Debutant Kerrod Holland kicks Canterbury Bulldogs to victory against Penrith Panthers

• As it happened: Penrith Panthers v Canterbury Bulldogs

• Bulldogs Debutant Kerrod Holland kicked the match-winner after the siren.

• Moses Mbye scored two tries in the 18-16 win against Penrith.

• Bulldogs captain James Graham is on report for a shoulder charge.

• Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman suffered a concussion and didn't return.

• Penrith winger Dean Whare failed to finish the match with a calf injury.

Canterbury debutant Kerrod Holland walked off the field after his match-winning conversion and into the dressing sheds at Pepper Stadium with a new nickname from his teammates - "the ice man".

While his friends refer to him as the flying Dutchman, it was his composure under immense pressure to slot a goal after the siren that kept Canterbury's perfect start to the season alive and earned him the new tag.

Can the Bulldogs get back in the winners' circle? Photo: Getty Images

Bulldogs coach Des Hasler didn't hesitate to back the 23-year-old, taking the goal-kicking duties off Moses Mbye earlier in the night and sending out a message for the rookie to step up for the match-winner.

In a fairytale finish to the debut of the boy from Singleton, Holland overcame a mountain of pressure to convert a Moses Mbye try on the stroke of fulltime, making no mistake with his kick from 15 metres in from touch to secure an 18-16 win at Pepper Stadium.

"I won't forget that one in a while mate, it's pretty special," Holland said. "Something you always think about as a young kid, especially in the park kicking goals by yourself. To get one on debut is outstanding.

Where there's a Will: Fullback Will Hopoate makes a break as the Bulldogs fight their way back into the match. Photo: Matt King

"You only put pressure on yourself. All the boys came up to me before I kicked the goal and said, 'There's no pressure mate'. We were willing to go back, if we had to, go to golden point. There was no pressure on me, so I didn't feel it. The call came from Des pretty early so I always knew it was going to be mine."

The former Newcastle junior, who joined the club in the pre-season, finished the match as the hero, but it was the efforts of Mbye that ensured Canterbury would continue their winning start to the season.

Mbye finished the match with two tries and a hand in the other, but regardless of his man-of-the-match showing, the night belonged to the debutant.

"I was just saying earlier, it's a debut that dreams are made of," Hasler said. "It will be particularly memorable for him, this one. I thought he was steady tonight and came up with the big plays when he had to.

"He was particularly impressive in NSW Cup last year and was looking for an opportunity. He's worked really, really hard. Great work ethic, and just goes about getting all those little things right and he certainly did that tonight."

While Holland, who in a post-match interview with Channel Nine said "it was always going over", left with smile from ear to ear, his skipper James Graham faces a nervous wait after he was placed on report for a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard.

It was a tough night for the Canterbury big men, with Graham's front row partner Aiden Tolman failing to return to the paddock after leaving the field in the 17th minute with concussion.

Last week the Bulldogs strolled out to Brookvale Oval and ambushed the Sea Eagles. 

However six nights later they were the ones who were ambushed in a dominant opening 20 minutes from a fired-up Penrith outfit.

After an energy-sapping trip to the nation's capital in near 40 degree heat, the Panthers returned home for the first time of the year with real purpose about their business.

All the talk in the lead-up to the match was about the giant Bulldogs pack and how difficult an assignment they would be for any team to overcome this season.

But the young Panthers pack didn't take a backward step, forcing mistakes with brutal defence and making plenty of inroads through the heart of the Canterbury defence.

David Klemmer was impressive in his return from suspension, taking the field earlier than anticipated after Aiden Tolman succumbed to concussion, while Graham was put on report after a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard. 

But in front of a crowd of 11,125 at Pepper Stadium, Canterbury sparked into life in the second half to secure a memorable win.