Canterbury Bulldogs edge Dragons in heated Round 1 NRL clash

The Canterbury Bulldogs have kicked off their 2025 NRL season with a fiery 28-20 victory over the St George Illawarra Dragons at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, but the win didn’t come without controversy.

In a match filled with heated moments, Canterbury Bulldogs skipper Stephen Crichton found himself at the centre of a major talking point after being placed on report for leading with his knees while attempting to stop Christian Tuipulotu from scoring.

The Dragons winger lost control of the ball as he dived for the corner, but the Bunker deemed Crichton’s contact was dangerous and awarded a penalty try.

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“The knees of Crichton… I don’t think he has got this down,” Michael Ennis said in commentary.

“But the contact is what they’ve ruled on.”

Dragons v Bulldogs NRL Round 1 Highlights

Tuipulotu was one of the Dragons’ best, finishing with a hat-trick, but his frustration with Crichton was evident, exchanging words with the Bulldogs star after the penalty try ruling.

Despite the drama, Canterbury proved too strong for the Red V, racing out to a commanding 28-6 lead early in the second half.

Former Roosters forward Sitili Tupouniua made an immediate impact in his club debut, bagging a double, while Marcelo Montoya, Blake Wilson, and Connor Tracey also crossed.

The Dragons mounted a late comeback, with Tuipulotu adding two more tries and Jacob Liddle producing a dazzling 65-metre solo effort.

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However, their push for a miracle finish fell short as the Bulldogs held firm as the $1.60 favourites with the top NRL bookmakers.

There were plenty of flashpoints throughout the contest, with Jacob Preston and Emre Guler also placed on report for separate incidents, while tensions boiled over between Moses Suli and Matt Burton in a fiery first-half exchange.

For the Dragons, the loss was compounded by a suspected ACL injury to young forward Ryan Couchman, leaving coach Shane Flanagan with a headache as his side faces an early-season forward crisis.

With Round 1 now in the books, Canterbury will take confidence into their next clash, while the Dragons will look to regroup as they prepare to take on South Sydney next week.

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