Bulldogs thrash timid Tigers

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Canterbury have made it back to back wins with a comprehensive 40 points to 4 victory over a lowly Wests side in front of 23,453 fans at Stadium Australia tonight.

After a rough opening six weeks to 2013, Canterbury have turned it around with interest. They looked much like the side that made the grand final last year with second phase play and offloads.

Fitting that it was the much maligned Tony Williams who opened the scoring, steaming onto a Josh Reynolds pass going through a clearly still injured Marshall.

Tigers had a few opportunities to get the game level but were flat in attack on each chance allowing Canterbury to repel them each time.

That prompted the floodgates to open as Michael Ennis got a rare four pointer picking up the scraps from a Tedesco error. It signified the whole night, Bulldogs were first to everything.

Barba gave us a glimpse of 2012 once again as he instigated a move that brought the 23,453 fans to their feet. Sam Perrett finishing off the move from a Lafai pass to stretch it to 18-0.

Lafai went from provider to recipient for the fourth try when Reynolds went for the second man play allowing Lafai room to jink his way over for a 22-0 lead going into the break.

The one way traffic continued early in the second half after some sustained pressure on the Tigers line. Josh Reynolds using some dancing with the stars inspired moves to get over the line.

Sam Perrett added a second from another second man play laid on a plate for him by Tim Lafai again. The Bulldogs had found some form and Wests were the unfortunate recipient.

Tigers clawed one back when Robbie Farah found some space right near dummy-half going right through and sending James Tedesco in for a consolation try.

Canterbury finished the romp with a burrowing try to Mitch Brown and a sideline conversion from Trent Hodkinson who has been a goalkicking revelation the last two weeks. He made it 40 points to 4 and a good night for the home side commemorating the 1988 grand final.

Match Details
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 40 Wests Tigers 4
Venue: Stadium Australia
Crowd: 23453
Halftime Score: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22-0

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Josh Reynolds
2 points - Timoteo Lafai
1 point - James Graham

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (40)
Tries: Tony Williams, Michael Ennis, Sam Perrett (2), Timoteo Lafai, Josh Reynolds, Mitch Brown
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (6/7)

WESTS TIGERS (4)
Tries: James Tedesco
Conversions: Curtis Sironen (0/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Bulldogs: 1. Ben Barba 2. Mitch Brown 3. Josh Morris 4. Tim Lafai 5. Sam Perrett 6. Josh Reynolds 7. Trent Hodkinson 8. Aiden Tolman 9. Michael Ennis 10. Martin Taupau 11. Tony Williams 12. Frank Pritchard 13. Greg Eastwood
Interchange: 14. Dene Halatau 15. Josh Jackson 16. James Graham 17. Dale Finucane 20. Tim Browne

Tigers: 1. James Tedesco 2. Marika Koroibete 3. Joel Reddy 4. Bodene Thompson 5. Matt Utai 6. Curtis Sironen 7. Jacob Miller 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Jack Buchanan 11. Liam Fulton 12. Adam Blair 13. Sean Spence
Interchange: 14. Ben Murdoch-Masila 15. Eddy Pettyborne 16. Sauaso Sue 17. Tim Simona 18. Ava Seumanufagai
Earlier tonight in the Holden Cup curtainraiser - Wests Tigers won a tight affair here at Stadium Australia, 30 points to 28.
TEAM CHANGES:

CBY: Sam Kasiano is back for Canterbury! He will start tonight with Martin Taupau the man to be replaced.

