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Canterbury’s miserable start to the season has reached historic levels after a 38-0 loss to South Sydney made their 16 points scored in four games the worst tally in almost a century.
On Friday afternoon the Bulldogs became just the second team in NRL history to lose three straight games without scoring a point, with Cronulla in mid-2014 the only other side to slump as low.
It has now been 244 minutes of footy since the Bulldogs scored a try against Newcastle in Round 1, having since been held to zip against Penrith and Brisbane.
It is the worst start to an NRL-era season after four rounds, and their 16 points from four games is the fewest in almost a century since Glebe scored just 12 in 1928.
(Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
But it is not for the lack of trying by coach Trent Barrett’s team, with three tries going begging against the Rabbitohs in the annual Good Friday clash at Stadium Australia.
“Our attack is pedestrian, but we don’t help ourselves in the fundamental errors we’re making,” Barrett said.
“That’s one part of our game that needs to improve 100 per cent, but points come on the back of a lot of things.
“A lot of things have to happen to get across the tryline, good teams just don’t let you score.
“I know what’s wrong with our attack but this isn’t the forum to discuss it.”
The match got off to a terrible start for the Bulldogs when Lachlan Lewis remained on the field for a set despite stumbling out of a tackle and struggling to get to his feet.
Lewis was wobbly after attempting to tackle Josh Mansour six minutes in but was not immediately taken from the field where he failed a HIA.
After a week of increased attention on the NRL’s concussion protocols and the proposed introduction of an 18th man it was a poor look for the game and Barrett admitted they got it wrong.
“He should have come off straight away, we realise that,” Barrett said.
Although it was one-sided, the 23,340 fans who showed up were treated to electric attack from the Rabbitohs, with Damien Cook, Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell on fire.
Cook shredded the Bulldogs’ soft defence around the ruck setting up near-identical tries for Walker’s double, one in each half.
The nifty five-eighth was involved again later when he chipped for the corner for Alex Johnston to cross with 20 minutes to go, while Mitchell and Adam Reynolds also got on the board late.
Walker could be in hot water, though, for elbowing Bulldogs fullback Nick Meaney in the head as well as throwing Kyle Flanagan to the ground off the ball, sparking a melee mid-way through the second half.
“I’ll check the medication he’s taking,” Bennett said of Walker’s fiery approach, insisting he did not see the Meaney incident.
“There was obviously something going on there. He had the angry pills in today.”
The Rabbitohs have now won three straight and will face Brisbane on Thursday night.
© AAP
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