The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have beaten the New Zealand Warriors 34-18 at Shaun Johnson Stadium to continue their top four hunt.
In Shaun Johnson’s final game in front of Go Media Stadium, renamed Shaun Johnson Stadium in honour of the great No.7, the home side was emotionally charged in the game’s opening stages.
And while Johnson’s swansong should’ve been the main talking point of the game, the Bunker’s decision not to sin bin Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton for a 45th minute high shot on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck soured an otherwise emotional evening in Auckland.
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Critta lucky to escape without sin bin? | 00:40
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Canterbury were the beneficiaries of a lenient officiating call when Crichton was not sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Tuivasa-Sheck as the Warriors centre brought the ball back to the defensive line.
RTS was met with strong contact from Jacob Preston and Crichton, with the latter deemed to have hit the Warriors centre high.
Crichton was placed on report for the incident, but not sent to the sin bin, with referee Wyatt Raymond deeming there were mitigating factors in the play.
Many, including Fox League’s Andrew Voss, felt the Bulldogs skipper should have been placed in the sin bin, not just on report, for his involvement in the play.
“That’s staggering,” Voss remarked once RTS was ruled out of the game with a Category 1 HIA.
The incident overshadowed a massive evening for Johnson, playing his final home game in front of a packed out Shaun Johnson stadium.
A stadium-wide standing ovation and a guard of honour for the 33-year-old, who was hunched over in tears just before kick off.
Such an emotional start to the evening naturally seeped its way into the game, with the Warriors No.7 losing the ball with his first touch of the game.
Canterbury were unable to capitalise on the ensuing field position, making three errors of their own inside the game’s opening six minutes, paving the way for Andrew Webster’s side to grow into the game and eventually score.
Their try came through winger Marcelo Montoya, who powered over from close range to open the game’s scoring.
It was a play typical of the Warriors start both with and without the ball; fast, powerful and physical.
Four minutes later Kurt Capewell scored after his lovely outside-in line was met with a pass from Luke Metcalf to extend the host’s lead.
With the wind in their sails it appeared as if the Warriors would run away with this game, especially given the Dogs’ uncharacteristic start to the contest.
However, the top-four chasing Dogs showed they still had plenty of bite during the middle period of the first half, scoring three tries in eight minutes to hold a late first half lead.
Bronson Xerri continued his fine 2024 to score Canterbury’s first try of the night, before Stephen Crichton and Kurtis Morrin crossed, with the latter’s coming from a typically barnstorming Viliame Kikau run.
The visitors would have entered the break in the lead had it not been for a burrowing Wayde Egan crashing over right on halftime, ensuring the hosts took a two point lead into the interval.
Just after half-time, Crichton’s hit on Tuivasa-Sheck occurred, and with the visitors not down to 12 men they were able to get their first points of the second half eight minutes after the incident through Harry Hayes.
Dogs halfback kicked before the last tackle, as he had done on many occasions tonight to no avail. It appeared as if his latest kick would follow a similar trend, only for a fortuitous bounce to beat Charnze Nicoll-Kloksatd and allow Hayes to collect the ball and score.
Canterbury’s defence was much improved in the second half, with their efforts rewarded once again just after the hour mark when Josh Addo-Carr raced through and planted a Burton grubber down for the Dogs’ fifth try of the night.
Bizarre penalty sets up Bulldogs try | 00:46
At times in the last few years this combination was the Dogs saving grace in games, now it’s just another weapon in their ever growing arsenal.
The home side threw everything they had at the Bulldogs in the closing stages of the game, but like many sides this season were unable to crack the Belmore club in the second half.
Dylan Walker nearly powered over with four minutes remaining, only for four Bulldogs defenders to deny him and keep the Dogs’ strong defensive second half intact.
A few minutes later, Crichton broke down the right edge off a scrum, bursting into back play before finding Jacob Kiraz on his inside for the game-clinching try.
It was a valiant start from the Warriors, and their effort throughout the game cannot be understated, but in the end Canterbury’s second half defence proved too strong and the host’s became the third consecutive side to not score a point against Cameron Ciraldo’s side in the second 40.
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Source Agencies
