The odds are against them, but the Bulldogs are dreaming of a finals miracle after they produced their best attacking performance of the season to all but hand the Dragons their first wooden spoon.
MATCH CENTRE: Dragons v Bulldogs, score, stats, live blog
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The Bulldogs remain a mathematical chance of sneaking into the top eight after they beat the Red V 44-14 on Saturday night, with every gamble made by coach Cameron Ciraldo coming off at Allianz Stadium.
The result leaves them just two points behind the Cowboys and Rabbitohs who occupy the bottom two spots in the top eight with two rounds remaining.
The equation is simple for Canterbury: they must beat Penrith and Brisbane and then hope that the teams above them trip up with everything on the line.
Stranger things have happened in rugby league, and Ciraldo may have unlocked something in attack by switching Matt Burton to right centre and playing Bronson Xerri on his preferred left edge.
It may be too late, but at least it paid off with Xerri opening the scoring, while Burton grabbed a first-half double.
Xerri then made a big break to set up Lachlan Galvin for a well-deserved try after the halfback laid on a couple of assists in the first half.
This was their best attacking performance of the year and they didn’t sacrifice their defence with the Bulldogs scrambling time and time again to deny the Dragons who troubled them with a few early breaks.
They had joy in Sin City earlier in the year, but the Bulldogs were punished for their sins on Saturday with two players spending time in the bin.
Jonathan Sua was sent from the field in the seventh minute for a hip-drop tackle on Moses Suli, while Burton came up with a terrific chase to deny a try but was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul after staying in the ruck.
Suli spent the final play of the game in the bin for a professional foul of his own.
St George Illawarra will finish with the wooden spoon.
Only the miracle of miracles can prevent it after a disappointing night in Moore Park where they were unable to replicate their recent good form.
