There have been plenty of thrilling and tense encounters between the Dragons and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs over the years. Here are three of the best matches between the two rivals.
St George Illawarra Dragons 23 v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22
Qualifying final. September 8th, 2001, Sydney Showground.
Despite trailing at half-time the Dragons stormed home in the final period to win by one point against the heavily-favoured Bulldogs side.
After losing just six games all season, the second-placed Bulldogs were poised to walk over the seventh-placed Dragons and into week two of the finals. But a Matt Cooper double and a perfect day at the kicking tee from Mark Riddell combined for a stunning upset victory at Sydney Showground.
New recruit Willie Peters slotted the winning field goal to send the Dragons deep into the finals in just his first season with the Red V.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 16 v St George Illawarra Dragons 18
Round 14. June 11th, 2018. ANZ Stadium.
The Dragons grabbed top position on the ladder as a result of this gritty victory but not before having to subdue a determined Bulldogs comeback.
Two tries in the opening 10 minutes from Euan Aitken and Nene Macdonald suggested the Dragons would run away with the result but the Bulldogs were quick to quell their momentum with a four-pointer in reply. Tariq Sims then muscled his way over before the half-time hooter to help the Dragons claim a 14-6 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs replicated the feats of the Dragons in the opening exchanges of the second period, running in two quick tries to jump to a 16-14 lead.
The difference came off the boot of Gareth Widdop who slotted two penalties to edge the Dragons in front. The final 10 minutes saw the Bulldogs run themselves ragged in an attempt to sneak a victory but the Dragons would hold on.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 11 v St George Illawarra Dragons 10
Qualifying final. September 12th, 2015. ANZ Stadium.
It took 84 minutes of action before a winner could be determined in this up and down finals thriller. After finishing in eighth place on the ladder, the Dragons had a tough task in toppling the fifth-placed Bulldogs outfit.
The first half was the definition of an arm wrestle with the Bulldogs claiming the only points of the opening 40 minutes with a 6-point lead at the break. It took until the 68th minute before the Dragons finally broke the deadlock when Eto Nabuli sliced over.
With the scores level at 6-all, a Gareth Widdop penalty conversion put the Dragons in front at the 74th minute before Bulldogs forward Shaun Lane scored with three minutes remaining. But on the stroke of full-time, the Dragons were awarded a penalty and Widdop made no mistake of sending the match into extra time.
Unfortunately for the Dragons contingent, it was Bulldogs who would leave happy; a Josh Reynolds field goal knocking the Dragons out of the finals race.
