3 days ago
Bulldogs blow finals race wide open with 32-14 win over Warriors
The Bulldogs have kept alive their chase for a first minor premiership since 2012 with an authoritative wet weather display at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday night.
In horrible conditions, the Dogs tactically outsmarted the Warriors, building the foundations of the win up the middle of the field before spreading the ball to both sides when space became available.
Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin controlled territory with the boot, while Galvin continued to threaten alongside captain Stephen Crichton on Canterbury's right side as the Dogs ran out comfortable 32 -14 winners.
The Bulldogs now sit in third place on 36 points with four rounds remaining, two shy of the Raiders and equal with the Storm, while the Warriors are now fifth, six points back.
The teams traded penalty goals early before a booming Burton 40/20, that travelled the best part of 60 metres, changed the momentum of the game.
The Dogs went on the attack, forcing a dropout that was kicked over the sideline by Taine Tuaupiki, earning Crichton another two points from right in front.
After a number of repeat sets the Bulldogs finally crossed for the first four pointer of the match on 21 minutes when Viliame Kikau slid across the tryline.
Making matters worse for the Warriors, half Te Maire Martin was classified as suffering a category one head injury while making a tackle on Galvin moments earlier and was ruled out of the match. Martin's replacement Leka Halasima lasted just two minutes before he too came from the field for a HIA before returning later.
Bulldogs' wingers Jethro Rinakama and Enari Tuala both took advantage of a wealth of possession to cross prior to halftime and at the break Canterbury led 20-2.
In the second half, Crichton and Tuala scored tries for the Bulldogs, while Samuel Healey and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck crossed for the Warriors, but the result was never in doubt.
Warriors' coach Andrew Webster lamented his side's lack of possession, especially in the first, and called out the loss of Martin as a turning point.
'Possession was almost 70/30 at halftime, a lot of stuff was sort of self-inflicted there with, you know, sort of errors or lack of concentration,' Webster said.
'We had intent, I think everyone could see our collisions all night were really strong, but where we just weren't thinking correctly and the Dogs suffocated us with great tactics.
'They kicked early, put in, got a lot of repeat sets and made us come out of the corners and we just didn't sort of adjust well enough to that.
'When we lost Te Maire (Martin) as well, like Chanel (Harris-Tavita) was a one man band there for a little bit as a playmaker and he was pretty easy to see where the ball was going.'
DOGS WET WEATHER MYTH
The theory that the Bulldogs struggle in the rain was washed away with tonight's performance.
Having suffered heavy losses to the Broncos and Dolphins in wet conditions earlier this season, last week's upset loss to the Tigers on another wet track only fuelled the doubters.
Tonight, they were more disciplined with the ball than the Warriors and tactically used the power of Burton's massive boot to full effect, turning the big New Zealand forwards around on the heavy track. Closer to the line Galvin kicked astutely too, combining his running, kicking and passing game well.
Coach Cameron Ciraldo said his team had embraced the difficulties caused by the wet weather.
'We just played the conditions much better than we have the last few times we've played it,' Ciraldo said.
'Completed a lot more sets, kicked a lot better, but probably most pleasing, thinking about it now, is just our defence back to what it should be.
'That's playing the conditions a lot smarter than we had probably the last couple of times. So that's pleasing.
'(I) woke up, read the paper today that we couldn't play in the wet, so, yeah, nice to prove that one wrong.'
MAHONEY MADE TO WATCH
Ciraldo elected to start the game with utility Bailey Hayward at hooker, shifting Reed Mahoney back to the bench.
The Cowboys bound Mahoney didn't make it onto the field until the 64th minute when the game was dead and buried. Even then, Hayward remained in the game as a running middle forward.
Speculation about what role Mahoney would play in the Bulldogs' run towards the title has been rife since Galvin moved to Belmore more than two months ago.
Ciraldo confirmed after the game that Hayward would likely be the Bulldogs' starter moving forward.
'He's earned the right to start the game through his performances and that's really hard on Reed,' he said.
'Reed's been doing a lot of good things for us and it's not so much about him, but it's more about Bailey and what he's been doing for us.
'He's earned the right and I think the way he performed tonight and the way the team performed, he deserves to stay there.'
THE PANTHER EFFECT
Tonight's result means the Panthers will finish this round in the top four for the first time this season, while the Warriors have dropped below fourth for the first time since round seven.
It's a remarkable situation considering the four-time reigning NRL champions were in last place on the ladder at the end of round 12, when the Warriors were sitting third.
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