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Brett Morris looks on after a try to the Cowboys.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs winger Brett Morris is preparing for a "well-drilled" Sydney Roosters outfit when both sides clash at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night. 

The Bulldogs defeated the Roosters in both encounters last year and will be looking to bounce back after a narrow defeat to the Melbourne Storm in their opening clash at Belmore. 

Former Kangaroos winger Morris is expecting the Tricolours to come out firing just as they did against the Gold Coast Titans last week, racing out to a 28-0 half-time lead.

"In previous years we've had quite tough games against them and they've always been a well-drilled opposition who you can count on being there at the end of the season, so we know it's a big test and one that we are looking forward to," Morris said.

"I've seen a bit of video on them and I thought they played really good footy.

"[Luke] Keary's an absolute competitor with Pearcey (Mitchell Pearce), who steers the ship around quite well.

"I thought they both combined really well on the weekend.

"They've got a really big set of outside backs and generally start their sets quite well on the back of them, so as a team that's one thing we are going to have to look for."

‌Des Hasler's men were fired up in their Round 1 clash with a number of scuffles breaking out during the match against Melbourne, but Morris put it down to the players finally returning to the field after six months of pre-season. 

"[Punching] was banned for a reason and it's not a good sight in the game. While there are a lot of old school blokes who don't mind it, it's not something you want the kids to see and try to repeat," he said.

"It's a shame it happened but we can get over it… I think everyone was just sick of watching cricket and wanted the footy back.

"We didn't start the game very well on the weekend and that's something we need to fix but we also came up against a Storm side that their defence is something they're renowned for.

"We threw a lot of footy at them but we just couldn't break them. 

"Parts of the game we lacked execution and that final pass went to ground or was dropped. 

"They're scoring opportunities and we need to make the most of them.

"We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times and we'll get better from that."

Meanwhile Morris's teammate Aiden Tolman backed the NRL judiciary's new fine system in place that allows players the option to pay a fee for certain charges on the grade sheet. 

"[Sam] Kasiano got off and [Will] Chambers got a grade one so that's just the way it is sometimes," Tolman said on Monday.

"That's the reason they brought it (the fine system) in, to stop guys from missing big games for a grade one [charge].

"If blokes are going out there and punching every week then they'll have to change the rules but at the moment it's a good system and if you're willing to pay $1500 to not miss a game for something that's small and inconspicuous then that's a good thing for players.

"That's rugby league, there's always going to be fiery starts especially Round 1, the boys haven't played for a while.

"We've got a bit of history with Melbourne as well over the last few years so that's just league, there wasn't too much in it.

"I think it's just one of those things in the heat of the battle and sometimes you get a bit frustrated, but overall I think it's a non-issue.

"There's worse things in the game that you see and get let go so that's just the way it is." 

The Country Origin representative will come up against a Roosters pack that boasts plenty of big-game experience, but Tolman said it was their backline that stood out to him most against the Titans. 

"They've got a great forward pack and for myself in the middle that's where the test lies, but I thought their outside backs were really good on the weekend," he said.

"They made plenty of metres coming out of yardage and got their forwards on the front foot, so for me that's where their greatest strength is."

 

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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