A team of Canterbury Bulldogs young guns have scored a surprise 24-10 NRL trial win over a near full-strength Penrith Panthers side at Belmore Sports Ground on Saturday night.
Bulldogs coach Dean Pay decided to rest a number of star players for the clash, but it didn’t hamper the home side at all, running in five tries to the Panthers’ two to record an unexpected and comfortable victory.
Lachie Lewis set up both the Bulldogs’ tries in the first half, scored by Rhyse Martin and Tom Carr in the 31st and 39th minutes respectively after the hosts trailed 6-0 early following a Reagan Campbell-Gillard try.
Canterbury’s momentum continued after half-time, with Fa’amanu Brown burrowing across the line from dummy half at the 58th minute, while Josh Bergamin, who scored the winning try last weekend against the Raiders on the Sunshine Coast, crossed for a double at the 62nd and 69th minutes.
A 76th minute try to Christian Crichton was nothing more than a consolation for the Panthers.
Canterbury Bulldogs 24 (Josh Bergamin 2, Rhyse Martin, Tom Carr, Fa’amanu Brown tries; Kerrod Holland 2 goals) defeated Penrith Panthers 10 at Belmore Sports Ground.