WST: In more big news; Benji Marshall is fit and will play. Hard luck for young half Jacob Miller who is the man to take the fall for Benji to come in.
Welcome to Stadium Australia, the site for tonight's clash between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Wests Tigers. Tonight it is an 80s celebration tonight so break out those shoulder pads, WHAM! cds and most importantly the chicko roll! The game tonight is a retrospective on the Bulldogs 1988 premiership victory over the then Balmain Tigers, 24-12 highlighted by the late shot on English flyer Ellery Hanley.
Here come the teams! Firstly the away side, Wests Tiger with a massive injury toll led out by their captain Robbie Farah who pulled up with a hamstring injury during the warm-up but is still out here for the game. Now the home side from the inflatable Bulldog are the Canterbury-Bankstown side in their traditional blue and white double vee.
1 min: Bulldogs to kick-off but not the start they wanted.. it is OUT on the full. Tigers PENALTY and right onto the attack.
6 min: Bulldogs have their first PENALTY of the game, offside against the Tigers.
8 min: Followed shortly by their second.
9 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Tony Williams. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
That is where you want Williams running onto the ball. A nice short pass from Reynolds found Tony one on one with Marshall and he was never stopping him. Hodkinson continues his perfect start to his goal-kicking career in the NRL.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6-0
11 min: Koroibete gets his speed up, looking to bend the line back is hit hard by Reynolds and loses the ball. Another good attacking opportunity for the Bulldogs.
14 min: High tackle on Marshall, PENALTY.
16 min: A brace of PENALTIES against T-Rex first for offside then a strip.
VIDEO REFEREE: Referee has called it a NO-TRY but we're going upstairs for the Utai try.
17 min: NO TRY. Utai knocked on. Bulldogs work it out.
18 min: Tigers coming back into this with their fourth PENALTY.
19 min: High kick from Farah on last is fumbled by Reddy. The main story though is Benji Marshall is worse for wear.
VIDEO REFEREE: Michael Ennis is claiming a TRY but we're checking the contest.
24 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Michael Ennis. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Michael Ennis has a rare four-pointer. Matt Utai fumbles the last tackle kick and Ennis is there to swoop on the ball. Hodkinson with the easy kick, converts.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 12-0
26 min:
Here is the Bulldogs of 2012 making an appearance in 2013! Barba found some space and is taken by his ankles. Last and Reynolds takes it down the short side and quick hands found Perrett who strides in. Hodkinson takes this one from the sideline makes no mistake.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 18-0
32 min: PENALTY against Bulldogs and guess who, T-Rex.
33 min: From a Woods offload the Tigers looked like opening something up but knocked on.
33 min: Bulldogs get fancy with a short-sided scrum play and Josh Morris is bundled into touch.
35 min: Tigers almost cross the stripe for their first points but the last pass from Blair is FORWARD.
36 min: This is becoming scrappy, Dogs lose possession on zero tackle.
37 min: SIX MORE Tigers who aren't able to conjure anything. Farah with a stabbing kick forces SIX MORE again! They must score here.
38 min: Tigers try their run-around play but Blair is unable to grasp the ball. Knock on.
39 min: PENALTY Canterbury. They could make it a long road back for the Tigers but Kasiano spills it on the first tackle.
40 min: A final chance to the Bulldogs here off a SIX again call.
40 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Timoteo Lafai. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
Vintage Canterbury there. Reynolds using Graham as a decoy goes around him and finds Lafai who earns his way to the try line and the fourth Bulldogs try. Hodkinson, jeez they aren't giving him easy kicks but he has slotted them all thus far. I jinxed him as he misses his first NRL conversion.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22-0
41 min: We're back for the second half! Tigers to kick-off.
44 min: Ben Murdoch-Masila with the first error of the second half. He was trying to play it too quickly.
45 min: Error from Ennis. A good opportunity for the Tigers here 35 metres out from the Bulldogs line.
46 min: Marshall throws a nice ball which is tapped by Sam Perrett. A scrum to the Tigers.
47 min: Another set for the Tigers but they are looking ineffective.
50 min: A deft kick from Ennis forces a drop-out. Joel Reddy getting there just before Josh Morris.
53 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Josh Reynolds. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Josh Reynolds shows he is more suited to Dancing with the Stars with the moves he just put on. The important part is the four-pointer. Hodkinson puts this one over.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28-0
54 min: Bulldogs with a nice movement brewing is called back. Forward pass to Josh Morris.
56 min: First touch from Tim Simona and unfortunately it is an error. Dogs ball.
59 min: CROWD here tonight is 23,453.
61 min: Tigers are just looking woeful tonight. They had a golden opportunity to cross the stripe but Murdoch-Masila spills it.
61 min: PENALTY Bulldogs. They will try to add to the Tigers misery here.
65 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Sam Perrett. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Perrett has his second. It came from the massive defense on Reddy. They went wide down the right which has profited all night with Perrett going in off a nice pass from Lafai, who has looked quite good tonight. Trent Hodkinson converts it again.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 34-0
66 min: PENALTY Bulldogs. It can only get worse from here.
69 min: Bulldogs just piling it on. A nice kick earning a dropout there. Another set coming for them.
70 min: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Conversion attempt by Curtis Sironen unsuccessful.
Tigers have some points! Robbie Farah slices through a massive gap and sends Tedesco in for a four pointer. Curtis Sironen taking kicking duties, misses.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 34-4
71 min: Well the Wests Tigers are looking to end tonight on a high with Utai earning a repeat set as Barba has to put the ball dead.
73 min: PENALTY Tigers. Hand on the ball.
75 min: Woeful pass there. Everyone just watched it be passed to the touch judge.
76 min: Bulldogs just playing the clock now. They roll one in the in-goal and Koroibete knocks it dead.
78 min: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Mitch Brown. Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
Bulldogs have another after consulting with the video referee. Brown ducks under the Tigers fullback and gets in for the score. Hodkinson adds another to his tally.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 40-4
79 min: That sums up the night. Tigers kick it out on the full.
80 min: No icing on the cake for this thrashing but Canterbury have won back-to-back games for the first time this season now. FULLTIME.
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