Foxx scores three as Bulldogs beat Titans
- Author
- Timestamp
Star winger Josh Addo-Carr entertained the Bulldogs faithful with a hat-trick of tries, while Matt Burton enjoyed a day out in the No.6 jersey as the side downed the Titans 36-26.
The flying fox staked his claim for the fastest man in the game during his powerhouse performance which included three tries, one try assist, two tackle breaks and 310 running metres.
Two his Addo-Carr's tries came from intercepts which took pressure off the Bulldogs in both halves as the Bulldogs skipped to a 26-10 half-time lead.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring early with a successful captain challenge giving the home side an opportunity to put the ball between the posts for two points.
The Bulldogs are entertaining again as the Foxx goes in
Four minutes later the Bulldogs continued their early ascendency when five-eighth Matt Burton sliced between the visitors defence, and found a flying Addo-Carr on his inside to cross the line in the fourth minute.
A mistake by Bulldogs forward Josh Jackson handed the Titans their first attacking opportunity and hooker Aaron Booth brought his team back into the game with a deft grubber placed perfectly for halfback Toby Sexton.
Come the 18th minute and a tenacious Jeremy Marshall-King scooted over the stripe from dummy half to put the home side out to an 14-6 lead.
Marshall-King fools the Titans defence
Addo-Carr then put away any doubts of injury when the flying finisher showcased his speed and skill, intercepting the ball on the Bulldogs red zone and sprinting 95 metres to score.
In his 50th NRL appearance, it was Burton who powered over for a four-pointer in in the 30th minute, putting the result beyond doubt for the Bulldogs.
Moments after Bulldogs rookie fullback Declan Casey produced a staggering try-saving tackle on Herman Ese'ese, Titans enforcer David Fifita chased through a grubber to reduce the deficit to 16 points on the stroke of half time.
Five minutes into the second half it was Addo-Carr grabbing another long-range intercept try to stretch the home side's lead.
But it was game on again when the Titans pulled one back in the 52nd minute when a Toby Sexton kick delivered Phillip Sami the opportunity to plant the ball down inches before the dead ball line for his 40th NRL try.
Three minutes later the visitors again caught the Bulldogs napping, when a Tanah Boyd chip found Patrick Herbert to hand the young centre his first try for the year and Sexton's conversion made it 32-22.
Herbert scores and the Titans are back in it
But Bulldogs staved off the comeback when Burton and Addo-Carr combined to split Titans defence and hand the five-eight a double, extending the lead 36-22.
Just two minutes later the Gold Coast hit back when winger Sosefa Fifita scored on the left edge to reduce the deficit 36-26 but that was as close as Justin Holbrook's men would get.
Match: Bulldogs v Titans
Round 19 -
home Team
Bulldogs
12th Position
away Team
Titans
15th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Match Snapshot
- There was some hostility throughout the match with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui peppered by the Bulldogs home crowd following his Origin III antics with Matt Burton.
- In his 50th NRL appearance, Burton continued his sublime season with two tries, six runs and two line breaks.
- Bulldogs forward Corey Waddell was placed on report in the 22nd minute for for facial contact on Fa'asuamaleaui.
- Titans forward Jaimin Jolliffe also went on report in the first-half for a dangerous hit.
- The Bulldogs wingers produced a magnificent combined first half, Addo-Carr charged for 176 metres from five runs and Jacob Kiraz chalked up 123 metres off eight carries.
- Centre Philip Sammi was immense for Titans, running for 167 metres during his 80 minute performance.
- The Bulldogs have won only two of their past 13 games at CommBank Stadium.
- Josh Addo-Carr scored his seventh career hat-trick in the Round 19 clash.
- Titans winger Phillip Sami has scored four tries in three games at CommBank Stadium.
Play of the Game
When Titan's were on the attack it was Addo-Carr's controversial intercept try that swung momentum for the home side. The flying finisher showed his speed and skill, reading an Aaron Booth pass from dummy-half to to then explode through the Titans line and sprint the field to score for the Bulldogs. The superb solo performance made it 18-6 in the first half, calming the nerves for the home side.
Addo-Carr goes the hundred
What They Said
"We came out of the blocks slow and made a couple of poor decisions on our edges in defence and left ourselves with too much work to do in the second half. We’ve just got to be better for 80 minutes to give ourselves a chance of winning. When you’re a chance of scoring and then they take two intercepts and go the length of the field then that’s’ a big 12-point turn around the other way." - Titans coach Justin Holbrook.
“It leaves a little bit of a sour taste in our mouths from what we thought we could have done and what actually happened. We need to negate our execution, our ability to be able to counter what the other team is doing and our discipline down the other end of the field with errors. But happy for a win, any win’s a good win. They’ve got a little bit of a knack and they’re just skilful players, they’re great to watch when they’re in full flight and cruising like that (Burton and Addo-Carr)." - Bulldogs coach Mick Potter.
NRL Press Conference: Bulldogs v Titans - Round 19, 2022
What's Next
The Titans will host the in-form Raiders in Round 20. Justin Holbrook and his men will be looking for revenge after they went down by two points when the two sides last met in Round 3.
The Bulldogs will travel to Newcastle next Sunday to take on the Knights. With the two sides sitting equal on the ladder, there will be plenty to prove for their faithful fans.
