Last year's second-from-bottom strugglers won their opening two games to start the season for the first time under Robinson in a brutal 28-24 victory over the Bulldogs at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night.

But both sides are set to count the cost in coming weeks.

It was Keary's display - laying on three of the hosts' five tries - which won wide plaudits. But it was tempered by his coach's frank post-game assessment.

"Really good first half, disappointing second half," Robinson said. "That inside shoulder for that try was not good enough. You can't let a guy through your own line like that. That loose ball ... sometimes it's hard to stop those.

"But that inside shoulder ... you can't do that. Luke's playing some really good footy, but that play [was poor] and he should have dived on that loose ball to finish off their comeback. He's doing a really good job, but even he will be disappointed with that."

It might be a measure of Robinson's high standards this year as they condemned a spirited Bulldogs to their second straight defeat to start the year, the first time that has happened under Des Hasler's reign.

Bulldogs fans will take little solace in the improved display as they threatened to reel in a 14-point second-half deficit until the dying seconds after racing to an early eight-point lead.

"You just hope they don't come back and bite you," Hasler said. "It's early in the season, but you'd like to say you'd have at least two of those four points. I don't think it's a matter of qualifying it at the moment whether we're a long way off or close - we've got to manage parts of the game better."

A battered Bulldogs will be sweating on news of an injury to fullback Will Hopoate who has taken to hospital with concussion and possible facial fractures after a nasty head clash with Zane Tetevano.

Hasler's side is already likely to be without Kerrod Holland (shoulder) for several weeks and sorely missed his goalkicking after both sides scored five tries, but Moses Mbye had an off night with the boot. They finished the night with Josh Jackson shuffled to the wing.

The Roosters lost Kane Evans (calf) in the warm-up and Blake Ferguson (rib cartilage) failed to finish the match, the latter sent for scans immediately after the match.

"I think we saw from the first round you've got to play some footy in 2017," Robinson said. "If you're not playing footy you won't be at the races. At the moment we're playing footy, but we better get in control of that at some point.

"I like the way we're going about our games at the moment, but we're a long way from where we need to be too."

The match was marred by a second half brawl in the western grandstand which was highlighted by the Channel 9 commentators at the time.

Police confirmed late on Thursday night one man had been taken into custody while another had minor injuries. They were continuing investigations.