LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have come out swinging in their first pre-season challenge hit-out, taking down the Wests Tigers in a solid 20-14 victory.
The young guns of the Bulldogs squad showed they are ready to rumble, putting on an impressive display that had fans on the edge of their seats.
The Bulldogs didn't waste any time getting their claws out, with Jonathan Sua making a break down the right wing early on, setting the tone for the match.
Jack Todd, coming off the bench, made an immediate impact by scoring a try off his first touch, sending the Bulldogs fans into a frenzy after Blake Taaffe's successful conversion.
After the halftime break, the Tigers pounced back, scoring two quick tries to take the lead 14-10.
But the Bulldogs weren't going down without a fight, rallying back with Rinakama grabbing a double followed by another try from Sua to snatch back the lead by six points.
The Bulldogs showed off their slick skills with some fancy footwork from halfback Joseph O'Neill setting up Todd for a rampaging run, only for Wavik to narrowly miss out on a try in the corner.
A game-changing 40-20 kick from Tia put the Bulldogs back in the driver's seat, and a strong defensive effort kept the Tigers at bay for a hard-fought 20-14 win.
It was a scrappy, hard-fought battle on the field, but the Bulldogs proved they have what it takes to come out on top.
With promising young talent and some veterans showing their experience, the Bulldogs are gearing up for a fierce season ahead.