Resurgent Bulldogs thump Titans

The Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs made the most of their makeshift home ground when their round 12 clash with the Titans was taken to Suncorp Stadium to close off a double header in the home of the Queensland Maroons; the Bulldogs did better than their sky blue representatives, taking down their Queensland opponents 28-6.

The 32,283 crowd that came out for the double header saw a Maroon victory first up and a Blue victory second, incidentally with both the teams travelling from south of the boarder getting up. The Canterbury Bankstown team much like the Blues came in on the back of a three game losing streak.  But the Dogs' suffering ended at Suncorp Stadium where they were far too good for the Titans who in spite of having the bulk of the possession and field position just could not crack the Bulldogs' line.

The Titans appeared to have come in with a game plan which worked right into the hands of the Bulldogs with a few charge down attempts early on denying the Gold Coast side of possession and giving the Bulldogs the opportunity they needed to take an early lead.  The lead was taken very early when Frank Pritchard crossed the whitewash in the 4th minute and crossed again in the 7th, Turner's boot added the extras on both occasions and the Bulldogs were off to a 12 - 0 lead before the Titans had even completed a set.

When the gold Coast side finally did see some ball they had plenty of opportunities in optimal field position and even suffered a couple of injuries along the way, but simply could not score.  To add further misery to the Titans' night, they had Zillman injured and conceded a penalty in the same play allowing the Bulldogs to take a shot at goal from right in front to increase their lead in the 23rd minute.  Although the game continued to be played predominately in the Bulldogs' red zone there was nothing the Titans could do to get points awarded.

Conversely, the boys in blue and white appeared to need only the field position, but were helped too by some ill discipline from the Titans with dropped ball and a penalty leading to their last points of the half.  In the final minute of the first half, the Titans gave away a penalty to allow the Bulldogs to go a further two in front heading into the interval.  Turner added the extras which took the Bulldogs into the sheds with a 16-0 lead.

Once the second half started it didn't take a long for the Bulldogs to put on some more points, these just to prove video referee Russell Smith's green light was working.  After disallowing a couple of Titans attempts in the first half, Turner put one down in the corner for Russell Smith to test his TRY button with and sure enough the word came up in green letters on the big screen.  He may have made it easy for Smith, but he'd made it hard for himself scoring so far out causing his first miss with the boot of the night.

Titans got another red light just minutes later when Smith was called up to deliberate on another possible Titans try.  Titans had two more tries disallowed by Video Referee Smith who was made to earn his keep up there before the Bulldogs finally allowed the scoreboard to tick again. 90 seconds after the last Gold Coast try was disallowed, the Canterbury Bankstown team made their way to the other end of the field to give Josh Morris a try with what may have been his first touch of the night.  Turner added the extras and with just over eleven minutes to go the lead was insurmountable.

Titans were however finally able to put on some consolation points in the 76th minute when debutant Srama-who was excellent on debut in spite of the score line- charged down a boot, broke through the line and got the ball on to captain Prince to score, Prince's boot added the extras, which were nullified in the final second of the game when the Bulldogs got a penalty, took the two points and a big 22 point victory, winning the game 28 points to 6.


Match Details

Canterbury Bulldogs 28 defeated Gold Coast Titans 6
National Rugby League - Round 12 - Friday May 27, 2011 8:45pm
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Referee: Ashley Klein and Tony De Las Heras
Video Referee: Russell Smith
Touch Judges: Ricky MacFarlane and Adam Reid
Crowd: 32,283
Halftime: Canterbury Bulldogs 16 Gold Coast Titans 0

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Andrew Ryan
2 Points - Matt Srama
1 Point - Michael Ennis

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS (28)
Tries: Frank Pritchard (2), Steve Turner, Josh Morris
Conversions: Steve Turner (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Steve Turner (3/3)

