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From the SMH:

Loss to Tigers costs Dogs minor premiership

September 4, 2009 - 9:21PM

The Bulldogs' NRL title aspirations are in disarray after a shock 34-12 defeat to the Wests Tigers cost them the minor premiership and could result in suspension to backline stars Luke Patten and Josh Morris.

The Dogs were blown off the park by a free-spirited Tigers side out of finals contention with the six tries to two defeat on Friday night dropping them to second on the NRL table after St George Illawarra bounced back to form with a win over Parramatta at WIN Jubilee Stadium.

It was supposed to be the night the Bulldogs became the first club in rugby league history to go from last to first in two seasons and celebrate their remarkable turnaround as a pillar in the NRL.

But as their team failed on the football field, so too did their fans in the Sydney Football Stadium stands with one ejected for fighting and another seen to throw a bottle at Tigers star Benji Marshall as he scored a second half try.

With halfback Brett Kimmorley (fractured cheekbone) already out until at least the third week of the finals with injury, Patten and Morris could be further concerns for the Bulldogs after an upending tackle on Keith Galloway early in the second half.

Galloway landed on his head in the 43rd minute tackle and while the referees did not put the incident on report it is certain to be scrutinised by the match committee on Monday.

While the defeat raised serious questions about the Bulldogs' title chances without key playmaker Kimmorley, it would also leave Tigers fans puzzled as to why their team is not participating in the finals for the fourth year in succession.

Superstar five-eighth Marshall was at his dazzling best, scoring a sensational solo try and having a hand in four others in front of 17,375 fans.

Second-rower Danny Galea broke his three-year tryscoring drought with his first four pointer since joining the Tigers in 2007 coming in his 100th and possibly last NRL game.

The Bulldogs' only points came from a Patten try in the 55th minute and an 85m intercept to Morris in the 69th minute.

The Dogs had plenty of late chances but they were effectively out of the contest by half-time when they trailed 16-0 after having just 30 per cent possession.

NRL chief executive David Gallop started his night at the SFS, but then took the 16km drive to Kogarah with the JJ Giltinan Shield at half-time to present the trophy and $100,000 to the Dragons after their win.

The Tigers led 10-0 with two tries in the opening seven minutes, while the Dogs touched the ball only once in that time before surrendering possession on the first tackle.

WESTS TIGERS 34 (B Ayshford D Galea D Halatau C Lawrence B Marshall T Moltzen tries B Marshall 5 goals) bt BULLDOGS 12 (J Morris L Patten tries H El Masri 2 goals) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Steve Lyons, Jared Maxwell. Crowd: 17,375.

 

[Guest]

WESTS TIGERS BEAT BULLDOGS 34-12
By Wayne Cousins at the SFS
Friday, September 04, 2009

Wests Tigers finished their season in the Telstra Premiership with a crushing 34-12 victory over the Bulldogs at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight.

In a match in which they led from start, Wests Tigers destroyed the Bulldogs which ended their hopes of securing the minor premiershop.

The victory will see Wests Tigers finish either ninth or 10th on the ladder depending on other results.

It was also a fitting way for Wests Tigers to send out departing players Dene Halatau, John Morris and Dean Collis.

Wests Tigers opened the scoring in the third minute when half-back John Morris, in his final game for the club, threw a long cut out pass for winger Blake Ayshford to score in the corner.

Five-eighth Benji Marshall failed to convert the try for a 4-0 lead.

Marshall then laid on the second try of the game when from a scrum win, Marshall ran to the blindside and dummied to draw in Hazem El Masri to send centre Chris Lawrence over in the corner.

Marshall converted the try from the sideline for a 10-0 lead.

The Bulldogs had a try disallowed in the 13th minute through a forward pass.

A 40/20 attempt by hooker and captain Robbie Farah went out on the full, giving the Bulldogs a scrum feed 40 metres out. The Bulldogs got a repeat set after Ayshford spilt a bomb in-goal. The pressure valve was released when winger Rhys Hanbury defused a bomb from a Daniel Holdsworth kick in the 22nd minute.

Wests Tigers enjoyed plenty of possesion inside the Bulldogs quarter from the 30 minute to 35 minute mark but were unable to get over the line despite centre Dean Collis, Lawrence and Farah coming close.

An offload by Galloway in a two man tackle to Farah saw open space for full-back Tim Moltzen to race five metres untouched to score next to the posts.

Marshall converted the try for a 16-0 lead. The score remained that way until half-time with Wests Tigers supporters giving their heroes a standing ovation in front of a crowd of 17, 375.

