Tag: canterbury

A really impressive start to life under Shane Flanagan from the Dragons. Great to see the likes of Sloan and Lomax, who have really copped in recent years, play so well.

Nothing is going right for Gold Coast tonight – Verrills has had a go from close range but is held up by de Belin.

Stop me if you heard this before, but Sloan is in! That’s his third, he’s on the end of a Hunt short ball from about ten out as the halfback combines well with Flanagan. They’re doing this in style! Lomax converts and it’s Dragons 28-4. 

There’s another one, this time it’s Lomax. Hunt loops around the blindside and puts in a really nice little kick and Lomax, who has been excellent on the wing, pounces on the ball to score out wide. That’ll just about do us, really impressive stuff from the Red V. Lomax can’t convert his own try and it’s Dragons up 22-4. 

Sloan has a second! Liddle slices through from his own 40 metre line and he has the fullback in support and nobody is gonna get him! What a start to the second half for the Dragons. Lomax converts and it’s Dragons 18-4. 

Flanagan waltzes through from close range for a very simple try – he sold Fermor a dummy and was too quick for Palasaia. His old man in the coaches box is loving it! It was a drop from Kelly that gave the Dragons field position. Lomax converts and the Dragons are up 12-4. 

Here we go! Still like the Titans to hang on here but the Dragons have showed a fair bit of grit early……and as I type that, Hunt drops the kick off. Bit of a 2015 vibe. Titans on the attack.

You’ve heard of a game of two halves, what about a half of two halves? Saints had the better of the first 20 minutes but Gold Coast came back strongly after that.

Both teams are playing pretty open footy, now a bad little game at all.

Sloan drops a bomb on his own ten and the Titans get a fresh set. Kini almost gets through, then Haas gets very close on the next play. Ravalawa knocks on Boyd’s crosskick to give them another chance, they really need one before halftime, for their own confidence if nothing else.

The Titans spread it left after a Kini offload and Weaver puts through a nice grubber that AKP latches on to and he scores! Good try, nice execution. Boyd pulls it wide and the Titans have narrowed the gap to 6-4.

A simple error from Bird gives the Titans possession and Sloan hits Boyd late to give them field position. Boyd earns another set via a drop out, Gold Coast are building pressure pretty nicely.

Fa’asuamaleaui nearly plunges over but gets held up, Sami cuts back inside and beats four defenders only to be brought down in the shadows of the posts but then Randall drops the ball to relieve the pressure.

The Dragons very nearly score again after Lomax latches onto a bomb and throws it back inside but Faitala-Mariner’s offload is picked up by Sami and he flies downfield to flip field position.

Randall tries to duck over from close range but is held up and Boyd gets a kick into the in-goal but Sloan scoops it up and fights his way back into the field of play. Good passage of play from both sides.

Lomax earns a penalty for slowing down the ruck. Saints looking really nice early.

What a start! Dragons get a penalty in their first set and waste no time doing something with it, Flanagan and Hunt combine, Hunt goes short to Faitala-Mariner and he pops an offload to Sloan who pours onto it to score. Excellent way to get us started. Lomax converts and it’s Dragons 6-0. 

Saints kick off and they’re going left to right.

That’ll do us. Spirited work from Canterbury but Parramatta were a cut above. Titans-Dragons will kick off in about 15 minutes.

Canterbury spread it right and there’s a little bit of something happening, but Wilson drops it as he cuts back inside. Harper picks it up and takes off, he draws the cover and finds Simonsson, who races away to score and put this one beyond all doubt. Gutherson converts and it’s Eels 26-8.

Another Eels error, Hopgood this time, and Canterbury have a fresh set 30 metres out. On the last tackle they have another nice backline move, this time it’s right to left and Hutchinson hits Kikau short and the big man throws a great offload to Crichton who scores on his Canterbury debut! If they can get those two linking up more regularly that could be a handy thing. Burton needs to kick this…..and he doesn’t, it fades across the face of goal. Bulldogs have pulled it back to 20-8. 

I’ll say this for Canterbury, they’ve kept at it. A Penisini error gives Canterbiry field position and the Bulldogs execute a nice left to right shift with Hutchinson and Taaffe combining for Wilson to go over in the corner. Good reward for effort. Burton misses from touch and Canterbury have narrowed the gap to 20-4.

Kikau takes out Brown’s legs as he puts a kick in and the big Fijian is in a world of hurt. He’s down injured and on report, the legit definition of adding insult to injury. Eels on the attack.

Paulo hits Matterson short, he pokes his nose through and throws a great backhand offload to Cartwright and he rolls over for his second try of the day. Gutherson converts and it’s Eels 20-0.