GOLD COAST TITANS (6)
Tries: Scott Prince
Conversions: Scott Prince (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary The second match in this double header is about to get underway where the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs will take on the Gold Coast Titans here at Suncorp Stadium.
TEAM NEWS: No late changes for the Bulldogs. The Gold Coast Titans will see Greg Bird move back to the bench, Luke O'Dwyer will start in his place. Ashley Harrison and Riley Brown are out with Ben Ridge and Matt Srama on debut replacing them respectively.
1 min: Turner kicks off and we are underway.
1 min: Accidental offside against the Titans and the Bulldogs get a scrum 30 out from the Gold Coast line.
3 min: O'Dwyer charges down a Hodkinson boot and it goes over the sideline giving Canterbury a scrum.
5 min: TRY
TRY to the Bulldogs! Keating gets it on to Pritchard who goes through three defenders including Titans' captain Scott Prince to score. Turner nails the conversion
Canterbury Bulldogs 6-0
6 min: O'Dwyer's head charges down a boot and Bulldogs have it, Barba goes on a huge run before being stopped about 20 out from the Gold Coast line.
7 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Bulldogs TRY.
8 min: TRY
TRY to the Bulldogs! And Pritchard is in for his second. Turner makes no mistake with the boot
Canterbury Bulldogs 12-0
9 min: Error Prince goes to pick up a loose ball but knocks it on.
9 min: Error Hodkinson loses it at the scrum base to hand the ball to Gold Coast ten metres out.
10 min: Campbell comes close to slamming down a try for the Titans but bounces it and Dogs get the 20 metre tap.
11 min: Another chargedown from the Titans this one from Bailey but doesn't restart the tackle count.
13 min: Bulldogs aerial headclash and Goodwin comes off worse for wear and and drops it to give Gold Coast a scrum.
13 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Gold Coast TRY!
13 min: NO TRY! Minichiello goes stright though but "bobbles it".
15 min: Game being played in the Bulldogs territory now with it set their side of halfway for the last few minutes.
15 min: PENALTY to the Bulldogs to help them out of their own territory.
17 min: Titans playing some inspired football now, looking very keen and Campbell's boot along with a strong chase force a line drop out and repeat set.
18 min: Interception from Eastwood to end the Titans' run.
19 min: HUGE hit from Hodkinson on Steve Michaels, tackle put on report for a second dig and Michaels comes off the field with a possible shoulder injury.
20 min: Great boot from Campbell on the line, Idris and Srama go for it, Srama gets it and the tackle count restarts.
21 min: Scotty Prince dives for the line, appears to lose it but the call is that he was held up long enough before he dropped it, so the Titans retain it on the forth tackle.
21 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Gold Coast TRY!
21 min: NO TRY! And Bulldogs get a PENALTY from it too.
23 min: Unlucky sequence of events for the Titans where Zillman drops a catch, gets hit by Goodwin coming in has to come off the field and Gold Coast concede a PENALTY right in front.
23 min: PENALTY GOAL
Bulldogs opt forthe two and Turner's boot adds them.
Canterbury Bulldogs 14-0
24 min: Eastwood with a self inflicted eye injury on the sideline mightn't be back tonight.
26 min: Prince is cleaned up by a loose arm from Ennis, Ennis put on report and Titans have a PENALTY.
27 min: Scotty Prince has it and decides to kick, put it in to Turner's wing and forces the line drop out when Turner is collected in goal.
28 min: Prince kicks early looking for Campbell, Turner gets to it first and runs it over the dead ball line for another line drop out.
29 min: Error Forward pass ruled against the Titans.
30 min: Bulldogs' offload doesn't come off and Titans have it back still well inside Bulldogs' territory.
31 min: Not a great set from the Titans but a high kick from Bird at the end of it forces a line drop out after Goodwin collects it and is subsequently forced in goal.
32 min: PENALTY to the Titans, with a great attacking opportunity here.
33 min: Tagatese loses the ball on tackle three right in front to let the Bulldogs off the hook.
35 min: PENALTY to the Titans, another chance here with this penalty letting them back in to the Bulldogs' red zone.
