Jack Harbidge reviews the final game of Round 9: St. George Illawarra vs Canterbury-Bankstown.
Result
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 18
Tries: (3) Corey Waddell 5th;Jake Averillo 33rd, 55th
Goals: (3) Matt Burton 6th, 50th; Paul Alimoti 57th
St George-Illawarra Dragons 16
Tries: (3) Mathew Feagai 18th; Toby Couchman 46th; Max Feagai 59th
Goals: (2) Zac Lomax 47th, 60th
Report
Both sides looked to end a three-game losing streak in a vital lower ladder clash at WIN Stadium.
It was the Bulldogs who kicked off the game the better of the two sides with Corey Waddell crossing just after five minutes before the two sides traded sets for a long period until Mathew Fegai landed a blow for the home side to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to two points.
The arm wrestle between the two sides continued through the second part of the first half and would only be broken by a Jake Averillo try to put the Bulldogs further ahead with just seven minutes of the half left to play. That would turn out to be the decisive play of the first half and the Bulldogs led as the two sides went into the half time sheds.
The second half got off to an electric start with Toby Couchman cutting the Bulldogs’ lead down before Matt Burton put the Bulldogs back ahead after pressure came to fruition with a penalty goal.
The Bulldogs looked to be on top and restricted the Dragons to a modest exit set in their own half before Hayze Perham carried a kick out of his in goal and offloaded for a quick play of the ball, from which the Bulldogs shifted right and Averillo burned the Dragons’ outside backs and Tyrell Sloan to cross under the sticks and send the visitors’ lead out to eight points after Paul Alamoti knocked over the conversion.
Following the try, a contentious rip from Zac Lomax caused Corey Waddell to have a brain explosion and commit what Grant Atkins deemed to be a professional foul, committing him to the sin bin for ten minutes. The Dragons took full advantage of the man overload and scored soon after through Max Feagai down the right edge. Lomax provided a rare exhibition of his kicking skill and managed to convert the try from out wide to cut the lead to two points.
The Bulldogs got back in the wrestle, however, and gained some ascendency towards the back of their sin bin period through Dragons’ ill-discipline to only let them off with an error compounded by a penalty. With thirteen minutes to go, St George broke down the left edge once again and then set up a shift to the right with a quick play of the ball to force a knock on from Declan Casey.
The Dragons’ camped on the Bulldogs’ line but stern defence from the visitors turned them away at every asking and produced a good set to exit trouble. Soon after Moses Mbye tried to get his team prime field position with an excellent 40/20 only for Braidon Burns to turn it back into play and avert the danger.
Burton endeavoured to control the game for the Bulldogs and did so with great effect, producing excellent tactical kicks in the closing ten minutes but the outside backs of the visitors continued to excel with Braidon Burns stopping a big try opportunity with a great shot on Lomax.
Paul Alimoti, however, made a huge error coming out of his own half and gifted the Dragons good field position and a golden opportunity with three minutes to play. The Red V couldn’t make anything of it though, and the Bulldogs closed out the game with a great defensive seven tackle set, averting a Dragons two-point field goal.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Jake Averillo (Bulldogs)
2 – Matt Burton (Bulldogs)
1 – Zac Lomax (Dragons)
