Burton does it again to deny injury hit Warriors
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Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton snatched victory with an extra time field goal for the second time in a week to down an injury hit Warriors team 13-12 at Accor Stadium.
The Warriors were forced to play most of the second half with just one man on the bench after losing their back three of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya to injury.
The scores were locked at 12-12 for 32 minutes until Burton managed to pilot his fourth field goal attempt of the match between the posts - after hitting the upright and bouncing in - in the 88th minute.
Burton relives another match-winning moment
The Warriors dominated early possession and field position but the Bulldogs were the first to score after five-eighth Matt Burton intercepted a Te Maire Martin pass near his own line.
Bronson Xerri Try
Burton sprinted away before finding Bronson Xerri in support and the speedster raced over the tryline to open the scoring in the 20th minute.
However, the Warriors hit back almost immediately after Canterbury prop Sam Hughes fumbled near his tryline, with Watene-Zelezniak scoring in the corner from the scrum win.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Try
Centre Adam Pompey missed the sideline conversion, but the Warriors hit the front five minutes later when Montoya bulldozed his way over in the opposite corner.
A Pompey penalty goal extended the Warriors lead to 12-6 in the 30th minute but momentum shifted dramatically when Nicoll-Klokstad limped from the field with a calf injury just before halftime.
Dally M Medallist Roger Tuivasa-Sheck moved to fullback but the reshuffling got more difficult for Warriors coach Andrew Webster in the second half when Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo were also ruled out.
Viliame Kikau goes bang!
Watene-Zelezniak was deemed to be a category 1 HIA early in the second half, while Montoya battled on bravely with a thigh injury before coming from the field in the 65th minute.
The scores were locked up at 12-12 at that stage after Canterbury strike second-rower Viliame Kikau crashed over in the 55th minute and Burton converted.
Viliame Kikau Try
Bulldogs winger Blake Wilson was cut down in a try saving tackle by Martin and had a try disallowed after Kurt Mann was ruled offside when he collected a Burton bomb that had been allowed to bounce and passed to the rookie.
Tuivasa-Sheck spilled a spiralling Burton bomb and the Bulldogs playmaker had a chance to put the home team in front with four minutes remaining but his field goal attempt hit the upright.
Another Burton field goal attempt during extra time hit the cross bar, while Warriors utility Chanel Harris-Tevita was denied after Reed Mahoney got a hand to his kick to push the ball wide.
Mahoney just gets a touch to it!
Burton finally managed to snatch the win for Canterbury when the ball again hit the upright and bounced in from his fourth field goal attempt in the 88th minute.
Match: Bulldogs v Warriors
Round 18 -
home Team
Bulldogs
5th Position
away Team
Warriors
11th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Match snapshot
- The Bulldogs paid tribute before the game to former hardman Geoff Robinson, who passed away during the week.
- The Warriors played most of the second half without their back three due to injuries.
- Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya was placed on report for a first half tackle on Bulldogs fullback Connor Tracey.
- Bulldogs forward Viliame Kikau was placed on report for an attempted trip and a crusher tackle.
- Canterbury rookie Kurt Morrin was placed on report for a lifting tackle.
- The Bulldogs are undefeated at home this season and have won their past seven games at Accor Stadium.
- The Bulldogs have conceded the fewest tries in the competition this season.
- Warriors second-rower Kurt Capewell made his 150th NRL appearance.
- Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton has won eight from eight against the Warriors.
Mick Potter remembers Geoff Robinson
Play of the game
With the Warriors losing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, winger Marcelo Montoya bravely tried to battle on with a groin injury but he could hardly run and was targeted by the Bulldogs attack. Getting past Montoya, Canterbury rookie Blake Wilson looked set to score midway through the second half but Warriors halfback Te Maire Martin stopped him and forced the ball loose in a jolting tackle.
Martin with a textbook cover tackle on Wilson
What they said
Warriors: Round 18
“Gutted for the boys, to put so much effort into something, (to be) so resilient (with) so many injuries, people in different spots, but we didn't get what we wanted today. Really proud of the effort, but just disappointed we didn’t get what we wanted to get. I don't know if I watched much football there for a while, I was literally just watching where everyone was standing rather than watching the game, and then we were getting radio information that someone else was struggling … the boys who did come off, they wanted to fight through it, but they just weren't capable of doing what they needed to do for the team." - Warriors coach Andrew Webster
Bulldogs: Round 18
“(The celebrations after the game were) awesome, but probably a little bit of relief as well. When they came in, they were a little bit disappointed that we didn't really play how we wanted to today, but the grit side of it's there and I want them to be really proud of that and that's the most important thing we're after this year. I thought we started the game OK, it was a really nice grind there going on early in the game and both teams went at it and there was some real quality football and no-one wanted to take a backward step and that was I think probably awesome for both teams moving forward and really good for us." - Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo
What's next
Both teams have the bye next weekend in the lead up to Origin III before flying to away matches in Round 20, with the Warriors travelling to Canberra on Friday, July 19 and the Bulldogs making the trip to Townsville two days later.
