The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have the chance to claim back-to-back Jersey Flegg Cup Premierships after they put themselves into the Grand Final with a thrilling 15-14 win at Leichhardt Oval against this year’s Minor Premiers, the Canberra Raiders.
The Bulldogs hoisted the Cup in 2023 and will now meet the winner of next week's match between the Raiders and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the season’s decider on Sunday, September 29 at Commbank Stadium.
Major Semi-final: (3rd) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 15 def (1st) Canberra Raiders 14
The two sides couldn’t be separated after 70 minutes, and then even after two periods of extra time which sent the match into Golden Point.
Then in the 85th minute and after three earlier attempts, Bulldogs halfback Cassius Tia slotted his fourth field goal to send his side into the 2024 Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Final.
NSWRL TV Highlights | Jersey Flegg Cup - Semi-finals
It was heartbreak for the Raiders, the Minor Premiers, with their No.7 Mitch Henderson making two clean strikes at the uprights to see the ball fade to the left (81st minute) and then right (82nd).
It was a far different scenario for the Canterbury-Bankstown players, who enjoyed a 32-6 win over Penrith in last weekend’s Qualifying final.
Solid defence and some handling errors kept the scores tight in the opening half.
The Bulldogs took a slim 6-4 lead to the sheds at halftime, but it could have been more if the pass to put winger Jonathan Sua over in the north-east corner hadn’t been ruled forward.
Match: Raiders v Bulldogs
Finals Week 2 -
home Team
Raiders
1st Position
away Team
Bulldogs
3rd Position
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
The Raiders also crossed twice for no joy with an improper grounding and a knock-on denying them points.
It was still a try apiece in the first half – the Bulldogs striking first when Tia dropped his centre Danny Gabrael underneath for an angled run to the Raiders line. Tia converted for the early lead 6-0.
The Raiders replied when back-rower Jaxon Lavender ran towards the left corner post, dummied and kept going himself. Henderson had difficulty converting from the sideline in the stiff southerly breeze.
The second half had the Bulldogs starting to put their stamp on the match with two tries within five minutes – both to winger Ragarive Wavik to push the scoreboard out to 14-4.
But then after a bust upfield from Raiders centre Regan Carr, backrower Joe Roddy pushed aside one defender and stepped another to score Canberra’s second try and narrow the gap to six points.
Then it was Carr’s outstretched right arm, with three defenders on him, that levelled scores 14-all with seven minutes on the clock.
