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Round 15: BULLDOGS vs TITANS

Bulldogs slump to worst NRL start in 54 years with loss to Titans
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Bulldogs slump to worst NRL start in 54 years with loss to Titans
Canterbury have slumped to their worst start in 54 seasons after being thumped 32-10 by Gold Coast.

The Bulldogs had much to play for at their spiritual home of Belmore Sportsground, with Moses Mbye featuring in his last NRL game for the club, but they were woeful in the six tries to two defeat.

With just three wins under their belt this year, it's the club's worst start through 14 games since their wooden spoon season in 1964.

The 22-point loss was the side's worst under Dean Pay and saw them slip to 15th on the ladder.

Halfback Ash Taylor was chief destroyer, setting up three of the Titans' six tries.

Michael Gordon ran for 183 metres, grabbed two first-half tries and made four linebreaks, while Ryan James made a compelling case for a NSW call-up, racking up 121 metres, 44 tackles, a linebreak, two tackle breaks and a try in a 73-minute effort.

Gordon's early double had the Titans scoring at nearly a point a minute.

James went into the game looking to prove something to the NSW selectors with Reagan Campbell-Gillard (broken jaw) ruled out for Origin II and made a big statement when he powered past Blues prop David Klemmer to score.

Reimis Smith looked like he was set to run 90 metres untouched however the play was called back because of a Bulldogs touch.

And from the next play the Titans spread it from the scrum and went 22-0 up when a flying Anthony Don crossed in their corner.

The Bulldogs' only joy in the first-half came when Mbye - who departs for the Wests Tigers in a mid-season move next week - crossed in the shadows of the break.

After leading 22-4 at halftime, the Titans extended their lead when they ran it on the last and Taylor showed great vision to chip for an unmarked Phillip Sami, effectively sealing the game.

Klemmer could come under the scrutiny of the match review committee for a late shot on AJ Brimson in the final minutes.
 
Dogs had Klemmer, Woods, Jackson, Eastwood, Marina, Hopiate, Mbye and Tolman who are all quality players so stop belittling our effort. I think we went better because we didn’t have Untrustworthy players. Good win.
 
Titans gate-crash Mbye's farewell party
https://www.titans.com.au/

The Bulldogs couldn't deliver a win for Moses Mbye in his last game in the blue-and-white jersey but Ryan James might have done enough to earn a NSW Origin spot as the Titans overwhelmed Canterbury 32-10 at Belmore Oval on Saturday.

Mbye did score a try – his 15th and last for the club in 94 games – on the half-time bell, but the game was all but gone after just 40 minutes at 22-4. And so is the Bulldogs' 2018 Telstra Premiership season.

The loss was the Dogs' fourth in succession and 11th for the year.

The Titans were impressive at a ground that is not easy on visiting teams at the best of times, especially now with the western end decorated in all the emblems and years of Canterbury's eight premierships. The Titans are still searching for their first title after 11 years in first grade.

It was only the fifth win of the year for rookie coach Garth Brennan but he has all the ingredients to build on with his smattering of Origin and international players like Kevin Proctor, Jarrod Wallace, Jai Arrow, Michael Gordon and Nathan Peats. James could now be added to that list.

The game was effectively over when Anthony Don scored a 24th-minute try in the right corner in his 100th NRL game. That shot the score out to 22-0.

But the intrigue was definitely still there as an Origin spot opened up in the NSW forward pack with the broken jaw to Penrith's Reagan Campbell-Gillard in Friday night's loss to the Roosters at Allianz Stadium.

The Titans skipper is most likely locked in a tussle with Dragons forward Tariq Sims for the call-up.

When James pushed through the tackle of David Klemmer and Aiden Tolman in the 20th minute to score near the posts, he would've earned a big tick in Brad Fittler's coaching sheet.

Remember it was Klemmer who was given a Blues spot for Origin I at the 11th hour because of his strong showing against Wests Tigers in round 12.

Klemmer may have a nervous wait while the match review committee scrutinises his hit on Titans five-eighth AJ Brimson in the 79th minute.

The Bulldogs prop appeared to blindside the No.6, although the referees took no action.

