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globalrugbyleague - Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:23:00 GMTThe Bulldogs’ won't be releasing a best of DVD this year after Canberra ended prematurely ended their season 58-18 in round 15.
Former Dragons winger Colin Best ran rings around the abysmal Bulldogs defence, scoring four tries, while teammates David Milne and Joe Picker both scored doubles as the Raiders recorded an amazing 11 tries to three victory.
Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes called it a fairly black day in the history of the once proud football club.
“This club’s always been about playing with pride and tonight I’ve got to say I was embarrassed,” Folkes said.
“We’re certainly at the bottom of a fairly big hole and there’s no way out of it in the short term, that’s for sure.
“We were just extremely poor today and the facts are we don’t have enough first graders to fill a first grade team, it’s as simple as that.”
The home side came into the contest without the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga and Matt Utai.
However Folkes’ comments may have been made to save face.
The mongrel and bark which is instilled in every single player, and not just a select few, was severely lacking as the once proud family club looked as menacing as a French poodle and reduced to a mere feeble whimper.
The fans hardly had a chance to find their seats as the rout commenced as early as the third minute when a simple passing movement opened space on the left hand side with fullback David Milne crossing over for the first try.
Barely 10 minutes later and the Raiders crossed over again via a 95-metre try care of NRL rookie Justin Carney who found space 5 metres from his own in-goal area before passing to Terry Campese who offloaded to Colin Best to finish the move.
The Raiders began to score points in chime with the clock as it became 16-0 in 16 minutes as Glen Turner was next to gallop over with absolute ease.
The Bulldogs temporarily came to life as Joe Williams’cross field bomb found Hazem El Masri, but the resistance lasted as far as the kick-off with the Raiders gaining possession and Best scoring his second of the night.
Folkes’ frustration could easily be felt and the Dogs responded.
Firstly Heka Nanai finished a lovely passing movement created down the left hand side before Andrew Ryan added his name to the score sheet four minutes later to come within two points of the away side.
Sonny Bill Williams’ celebrations from the stands was short lived as the Bulldogs’ defence bundied off for the night.
David Milne finished off a well drilled 50-metre try as the Raiders easily found space straight through the middle of the blue and white defence for a healthy 26-18 half-time lead.
With their season hanging by a thread, the Bulldogs were made to pay dearly for their lack of urgency in defence as the Raiders piled on 32 unanswered points.
Barely a minute and a half on the clock, Colin Best went straight through a half-hearted tackle with Joe Picker grabbing his first try of the night.
Four minutes later and Best was left with the length of the park at his disposal as the Bulldogs were left wanting time and again down their right hand side, the centre running half the length of the field to score his hat trick.
And number four was soon to follow as he did everything himself, darting out of dummy-half to catch the markers sleeping before waltzing around the fullback to take his side past the half century mark.
Justin Carney, Joe Picker and Bronx Goodwin some how managed to squeeze their names on the congested try scoring list as the Bulldogs fell to their heaviest defeat to the Raiders in their history.
In the aftermath of the game, coach Neil Henry could hardly have been happier with his troops.
“We’ve had dominant halves before but we haven’t really gone on with it,” Raiders coach Neil Henry said.
“In my time in the club it’s the most commanding victory I’ve been part of.”
Dogs coach Steve Folkes is now under pressure by some in the media to stand down.
“Steve Folkes has no choice but to stand down as Bulldogs coach,” wrote Phil Rothfield in the Sunday Telegraph.
“And if he doesn’t volunteer to go, the board has no choice but to sack him.
“No football club can ask fans to pay to watch this sort of rubbish.”
Canberra Raiders 58 (David Milne 4m, Colin Best 14m, Glen Turner 17m, Colin Best 22m, David Milne 38m, Joe Picker 42m, Colin Best 46m, Justin Carney 67m, Joe Picker 74m, Colin Best 76m, Bronx Goodwin 78m – Conversions Todd Carney 5m, 18m, 40m, 43m, 68m, Terry Campese 75m, 77m) def Bulldogs 18 (Hazem El Masri 20m, Heka Nanai 26m, Andrew Ryan 32m – Conversions Hazem El Masri 21m, 27m, 33m) - Read More, Here
Former Dragons winger Colin Best ran rings around the abysmal Bulldogs defence, scoring four tries, while teammates David Milne and Joe Picker both scored doubles as the Raiders recorded an amazing 11 tries to three victory.
Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes called it a fairly black day in the history of the once proud football club.
“This club’s always been about playing with pride and tonight I’ve got to say I was embarrassed,” Folkes said.
“We’re certainly at the bottom of a fairly big hole and there’s no way out of it in the short term, that’s for sure.
“We were just extremely poor today and the facts are we don’t have enough first graders to fill a first grade team, it’s as simple as that.”
The home side came into the contest without the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga and Matt Utai.
However Folkes’ comments may have been made to save face.
The mongrel and bark which is instilled in every single player, and not just a select few, was severely lacking as the once proud family club looked as menacing as a French poodle and reduced to a mere feeble whimper.
The fans hardly had a chance to find their seats as the rout commenced as early as the third minute when a simple passing movement opened space on the left hand side with fullback David Milne crossing over for the first try.
Barely 10 minutes later and the Raiders crossed over again via a 95-metre try care of NRL rookie Justin Carney who found space 5 metres from his own in-goal area before passing to Terry Campese who offloaded to Colin Best to finish the move.
The Raiders began to score points in chime with the clock as it became 16-0 in 16 minutes as Glen Turner was next to gallop over with absolute ease.
The Bulldogs temporarily came to life as Joe Williams’cross field bomb found Hazem El Masri, but the resistance lasted as far as the kick-off with the Raiders gaining possession and Best scoring his second of the night.
Folkes’ frustration could easily be felt and the Dogs responded.
Firstly Heka Nanai finished a lovely passing movement created down the left hand side before Andrew Ryan added his name to the score sheet four minutes later to come within two points of the away side.
Sonny Bill Williams’ celebrations from the stands was short lived as the Bulldogs’ defence bundied off for the night.
David Milne finished off a well drilled 50-metre try as the Raiders easily found space straight through the middle of the blue and white defence for a healthy 26-18 half-time lead.
With their season hanging by a thread, the Bulldogs were made to pay dearly for their lack of urgency in defence as the Raiders piled on 32 unanswered points.
Barely a minute and a half on the clock, Colin Best went straight through a half-hearted tackle with Joe Picker grabbing his first try of the night.
Four minutes later and Best was left with the length of the park at his disposal as the Bulldogs were left wanting time and again down their right hand side, the centre running half the length of the field to score his hat trick.
And number four was soon to follow as he did everything himself, darting out of dummy-half to catch the markers sleeping before waltzing around the fullback to take his side past the half century mark.
Justin Carney, Joe Picker and Bronx Goodwin some how managed to squeeze their names on the congested try scoring list as the Bulldogs fell to their heaviest defeat to the Raiders in their history.
In the aftermath of the game, coach Neil Henry could hardly have been happier with his troops.
“We’ve had dominant halves before but we haven’t really gone on with it,” Raiders coach Neil Henry said.
“In my time in the club it’s the most commanding victory I’ve been part of.”
Dogs coach Steve Folkes is now under pressure by some in the media to stand down.
“Steve Folkes has no choice but to stand down as Bulldogs coach,” wrote Phil Rothfield in the Sunday Telegraph.
“And if he doesn’t volunteer to go, the board has no choice but to sack him.
“No football club can ask fans to pay to watch this sort of rubbish.”
Canberra Raiders 58 (David Milne 4m, Colin Best 14m, Glen Turner 17m, Colin Best 22m, David Milne 38m, Joe Picker 42m, Colin Best 46m, Justin Carney 67m, Joe Picker 74m, Colin Best 76m, Bronx Goodwin 78m – Conversions Todd Carney 5m, 18m, 40m, 43m, 68m, Terry Campese 75m, 77m) def Bulldogs 18 (Hazem El Masri 20m, Heka Nanai 26m, Andrew Ryan 32m – Conversions Hazem El Masri 21m, 27m, 33m) - Read More, Here