ahead 14-6.

The Dragons opened the second half with the weight of possession again and snared their second try in the 48th minute when Christian Tuipulotu powered into the corner after slick lead-up work by Luciano Leilua and Suli.

The Roosters hit back immediately when Luke Keary turned the ball inside to a charging Lindsay Collins, who proved too strong for Blake Lawrie and Tyrell Sloan and dotted down to make it 20-12 with Walker’s conversion.

Just five minutes later the Roosters had a fourth try when Walker came up with another brilliant grubber kick for NSW Blues back-rower Angus Crichton to follow through and score to make it 24-12.

The Roosters put the game to bed in the 62nd minute when Collins swooped on a loose ball and found James Tedesco, who raced 60 metres to post his ninth try of the season as the score blew out to 30-12.

Having hung tough for much of the contest the Dragons started to capitulate as Daniel Tupou racked up career try No.155 in the 66th minute thanks to some slick hands from Michael Jennings and Tedesco.

The Roosters put the finishing touches on another dominant display when Sitili Tupouniua found his way over the stripe and Walker banged over his sixth conversion to make the final score 42-12.