Bulldogs bow down to Riccarton Knights
The Northern Bulldogs lost their final home game of the regular season to the Riccarton Knights in the Canterbury rugby league premiership on Saturday.
In what was a close encounter at Murphy Park, the third placed Knights were able to convert more of their opportunities into points to take a 30-12 win against the fifth-placed Northern Bulldogs.
Tony Loffhagen and Kurt Williams scored the only tries for the Bulldogs with Jermahl Carroll converting both.
The Bulldogs are still battling with injuries to some of its players which in turn granted Keeghan Woolley and Josh Siu their senior debuts.
While the side will be disappointed to miss out on the playoffs they have enjoyed a more successful campaign than last year when they went winless to collect the wooden spoon.
The Bulldogs will look for a big finish away to top of the table Linwood Keas, who were tipped up by the Hornby Panthers 28-16.
In the curtain raiser the premier reserves got up for a solid 32-20 win over Riccarton.
Several of the senior Bulldogs have impressed enough this season to make the Canterbury Bulls Development squad.
Steve Maat, Tyler Tirikatene, Travis Pokai, Cameron Godfrey, Tom Mansfield, Tommy Belford, Lucuster Mari and Fetineiai Tu’ua have all made the 35-man training squad.
The club has also had a big representation in the Red and Black trials to be be held on Sunday at Canterbury Agricultural Park.
In a top of the table clash in the under 16s the Bulldogs were beaten by Papanui Tigers 10-26.
The U11s had a big 50-12 win over Celebration Lions.
There was also plenty of inter- est in the under 10 battle between the Bulldogs Blue and White sides who have dominated the competition to sit top of the table.
White ultimately took the win 24-12 but not without a big battle with Blue
The win leaves the U10 White team unbeaten after 16 rounds while Blue has only been bested by White.
The U9s hammered Aranui Eagles 38-0.
The U8 Whites enjoyed a big 56-16 win over Halswell while U8 Blue lost 24-32 to Hornby Black.
The U7 beat Halswell Hornets 46-20 and the U6 side lost to Hornby 30-42.