NRL round 14: Canterbury Bulldogs defeat Parramatta Eels 22-18, Stephen Crichton raising the standard at Bulldogs as captain

The decision to appoint Stephen Crichton as skipper of the Bulldogs earlier this year raised some eyebrows, but now the triple premiership winner might just be the most influential captain in the NRL.

Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo says his side wouldn’t have been able to beat the Eels on Monday evening had it not been for Stephen Crichton’s leadership which was on full display in their gutsy 22-18 comeback win at a rowdy Accor Stadium.

There were plenty of raised eyebrows at the start of the year when Crichton was named skipper despite not having any experience, but the triple premiership winner might just be the most influential captain in the NRL right now.

He has raised the standards at Belmore in just a few months, with his teammates following his lead as they start to realise exactly what winning looks like.

“The man he’s turned into is incredible, and he’s still only very young,” Ciraldo said.

“It feels weird to talk about him while he’s right here, but I’m so proud of him.

“His influence on our team is undeniable. We can’t measure it, but the way he’s been able to help teach them to win came out tonight.

Stephen Crichton could go down as the signing of the season. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

“I think without him there tonight and his influence over the past few months, I don’t think that result happens.”

Teammate Matt Burton saw Crichton’s talent at the Panthers but has noticed just how far he’s developed in other parts of his game, with the strike centre one of the loudest voices in Blues camp last week.

“He’s been unreal,” Burton said.

“Ever since he got to the club, I’m just super proud of how he’s come in and how he’s shown himself and the man that he’s become.

“I played with him at Penrith, but the way that he’s held himself here and the leadership that he’s shown is pretty special.”

Crichton scored twice on Monday, but it was leadership when they were reduced to 12 men midway through the second half that was most noticeable as the Bulldogs actually looked like the better team despite playing a man down.

“We train for those scenarios, and the first step for getting a win in that 10 minute period is confidence and the way you use your voice throughout the team,” he said.

“The boys just went towards the pressure and we attacked it in that period and tried to hold on.

Stephen Crichton goes in to score a try against the Eels. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

“I’m heaps proud of the boys because I reckon that 10 minute period was our best and set us up for the last 20 minutes of the game.”

The Bulldogs now have as many wins as they did in 2023, and they’ll stay in the top eight for at least another week with the bye coming up at the perfect time as they deal with a mini injury crisis.

“Bailey Hayward and Josh Curran both had concussion. We have the bye next week so they’ll be able to rest up and get back to full health,” Ciraldo said, with Josh Addo-Carr and Viliame Kikau also missing, while Kurt Mann has been offered a two-game ban for a crusher tackle.

“Presto (Jacob Preston) has done something to his foot so we’re not quite sure yet, but he’ll get scans. The fact he couldn’t walk off the field wasn’t a great sign.

“We had a few guys out there who were busted who couldn’t come off. Bronson (Xerri) did something to his hamstring at the start of the second half, but we didn’t have anyone to replace him with.

“Blake Wilson had an issue with his shoulder as well and toughed it out. It’s a credit to those guys playing busted and just hanging in.”

MATCH REPORT - BULLDOGS VS EELS

Any fears the NRL season falls apart during State of Origin were momentarily paused on Monday afternoon as a record crowd watched old foes Canterbury and Parramatta duke it out in the game of the year as the blue and whites stormed home late to jump back into the top eight with a 22-18 win.

The Bulldogs have been one of the best stories in 2024, but this was by far the best chapter as they defied all the odds to clinch one of their best wins in years.

Already without superstars Josh Addo-Carr and Viliame Kikau, the blue and whites suffered a first-half double blow when they lost Bailey Hayward and Josh Curran, with the latter taken off on a medi-cab after getting his head in the wrong spot while trying to tackle Joe Ofahengaue.

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Play was stopped for a few minutes but Curran was able to watch the second half on the bench, with 18th man Jake Turpin activated despite playing NSW Cup earlier on Monday.

That was just the start of the drama with Kurt Mann sent to the sin bin for an ugly crusher tackle on Will Penisini, while there are fears edge forward Jacob Preston has a broken foot.

The Bulldogs of old would have meekly surrendered given they lost the penalty count and had five tries disallowed, but they are a different breed this year and it showed as they rallied late thanks to their inspirational skipper.

Stephen Crichton of the Bulldogs celebrates with team mates after scoring a try. Picture:Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

CRICHTON MAGIC

He was terrific in the State of Origin opener, and Stephen Crichton backed it up on Monday with another terrific captain’s knock.

The strike weapon tormented Parramatta’s makeshift left edge with a try in each half as he benefited from a Connor Tracey masterclass as he torched the Eels with his speed.

Tracey set up three tries, including two in seven minutes as they overturned an 18-10 deficit when he sped down the sideline and linked up with Blake Wilson who raced away for his second try of the evening.

“I thought last week was gutsy, but tonight took a bit more than that,” Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said.

“We just had Terry Lamb in there to address the boys and he said that’s the gutsiest one he’s seen in a long time, so to have someone of that stature think of the game like that was really pleasing.”

Still work to do for Parramatta. Picture:Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

REALITY CHECK

The Eels thought they were back on track after their big win over the Sharks, but they still have a long way to go after they fell apart in the final 30 minutes.

Parramatta failed to take advantage of their numerical advantage and made too many mistakes as the Bulldogs played like they had the extra man.

“We should have been creating the chances for ourselves,” interim Eels coach Trent Barrett said, revealing star lock J’maine Hopgood has a nerve problem in his back and shouldn’t have played.

“We had the opportunity to put them away, and we didn’t. That’s where we let ourselves down today.”

Clint Gutherson gets stuck into a scuffle with Josh Curran. Picture: NRL Photos

KING’S CROWNING MOMENT

He was simply superb in his return from a broken foot against the Sharks, but Mitch Moses didn’t quite nail his second audition for an Origin recall with a mixed performance against Canterbury.

Moses is in the mix to replace Nicho Hynes at halfback for the Blues in game two, and his first half was just what Michael Maguire wanted to see as he set up a Penisni try with a dart on the last tackle and a flick pass to Bryce Cartwright.

But he didn’t nail the big moments late on when his side needed to ice the game.

“I thought in our first half that he did some really good things, but it was those moments in the backend (that didn’t click),” Barrett said.

“It wasn’t just Mitch – we’re a team here and we don’t dump that on one player – but given the time he’s had off, he still did some brilliant things.

“He’s going to be better again next week and he got through the game OK. If NSW go down that route, they won’t regret it because he’s an excellent player.”

CROWDED HOUSE

Sydney’s miserable weather has led to some paltry crowds at big venues this season, but a magnificent Monday afternoon saw 45,496 supporters pile into Accor Stadium.

Fans were still trying to get in at kick-off, with the sea of blue and white going mad at the full-time siren.

It was the biggest regular season crowd for a game between the two western Sydney rivals, with Canterbury’s resurgence set to see plenty more fans flock through the gates.

Originally published as NRL round 14: Canterbury Bulldogs defeat Parramatta Eels 22-18, Stephen Crichton raising the standard at Bulldogs as captain