Dragons 24 Bulldogs 28
KEY POINTS:
If you couldn't believe how the Roosters beat the Storm and you couldn't believe how the Warriors mauled the Knights, then don't watch the replay of the Dragons defeating the Bulldogs - because you won't believe how Bulldogs skipper Andrew Ryan wasn't sent to the pound.
Ryan was
placed on report after sending Dragons forward Jason Ryles to Planet Cuckoo after a high-arm tackle early in the first half - and Ryan seems certain to spend some time on Planet Sideline as a result.
If there was any justice, Ryan would have been sent off but it seemed justice was going to be served with a bruising win to the Dragons.
Last week, Sonny Bill Williams and the Bulldogs forwards played as if the Titans had personally given offence by pretending to be photographers at a nightclub. Last night, while there was still some venom in the tackles, the Dragons seemed to have the antidote.
Sonny Bill had a poor match by his standards, with a mistake gifting the Dragons an important second half try to Jamie Soward. The latter was a key figure in the match, scoring that try and having a hand in the others and he always worried the Dogs.
The Dragons forwards also did well, with Beau Scott bashing through three Bulldogs to score the first try and centre Matt Cooper long-legging it to touch down after good work from the in-form Soward.
Soward saved a try with a goal-line clean-up of a threatening Bulldogs kick and then figured strongly on attack, with his twisting run setting up Rangi Chase for a clean break which saw Keith Lulia score for a 14-0 lead.
The Dogs, stung, came back with menace before Hazem El Masri scored off a botched catch by opposing winger Jason Nightingale from a kick by Kiwi international Ben Roberts.
It was an 'eight point' try as Nightingale had just failed to get to a Soward kick over the Dogs goal-line at the other end a few minutes previously.
Straight after halftime, Brent Sherwin began to make an impact, setting up a second try to El Masri after a poor turnover by Lulia but Soward struck back after Williams spilled a simple pass.
Then, in the 55th minute, Roberts combined with tough centre Willie Tonga to find a gap and Nick Kouparitsis scored to make it 20-16.
A spell on attack by the Dragons saw an attacking kick rebound off the Dogs and sit up for Cooper to score his second try.
It needed some desperate defence to keep out Reni Maitua before a brilliant one-on-one strip by Williams as the Dragons tried to battle upfield - and the Kiwi scored close to the posts for 24-22.
Then, disaster. A poor kick by Chase saw Roberts burst downfield. From a towering Sherwin kick, the Dragons again shelled the kick with winger Josh Morris losing an easy take, for Trent Cutler to score. The Dogs led for the first time in the match with four minutes to go and held it.
Which just goes to show - there ain't no justice.
Dragons 24 (B. Scott, M. Cooper 2, K. Lulia, J. Soward tries, Soward 2 goals ), Bulldogs 28 (H. El Masri 2, N. Kouparitsis, S. Williams, T. Cutler tries, El Masri 4 goals). Halftime: 14-4.
* The Rabbitohs snatched a 20-14 win with a try in the 77th-minute to Dean Widders against the Titans last night. Souths took the lead after tries to Eddie Paea and winger Fetuli Talanoa but the Titans, with Mat Rogers prominent, swept back to lead 14-8 after tries to the in-form Luke Bailey and Rogers.
Souths dug deep in the second half with Nigel Vagana scoring to make it 14-14 - and they made the game safe until Widders' try.
Rabbitohs 20 (E. Paea, F. Talanoa, N. Vagana, D. Widders tries; N. Merritt 2 goals), Titans 14 (L. Bailey, M. Rogers, B. Delaney tries; Delaney goal). Halftime: 8-14.