Cameron Ciraldo just got his wish.
The day before the game, the Canterbury coach said his side was hoping for rain, and a chance to prove they’re no dry-track bullies.
In atrocious conditions, against a side with (fading) top-four ambitions, the Bulldogs produced a wet-weather clinic. Their 32-14 win against the Warriors at Accor Stadium has kept alive their chances of a top-two finish and a home final. At no point during the entire 80 minutes did the rain - or the blue and whites - relent.
Canterbury’s worst performances of the season have been submitted in the wet, raising questions about their ability to handle the conditions. Yet their opening half in particular was masterful.
They kicked long and early, pinned the Warriors in their own territory and forced mistakes with brutal defence. They dropped the ball only twice in the opening stanza, dominated possession and easily repelled the only two tackles the visitors had in their red zone.
Matt Burton was particularly effective, a booming 40/20 kick the exclamation point on a superb night with the boot. Those towering, swirling bombs aren’t the only way he can torment an opposition.
“I woke up and read the paper today that we couldn’t play in the wet. So nice to prove that one wrong,” Ciraldo said.
“Not so much [the coaching staff], the leaders probably led that, they were really disappointed last Sunday, with the way we performed and executed.
“I think on Monday, they were hoping it was going to rain this week so they could come out and prove a point. I think you could see that in the way they performed today.”
In the preceding Saturday match, the Roosters posted an astonishing 64 points on a fellow finals contender. In its own way, this Canterbury performance was just as impressive. It was produced despite the absence of Reed Mahoney for the opening 63 minutes, the hooker benched in favour of Bailey Hayward. The changes to the spine keep on coming.
Lachlan Galvin got through unscathed after overcoming the hand and ankle injuries he picked up last weekend and had a couple of nice touches. The opposition halfback wasn’t so lucky. This was Te Maire Martin’s first game in the position this year, and he was knocked out of the game early.
Given the conditions, there were few highlights, save for a stunning solo effort from Stephen Crichton. None of that would have mattered to Ciraldo. Props Max King and Sam Hughes set the tone in their first stint, and the threat that is the Warriors’ back three was nullified.
“We just played the conditions much better than we have for the last few times we’ve played in [the rain],” Ciraldo said.
“Completed a lot more sets, kicked a lot better, but probably most pleasing thinking about it now is just the area of defence.
“It’s back to what it should be.”
The Warriors, meanwhile, have battled valiantly in the absence of the injured Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett, but we may have seen the best of them this year. That may not be the case with the Bulldogs.