Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have the chance to go back-to-back in Jersey Flegg Cup premierships after they put themselves into the 29 September grand final at CommBank Stadium with a thrilling 15-14 win over this year’s minor premiers, the Canberra Raiders, today at Leichhardt Oval.
The Bulldogs hoisted the Cup in 2023 with a win over the Sydney Roosters and will now meet the winner of the Raiders/Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Preliminary final next Saturday (21 September) in the season’s decider a week later.
The Sharks have kept their 2024 hopes alive by scoring seven tries to defeat the Penrith Panthers in today’s Minor Semi-final.
Major Semi-final: (3rd) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 15 def (1st) Canberra Raiders 14
These two sides couldn’t be separated after 70 minutes, and then even after two periods of extra time which sent the match into golden point.
Then in the 85th minute and after three earlier attempts, Bulldogs halfback Cassius Tia slotted his fourth field goal through to send his side into the 2024 Jersey Flegg Cup Grand Final on 29 September.
It was heartbreak for the Raiders, the Minor Premiers, with their No.7 Mitch Henderson making two clean strikes at the uprights to see the ball fade to the left (81st minute) and then right (82nd).
Today was a far different scenario for the Canterbury-Bankstown players, who enjoyed a 32-6 win over Penrith in last weekend’s Qualifying final.
Solid defence and some handling errors kept the scores tight in the opening half.
The Bulldogs took a slim 6-4 lead to the sheds at halftime, but it could have been more if the pass to put winger Jonathan Sua over in the north-east corner hadn’t been ruled forward.
The Raiders also crossed twice for no joy with an improper grounding and a knock-on denying them points.
It was still a try apiece in the first half – the Bulldogs striking first when Tia dropped his centre Danny Gabrael underneath for an angled run to the Raiders line. Tia converted for the early lead 6-0.
The Raiders replied when back-rower Jaxon Lavender ran towards the left corner post, dummied and kept going himself. Henderson had difficulty converting from the sideline in the stiff southerly breeze.
The second half had the Bulldogs starting to put their stamp on the match with two tries within five minutes – both to winger Ragarive Wavik to push the scoreboard out to 14-4.
But then after a bust upfield from Raiders centre Regan Carr, backrower Joe Roddy pushed aside one defender and stepped another to score Canberra’s second try and narrow the gap to six points.
Then it was Carr’s outstretched right arm, with three defenders on him, that levelled scores 14-all with seven minutes on the clock.
Canberra now plays Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in next Saturday’s Preliminary final at Leichhardt Oval.
Minor Semi-final: (5th) Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 40 def (2nd) Penrith Panthers 26
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks registered their eighth win on the trot with a seven tries-to-five win over Penrith in a high scoring Minor Semi-final at Leichhardt Oval.
The Sharks won the last six games of the regular season to sneak into the finals in fifth spot. They then toppled fourth-placed Newcastle Knights in the Elimination final last weekend and now the second-placed Panthers today.
Left centre Michael Gabrael contributed to the Shire side’s dominance today with a hat-trick. He and fullback Siteni Taukamo, who scored a double himself, terrorised the Panthers right edge in the opening 35 minutes, scoring two tries each. That helped Cronulla to a 24-10 lead at halftime.
Gabrael’s third try in the 60th minute and then his try assist for winger Te Wehi Waitere in the 64th put the finishing touches on Cronulla side in a free-flowing mood. Goalkicker Riley Pollard landed six from seven in the swirling wind.
Penrith were actually the first to score through winger Jirah Liddiard in the fourth minute, and then again in the 21st when fullback Jaxen Edgar dummied to the men outside and darted through a hole.
The Panthers reduced a 30-16 scoreline against them in the second half to 30-26 through tries to bench forward Siotame Hansen and centre Angelis Hotere-Papalii.
But the two late tries to the Sharks ensured their passage to next Saturday’s Preliminary final.
