Vs Canterbury, ANZ Stadium Friday 4.00pm

[souths_pride]

This Game was won till a chain of events happened, Merritt coming on off his wing what for GI and Walker had him covered. Clarke dropping the ball from kick off. Six more tackles 40 metres out and we don't set up for field Goal just dumb play. Oh well.

I agree with you 100% we played so well but a couple of dumb errors cost us the game! Nathan Merritt coming in off his wing was just stupid...I cant stand wingers who fly in off their wing..its such a low percentage play! But what was worse was Clark knocking the ball on from the kick off - thats a cardinal sin! What is also a concern for is our last tackle options..aside from barge over tries, very rarely do we look like crossing over for tries inside our opponents 10! There just isnt the fluidity in attack that was there last season where we'd put on a brilliantly orchestrated set piece and have defences at 6's and 7's

 

[Big Sam]

Shocking game management lost you that game.

The 'attempts' to set up for FG in both this game and against Manly were woeful and have cost us 4 points.

This loss was particularly frustrating as we played quite well by this season's standards and actually held onto the ball (81% completions).

 

[GI Cordial]

Sam Burgess was again outstanding 159mts 39 tackles he does the work of 3 forwards. The disappointing stat was McQueen 79mts 23 tackles and wait for it 7 MISSED TACKLES a very poor effort. We really missed George and Teo, Bulldogs at full strength minus Pritchard. We still had Keary, Luke, Tom Burgess, Teo and George Burgess not playing put them on the field different result.

 

[JetRider]

Considering our injuries during the game and as already mentioned some silly errors we were still a chance to win it and probably should have. Great defensive effort again and I believe we will be better come the end of the season when we hit our straps. It is all about timing and it is still a long way to go we will be better no doubt about it.

 

[hunters]

Sam Burgess was again outstanding 159mts 39 tackles he does the work of 3 forwards. The disappointing stat was McQueen 79mts 23 tackles and wait for it 7 MISSED TACKLES a very poor effort. We really missed George and Teo, Bulldogs at full strength minus Pritchard. We still had Keary, Luke, Tom Burgess, Teo and George Burgess not playing put them on the field different result.

3 missed tackles according to NRLstats. May have been revised overnight.

Agree with Sam though. All those that thought he would slacken off with rugby in his sights have been proven wrong.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Considering our injuries during the game and as already mentioned some silly errors we were still a chance to win it and probably should have. Great defensive effort again and I believe we will be better come the end of the season when we hit our straps. It is all about timing and it is still a long way to go we will be better no doubt about it.

Same could be said of most teams. Bulldogs are going good defensively but still struggling in attack.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Canterbury Bulldogs snatch one-point win over South Sydney Rabbitohs

League Match Report Canterbury Bulldogs South Sydney Rabbitohs League News
Date April 18, 2014 - 7:43PM

• Michael Carayannis

Rugby League Writer






...



The Bulldogs became the first club in history to win three consecutive one-point games after a dramatic come-from-behind 15-14 win over South Sydney on Friday at ANZ Stadium.



After beating the Warriors and the Roosters with field goals in recent weeks, the Bulldogs added South Sydney to that list when Trent Hodkinson kicked a 21 metre one-pointer in the 78th minute to break the deadlock. Hodkinson described it as “deja vu” after kicking a penalty goal and field goal in successive weeks to claim victory.
Canterbury prop James Graham passes the ball wide as the South Sydney defence closes in. Photo: Anthony Johnson

“It was very similar to last week,” Hodkinson said. “I have been more focused on my goal-kicking. I’ve had a fair record [with drop kicks], and hopefully they keep going through.
“The kicks going over helps with the confidence. I was saying in my head to do exactly what I did last week.”
Adam Reynolds and Nathan Merritt had field goal attempts for South Sydney but it was left to Hodkinson to secure victory after his side trailed 14-6 with 15 minutes remaining. It capped a remarkable turnaround for Hodkinson who came close to retiring after shoulder and knee injuries crippled his 2012 season, restricting him to six matches.
Bulldogs forward Josh Jackson tries to slip past the South Sydney defence. Photo: Anthony Johnson
“I questioned myself if I’d be back playing and if I had confidence in my body,” Hodkinson said. “A full pre-season helps.
“The doctors never said that [I couldn’t play on]. It was the demons in the back in the back of my mind. They were confident I could come back to full fitness but I didn’t really believe them at first.”
An injury-ravaged South Sydney side might have finished the first half without any replacements but they carried an eight-point lead at half-time in front of 43,255 people.
Canterbury forward Dale Finucane is reported for a lifting tackle. Photo: Anthony Johnson