James was rested in the 74th minute but little wonder after 51 tackles, 126 metres and 11 hit-ups.

Underneath most of the good work of the Titans was the very talented head and boot of halfback Ash Taylor. He handled twice in Phillip Sami's 45th-minute try, but it was the class of his superb corner kick that hung in the breeze and fell right into his winger's hands that even had Bulldogs fans applauding.

The fans stayed on their feet as just minutes later Bulldogs centre John Olive picked up a loose pass from the Titans and sprinted 70 metres to score under the posts.

And then again they were disappointed when Kevin Proctor ran off a Taylor pass in the 58th minute through feeble defence for the visitors' sixth try of the afternoon.

The Bulldogs had won their past three games against the Titans but they didn't look dominant at any stage this time.

As impressive as the win was for Gold Coast it only shifts them from 12th to 11th on the ladder. So they will need to string a few more wins together in the remaining 10 rounds.

It was the Michael Gordon show early in Saturday's game. He scored two tries within six minutes – converted both – and then made another break upfield that eventually led to the James try. Gordon converted that too.

That meant 14 points in 20 minutes by the Titans fullback, but he wasn't done for the afternoon. It was his pass that put Don over in the right corner.

By half-time Gordon had already racked up 155 metres, a line-break assist, a try assist, alongside his two individual four-pointers. For game's end he had 194 metres, four line-breaks and three tackle-breaks to add to his points haul.

News & Notes ... The Titans had not won outside Queensland this season until today... winger Anthony Don played his 100th game...his seventh try for the season here was the 60th of his career – sitting at No.2 behind David Mead (67) for Titans highest try scorer....Bulldogs forward Clay Priest went off for an HIA in the 44th minute and didn't return.... the Bulldogs have won only one of their past six games at Belmore... After the rep weekend bye, the Bulldogs head up the M1 to play Newcastle, while the Titans head to another historic suburban ground in Leichhardt Oval to face the Wests Tigers...Crowd: 6,874
 
GCTTSD said:
I feel like the team loses any structure we have with rein at hooker, he always trys to run and then passes to anyone when there's no room to run
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Agree completely. Not only that but his defence is piss weak as well. Peats is really starting to hit some form now, I don't see the need for him anymore. I'm still gutted we lost Lawton. He was far more versatile and at least when he ran he could actually find the try line.
 
James has been epic the last few weeks, and has probably evened the ledger with Arrow as our best forward over first half of season.
he is the heroic leader they can all rally behind.

Gordon was immense today. made a couple errors bu after coming up here as a safe running fullback we've wanted for years, he has been all of that and so much more with his broken field play, passing and timing. He has been an inspired signing.

I can see why AJ runs the ball so much- the thought of a decision terrifies him and gets rattled. he made some quite poor passing choices in traffic today. We probably should have got to 50 if we converted some more opportunities.

Brenko and Copley have made the centre spots theirs to lose.

Hipgrave Smartened up today. glad to see he could reign it in a bit.
 
I’m desperate to see the spine of Brimson LG ATay Peats with Gordon on the wing before we lose LG.
Coach Brennan take a long term view and give it a try
 
Mr Bods , I’m like you , and would love to see a spine of what you mentioned. But I’ve got a feeling LG’s papers are marked.
 
^^^ this is not a year where we are going to make the finals so it’s development and building culture time. I just think if Brennan doesn’t at least give it a try then in years to come we might really regret it.
 
it might take an injury for that to happen i think and i don't really want to wish that on anyone.

to be fair to Garth he has dumped much higher profiles in Carty and Hurrell as well so LG was first go but Garth has been true and relegated based on form which is to be applauded. just hope we get another chance to see him at some point. i have no idea how Koni is going to get back in except for injury
 
If Taylor jags a Qld bench spot we might see Elgey again sooner rather than later. My choice would be to axe Rein, play Peats for 80 and get Elgey into the mix. He’s too good for QCup.
 
So Klemmer only gets a grade 1 charge for his dog shot on Brimson and is free to play State of Origin. Why am I not surprised?

So much for the crackdown on protecting the halves.
 
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