Recruit's instant impact amid Dogs' 70pt turnaround; Latrell ...

The Bulldogs have bounced back from a 66-0 thrashing last week in a big way, earning a much needed victory, 36-32, in a tryscoring fest against the Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium.

Bulldogs recruit Toby Sexton sealed the result when diving on a grubber five metres out from his own line, effectively staving off the Souths comeback.

After rookie winger Blake Wilson scored his third try in the 70th minute to give the Bulldogs a seemingly insurmountable 36-22 lead, the Rabbitohs went over twice in two minutes to bridge the gap back to four points.

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They would have another attacking set in the final minute but a Dean Hawkins grubber was bravely corralled by Sexton to thwart a Rabbitohs try.

Rabbitohs stand-in skipper Tom Burgess opened the scoring in the fourth minute, taking advantage of some soft goal line defence.

“Oh Bulldogs, that is not the way to respond after being beaten 66-0,” Andrew Voss said on Fox League.

After a Souths knock on in the next set, the Dogs took advantage of their first attacking chance of the game when Matt Burton hit the speedy Blake Wilson with a lovely cut-out ball.

Wilson ran 25 metres to score - his first NRL four pointer.

“What a ball there from Matty Burton. He just lofts it over the top of Bulldogs and Bunnies players,” Greg Alexander said on Fox League.

“What a set play that was.”

A strange moment unfolded as Burton was lining up for goal, with a fan (later ejected) shining a laser pointer in the Bulldogs star’s eyes.

Scary scenes rocked Accor Stadium a couple of minutes later when Ryan Sutton was hit in the head by a Taane Milne shoulder charge.

Sutton was attended to by trainers for well over five minutes before being stretchered off.

He was later sent to hospital for scans after complaining of neck pain.

Initially, Milne was only put on report for the shoulder charge before later being sent to the bin.

“This is about to escalate. I don’t know about this reacting to injury,” Voss said.

“This is going to go from on report to sin bin or it might be more than that.”

“Now I agree with it, but I’m not sure what angle was not observed the first time in putting him on report?”

“Please explain? I am lost.”

Despite the unsettling scenes, the Bulldogs kept on keeping on, with Blake Wilson scoring his second try in the NRL.

The Bulldogs were on the crest of a wave when captain Reed Mahoney finished off some good ball movement to cross two minutes later.

“Canterbury is running hot,” Andrew Voss said on Fox League.

The Rabbitohs ensured the Dogs wouldn’t run away with it when speedy winger Tyrone Munro finished stylishly a few sets later.

The Rabbitohs continued to shoot themselves in the foot with poor errors and the Bulldogs were happy to take advantage.

They scored their fourth of the night through winger Jacob Kiraz in the 25th minute.

Burton continued his perfect night with the boot to that point, nailing his third sideline conversion.

“Is it Johnathan Thurston or Hazem El-Masri. No, it’s Matt Burton. 4/4 on the night,” Andrew Voss said.

Both defences would smarten up the rest of the first half, with the Dogs heading to the break up 24-12.

The screws continued to tighten on defence into the second half before debutant Ethan Quai-Ward crossed.

A Sexton line break and big run gave the Bulldogs the field position with Quai-Ward scoring a few plays later.

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This is the best he’s played,” Greg Alexander said on Sexton.

With the Dogs up 16, Blake Taaffe single-handedly brought his side back into the contest with two tries in the 58th and 66th minutes.

Taaffe has been one of his team’s best over the past few weeks, filling in for injured star Latrell Mitchell at the back, and has been prolific tonight.

“Latrell who,” Andrew Voss said after Taaffe’s second try.

Bulldogs debutant Jeral Skelton, who started the game as 18th man, made a great run with just his second career touch to put his side in position before Wilson went over for his third try.

A runaway try to Tallis Duncan was one of the highlights in a game that was full of them, with the young Souths forward almost scooting the length of the field to set up a grandstand finish.

The Rabbitohs tried in vain to pull off a miracle comeback, but fell just short.

“Thanks for the entertainment,” Andrew Voss said when the final whistle was blown.

READ ON FOR OUR THREE BIG HITS …

SHAKE AND BLAKE

There’s every chance Blake Taaffe doesn’t play another game this season given Latrell Mitchell is expected to return from a calf injury after the bye, but the fill-in fullback went out with a bang scoring two tries in his best performance of the year.

The Rabbitohs struggled in attack for most of the contest without their Origin stars, but Taaffe can hold his head high after he terrorised the Bulldogs all night long.

It was his second try that cut the margin to eight points with plenty of time left, but a shocking final play option saw Burton streak away before Blake Wilson dived over a few plays later to seal the result.

The loss leaves the Rabbitohs clinging to eighth spot with a timely bye coming up to give their rep stars a breather.

“Latrell who?” Andrew Voss said on Fox League after Taaffe’s try.

“Blake is a first-grader, but Latrell Mitchell is one of the most elite players in the game and we’re missing him,” Jason Demetriou said in his post-match press conference.

“I’m looking forward to having him back.”

- Martin Gabor, NCA Newswire

YOUNG GUNS STAND UP

A look at the tryscorers list, and there’d be a few names that appear may be foreign to a lot of fans, even the most diehard but if this game is anything to go by, the future of the league appears to be in good hands.
As well as Taaffe’s and Sexton’s (22yo) outstanding games, a few other youngsters can leave the field with their head held very high.

Bulldogs winner Blake Wilson, who was playing just his second NRL game, scored a hat-trick.

Debutant Ethan Quai-Ward, who was a late addition to the side, scored a try himself.
For the Bunnies, exciting winger Tyrone Munro crossed for a four-pointer in just his second game while teammate Tallis Duncan recorded arguably the best try of the game with a near full-field effort in just his third NRL cap.

“He’d play 18 minutes of first grade before tonight,” Voss said after the Duncan try.

“The young players here tonight, forget about the stars who aren’t.

“The show some of these kids have put on tonight has been extraordinary.”

SEXTON STARS IN DOGS DEBUT

It was no secret the Bulldogs needed a spark in their spine, with inconsistent and poor play from their halves plaguing them.

Tonight would mark the Bulldogs sixth halves pairing of the season, with new recruit Toby Sexton given the task to lead the side around at halfback alongside Matt Burton.

Sexton, a former Titan, was only signed by the Bulldogs on Tuesday and quickly parachuted into the side by coach Cameron Ciraldo, and didn’t he deliver.

Sexton looked so comfortable for a player who has only had two training sessions with the side, recording 72 running metres, four tackle busts and two line breaks in addition to leading the team around the park well.

“This is the best he’s played,” Greg Alexander said.

Cooper Cronk believes the most impressive part of Sexton’s debut was the positive effect he had on Burton.

“He’s obviously got a very good temperament because he had a good balance in his game,” Cronk said.

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“Going through what he’s gone through (moving down this week), he’s had a couple of runs, a couple of line breaks, but the biggest glowing endorsement is Matt Burton had one of his best games of the year.

“You’ve got to give Burton credit because he stood up and was the go-to man but he was assisted by his new halfback.”

Mal Meninga, a senior advisor at Sexton’s old club (Titans) also sung the praises of the 22-year-old playmaker.
“It was a big decision, he’s come down to the Dogs for an opportunity. Tanah Boyd got in front of him this year but I feel really happy for Toby having been associated with him for the last few years,” Meninga said.

“You deserve what you get, he’s worked really hard and stayed really positive, his family are great people, he’s a great person.
“His better days are in front of him, they’ve only had about two training sessions with them. He got down there in the middle of the week and to play like that … well done Toby.”

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