Spurned NSW speedster Josh Addo-Carr offered rare respite with a double in his first outing since being dropped by the Blues.

“You wouldn’t have known he missed out [on Origin] during the week,” captain Josh Jackson said of Addo-Carr. “I know he was a bit disappointed at the start of the week but if he keeps performing like that he’s going to put pressure on the guys that are in the Blues.”

Fellow marquee buy Matt Burton put the pill on a platter for both his tries, the second memorably so with a cross-field kick from his own 30-metre line for the Bulldogs flyer to streak away.

When Burton sparked a lifeless set with a simple crash ball for a try of his own, the Bulldogs had reduced a 22-6 half-time deficit to just four points.

Blues back-up hooker Api Koroisau soon put that to bed though with a delicate grubber for Jaeman Salmon to score in the 63rd minute.

While Kikau caused havoc out wide, Penrith’s back-up playmakers ensured he had plenty to work with.

Journeyman halfback Sean O’Sullivan continues to look every bit the NRL regular whenever he pulls on Nathan Cleary’s No.7 jersey.

A pair of pinpoint kicks in the first few minutes set the tone for both his night off the boot and Penrith’s opening raid.

Rookie halves partner Kurt Falls went one better with a cross-field dink and try-assist with one of his first touches in the NRL, former Bulldog Chris Smith on the end of it.

Falls finished with five goals from six attempts and presumably one of the giant cut-outs of his own head that was waved with vigour all night by a gaggle of family and friends.

O’Sullivan, meanwhile, could have easily had more than two try-assists by full-time, the NRL bunker calling back late tries to Salmon and Izack Tago as the Bulldogs’ brief revival proved exactly that.

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