The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have suffered a 40-16 defeat to the Canberra Raiders.
There was plenty happening at Accor Stadium with it being Old Boys Day as well as a double-header with the NRLW clash.
The pack also received a timely boost with Jacob Preston returning from an arm injury.
It was a bizarre start for the boys in Blue and White with two denied tries turning into first points for the Raiders.
Harry Hayes was denied early after the bunker ruled that he had knocked on while attempting to ground a grubber under the posts.
Minutes later it looked as though Jethro Rinakama had scored in the corner only for the ball to come loose in the in-goal with Xavier Savage scooping it up and running 100 metres to score.
Hayes and Jacob Kiraz started to chase Savage but ultimately stopped under the assumption that play had been called back. That wasn’t the case and Canberra’s try was awarded. Ethan Sanders converted to take his side out to a 6-0 lead.
The Raiders backed that up with another try, scored by Noah Martin, after another strange moment where the Bulldogs used their Captain’s Challenge to dispute Owen Pattie’s 40/20. The bunker’s decision was inconclusive, meaning the 40/20 ruling stood and the Dogs kept their challenge.
That moment put Canberra in prime field position and they struck with Martin firing through a whole.
Five minutes later Jacob Kiraz was penalised for a dangerous tackle in what seemed a highly controversial decision. And on the next set the Raiders went in again with Zac Hosking scoring off a cross-field kick.
A scrum infringement penalty, followed by an off-side penalty in the final ten minutes of the first half saw the Raiders extend their lead to 22-0 at the break.
The Bulldogs desperately needed to score first in the second half and they did exactly that with Rinakama leaping into the air to catch a Stephen Crichton cross-field kick and planting it down. It was a terrific show of character for the 20-year-old who had a few tough moments in the first 40.
But Canberra hit back with two tries in two minutes - both scored by Zac Hosking. He can thank Pattie for setting them up after the young hooker kicked a second 40/20 out of dummy-half to lay the platform for the first try before getting a neat pass away for the second.
The game came to a sudden and alarming halt when Crichton stayed down after an innocuous tackle. The Bulldogs skipper was attended to by Club medical staff before being stretchered off. Thankfully, in a positive sign, Crichton was able to return to his feet off the field and walk into the sheds.
As the Dogs were forced into a key change with Sean O’Sullivan replacing Crichton in the halves, the Raiders scored via Simi Sasagi.
The boys did not drop their heads though and ran in two tries in the final 10 minutes - scored by Matt Burton and Preston - but it was too little, too late with the game wrapping up at 40-16.
Canberra Raiders 40 (Hosking 3, Savage, Martin, Sasagi tries; Sanders 8 goals) def Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16 (Rinakama, Burton, Tracey tries; Burton 2 goals)
