After a brief departure in 2021, the upset is well and truly back in rugby league.
The Bulldogs defended like their lives depended on it, their coach Trent Barrett kicked every ball and made every tackle with them on the sideline, rather than in the coach’s box, and a late no try call against the Roosters saw the underdogs get home for just their second win of the year.
Two Matt Burton conversions were the difference as it ended three tries apiece, Canterbury winning 16-12.
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We already had the Tigers rattling off back-to-back wins over the Eels and Rabbitohs, and just two nights ago had the Broncos beating the Sharks in a boilover – but nothing so far this year compares to this.
It’s the Bulldogs first win since their 8-6 victory over the Cowboys in their season-opener, and came at a brilliant time with conjecture about Barrett’s role and co-existing with football manager Phil Gould across the media this week.
“We really needed it, obviously,” Barrett said afterwards.
“You could say it was an ordinary week, but it was a good week in terms of bringing everyone together.”
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Teenager Joseph Suaalii dived over in the corner to tie the match with three minutes left – until the try was sent upstairs as Adam Keighran lined up the conversion.
Initially, play was stopped to review an obstruction on Matt Burton, who was the man who came across late in cover defence. That was cleared, but what wasn’t cleared was the touchline – the replays showing Suaalii’s boot grazing it before he scored.
One last attacking raid ended with a Victor Radley error, and that was that.
The Bulldogs had shot out to a 10-0 lead thanks to a Josh Addo-Carr double, the second coming via a length of the field intercept. A try right on halftime put the Roosters on the board and really, until the game was over, a huge chunk of fans still would’ve been backing the Tricolours to come back.
And on a lot of nights they would have, just not this one.