(concussion) left the field in the first half, with the side already missing suspended duo Ben Te'o and George Burgess. Greg Inglis sent a shudder through the Rabbitohs camp when he looked to have aggravated a lower-back injury midway through the second half, but the fullback played on.
All but Koroisau returned to the field in the second stanza in a game in which Englishmen Sam Burgess and James Graham starred for their sides. Canterbury captain Michael Ennis was inspirational for his team, coming back from a sickening head cut to lift his side - particularly in defence - in the second half.
While a try after the siren created headlines in the NRL last week, it was the obstruction rule that reared its ugly head on Friday night. Respective coaches Des Hasler and Michael Maguire had differing interpretations of two rulings that resulted in Corey Thompson crossing the try line. The Bulldogs winger was denied a try after 10 minutes when Josh Morris was ruled to have run behind a teammate before firing a 30m spiral cut-out pass to Thompson, who crossed in the corner.
The other was a decisive moment, when Thompson scored for Canterbury to gain momentum, and within two points of South Sydney in the 68th minute. Maguire was filthy that lead runner Josh Jackson made contact with captain John Sutton, before Sutton raced to the corner to try to deny Thompson from scoring.
“I felt like I got impeded,” Sutton said of the video referee's decision. “If I didn’t get impeded I would’ve got out and the boys would’ve been more comfortable. [The referee] said it was sweet.”
Maguire added: “I’m not sure how they are interpreting the obstruction rule. Sutton got impeded, and he was the person standing where the try is scored. He probably stops it. I’m not quite sure of the understanding of the ruling of the try.”
The Bulldogs face an infraction notice after an official failed to register a change in the team sheet. Greg Eastwood started in place of Dale Finucane, who was placed on report twice in the first half.
</DIV>

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...y-rabbitohs-20140418-zqwfo.html#ixzz2zI9Y9Jd3

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Rabbitohs Pipped at the Post by Dogs on Good Friday

Words: Tom Skolarikis I Photos: Nrlphotos.com
Fri 18th April, 06:02PM A A

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have gone down to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs by one point in this evening&#8217;s Good Friday clash at ANZ Stadium in front of 43,255 Members and supporters.
To watch the match wrap-up, please click here.
To watch Sam Burgess' post-match reaction, please click here.
Both sets of fans turned out in force to see the Rabbitohs lead for much of the game, only to be denied in the dying stages of the match by a Trent Hodkinson field goal.
The Bulldogs looked to score early &#8211; putting the Rabbitohs on the back-foot in defence with Josh Morris&#8217; pass to Corey Thompson sending the winger in. The video referee didn&#8217;t agree though, with a Dogs player deemed to be offside during the play.
Souths bombed a chance at the other end of the field just minutes later when a back-line movement drew the Dogs defence thanks to Greg Inglis before the fullback threw the ball out to an un-marked Bryson Goodwin, but the former Bulldog couldn&#8217;t hold it.
The Rabbitohs continued to attack with Adam Reynolds kicking to the wing of Nathan Merritt, but the record-breaking try-scorer could only get a finger-tip to the pill in mid-air before going dead in-goal.
After 29 minutes, a penalty to the Rabbitohs 11 metres out gave the home-team an opportunity to get the first points of the match through Adam Reynolds.
Joe Picker felt a little worse for wear following the penalty-goal after enduring a shoulder-charge and a suspected crusher tackle &#8211; the forward having to be assisted from the field.
With four minutes remaining in the first half, Sam Burgess took a short-pass from Greg Inglis inside the Dog&#8217;s 10 metre line with Burgess hitting the ball at speed and crashing over to open the try-scoring tab for the afternoon out wide. Reynolds converted to make it 8-0 in the Rabbitohs&#8217; favour.
From the ensuing kick-off Dave Tyrrell&#8217;s head clashed violently with James Graham &#8211; the Rabbitoh leaving the field.
Despite some strong attack from the Bulldogs close to the South Sydney line after the break, the Rabbitohs&#8217; defence held strong, with Adam Reynolds managing to kick the side out of trouble on a number of occasions.
But after 12 minutes of holding out, the Rabbitohs line was finally broken by Bulldogs winger Mitch Brown out wide to put them back into the game. Trent Hodkinson converted to make it 8-6 in favour of the Rabbitohs.
The Bulldogs&#8217; celebrations were short-lived though thanks to Bryson Goodwin&#8217;s kick-off being knocked on by Dogs fullback Sam Perrett &#8211; gifting Souths an opportunity in good attacking position. A final tackle grubber from Reynolds was then taken by Hodkinson, but Greg Inglis caught the blue and white half in-goal.
Hodkinson&#8217;s line-drop out travelled 70 metres, but the Rabbitohs were right back up their end by the end of the tackle count to apply yet more pressure.
Eventually it came down to Captain John Sutton, who barged over from first-receiver to extend the Rabbitohs lead. Reynolds converted from out wide to make it 14-6 with 14 minutes remaining.
A Souths mistake from the kick-off put the pressure right back onto them, with the Bulldogs&#8217; Corey Thompson coming away with a four-pointer of his own. Hodkinson added the extras from the touch-line to make it 14-12 with 11 minutes remaining.
A penalty to the Bulldogs mere minutes later gave Trent Hodkinson the opportunity to equalise with 8 minutes remaining. Hodkinson made no mistake, levelling it all up at 14 apiece.
Both sides began then began to trade field goal attempts with Hodkinson and Merritt both missing opportunities from close range. But with two minutes left and with the Rabbitohs on the back-foot, Hodkinson snapped a field goal from 25 metres out to boot his team into the lead for the first time in the game.

