Round 11
Bulldogs 32 d. Sharks 24

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Courageous Bulldogs win against the odds
Sun May 21, 2006
The Bulldogs have moved to equal first position after recording one of their most courageous victories against all the odds and some horrendous decisions to hold out Cronulla 32-24 with four players also out on State of Origin victory.

It was a game where once again the referee was the dominant force and took the focus away from the players. Tony Archer's game was nothing short of disgraceful with Cronulla the beneficaries of the worst performance of the season by far. Archer blundered massively in so many areas and cost the Bulldogs valuable for and against points where at one stage they were reduced to 11 men.

Three Cronulla tries in the second half clearly weren't tries and Archer allowed them to continue. Matt Hilder's try in the 68th minute came from a blatant forward pass, the lead up to Greg Bird's try saw Hazem El Masri tackled in the air and David Simmons try was on the back of Luke Douglas being tackled but allowed to keep on going. There was even doubt over Luke Covell's try as the ball was tapped back into the field of play where it was inconclusive where the ball deflected off a Bulldogs player who had a foot over the sideline. Archer's effort will win praise from the people that matter but despite all that the Bulldogs emerged with a fine victory.

Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes was naturally delighted with the victory overcoming all the circumstances and the missing of four key forwards. Folkes said, "I was really happy with the way we hung in there with 11 men and no ball and ended up putting one on them at the end, I was pretty pleased with that

"We didn't have any ball. I think we had one set of six with the ball and they scored three tries.

"That was an important game for us with Cronulla on 12, we've got a four-point break on the next. With State of Origin coming we're obviously going to be short, so it was good win, a gutsy win under some adverse situations."

Folkes when interviewd on the ABC commented about Archer by saying, "If there's been a worse refereeing job done this year I haven't seen it.

"If we had of lost I would have been called sour grapes and I probably wouldn't have said it. I've seen much better displays than that."

The Bulldogs opened the scoring with tries to Matthew Utai in the 15th minute and Daniel Holdsworth four minutes later for the Bulldogs to lead 10-0. El Masri converted the Holdsworth try and than added a penalty goal for a 12-0 lead.

Phil Bailey got Cronulla on the board in the 30th minute when he scored with the Sharks getting within a converted try at 12-6 down. El Masri nearing halftime extended the home sides lead with a penalty goal in the 37th minute.

Brent Sherwin celebrating his return to the top grade showed that he's still a player to be reckoned with with a trademark crossfield kick with El Masri on the spot to score. Sherwin was excellent for the Bulldogs and he easily won the halfback battle against Sharks captain Brett Kimmorley. El Masri was unable to convert this try as the Bulldogs led 18-6.

Holdsworth created the numbers outwide for Utai to score his second try and El Masri converted from the sideline for the Bulldogs to lead 24-6 and it was soon 26-6 with another penalty goal.

The Sharks gained all the momentum when Sonny Bill Williams and Bailey were sin binned with four unanswered tries. Covell's try had an element of doubt but the other three tries were clouded with controversy with Archer allowed them to go. The Bulldogs didn't see the ball for a 15 minute where Holdsworth was also sent to the sin bin reducing the Bulldogs to 11 players at one stage.

However against all the odds, the Bulldogs not only held on but scored the match-winning try when Willie Tonga scored in the final minute to seal victory and his best performance of the season.

It's a victory that has pleased Folkes with all the setbacks and the young players stepping up to the mark. Young prop Jarrad Hickey had an outstanding debut and Billy Ngawini in only his second match is the explosive player the Bulldogs desperately need from dummy half and they were a much better side when Ngawini was hooker instead of Corey Hughes. The comebacks of Sherwin and Tonga were very pleasing and stand-in captain Tony Grimaldi stood tall while wingers El Masri and Utai had outstanding matches.

The Bulldogs are in equal 1st position with the Knights, Cowboys, Storm and Broncos where they are four points clear of five sides including the Sharks who are in 7th position with Manly holding 6th position and the Roosters take 8th position with the Dragons and Panthers outside the eight on for and against differences.

Click here to listen to ABC Interviews with Williams, Folkes and Raper

Advanced Search