Match Report: Round 21 vs Bulldogs

The home side opened up a 12-0 lead after dominating possession and field position in the first forty with prop Sam Hughes and winger Jacob Kiraz both scoring for the Bulldogs

A dropped bomb by Manly winger Jason Saab led to the Bulldogs first try in the thirteenth minute with Hughes scooping up the loose ball to score. Stephen Crichton converted from the left edge to put his side up 6-0.

Saab went close to scoring himself off a cross-field kick 20 minutes into the match when the Sea Eagles first ventured into the opposition 20-metre zone.

The Bulldogs then marched downfield on the back of a penalty and a couple of repeat sets and added their second try on the half hour mark. 

With Manly’s left edge caught short, a nice tap on by right centre Crichton found Kiraz who found the corner.  Another conversion by Crichton, this time from the sideline, and the Dogs were up 12-0.

Canterbury centre Bronson Xerri was forced from the field a few minutes before half time after collecting a stray boot to the nose from teammate Viliame Kikau.

Despite laying motionless for some time, Xerri was cleared to return to the field in the second half.

Manly took advantage of the Bulldogs backline reshuffle and scored their first try in the 38th minute when Tom Trbojevic delivered the ball for Saab to score in the corner.  Reuben Garrick hit the paintwork with the attempted conversion to leave his side down 12-4

The second half didn’t start well for Manly when Haumole Olakau’atu was forced from the field after dislocating the same shoulder that saw him spend the past six weeks on the sidelines.

Another blow for Manly came in the 48th minute when Reuben Garrick was put through a hole by Ben Trbojevic but then called back for a forward pass.

From that point on, the Bulldogs clicked up a gear with Manly struggling to keep in the fight.

The Bulldogs were first to cross in the second half following a midfield break by Matt Burton. They then shifted the ball quickly to their right for Kiraz to bag his second try of the match.  Crichton added another goal from the sideline to put the home side up 18-4.

A couple of minutes later and the Bulldogs were in again. This time the shift to the left came after a break down the right, with Xerri finishing off the play next to the posts.

Xerri crossed for another try with about 15 minutes to play, fending off Turbo close to the line to extend their lead to 30-4.

Matthew Lodge found himself on report for a late tackle with about seven minutes to play, before Canterbury crossed for another try. This time is was left winger Enari Tuala who found himself on the scoresheet.

Up 36-4, Hughes then collected his double in the dying moments, after fullback Connor Tracey cleaned up a fumbled kick.

The conversion in front rounded off a 42-4 victory for the third-placed Bulldogs.