Bulldogs 15 (Mitch Brown, Corey Thompson, tries; Trent Hodkinson 3 goals; Trent Hodkinson 1 field-goal)
Defeated
Rabbitohs 14 (Sam Burgess, John Sutton, tries; Adam Reynolds 3 goals)

http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2014/04/18/rabbitohs_pipped_at_the_post_by_dogs_on_good_friday.html

 

[Packy]

Samd and Sutton were great for you guys. Pretty much every time sutton got the ball I was scared.

 

[Tayjack]

I agree with you 100% we played so well but a couple of dumb errors cost us the game! Nathan Merritt coming in off his wing was just stupid...I cant stand wingers who fly in off their wing..its such a low percentage play! But what was worse was Clark knocking the ball on from the kick off - thats a cardinal sin! What is also a concern for is our last tackle options..aside from barge over tries, very rarely do we look like crossing over for tries inside our opponents 10! There just isnt the fluidity in attack that was there last season where we'd put on a brilliantly orchestrated set piece and have defences at 6's and 7's

Adam Reynolds - his head is elsewhere at the moment, there's something not right there.7 rounds down and he hasn't even come close to being inside the top 10 players on field in any game so far. For a bloke that was being touted as a shoe in for NSW(never by me, I have never ever rated him), he doesn't look close to where he has been in past seasons.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Chris McQueen warns rival NRL teams to beware of Bulldogs' bite

League News South Sydney Rabbitohs Canterbury Bulldogs
Date April 19, 2014 - 11:59PM

Daniel Lane

Sports reporter & Video journalist

Souths forward Chris McQueen says if Canterbury has proven one thing in recent weeks it is that they are genuine premiership contenders.



The Bulldogs had proven their mettle over the past three weeks by hanging tough to defeat the Roosters, Warriors and, on Good Friday, the Rabbitohs with field goals each time.
"They're obviously a great team and will be one of the top teams come the end of the year," said McQueen after the Bulldogs beat them 15-14.
"They were never going to give up and, even though it wasn't a massive lead, it was always anybody's game that whole game ... it was just a massive dogfight and they got the chocolates.
"To win [three games] by one point, they're going to take a lot from that."
McQueen said those who had expected the Bulldogs to lose their mojo because of Ben Baba's move to Brisbane should think again.
"Losing Benny Barba, probably a lot of people expected them to lose their go-forward because he added that spark," he said.
"But they've changed their game a bit. Anytime you have the big, strong forwards leading the way, you're going to do well. I think they have gone under the radar a bit but they're one of the teams to look out for."
McQueen said he and his teammates had learnt plenty in the opening seven rounds &#8211; and not all of the lessons were welcome.
"In tight games [like the one against Canterbury] it's the fundamental errors, the little things that make a big difference," he said. "I think there were about three or four key areas where we lost that game. Little errors, like not completing our sets, hurt us in the end."
Halfback Adam Reynolds lamented that the Rabbitohs paid the price for not working towards a field goal at the death.
"We went away from giving ourselves a shot at field goal rather than trying to put on a big play just setting up for that little one," he said.
While Souths players had made similar observations about costly errors in their defeats to the Wests Tigers, Canberra and Manly, McQueen said they had worked hard to fix the problem areas.
"It all comes down to hard work," he said. "There is no substitute for that. If you haven't trained hard, you're not going to play hard.
"We'll return to training this week, we have another short turnaround playing the Broncos this Friday, and we'll train hard, practice our skills, practice our defence and take that into next week's game.
"Losing to Canterbury was disappointing. We got up to an early lead, going into the second half we were up by eight. It was end-to-end football and try-for-try at the end but, unfortunately, they got back with us and kicked that field goal."



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...lldogs-bite-20140419-zqwps.html#ixzz2zOBdQjDe