Live: Bulldogs complete massive comeback, as Salmon rehashes ‘weak-gutted dog’ sledge

St George Illawarra are 1-17 with no changes.

The New Zealand Warriors have made a late change, Bunty Afoa (number 17) starting at prop, pushing Jackson Ford (number 8) to the interchange bench.

The Canterbury Bulldogs have come from 0-20 down at half-time to defeat the Canberra Raiders 32-20.

Starting with a scrum 10 metres from the line, the Bulldogs went through four plays, before the Raiders committed another knock-on, trying to tackle a Bulldog.

Another scrum, 10 metres out, and three tackles later the Bulldogs score through right winger Jacob Kiraz.

Kiraz collected the ball on the sideline, 10 metres out.

The Bulldogs’ winger breaks through the tackle of Ethan Strange, Kiraz beats Hudson Young, then bursts through fullback Kaeo Weekes to score.

Canberra fullback Kaeo Weekes has been terrific all day, but he has committed his first error of the day.

Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton put up a bomb, and Weekes has dropped it.

The Bulldogs have a full set of six, starting with a scrum 10 metres away from the Raiders’ goal line.

The Bulldogs can win the game right here.

Bulldogs forward Jaeman Salmon has limped off the field.

He is being helped by a pair of trainers.

Salmon has been terrific in this second half, scoring one of the Bulldogs’ five tries.

The Canberra Raiders have lost all sense of good footy.

They cannot hold onto the ball, and the Bulldogs are making them pay.

Raiders right winger Xavier Savage conceded a knock-on, his third of the match, which gave the Bulldogs the ball 45 metres from the goal line.

The Bulldogs punch up the middle, and then they shift to the left.

There is a misread in defence by the Raiders, it was centre Matthew Timoko, and second-rower  Viliame Kikau runs through the gap created by Timoko and scores.

The Canterbury Bulldogs LEAD!

Max King has finished off a marvellous passage of play.

The Bulldogs are stretching the defence of the Raiders.

Left centre Bronson Xerri started the play with a fend on opposing number Matthew Timoko.

That netted the Bulldogs 40 metres.

Canterbury take one more hit-up, the halfback Toby Sexton takes the ball and runs for the line.

He passes inside to King, who runs into a hole and scores.

The Bulldogs are ON FIRE.

Left winger Marcelo Montoya has scored in the corner, after second-rower Viliame Kikau drew in two defenders and created the overlap.

The Bulldogs were denied two plays earlier by a special tackle from Canberra’s Ethan Strange.

That came from another Stephen Crichton linebreak.

Captain Crichton is willing his Bulldogs back into the match.

The Canterbury Bulldogs thought they had three in six minutes.

 Connor Tracey was charging to the line, but Canberra five-eight Ethan Strange chases him down, and gets a hand under the ball to stop the put-down.

Canterbury still have the ball, 10 metres out …

Great news for the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Interchange player Harry Hayes has passed his Head Injury Assessment.

This match has turned on its head.

Fullback Connor Tracey runs towards the right touchline, then gives an inside pass to captain Stephen Crichton.

Crichton is through a HUGE hole, he draws Canberra fullback Kaeo Weekes, and forward Jaeman Salmon scores.

Salmon gives the Raiders’ fans a big stare and a few words.

He points at his chest and screams, “Weak, gutted dog”.

Canberra coach called Salmon a “weak, gutted dog” in 2022, when the forward was a Penrith Panther.

It came after Salmon kicked-out at Canberra hooker Tom Starling in a game.

“I have had history with that kid (Salmon). I know that kid very well,” Stuart said at the time.

“He was a weak gutted dog as a kid and he hasn’t changed now. He is a weak gutted dog person now.”

The Canterbury Bulldogs are on the scoreboard, as captain Stephen Crichton scores on the left edge.

The away side had a seven-tackle set from the knock-on from Canberra, following the disallowed try two minutes earlier.

A six-again set restart for a ruck infringement then gave the Bulldogs an attacking set.

The Dogs shift to the right and Crichton gets on the outside of his opposite number, Sebastian Kris.

Crichton puts on the big fend, beats Kris, and he strolls over the line.

The Dogs’ captain pumps his fist, willing his men back into this contest.

Canberra interchange Ata Mariota is celebrating, claiming he has grounded the ball off a grubber kick.

The ref has sent it to the Bunker as a no try. The replay clearly shows Mariota knocked on, and was unable to ground the bouncing ball.

Just like the first half, the Raiders had an attacking set following an error from the Bulldogs.

The second half begins at Canberra Stadium.

The Raiders have a 20-0 lead.

Canterbury has the first use of the ball in the second half, and they will be running to the left of your screen.

The Bulldogs enjoy a good set, until five-eight Matt Burton dropped the ball on the final play before he could get a kick away.

This is a top of the table clash between first-place Canterbury and second-place Canberra.

Canberra can end this weekend on top of the NRL if they defeat the Bulldogs by 18 points or more.

Currently, the Raiders are achieving that.

It would be the first time the Raiders have been on top of the NRL, this deep into a season, since 2003.

The Canberra Raiders have produced a near-perfect half of rugby league football.

They have dominated possession, pressured the Bulldogs in defence, and scored four nice tries.

Canterbury were their own enemy, with two six-again restarts on fifth tackle leading to a pair of the Raiders’ tries.

The Bulldogs’ forward pack was dominated in that half, just like against the Broncos when they were 34-0 down, two weekends ago.

The Green Machine is on fire.

They have four tries and enjoy a very big lead.

On the left edge, prop Josh Papalii pops a pass to halfback Jamal Fogarty, who is on a wrap-around.

Fogarty then passes to Hudson Young who bursts through a hole in the Bulldogs’ defence, and Young runs 20 metres to score.

Canberra leads 20-0.