Match Details
Match Date	3rd May, 2013
Opponent	Wests Tigers
Result	Win 40-4
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	23,453
Referee	Matt Cecchin Henry Perenara

Three significant returns have occurred for the Bulldogs. Props James Graham and Sam Kasiano made comebacks, and they were important enough for the previously stuttering side. But the return of five-eighth Josh Reynolds to the NSW puzzle was even more eye-catching.

He was superb on Friday night as the Bulldogs won consecutive matches for the first time this season.

While Blues coach Laurie Daley has the Roosters’ James Maloney and Cronulla’s Todd Carney as the top two prospects for the opening encounter, Reynolds will make him think a little harder if he keeps playing like he did in the hammering of the Tigers.

Reynolds had a key hand in three tries in the first half, and then scored the first in the second, as the Bulldogs added to the agony of the Tigers’ injury woes. Not even the return of Benji Marshall could muster much for them.

As well, Bulldogs second-rower Tony Williams continued his slow but steady return to form. He was a handful as the Bulldogs’ right edge had a field day, scoring the first try, and then in the second half bumping off Marshall to set up another.

Ultimately, while Graham was impressive, he wasn’t the difference. He helped their cause, but the Bulldogs were well on the way to winning while Graham was still on the bench waiting for his first touch since the grand final on the same ground. He certainly ensured there was no letup from the Bulldogs in the forward battle. Kasiano, meanwhile, did start, playing his first game of the season, and helped pound the Tigers from the get-go.

Williams got the Bulldogs rolling, scoring after eight minutes following a pass by Reynolds, whose ballplaying is under-rated. The Tigers’ best chance of the half came when hooker Robbie Farah’s grubber popped up for Matt Utai, but the winger was unable to ground the ball under pressure.

Graham was brought on soon after, and the Bulldogs certainly benefited from having him come into the rotation. They scored two tries within four minutes; the first when Utai couldn’t take a Trent Hodkinson bomb, allowing hooker Michael Ennis to scamper through, then again when a long ball by Reynolds to Tim Lafai allowed the centre to put his winger, Sam Perrett, over.

Only a few seconds before the end of the half, the true significance of the front-row comebacks was shown. Kasiano’s ball-playing at first receiver put the Bulldogs on the front foot close to the Tigers’ try line, and Reynolds – who came up with most of the key plays during the first half – found Lafai.

The centre found the Tigers’ defence so flat-footed they were just about on the try line when he found his way through them to score. Its significance in this game – with the result already all but confirmed – paled in importance to the fact it was a sign of things to come.

The Bulldogs’ No.6, enjoying a clear points battle over Marshall, scored after 52 minutes, stepping and spinning and stretching. And then Williams bumped off Marshall and offloaded deftly to Lafai, who sent Perrett over again.

James Tedesco’s try after 69 minutes spared the Tigers the embarrassment of being kept scoreless, but the Bulldogs were in a ruthless mood, and they scored the final try through winger Mitch Brown. It ensured the club its biggest win against Wests Tigers.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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