Canterbury could have levelled the contest with Penrith after a controversial late incident.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has defended his side’s surprise decision not to have a late shot at goal after going down to Penrith by two points in a Thursday night thriller at CommBank Stadium. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said he was surprised by the call as his men came from behind to clinch a gutsy 8-6 victory for their fourth win in a row, jumping to sixth on the NRL ladder after running dead last less than two months ago.
The Bulldogs had a late chance to try and send the game into golden point extra time when Brian To’o was pinged for a controversial high shot on Bronson Xerri with just over two minutes remaining. Replays showed the initial contact from the Panthers winger looked fair but suggested part of To’o’s shoulder made contact with Xerri’s head as it whipped back in the tackle. To’o was subsequently put on report.
It gave Canterbury the opportunity to level the scores with a successful shot at goal from a tough angle, 30 metres out on the left sideline. But even though they’d only scored one try all night in a game where four-pointers were at a premium, the Bulldogs decided to chance their arm by kicking for touch and going for the win.
The eye-opening decision quickly backfired as Matt Burton coughed up the ball in the ensuing set and Penrith hung on for victory. Speaking after the game, Penrith coach Cleary said despite the difficulty and distance of the kick, he was shocked the Dogs didn’t take the shot at goal. And he suggested Burton – with his huge kicking game – would have had no issues with the distance.
Bulldogs defend late call after Ivan Cleary’s surprise
“A little,” Cleary said when asked if he was surprised Canterbury turned down the shot at goal. “A normal person would struggle to get the distance from 30 out on the sideline, that’s like, over 50 metres, probably. Burto could definitely get it.”
But Ciraldo defended the decision after the game and admitted he wanted the Dogs to play on and try to ice the game with a late try. The Bulldogs coach argued that the tight angle from the left touchline didn’t favour either of his left-footed kickers in Burton or first-choice goalkicker, Stephen Crichton.
“It was so far out. It’s a big shot there,” Ciraldo said. “Both left foot kickers so the wrong side. It was me that was keener to keep playing. I thought we were creating enough opportunities there to win the game. That’s all right. We actually did create an opportunity there but we didn’t ice it.”
The Bulldogs edged a tight first half after a try for Jacob Preston put them 6-2 up at the break, in a brutally tough contest that had a distinct finals footy feel about it. However, Nathan Cleary helped the Panthers take the lead early in the second half when he charged down a Burton kick and regathered to score next to the posts.
Canterbury had another late chance to try and snatch victory in the dying stages but Crichton’s audacious flick pass went into touch and the opportunity went begging. Penrith’s win could come at a cost for To’o though even if he escapes suspension for the high shot on Xerri, with the Blues Origin winger also struggling with a fresh left knee injury that required strapping in the first half.
“I’m still walking, that’s the main positive sign,” To’o said after the game. “I think it might’ve happened during the game, either way I’m all good … It’s good.” To’o did finish the game, but also did likewise when he hurt his hamstring in round four before being ruled out for five weeks.