CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 16 CANBERRA RAIDERS 40
CALLUM WALKER, Accor Stadium, Saturday

ZAC HOSKING notched a hat-trick as Canberra wiped the floor with Canterbury – despite the Bulldogs sitting four points clear of the Raiders going into this one.

The Raiders led 22-0 at half-time and 40-4 at one stage in the second half as the capital club proved far too strong for a Bulldogs side that had won three consecutive games prior to this drubbing.

The writing was on the wall early when Xavier Savage crashed over after nine minutes, then Noah Martin and Hosking – with his first – stretched the Raiders’ lead to 18-0 after just 22 minutes.

Ethan Sanders continued to tick the scoreboard over with two penalties before the break, among a total kicking record of eight from nine.

The home side finally got on the board immediately following the resumption with a Jethro Rinakama effort, but otherwise Canterbury had no answer to the Green Machine.

Hosking grabbed his second and third within two minutes of each other before Simi Sasagi got in on the act shortly after the hour.

Only with ten minutes to go did the Bulldogs register two further consolation scores through Matt Burton and Connor Tracey, but the hosts will be sweating over the injury suffered by Stephen Crichton, who left the field on a stretcher.

BULLDOGS: 1 Connor Tracey, 2 Jacob Kiraz, 3 Matt Burton, 19 Bronson Xerri, 5 Jethro Rinakama, 6 Stephen Crichton, 7 Lachlan Galvin, 8 Max King, 14 Kurt Mann, 10 Leo Thompson, 11 Josh Curran, 12 Jaeman Salmon, 13 Harry Hayes. Subs: 9 Bailey Hayward, 15 Alekolasimi Jones (not used), 16 Jack Underhill, 17 Lipoi Hopoi (not used), 20 Sean O’Sullivan, 21 Jacob Preston

Tries: Rinakama (44), Burton (71), Tracey (80); Goals: Burton 2/3

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 5 Xavier Savage, 3 Simi Sasagi, 4 Matthew Timoko, 21 Jed Stuart, 17 Daine Laurie, 7 Ethan Sanders, 8 Corey Horsburgh, 9 Owen Pattie, 10 Joseph Tapine, 12 Noah Martin, 15 Ata Mariota, 13 Zac Hosking. Subs: 6 Ethan Strange, 11 Hudson Young, 14 Tom Starling, 16 Josh Papalii, 19 Morgan Smithies (not used), 20 Coby Black (not used)

Tries: Savage (9), Martin (17), Hosking (22, 52, 54), Sasagi (65); Goals: Sanders 8/9

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-20, 0-22; 4-22, 4-28, 4-34, 4-36, 4-40, 10-40, 16-40

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bulldogs: Matt Burton; Raiders: Zac Hosking

Penalty count: 3-6; Half-time: 0-22; Referee: Gerard Sutton; Attendance: 19,801