Live: Bulldogs and Titans come off big losses, hoping for magic at Lang Park

The Canterbury-Bankstown  Bulldogs have the first try of the match.

Once Gold Coast’s Tom Weaver was taken from the field, the Bulldogs scored on the next player.

Halfback Toby Sexton put a kick to the right corner, and Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz jumped high and caught the ball.

Kiraz was not over the goal line so needed to muscle through defenders to score.

Bad news for Tom Weaver.

The Gold Coast halfback is off after being left motionless, trying to tackle Canterbury’s  Viliame Kikau.

Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton kicks the ball, and we are underway.

The Gold Coast will be running from left to right of your screen.

Could an upset happen today?

The Bulldogs have several players out due to suspension, which makes the Queensland Origin great curious.

“I can smell something … [Canterbury] are a champion team, but not a team of champions,” Moore says.

The Titans have been poor, but did show attacking firepower, for 10 minutes, last week.

You can follow the blog and listen to the ABC Sport live call of all three matches today at Lang Park, through the link below.

G’day KB.

The Titans may need all of your support.

Coming off four losses, they will need to produce something we have not seen in a month to topple the Bulldogs.

But this year’s NRL season has been unpredictable to date.

Why not have another upset?

Nicho Hynes’s professional but unspectacular leadership of the Sharks is the sort of role he’s cut out for, but his early success made us think he was something else.

After starting the season with two wins and one loss, the Gold Coast Titans have lost four in a row.

Last week may have been the worst of it.

With an 18-6 lead over the North Queensland Cowboys, the Titans conceded 44 unanswered points.

It has led to changes from coach Des Hasler, with David Fifita the most high-profile casualty

Eye gouges, hair pulls, a classic duel and a glorious night for the new kids on the block. Here are five quick hits from the Women’s State of Origin series opener.

The Gold Coast Titans and Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs are coming off big losses, and changes have been made — some forced and others tactical.

Titans coach Des Hasler dropped David Fifita, while Jaimin Jolliffe was suspended. Meanwhile, Brock Gray is out for the season with an ACL.

Iszac Faasuamaleaui, Klese Haas and Josiah Pahulu come into the side. Haas has been named to start.

Canterbury will be without Matt Burton, Josh Curran and Sitili Tupouniua through suspension.

Bailey Hayward will play five-eighth, with Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Kurtis Morrin and Blake Taaffe coming into the team.

Need a refresher on all the action from Lang Park on Saturday?

Relive the action from the ABC Sport blog.

Do you have any thoughts on all things rugby league?

Join the ABC Sport live blog, and be part of the conversation through the comment section.

Send us your comments and questions throughout the day, as Magic Round concludes.

The final three matches of this year’s Magic Round will be played at Lang Park today.

• 1:50pm: Gold Coast Titans vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
• 4:05pm: Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos
• 6:25pm: Melbourne Storm vs Canberra Raiders

all times in AEST

The Brisbane Broncos come into this afternoon’s clash with the Penrith Panthers with plenty of momentum.

The Broncos whacked the previously unbeaten Bulldogs last weekend, while Penrith entered Magic Round last on the NRL ladder.

But the Panthers have won the previous four premierships, and Brisbane have won just one of their previous nine meetings.

That includes the 2023 grand final, where Penrith came from 16 points down in the second half to win the third of their four-peat.

Brisbane winger Jesse Arthurs insists his team would be treating this match like any other, following training yesterday.

“No demons, no, no demons,” Arthars said.

“The demons are out there (on the training field) doing conditioning.”

Despite the club’s poor recent record, coach Michael Maguire, who took over this season, says it is irrelevant to him.

“That’s history, but for us, we would like to think we are a little different now,” Maguire said.

“What we have shown the last few months, when we are capable of playing the way we want to play, we can mix it with the best.”

ABC/AAP

Hello, footy fan.

Welcome to the final day of the footy bonanza that is Magic Round.

Lang Park is the scene for the final three matches of this NRL round, with plenty of intriguing storylines ready to be told.

ABC Sport will be with you all day with live digital and audio coverage.

Let’s go.