The Bulldogs NYC side have suffered their sixth defeat of the season after being run down by the Rabbitohs 34-26 at ANZ Stadium this afternoon.
There was just one change to the side named earlier in the week with Brendan Cox again a late withdrawal and Brad Keighran coming in to the side to start at five-eighth.
The first half saw the Bulldogs gain the upper hand but two late tries saw the Rabbitohs close the gap with the young pups holding a 20-18 lead at the break. After registering the first points of the second half it was then all the Rabbitohs as they ran away with a 34-26 victory.
A couple of early penalties gave each side a chance each but it was the Bulldogs who broke the deadlock, registering their first points through centre Sam Gerrey-Burgess. Guy Hamilton had the kicking duties and slotted it over for a 6-nil lead after 11 minutes.
Gerrey-Burgess crossed for his second of the afternoon three minutes later. This time it was off a Rabbitohs error. With the winger unable to take the cross-kick, Gerrey-Burgess picked up the loose ball and crashed over to score. Hamilton couldn’t convert with the lead now out to 10-nil.
It didn’t take long for the Rabbitohs to answer back and register their first points. They came through fullback Devon Makoare-Boyce who cruised over untouched off a short ball. Centre Irae Simone converted to close the gap to 10-6.
The Bulldogs extended their lead through Kyle Krisanski-Kennedy in the 23rd minute. A sweeping play had the Rabbitohs puzzled and the fullback slipped through to score. The try couldn’t be converted with the score staying at 20-6.
Two tries in the final 10 minutes of the half to the home side through back rower Aaron Gray and front rower Jack Gosiewski saw the lead cut down with the Bulldogs going to the break leading 20-16.
The second half started with the Bulldogs crossing in the 48th minute. Prop forward Danny Fualalo was the man who went over next to the left upright. Hamilton easily converted to extend the lead out to 26-16.
In what was an end to end game of football, the Rabbitohs scored the next two tries to snatch the lead for the first time in the match. Simone scored in the 59th minute and converted his own try before winger Tom Hughes went over in the north-western corner and Simone smartly converted from the sideline to give the home side a 28-26 lead.
That lead was then extended when back rower Eden Syme cracked the Bulldogs front line defence and then had too much footwork and speed, carrying Krisanski-Kennedy over the line. Simone again converted to put the lead out beyond a converted try, 34-26 with just nine minutes of play remaining.
Captain Adam Elliott was held up over the line with 90 seconds remaining but the young pups just couldn’t fight back and get back into the match.
RABBITOHS 34 (Makoare-Boyce, Gray, Gosiewski, Simone, Hughes, Syme Tries; Simone 5 Goals)
Def.
BULLDOGS 26 (Gerrey-Burgess 2, Krisanski-Kennedy, Seau, Fualalo Tries; Hamilton 3 Goals)
At: ANZ Stadium
