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Canterbury have secured a crucial 22-18 victory, spoiling Josh Papali’i’s 300th game in a seesawing affair at Belmore Sports Ground, as the club rapidly approaches a top four berth.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart seemingly dropped a bombshell on his team list before a ball had been kicked, relegating Dally M Rookie of the Year contender Ethan Strange to 18th man duties, and recalling NSW Cup half Adam Cook to his line-up.
The young five-eighth had played every game this season for Canberra before the Belmore clash, and the absence was clear as the Raiders struggled down their left edge in the opening stanza.
The Belmore effect was on show early as an emotionally charged Canterbury outfit started out strong, applying pressure to Ricky Stuart’s men in the opening stages, zinging the ball from edge to edge as they did against Brisbane last weekend.
Desperate to stay in the race for a tp four spot, it was the skipper in Stephen Crichton that would have the suburban ground erupting first, fending off Sebastian Kris to burst through the line and plant it down for the blue-and-white’s first, and a 4-0 lead.
However, while Canterbury are eager to make the top four, the Raiders are just as desperate to stay in the race for the eight after a St George Illawarra upset at AAMI Park pushed the green machine down to 9th over the weekend.
It wouldn’t take long for Canberra to strike back, knocking on the front door after a sneaky short ball from Tom Starling sent bench forward Trey Mooney under the sticks to earn a surprising lead.
The young prop would go from hero to villain after dropping the ball in the very next set, opening up field position for the Bulldogs to square the ledger at 6-6 after an off-side penalty right in front of the sticks.
Neither side could crack the other the opening stanza, despite a dominant display from Joseph Tapine in the middle third to set the tone.
Defence may have been the order for the first-half, but razzle dazzle was on the menu for the second after some sizzling solo play saw Crichton bag a double minutes after the break.
The captain caught the ball five metres out from the line, angling a perfect chip kick between Kris and Rapana before regathering and grounding the ball millimetres from the dead-ball line, and snatch back the lead.
A horror 60 seconds from Xavier Savage doubled the Dogs’ advantage, dropping the ball 40 metres out from his own line, before jamming in off the scrum to give Josh Addo-Carr an untouched run to the tryline, and a sudden 16-6 margin.
Whilst Canberra’s left edge struggled in attack without Strange at the helm, their right was humming, finally finding an answer on the scoreboard after a grubber from Fogarty found the hands of a steaming Matt Timoko, planting the ball down to cut Canterbury’s lead to just four.
However, it was only an entrée to the play of the day from Stephen Crichton, as the skipper darted across from right centre to catch a Matt Burton bomb on the left-hand side, before finding the Foxx to bag a double in front of 18,110 screaming blue-and-white fans
The Raiders would snag a late consolation try through Jordan Rapana to set up a grandstand finish, however the Dogs wouldn’t be denied a win at their spiritual home, defending their backsides off to snare a crucial 22-18 win, and just one win outside the top four.
There’s been a number of fantastic signings in the NRL in 2024, but not one has been as influential as Stephen Crichton has been at Belmorer.
The 23-year-old raised eyebrows after being named as club captain before playing a game for the Dogs, however his leadership, and skillset, were on show in spades on Sunday afternoon.
The New South Welshman bagged two tries, set another up, and was everywhere in defence for Canterbury in the dying moments. A real captain’s knock.
Ricky Stuart’s decision to drop rookie sensation Ethan Strange to 18th man before kick-off sent a shockwave through Canberra fans, just a week after the kid starred against South Sydney.
The five-eighth hadn’t missed a game so far in 2024 and was growing close to a certainty to earn Rookie of the Year honours, before being dropped for Adam Cook.
Stuart explained the decision to leave out Strange and replace him with Cook.
“I know how to look after young players,” Stuart said in his post-match presser.
“I said to him earlier in the month you’re going to have a week off, you tell me when you need it. You guys (the media) see his brilliant play, I see the physicality he’s copping.
“He’s a 19-year-old boy who’s played every minute of the season, I’ve got to look after him because I feel at the backend of the season he’ll be better for the team.
“He wasn’t happy with it at all, he isn’t one to shy away from playing, but me personally I’ve got to worry about Ethan for the backend of this season, and how he starts next year.”
There was only a tick over 18,000 fans at Belmore Sports Ground, but the atmosphere was as electric as a packed Accor Stadium in September, especially in the dying moments.
The Canterbury fans seem as rejuvenated as the players and club themselves, suddenly filled with hope again as the Bulldogs edge closer to their first finals series in seven years.
They won’t get to play a post-season game at their spiritual home ground, but one thing is for certain – the Dogs are barking again.
