A Win Fit For A King: Dogs Down Titans As Max Celebrates Game 150

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have recorded their third-straight win after defeating the Gold Coast Titans 30-12 at Cbus Super Stadium.

There was plenty to celebrate with fan favourite Max King playing his 150th NRL game and 100th Bulldogs game - ironically against the Club he debuted for.

And didn’t King live up to the occasion, finishing with 152 running metres, three tackle busts, 33 tackles and a try that saw the bench and Coach's box erupt. 

After a tense opening 16 minutes, where the Bulldogs threatened a number of times, they eventually scored first points through Jethro Rinakama with Matt Burton delivering the last pass for the young gun winger.

Captain Stephen Crichton - who resumed his spot in the halves after making the switch last week - nailed the sideline conversion to give his side a 6-0 lead.

The Titans had an opportunity to respond but some energetic Bulldogs defence stopped them in their tracks with milestone man Max King part of the tackle that forced an error.

Cameron Ciraldo’s men looked slick with the ball as they added another try to the score sheet with Crichton delivering a neat pass to put Josh Curran into a gap and over the line. The conversion attempt was successful and the Dogs shot out to a 12-0 lead.

They showed plenty of defensive grit in the first half too with workhorse fullback Connor Tracey saving a try after Oliver Pascoe attempted to burrow over from dummy-half in the final four minutes.

The Bulldogs suffered a significant setback in the opening five minutes of the second half with Jacob Kiraz succumbing to a rib injury. This saw Enari Tuala shift out to the wing and Bronson Xerri injected into the game at right centre.

The Titans got on the board next with AJ Brimson’s quick hands setting up Phillip Sami in the corner. The conversion attempt was waved away, leaving the score at 12-4.

Gold Coast came close to backing that up with another try minutes later, however a brilliant try-saving tackle from Enari Tuala put a stop to that.

The Dogs then marched down the other side of the field and hit back with a second try for Jethro Rinakama. But those points can be put down to a quick play-the-ball from Crichton before Bailey Hayward delivered a superb cutout pass to Rinakama.

It then went try for try with Sami scoring his second of the night before 150-gamer King barged over and was immediately swarmed by his teammates.

Sami crossed again to make it a hat-trick of tries for the Titans but Curran sealed the win with his second of the night. Crichton added the extras to take the final score to 30-12.

The Bulldogs will now enjoy a well-deserved bye before returning home to Accor Stadium in Round 19 to host the Canberra Raiders.