Rhys Hanbury has not returned to the field due to a calf injury.

2nd Half
Wests Tigers second-rower Danny Galea scored his first ever try for the club when he latched onto a pass from Marshall to score untouched. It was Galea's first try in three seasons and came in his 100th first grade game.

Marshall converted the try for a 22-0 lead after 45 minutes.

Some individual brilliance and pace by Marshall saw him beat the tackle of Holdsworth before outsprinting El Masri to score behind the posts. Marshall converted the try for a 28-0 lead after 52 minutes.

The Buldlogs openend their accoint when Ennis found David Stagg who offloaded to five-eighth Ben Roberts to send full-back Luke Patten over. El Masri converted the try for a 28-6 scoreline.

Dene Halatau, in his final game for the club, crossed for a try when Marshall switched the ball back to Lawrence who lofted a pass over the winger for the popular Halatau to score. Marshall converted the try for a 34-6 lead.

A loose pass by Marshall saw centre Josh Morris swoop on the ball to race 80 metres to score despite a gallant chase by Marshall. El Masri converted the try for a 34-12 scoreline after 69 minutes.

The score remained that way until full-time with Wests Tigers supporters giving their heroes a standing ovation.

 

[Geo]

Crowd: 17,375.

:laughing: No way…..

 

[Guest]

Marshall's masterclass sends Bulldogs back to the drawing board

Glenn Jackson | September 5, 2009

Wests Tigers 34 Bulldogs 12

BENJI MARSHALL could have dodged a bullet last night. In the end, he didn't need to. He just dodged the Bulldogs and a bottle as he ended his opponents' minor premiership hopes with the sort of display that left you wanting more. Only we won't get any.

We will see more of the Bulldogs, but last night's performance showed they will do so under doubt and duress without their halfback Brett Kimmorley.

There was little doubt who the star was. Marshall scored one himself, showing the sort of steps you'd expect him to produce on the dance floor in coming days, having to ensure he missed a missile (or at least a bottle of water) hurled from the crowd in the final strides, and set up three more as Wests Tigers poked as many holes in the Bulldogs defence as they did their title campaign. It certainly ain't over, but as some angry young fan showed, the Bulldogs may be going to water.

This really was an intriguing match-up. One team had minor premiership on the mind and the other Mad Monday. But it was the Tigers who showed early on that they had their minds on the job rather than the grog.

The Tigers found themselves 10-0 up before the Bulldogs had any consistent possession; the momentum going their way with a penalty on the second tackle and continuing through tries to Blake Ayshford and Chris Lawrence in opposite corners within seven minutes. Both were set up by Marshall, who was in the mood to groove.

The Bulldogs looked a little nervy, while the Tigers were playing like it was their last - funnily enough. Marshall was chipping and Robbie Farah was chirping and the rest of the side was chiming in with the sort of play that belied the fact that they had little more to play for than the ability to knock the Bulldogs off their perch.

Maybe that was motivation enough, or maybe the very fact that the Bulldogs found themselves at the top of said perch caused their own fall; sure, they were lacking the calm of Kimmorley, but they were missing more than that. They had glaring deficiencies in defence as well as attack with the veteran on the sidelines.

They did have their traditional Bulldog grit as the Tigers pummelled them in the latter stages of the first half, but they finally broke with four minutes left in the half when Keith Galloway's offload found Farah, the hooker found Tim Moltzen, and the fullback found a defensive line scurrying backwards and he scurried over himself.

Speaking of which, by now, the NRL officials were starting to scurry towards Kogarah, as the Tigers and the Dragons had each taken a substantial advantage into half-time.

Whatever the Tigers took into half-time, they brought it back onto the field after the break, too. The second half began as the first did, with an early penalty against the Bulldogs and points following quickly. And it was a try four years in the making.

Danny Galea, the dependable back-rower, has produced two nude runs in successive seasons since his move from Penrith in 2007\. But he saved the first till last; scoring his first try for the club in potentially his final match for it. It was set up, once again, by Marshall, who picked the ball of his bootlaces and sent Galea in on his inside.

Just after the 50-minute mark, Marshall made his mark, scoring a wonderful individual try and essentially ending the Bulldogs' minor premiership charge in the final stride; just a half-hour before the end of the home and away season.

Two Bulldogs scored in the final half-hour, Luke Patten and Josh Morris, and a future one chimed in as well, Dene Halatau scoring in his final match with the Tigers - and his last before joining the Dogs. By the time Halatau scored, the JJ Giltinan Shield had well and truly gone to Kogarah.

 

[Kul]

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