chadiwrx
Kennel Addict
- Joined
- May 21, 2005
- Messages
- 5,419
- Reaction score
- 421
Dogs dump Knights to earn week off
The Bulldogs did justice to their brilliant regular season performance with a grinding 26-12 victory over Newcastle at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Saturday night.
Without the guiding hand of half-back Brett Kimmorley, the Dogs managed to see off a gallant surge by the Knights as the outsiders came within six points with just under half an hour to play.
Newcastle centre Junior Sau picked up the opening points of the match against the run of play but his barging effort was soon cancelled out by a try to Bulldogs centre Josh Morris and a first-half double by full-back Luke Patten.
Behind 18-6 at half-time, a Scott Dureau try gave Newcastle a fighting chance only for a four-pointer from Dally M Prop of the Year Ben Hannant to seal the victory on 73 minutes and eliminate the Knights from the finals.
The win propels the Bulldogs into the third week of the finals and a game away from the grand final whilst also keeping Manly's finals hopes alive.
But the Sea Eagles, who lost 40-12 to Melbourne on Friday night, can still make an early exit from the finals if Parramatta upsets the Dragons on Sunday after Brisbane toppled the Titans.
Semi-final style football
Hannant said his side had control of the match before Sau's try and needed to respond accordingly.
"We had the roll on and [had] just one little lapse and they scored that try," he told ABC Grandstand.
"We knew the momentum was in our favour and we could grind the game out and come out on top.
"It was all about semi-final style football. Grinding it out, completing your sets and hard aggressive running and I think our boys really showed that tonight."
Hannant was also full of praise for former Broncos team-mate Michael Ennis, who stood up and directed the Dogs around the park after last week's heavy defeat to the Tigers without Kimmorley.
"Ennis is fantastic, he has been great all year and deserved all the accolades he gets," Hannant said of the Dally M Hooker of the Year.
"Big Jamal Idris was fantastic too with a lot of courage. If we want to go far in these finals we need young guys like him stepping up."
The Knights were hampered early with hooker Isaac De Gois leaving the field in the early stages after re-injuring a troublesome knee injury that had him doubtful for the match.
Veteran backrower Steve Simpson injured his wrist minutes later and played only a limited role in the defeat.
Bulldogs: 26 (L Patten 2, J Morris, B Hannant tries; H El Masri 4/4 conversions; 1/2 penalties)
Knights: 12 (J Sau, S Dureau tries; K Gidley 1/1, Dureau 1/1 conversions)
Audio: Interview: Michael Ennis (Grandstand) Listen Here
Audio: Interview: Ben Hannant (Grandstand) Listen Here
Audio: Interview: Kevin Moore (Grandstand) Listen Here
Source
Last edited by a moderator: