Bulldogs 18 Raiders 58

BULLDOGS coach Steve Folkes described his side's record loss to Canberra as a "black day" for the club and admitted there was little hope of a turnaround any time soon.

Colin Best scored four of Canberra's 11 tries in what an "embarrassed" Folkes described as one of the worst defeats in the Bulldogs' history.

"We're certainly at the bottom of a fairly big hole with no way out of it in the short term, that's for sure," Folkes said. "We were extremely poor today and the facts are we don't have enough first-graders to fill a first-grade team. Simple as that."

Even considering the Bulldogs' massive injury toll - exacerbated by the loss of Nick Kouparitsas (ankle) and Tim Winitana (concussion) last night - their defence was disgraceful. Folkes admitted he didn't know what to say to his troops afterwards.

"I found it very hard to come up with anything," he said. "It's a fairly black day for us, I guess, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel with regards to injuries in the short term.

"I know that our [under] 20s are doing well and there will be calls to pick this guy and that guy.

"There are some young guys doing well but the difference between 20s and NRL is too significant to come across to do that.

"We'll try to patch up what we've got and come out next week and play with some pride. This club has always been about playing with pride and tonight I've got to say I was embarrassed. We've got to get over this, put this behind us ...

"I don't know if it's the worst, but it's on the podium."

The loss is likely to prompt calls for boom under-20s halfback Ben Barba to be called into first grade.

"I know Ben Barba scored four tries today and I know there will be calls for him, from all the niff-nuffs on our Kennel website, to get him in there and to pick him," Folkes said.

"That would be a disservice. He's not ready for first-grade football and to pick him would be criminal."

What was expected to be a dour contest between two teams fighting for survival degenerated into a game of touch football. And the Bulldogs didn't make too many touches.

Yet despite conceding three tries in the first 17 minutes, they clawed their way back to within two by the half-hour mark. Then they folded.

Raiders coach Neil Henry couldn't recall a more comprehensive display while at the helm.

"It's right up there," he said. "We've had dominant halves before but we haven't really gone on with it. In my time at the club it's the most commanding victory I've been part of."

It had been almost three months between wins on the road for the Raiders, prompting Henry to review their mode of transportation.

They normally fly into Sydney, but in an attempt to turn around their woeful away record, he ordered them onto a bus down the Hume Highway. It's likely they'll be bussing it everywhere from now on - even if they play in Auckland.

"We're stuck with it now. We're talking about a four-day bus trip to Melbourne," Henry joked.

Best celebrated his signing with South Sydney in the best fashion while David Milne and Joe Picker scored two tries each.

"[My future] has played on my mind for a while and now I feel like the pressure is off me and I can concentrate on playing some good footy and enjoying myself," Best said.

The only bad news for Canberra was an ankle injury to Todd Carney.

Phil Gould is on leave.

CANBERRA 58 (C Best 4 D Milne 2 J Picker 2 J Carney B Goodwin G Turner tries T Carney 5 T Campese 2 goals) bt BULLDOGS 18 (H El Masri H Nanai A Ryan tries H El Masri 3 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: G Badger. Crowd: 9,845.