Defeating the
Parramatta Eels last weekend, the
Canterbury Bulldogs SG Ball Cup team is a win away from reaching the coveted grand final, but they will have to go up against a club that has already defeated them this season.
Nearly three months ago, the Bulldogs were unsuccessful in defeating the
Sydney Roosters, but having grown as a group on and off the field, the team are looking to change the end result in a must-win game on Saturday.
While it will be a difficult task to take on a team that includes several representative players, the Bulldogs enter the finals filled with confidence after defeating the Eels 42-10 in week one.
Ahead of the semi-final, Bulldogs SG Ball coach
Steve Turner - and former
NRL player with 161
NRL games under his belt - spoke to
Zero Tackle in regards to the club's motivation to make it to the grand final, how the players have grown since the start of the season and the battle he is expecting the Roosters to bring.
"I think the motivation is playing finals, and we get to play the team that has been probably the best-performing team all year, and they didn't drop a game in their regular season," Turner told
Zero Tackle.
For us, I don't know if it's revenge against them, but the motivation is playing football, and if you don't get the result, there is no next week.
"It's exciting for these kids. Some of them are first-year rep players, some of them were part of last year's Harold Matts team, some of them its first time playing finals so it's a great time of the year for these boys and I'm looking forward to Saturday.
"There's a few that are a little bit nervous but it's good to be nervous. It's excitement, it's part of playing sport.
There is also an added motivation around the squad heading into the clash for some as they look to continue their winning streak in the junior levels after having won the
Harold Matthews Cup title last season.
Players from last year's
Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final that will be on show on Saturday include halfback
Mitchell Woods, prop Oliva Smith, and second rower Sosaia Alatini.
Asked if there are any nerves around the club, Turner revealed that "game day is a little bit different for some of the boys" ahead of the clash.
"Game day is a little bit different for some of the boys but being so young and what they've been able to do over the last five or six weeks, there's a little excitement.
"The team's built some good connection and camaraderie over the last five or six weeks so I don't see too much of it around the club."
While the Bulldogs just scraped into the finals, the
Sydney Roosters have yet to lose a game this season, securing nine wins in nine games with a points difference of 145 points - 299 points for and 154 against.
In what will be a tough challenge, not only in the forwards but also the backs, the team is led by halfback Toby Rodwell and consists of De La Salle Va'a,
Ethan Roberts, Zac Sarfati, Tyreece Tait and skipper
Blake Steep.
"If you look at the four teams left in the competition, they were the top-four teams and very strong sides across the board," Turner added.
"It's a great opportunity for us to play against a team that has been very consistent throughout the year.
"They have a strong forward pack, a handy half in young [Tom] Rodwell, so I'm looking forward to it and these boys are obviously coming off a couple of weeks off.
"They'll be fresh and ready, but for us, it's about continuing to build on what we've done over the last five or six weeks."
The Canterbury Bulldogs will face the Sydney Roosters at Henson Park, Sydney on Saturday 12:30 (AEST) for a spot in the SG Ball Cup Grand Final.
