The annual Good Friday clash between the Canterbry-Bankstown Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs was scheduled to be played today, but won't happen in 2020 due to the coronavirus.
Played annually on Good Friday at ANZ Stadium to kick start the big Easter weekend, the contest always seems to throw up plenty of exciting moments and memories for both clubs members and fans.
With no game this year, let's take a look back at what's happened during these matches since 2012.
2012
The first Good Friday clash went the way of the Rabbitohs, who claimed a 20-10 victory. Played in front of a crowd of 35,221, South Sydney winger Andrew Everingham scored two tries. His teammate Matt King also crossed and Adam Reynolds kicked four goals for the hosts, with Steve Turner and David Stagg going over for the Bulldogs.
Rabbitohs 20 (Andrew Everingham 2, Matt King tries; Adam Reynolds 4 goals)
Bulldogs 10 (David Stagg, Steve Turner tries; Steve Turner goal)
Rd6 Rabbitohs v Bulldogs (Hls)
2013
The Bulldogs went down to the Rabbitohs 17-12 in front of an NRL record crowd at ANZ Stadium. The second Good Friday meeting between the two clubs saw 51,686 people pour through the turnstiles for the fixture at ANZ Stadium. The crowd to date is the biggest for the occasion since the first encounter in 2012 and on average a huge 41,775 fans make the journey out to ANZ Stadium. The crowd weren't disappointed with a finals like match being played that resulted in the Rabbitohs scoring three tries to the Bulldogs two.
Rabbitohs 17 (George Burgess, Nathan Merritt, Bryson Goodwin Tries; Adam Reynolds 2 Goals; Reynolds 1 Field Goal)
Bulldogs 12 (Mitch Brown, Ben Barba Tries; Krisnan Inu 2 Goals)
Bulldogs v Rabbitohs Rd 4 (Highlights)
2014
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs made it three consecutive one-point victories to launch their 2014 campaign in defeating the Rabbitohs 15-14 at ANZ Stadium in front of 43,255 fans. In a tremendous showing of courage and character, the Bulldogs fought back to claim another last-minute win after again falling behind early. After trailing 8 nil at half time, it took the Bulldogs 78 minutes to find the lead and it once again came thanks to a Trent Hodkinson field goal. The win was the club's first on Good Friday.
Bulldogs 15 (Mitch Brown, Corey Thompson Tries; Trent Hodkinson 3 Goals; Hodkinson 1 Field Goal)
Rabbitohs 14 (Sam Burgess, John Sutton Tries; Adam Reynolds 3 Goals)
Ennis and Burgess clash on Good Friday
2015
In as dramatic a finish you’ll ever see in an NRL fixture, the Bulldogs were denied victory against the Rabbitohs in controversial circumstances. Brett Morris passed a late fitness test on his calf to take his place at fullback while Josh Reynolds also returned to the side after spending a month on the sideline with a fractured arm. Reynolds started from the bench with last week’s match-winner Moses Mbye holding his spot at five-eighth. This saw Tim Browne drop off the bench. In drizzly Good Friday conditions, the Bulldogs were out to string together their fourth consecutive win after their Golden Point victory against the Tigers in round four. It was a physical encounter which the Bulldogs dominated but in a match that had it all, the Rabbitohs escaped with an unlikely 18-17 win in front of 40,523 fans.
Rabbitohs 18 (Issac Luke, Dave Tyrell Tries; Adam Reynolds 4, Bryson Goodwin 1 Goals)
Bulldogs 17 (Curtis Rona, Sam Perrett, Josh Morris Tries; Trent Hodkinson 2 Goal; Hodkinson 1 Field Goal)
2016
Canterbury savaged South Sydney 42-12 in a Good Friday mauling on the back of an utterly dominant 32-0 first half. The Dogs steamrolled all through Souths in the opening stanza, dominating possession with 63 per cent of the footy and making twice as many metres as their opponents in the opening 40 (1016-541 metres). Centre Josh Morris celebrated his 200th NRL game with a first-half double while the blue and white big men were unstoppable in the middle of the park. The Bulldogs ran in eight tries to two in front of 38,192 fans.
Bulldogs 42 (Josh Morris 2, Will Hopoate, Moses Mbye, Craig Garvey, Sam Perrett, Curtis Rona, Chase Stanley tries; Moses Mbye 5 goals)
Rabbitohs 12 (Michael Oldfield, Chris Grevsmuhl tries; Damien Cook 2 goals)
Celebrating a Good Friday victory
2017
The Bulldogs stormed into the NRL top eight with a stunning 24-9 win over South Sydney on Good Friday at ANZ Stadium. The Bulldogs trailed by one at the half-time break, before second half tries to Josh Jackson, Kerrod Holland and Josh Morris sealed the game and the Bulldogs’ third straight victory in front of a crowd of 35,984.
Bulldogs 24 (Josh Reynolds, Josh Jackson, Kerrod Holland, Josh Morris tries; Kerrod Holland 4 goals)
Rabbitohs 9 (Alex Johnston try; Adam Reynolds 2 goals; Adam Reynolds field goal)
Highlights: Bulldog Win on Good Friday
2018
The South Sydney Rabbitohs scored two tries in the final seven minutes to secure a controversial come-from-behind 20-16 victory against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the traditional Good Friday clash at ANZ Stadium. It was a game riddled with errors and penalties with the referees not shying away from blowing penalties, the trend continued on Friday afternoon after Ben Cummins apologised to Bulldogs captain Josh Jackson for not allowing him time to return to the defensive line following an official warning for repeated penalties against his side. Josh Morris scored the club's only two tries and after leading 14-6 at the break, the Rabbitohs managed to claim a four-point win.
Rabbitohs 20 (Greg Inglis, Braidon Burns, Hymel Hunt, Cameron Murray tries: Adam Doueihi 2 goals)
Bulldogs 16 (Josh Morris 2 tries: Kieran Foran 4 goals)
Round 4 Highlights: Rabbitohs v Bulldogs
2019
South Sydney claimed a 14-6 win over the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on Friday. The grinding nature of this annual Good Friday tussle was evidenced by the fact no points were scored in the second half. Both sides had a try disallowed in the opening 40 – Holland in the 10th minute when he pushed Dane Gagai in the back to get to the ball, and Liam Knight’s obstruction in the 40th minute robbing Corey Allen. The points came early. Campbell Graham slid over for his sixth try in six games in just the third minute. Then bullocking Ofahiki Ogden ran over the top of Damien Cook to score next to the posts in the 13th. From then the match descended into your classic Good Friday arm wrestle, highlighted by Sam Burgess’ continual exchanges – both verbal and physical - with young Dogs halfback Lachlan Lewis.
Rabbitohs 14 (Campbell Graham, Alex Johnston tries: Adam Reynolds 3 goals)
Bulldogs 6 (Ofahiki Ogden try: Kerrod Holland goal)
Match Highlights: Bulldogs v Rabbitohs
