The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have come from behind to steal a 26-24 victory over the Wests Magpies at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
There was a lot of talk surrounding this match, with Bulldogs NRL Head Coach Dean Pay wielding the axe throughout the week, dropping numerous players back to the Canterbury Cup NSW, after a poor start to their 2019 campaign.
It was a start both teams would like to have over, having created scoring opportunities, but failing to turn them into points due to unforced errors. Fortunes turned a short while later for Wests when Fullback Dylan Smith fielded a Bulldogs fifth tackle kick, racing seventy-five meters to get his team within scoring rage. A shaky set was finished in style with a classy cross-field kick by experienced half Josh Reynolds, which was cleanly plucked in the in the air by Sam Mcintyre, who planted it down for the hosts first points.
The Bulldogs bounced back through a neat backline move which saw Morgan Harper crash over in the corner, however the grounding looked a little suspect to the naked-eye, but after Referee Damien Briscoe consulted with nearside Touch Judge James Vella, the try was eventually awarded.
Canterbury’s’ good work was quickly undone after dropping it off the restart after points, allowing the Magpies to apply pressure, which they did forcing back-to-back repeat sets. Rake Braden Robson fooled the defence from close range to burrow over under the sticks and extend his sides lead.
A rare error from the Magpies late in the half pathed the way for the visitors to hit back through dropped NRL winger Christian Crichton, who crossed in the corner to narrow Wests halftime lead to 12-8.
Robson crossed for his second four-pointer of the day immediately after the break, diving on a kick which was toed ahead by and unlikely suspect in McIntyre. The illusive hooker converted it into a hat-trick minutes later, giving Wests a handy sixteen point lead.
The Bulldogs finally awoke from their half-time slumber scoring back-to-back tries, courtesy of Tuipulotu Katoa and Bronson Garlick to get themselves within four points of the Magpies heading into the final quarter.
The boys from Belmore continued their strong second half with ten left on the clock, with a brilliant team try which was finished off by five-eighth Jesse Marschke, who also converted his own try to gain a 26-24 lead.
