Bulldogs crush Souths 32-0 in front of record-breaking NRL crowd

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have continued their unbeaten start to the 2025 NRL season in emphatic style, thrashing the South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-0 in front of a history-making crowd of 65,305 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Good Friday.

It was the largest attendance ever recorded at a regular-season NRL match, and the Belmore faithful were treated to a blue-and-white blitz as the Bulldogs posted back-to-back clean sheets for the first time in their 90-year history.

With the Easter Show buzzing next door, the main event was happening inside the Olympic Park colosseum, where Cameron Ciraldo’s side ran riot — three first-half tries to middle forwards Josh Curran, Max King, and Sitili Tupouniua laid the platform for a complete demolition.

“Today was a really important day for our club,” Ciraldo said post-game.

“To get 65,000 and break that record is something we’ll always get to remember… I’m just really proud to be a Bulldog today.”

The Bulldogs have now conceded just 14 points across their last four games. Not bad for a side once derided as the league’s worst defensive unit.

Max King’s try was a moment of personal triumph, breaking an 80-game drought stretching back to 2019.

The big man finished with 232 running metres, more than double the combined first-half output of the entire South Sydney pack.

Jacob Preston and Bronson Xerri added to the tally in the second stanza as the Bulldogs’ defence continued to frustrate a disjointed Bunnies side.

South Sydney Rabbitohs, who came into the clash with four wins from six under Wayne Bennett, fell apart under pressure.

Cody Walker was hooked after 51 minutes, Latrell Mitchell made just one run in the first half before shifting to the centres, and Jai Arrow was involved in an ugly altercation with fans that required police intervention.

“They were much better than we were,” Bennett said.

“We didn’t give ourselves a chance today.”

Adding to the drama were a string of controversial high tackles and sin bins — including Marcelo Montoya being marched for a slap, while Viliame Kikau and Davvy Moale were only placed on report for separate head-high incidents.

The Bulldogs are now 6-0 for the first time since 1938 — a season that ended with a premiership.

While it’s early days, this version of the Dogs looks the real deal. And after a performance like that, the fans will be daring to dream, with the top online bookmakers ruling them as a $6.50 chance.

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