Cameron Ciraldo, head coach of the Bulldogs, is seeking answers from his players following a surprising comeback by the Brisbane Broncos that left his side in shock. The Bulldogs appeared to be in control during the match until Josiah Karapani sparked a remarkable scoring surge for the Broncos on Friday night.
Within just 10 minutes, Delouise Hoeter and Billy Walters both crossed the line, narrowing the gap and transforming the match into a nail-biter. Brad Fittler remarked during commentary that the Bulldogs were visibly nervous, attributing their woes to costly errors, including a time violation and a controversial tackle in the 31st minute that shifted momentum against them. At that point, the Bulldogs had only completed eight out of 15 sets for the half.
The match reached a concerning point for the Bulldogs when Brendan Piakura scored a powerful try, leaving the Bulldogs’ fate hanging in the balance. As the final whistle blew, Mat Thompson from Nine noted the Broncos celebrated as if they had won the championship, while Andrew Johns expressed his disappointment with the Bulldogs’ second-half performance.
Earlier in the match, Marcelo Montoya got the Bulldogs off to a strong start with a try in the 13th minute. A chaotic sequence led to Matt Burton’s try that even stunned seasoned commentators. Lachlan Galvin attempted to make a quick pass to Connor Tracey on the last tackle, but an error saw the ball hit the ground, fortuitously bouncing near Montoya. He managed to pass to Viliame Kikau, who set up Burton perfectly, allowing him to score amidst a fumbling mishap from the Broncos’ defence.
Johns was incredulous, expressing disbelief at the series of events that led to the Bulldogs’ try, while Fittler raised questions about whether Burton may have been in touch or if a teammate had been offside. Despite concerns, the Bunker confirmed the try, although Burton missed the conversion attempt.
Brisbane’s defensive frailties were exploited again when Kikau powered through for another Bulldogs’ try, stretching the lead to 16-0 as they headed into halftime. Ultimately, the Broncos rallied to clinch the game 22-18, leaving Ciraldo with plenty to ponder regarding his team’s performance and composure in the closing stages.