The Bulldogs have continued their 2024 resurgence with a hard-fought 22-14 win over Wests Tigers at Accor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
After leading by eight points at the break the Tigers were held scoreless in the second term and finished the day with 11 men after David Klemmer and Alex Seyfarth were sin binned late in the match.
The Bulldogs now have four wins for the season and have climbed into the top eight while the Tigers slump to 2-6 on the season.
After soaking up the early pressure Wests Tigers worked their way into the game and claimed a 2-0 lead after 14 minutes when Bulldogs lock Kurt Mann was penalised for a dangerous tackle.
Straight from the restart the Tigers came up with a quick shift to the right where Brent Naden found space and sent the final pass to Charlie Staines for a superb long-range try. Aidan Sezer converted for an 8-0 lead.
Charlie Staines Try
With 17 minutes to play in the half the Bulldogs hit back when Reed Mahoney delivered a pinpoint pass for Mann to cross from close range. Matt Burton's conversion made it 8-6.
On the back of a penalty for a ball strip under the posts the Tigers came up with their second try when Fonua Pole crashed over for his first four-pointer of the season. With Sezer adding the extra two the Tigers had re-established their eight-point lead.
Kurt Mann Try
The Bulldogs came up with a trick play in the closing seconds when Burton kicked ahead for Josh Addo-Carr who regathered and kicked ahead for Bronson Xerri to chase, with only desperate cover from Staines and Justin Olam denying the Belmore boys a spectacular try.
Just four minutes into the second term the Bulldogs had their second when Drew Hutchison grubbered into the in goal for Josh Curran to beat several Tigers to the ball and touch down to get the score back to 14-12.
An escort penalty against Naden in the 48th minute handed the Bulldogs the chance to level the scores and Burton knocked over the penalty goal to make it 14-14.
The Bulldogs hit the lead in the 54th minute when Sezer was penalised a hip drop tackle on Curran and Burton slotted the easy shot for a 16-14 advantage.
Burton stamped his class with a sizzling line break in the 57th minute to send Bronson Xerri over for his second try of the season and the margin had quickly blown out to eight points.
Josh Curran Try
A lack of discipline cost the Tigers dearly as they looked to mount a comeback with Klemmer and Seyfarth both sin binned in the closing stages as tempers flared.
The Bulldogs were unable to cash in on the two-man advantage but still came away with the victory as they continue to build under the leadership of new skipper Stephen Crichton who again stood tall.
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Match Snapshot
- Wests Tigers centre Brent Naden was placed on report in the 25th minute for a crusher tackle.
- Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney went on report in the 39th minute for a lifting tackle on Solomon Alaimalo.
- The Bulldogs completed 16 of 17 sets at 94 per cent in the opening half and finished the day with 35 of 38 at 92 per cent.
- Wests Tigers fullback Jahream Bula ran for100 metres and broke five tackles in an impressive opening 40 minutes. He finished the match with 180 run metres to lead the Tigers in that department.
- Viliame Kikau ran for 117 metres and had seven tackle breaks on the left edge for the Bulldogs.
Mahoney on report
- Wests Tigers halfback Aidan Sezer was placed on report in the 54th minute for a hip drop tackle on Josh Curran.
- Wests Tigers forward David Klemmer was sin binned for dissent in the 75th minute and teammate Alex Seyfarth followed him for allegedly leading with his head in a scuffle with Reed Mahoney.
- Wests Tigers have lost their past 10 games at Accor Stadium.
- Wests Tigers have not defeated the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium since 2018.
- Josh Curran came up with 113 running metres and 27 tackles to go with a try in a powerful display for the Bulldogs.
Seyfarth sent to the bin
Play of the Game
With Blues Origin selection looming, Matt Burton put his name up in lights with a superb try assist as the Bulldogs took control of the match. Burton picked up a bouncing ball and crabbed across field before throwing an extravagant dummy and busting the line before finding Bronson Xerri in support for the Dogs' third try of the day.
Bronson Xerri Try
What they Said
"We put ourselves in a really good position in the first half through hard work, playing the footy we wanted to play, and then the start of the second half we dipped our toe in the water and didn't want to do the same things we were doing at the start. You have to have discipline. We were eight points down so we're still a chance in the game and to lose two players and play with 11 players for the last seven or eight minutes, that's not us. It's first grade rugby league and whether you are young or old, you still have to be disciplined and those two things to get sin binned were both silly." - Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall
Wests Tigers: Round 9
"Bit of a challenge to the boys at half-time and they definitely responded. They lifted the intensity straight after half-time, we earned field position and we executed a couple of things down there as well. That field position was earned by our middles, just their kick pressure, their intensity in defence and if we can earn that field position then we can bring 'Kiks' [Viliame Kikau] into the game a bit more. We were missing that in the first half and that was pretty disappointing but if we play more like second half we will be pretty hard to beat." - Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo
Bulldogs: Round 9
What's Next
The Bulldogs face a tough test at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night against the Panthers while Benji Marshall's men take their home game against the Knights to Tamworth's Scully Park on Saturday afternoon.