36 min: Idris with a BIG hit on Bird forces the ball free.
37 min: Error Keating loses the ball forward to hand the ball over.
38 min: Titans back deep in the Bulldogs territory with a tackle count restart courtesy of Bulldogs' hands on the ball.
38 min: And Prince kicks on the second, boot is too deep and gives the Bulldogs a 20 metre restart.
38 min: Mead knocks on trying to collect the boot giving the Bulldogs a scrum 15 out and a fantastic attacking opportunity coming into half time.
39 min: PENALTY to the Bulldogs, Titans tackle a player without the ball.
40 min: PENALTY GOAL
Bulldogs opt for the two and Turner gets them.
Canterbury Bulldogs 16-0
40 min: And that will be the half, with Bulldogs ahead 16 points to nothing.
41 min: Campbell kicks off and the second half is under way.
42 min: Bulldogs start the second half with plenty of energy, making it over the Titans 40, but Turner's boot goes past the corner post to gives the titans a 20 metre tap.
43 min: Barba breaks through the Gold Coast line, tries to get the ball out to Idris but Tonga gets a hand to it to prevent the creation of anything.
44 min: Error Tonga's hand knocks it forward and Bulldogs get a scrum about 35 out from the Gold Coast line.
45 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Bulldogs TRY.
46 min: TRY
TRY to the Bulldogs. Barba puts a boot in to the corner, Turner chases it and puts it down inside the in goal area for a four pointer. Turner fails to add the extras with a difficult shot.
Canterbury Bulldogs 20-0
48 min: PENALTY to the Titans, to give them some more good field position.
49 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Titans TRY!
49 min: NO TRY, ball was knocked on before the line giving Bulldogs a scrum 10 out from their own line.
51 min: Titans really struggling out there now, not offering enough to play their way back into this game.
52 min: Bad play the ball and Titans hand it over 30 out from their own line.
53 min: Bulldogs forward pass and titans are given a reprieve.
54 min: Titans with an energetic play, but Campbell passes the ball straight to Hodkinson.
56 min: PENALTY to the Titans, Idris carries on too long with a tackle.
58 min: Great kick by Bird, picked up by Idris who is tackled by Campbell before he throws it over the dead ball line for a line drop out.
59 min: PENALTY to the Titans, 2 metres out, starting to get some good time in the Bulldogs' red zone again.
60 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Titans TRY!
60 min: NO TRY! The ball is forced loose short of the line and Bulldogs get the scrum 10 out.
62 min: This game is moving from one end to the other now, with both sets of forwards doing great work carting the ball up.
65 min: There has been a bit of a drop in intensity from both sides over the last few minutes as both seem ready for full time.
66 min: VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Titans TRY.
66 min: NO TRY. Double knock on, scrum to the Titans.
67 min: Error A Titans error off the back of the scrum hands the ball over to the Bulldogs.
69 min: TRY
TRY to the Bulldogs! Hodkinson cut out pass to Keating who throws a cut out pass to Goodwin who gets it on to Morris on his inside to score with what may have been his first touch of the game. Conversion from Turner successful.
Canterbury Bulldogs 26-0
71 min: PENALTY to the Titans, helping them into some good field position.
72 min: Titans find the in goal, but James is held up in goal, with Titans again failing to put points on.
74 min: Titans knock on to inflict more pain on coach Cartright.
77 min: TRY
TRY to the Titans! Srama charge down knocks over his team mate in the process, Bailey puts a move on Idris and finds Scott Prince to score Titans' first points of the night. Prince adds the extras converting his own try.
Canterbury Bulldogs 26-6
78 min: PENALTY to the Titans, Preston Campbell hit high and Corey Payne is put on report.
79 min: PENALTY given to the Bulldogs for a strip.
80 min: Another PENALTY to the Bulldogs finds the line ten out with 20 seconds to go.
80 min: PENALTY to the Bulldogs in the final second.
80 min: PENALTY GOAL
Bulldogs take the two, and Turner gets them.
Canterbury Bulldogs 28-6
80 min: And that will be the game and the night with Bulldogs 28 - 6 victors over the Gold Coast Titans here at Suncorp Stadium.