The Titans have spoiled Canterbury’s return to Belmore and Moses Mbye’s last game for the club with a comprehensive 32-10 win.
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Final score
Canterbury Bulldogs 10
Gold Coast Titans 34
Canterbury return to Belmore for the first time this season when they host the Titans today in Round 15. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 3pm AEST.
It’s a battle of the first-year NRL head coaches, with both Dean Pay and Garth Brennan having had a tough initiation to the first-grade clipboard.
Canterbury have just three wins to show for their efforts this season and are currently sitting second last.
Dean Pay is also facing the off-field distraction of the rumoured mid-season exits of prop Aaron Woods and fullback Moses Mbye due to the Bulldogs’ salary cap issues.
The Titans have only fared marginally better with four wins and are sitting in twelfth spot.
Defence has been their biggest problem. They have the worst defensive record in the competition, leaking an average of 26 points a game.
The Bulldogs on the other hand have the worst attacking record, scoring just 15 points a game.
They’ve been competitive even against the top teams but haven’t put enough points on the board to get regular wins.
They come into this week with a five-day turnaround after going down 18-16 to ladder leaders St George in a spirited performance last Monday.
The Titans should be fresh, coming off a bye last week.
State of Origin prop Jarrod Wallace is out though through suspension, while backrower Max King will miss the match with a shoulder injury.
Jack Stockwell and Will Matthews will take their starting spots this week.
Prediction
The return to Belmore should lift Canterbury.
The Bulldogs by 7.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match from 3pm AEST.
Robert F
Guest
They won their first game back against Melbourne then I'm fairly certain the only other game was Reynolds farewell when Mbye charged down the kick and scored in the dying seconds hence why i don't really consider it a win as we were very lucky..... very lucky..... Honestly don't know how you went to the game TB. On a side note.... how is Cleeland going in lower grades and why do you think he hasn't had a chance in top grade yet? Now would be a good time as any wouldn't You say??
Drew
Roar Rookie
You'd be hard pressed to see a poorer back line than what the Dogs had out there today. Left side defence was shambolic.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining me on this afternoon’s coverage, hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave your comments on the game.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Only one win if you don’t count the other win...? One of the grimmest afternoons I’ve ever spent at the footy. It was nice in the sun but freezing in the second half. What left me colder still was the lack of effort. I’ve known all along this would be a very lean season but I still expect some sort of effort. There was very little from the Dogs.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Match report TITANS 32 CANTERBURY 10 The Titans have spoiled Canterbury’s return to Belmore and Moses Mbye’s last game for the club with a comprehensive 32-10 win. The Bulldogs were never in the match, with the Titans scoring four tries in the first twenty-five minutes to race away to a 22-0 lead. Fullback Michael Gordon had a dream first half, scoring the Titans’ first two tries and being heavily involved in a third. His first try came in the fifth minute after Jai Arrow put Kevin Proctor through a gap on halfway. Proctor drew Bulldogs’ fullback Moses Mbye before offloading to Gordon to score. He was in again in the 11th minute when he strolled through some soft Bulldogs defence in a simple Titans’ backline play. Then in the 21st minute, he made a 60-metre break that led to a charging Ryan James try two plays later. James has also had a strong first half, pushing his claims for a New South Wales jersey for the State of Origin Game 2. Titans’ winger Anthony Don celebrated his 100th game with a try four minutes later, showing his great finishing skills yet again on the end of a Titans’ backline play. In his last game for the Bulldogs before his mid-season move to the Wests Tigers, Moses Mbye finally got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a try on half-time. The Bulldogs needed to score first in the second half but some Ash Taylor magic produced a Titans’ try in the 45th minute. He regathered how own last tackle kick that had been charged down before putting in a cross-field kick for his unmarked winger Phillip Sami to score out wide. The Bulldogs responded with an intercept try to John Olive just three minutes later, but Kevin Proctor put the game beyond doubt in the 59th minute when he charged onto the ball and streamrolled his way past Bulldogs’ halfback Craig Frawley to score. Today’s match pitted the worst defensive team in 2018 (the Titans) against the worst attacking team (the Bulldogs). The Bulldogs attack again struggled, but today it was compounded by a poor kicking game and poor defence, especially in the opening twenty-five minutes. Their right edge really struggled to contain the likes of Kevin Proctor, Brenko Lee and Michael Gordon.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Full-time The hooter sounds and its victory for the Titans! CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
79’ A chip and chase by Klemmer is unsuccessful, not surprisingly. 20 metre tap to the Titans. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
78’ Titans knock on, the game is really winding down now. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
77’ 20 metre tap for the Titans. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
75’ Forward pass called when the Titans were looking threatening. Bulldogs scrum feed on their own 20. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
If the Titans were executing better they'd have 50.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
74’ Penalty to the Titans, they’ll take the tap near halfway. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
72’ The Titans defence is solid again, now working it out of their own territory. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
70’ Penalty to the Bulldogs 30 metres out. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
69’ Red light! No try! Knock-on ruled. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
69’ Try!! Titans (Fotuaika) - pending bunker review.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
67’ Titans on the attack again but lose the ball 5 metres out! CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
66’ Knock on early in the count from the Bulldogs, their attack has been really poor. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
65’ Penalty to the Bulldogs, they’ll take the tap near halfway. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32
John Coomer
Roar Guru
64’ Bulldogs in possession on their own 10. CANTERBURY 10 TITANS 32