The Bulldogs have extended their lead at the top of the NRL table following an amazing second-half revival to stun the Raiders at home.
For the third time this weekend, it was a great escape, with the Bulldogs producing a shocking first half only to storm back for a 32-20 win.
Crichton had 12 of his team’s points, and in addition to his own try, he had two try assists and three line breaks. After the game, Reed Mahoney praised his skipper for inspiring the performance.
“That was the best game that I have ever seen him play to be honest,” Mahoney told Fox League.
“To be down 20-0 and to come out after half time and grab the game by the balls and go ‘get on the back of my shoulders’, it’s unbelievable.
“The rest of us just followed, so outstanding from him today.”
The top-of-the-table contest started with a semi-final atmosphere, not only with a screaming crowd in Canberra but a frantic speed from both teams in the opening sets.
It took just three minutes for the home side to land the opening blow on the scoreboard with Zac Hosking barging his way over from close range.
The Green Machine were wearing the ladder leading Bulldogs down in the opening 10 minutes, forcing errors and getting repeat sets.
After a 74-26% possession count in their favour, Tom Starling looked to have doubled the advantage, scooping up the ball and planting it down under the posts. But the Bunker stepped in and ruled the Raider was tackled and not entitled to go for the line.
It was a call that not only had Ricky Stuart imploding on the sideline, but Mick Ennis in the commentary box.
“So you’re telling me that when you have a loose ball and someone dives on it, the moment that the opposition reaches around and puts his hand on his ankle or foot, then that’s a tackle – please,” Ennis said during Fox League commentary.
Stephen Crichton of the Bulldogs. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
It only delayed the inevitable; with all the momentum, Kaeo Weekes scored after a great backline break downfield from the home side.
Less than five minutes later, the lead was extended with a dazzling backline combination, finished by Xavier Savage.
Two uncharacteristic errors by the Dogs summed up the half that they were having. First, Marcelo Montoya was spooked into dropping a bomb over the sideline, then Reed Mahoney tried a 40-20 on just the third tackle and kicked
After losing Harry Hayes for an HIA, which he later returned from, Hudson Young scored, capping off the near-perfect half from Canberra.
For the first 40 minutes, it was 63-37% possession count in favour of the Raiders, with a 92% completion rate, four line breaks and 31 tackle breaks.
The Bulldogs were struggling with just 61% completion and 31 missed tackles, but it took just four minutes after the break to turn things around.
Stephen Crichton found some space down the right edge to produce his side’s first points of the match.
From there, it was all Blue and White. The skipper soon set up a four-pointer to Jaeman Salmon, and it was two tries in as many minutes.
Crichton was dominating down his side of the field and came so close to setting up another for Connor Tracey less than five minutes later, but Ethan Strange prevented him from grounding the ball by just millimetres in a desperate try-saver.
It didn’t matter though, as the Bulldogs had all the momentum, possession and field position, with tries coming to Montoya, Max King and Viliame Kikau – and they had the lead with 17 minutes to go.
Jacob Kiraz dived over to extend the final margin to 12 points and give the Bulldogs an 8-1 record to start the season.
New Zealand hold off Dragons second half comeback in Wollongong
The Warriors are off to their best start to a season in more than 20 years, going second on the ladder after Luke Metcalf kicked them to a 15-14 NRL win over St George Illawarra.
After the Warriors let a 14-0 early, they looked set to be the fourth team to fall victim to a comeback in two days on Saturday night in Wollongong.
But while the Dragons got the score back level with 28 minutes left, Metcalf proved the difference as the 26-year-old’s breakthrough season continued.
With 10 minutes to play, the half seemingly caught the Dragons unaware when he nailed a field goal from 25 metres out with no kick pressure to put the Warriors up.
Valentine Holmes then had a shot to level it for the Dragons with five minutes to go from 30 metres out, but struck it poorly to the right of the posts.
Holmes then had a chance to take another shot from long range, but instead ran the ball and grubber-kicked ahead but failed to regather.
The Warriors’ win came despite the Dragons scoring more tries, with Metcalf’s kicking off the tee also proving the difference.
Considered among the contenders for the wooden spoon before the season started, the Warriors are now clear in second spot ahead of Canberra.
It marks the first time they have been in the NRL’s top two in round 10 or later since 2002, while their 7-2 start is also the equal best in the club’s history.
And Metcalf has been behind much of that, leading the Warriors into life without retired halfback Shaun Johnson.
The No.7 got the Warriors’ first try on Saturday, dummying his way through Luciano Leilua and Lyhkan King-Togia to score after impressive lead up play from Erin Clark.
After the Dragons bombed a try from a Clint Gutherson break on the previous set, the Warriors made them pay when Taine Tauapiki scored off a Metcalf kick.
The half also had a role in the Warriors’ next, when his cross-field kick was inch perfect and Taine Tuaupiki capitalised in the corner.
While the Dragons mounted a comeback, it was the Warriors’ game management under Metcalf that ultimately won out in the end.
For the Dragons, it is a case of the same old story after three wins from their opening nine games.
They did well to get back into the contest with a hot start to the second half, and looked like they had all the momentum when Corey Allan levelled the scores.
But this is the third game this year the Dragons haven’t got it right at the death, despite axing Lachlan Ilias and bringing in Lyhkan King-Togia at No.7 a fortnight ago.
It also marked the second time this year they have lost a game after failing to put pressure on a field goal kicker, after their round-two loss to South Sydney.
– with AAP
