In a dominant display of second-half rugby league, the Bulldogs overpowered the injury-riddled St George Illawarra Dragons, securing a 44-12 victory at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Thursday.
The match turned into a nightmare for the Dragons after losing Hame Sele and Jack Bird to injuries early on. Despite holding a 12-6 lead, they collapsed under pressure, conceding 38 straight points in the second half.
The Dragons initially took the lead when Moses Suli scored in the 13th minute, capitalising on a precise pass from Ben Hunt after a strong effort from Jack de Belin. However, the Bulldogs responded quickly when Toby Sexton, a last-minute addition, cleverly kicked the ball into the Dragons’ in-goal area, allowing Matt Burton to score.
Kyle Flanagan sparked a moment of brilliance for St George in the 32nd minute, setting up Jacob Liddle to dive over from close range, pushing the Dragons ahead 12-6. Yet, their fortunes turned when Bird was carted off just before the break, visibly in pain with an ankle injury.
Starting the second half with only two substitutes, the Dragons struggled against the Bulldogs’ relentless attacks. Jaeman Salmon tied the game at 12-12 after slicing through the defense. Burton then added another try, benefiting from quick passing by Jacob Kiraz and Reed Mahoney.
Jacob Kiraz extended the Bulldogs’ lead to 24-12 in the 57th minute, following a break by Stephen Crichton. Jacob Preston soon added another try, with Mahoney setting him up from a short distance.
The situation worsened for the Dragons when Zac Lomax was sent to the sin bin. Burton and Crichton exploited the advantage, pushing the score to 40-12.
In the final moments, Kiraz scored again, sealing the Bulldogs’ impressive 44-12 win over the Dragons, who were left to rue their injuries and missed opportunities.
