Media Reports

[Guest]

BULLDOGS BEAT WESTS TIGERS 24-4 IN NRL
By Wayne Cousins
16/04/2010 9:18:07 PM

Wests Tigers suffered a 24-4 loss to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight in round six of the Telstra Premiership.

In a flat performance, Wests Tigers had to do a tremendous load of defence in the first half and were on the end of some ordinary calls.

The heavy work-rate, combined with the possible effects of two tough road wins away, took its toll on the Tim Sheen’s men as the Bulldogs ended the Wests Tigers’ three game winning streak. It was just the Bulldogs’ second win of the season.

Wests Tigers lost Alan Schirnack to a knee injury. Willie Mataka replaced him.

The opening five minutes saw Wests Tigers prop Andrew Fifita heavily involved in his first game at starting prop. Debutant half-back Blake Lazarus put in a good downfield kick with his first touch of the ball. Lazarus is defending on the wing or at centre in defence.

Wests Tigers centre Blake Ayshford roped in a grubber kick from half-back Brett Kimmorley five metres from his tryline on the last tackle in the eighth minute.

Kimmorley put through another grubber kick on the last tackle in the next set but winger Lote Tuqiri watched it closely before allowing the ball to go dead.

Wests Tigers dug deep in the 11th minute when they had to defend two sets of six inside their quarter but held the Bulldogs at bay. Fafita was replaced in the 16th minute by prop Junior Moors after making a good impression again in his opening stint.

A great tackle by prop Bryce Gibbs on Chris Armit saw him penalised in the 17th minute by referee Jared Maxwell for holding Armit down too long in the tackle. The decision angered the Wests Tigers supporters.

Fortunately for Wests Tigers, they withstood the pressure to get the ball back from a kick before being penalised by referee Bernard Sutton for a shepherd 15 metres from their line a minute later. Wests Tigers members and supporters gave their team a hige cheer when five-eighth Ben Roberts put a kick through behind the line only to see the ball go dead to give Wests Tigers posession.

Wests Tigers were denied a penalty in the 23rd minute when a grubber kick play from Robbie Farah, standing at five-eighth, from a scrum win saw Benji Marshall chase it through only to be tackled off the ball by winger Steve Turner.

Lazarus denied a try to Bulldogs centre Josh Morris in the 28th minute when he grabbed a leg and put him into touch before he could put the ball down in the corner.

The Bulldogs received a lucky call from Maxwell when they got six again off a bomb. Winger Bryson Goodwin ran 10 metres and was tackled before Maxwell ruled a scrum feed to the visitors 10 metres out.

Following the scrum, some great defence by Blake Ayshford, Daniel Fitzhenry and Lazarus saw Morris taken into touch.

Tuiqiri was penalised a minute later for a shepherd with the Bulldogs tapping the ball 32 metres out with six minutes remaining before half-time.

Video referee Paul Simpkins was called on a minute later to see whether a crossfield bomb by Ben Roberts had come off centre Jamal Idris or Tuqiri's hands before hooker Michael Ennis caught it to score. The try was awarded to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead after 35 minutes.

Goodwin converted the try to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead after 36 minutes. The Bulldogs dominated the possession (60-40) before the try was scored.

Although trailing 6-0 at half-time, Wests Tigers would be pleased to go into the break just the one try down after the huge amount of posession the Bulldogs have enjoyed in the first half.

Wests Tigers have received some very ordinary calls against them. The only fear for the second half is how much petrol was taken out of the tank by the amount of defence done in the first 40 minutes.

Another interesting stat was that Wests Tigers were tackled just four times in the Bulldogs quarter compared to the visitor's 33.

2nd Half
Both sides got back into their patterns for the first five minutes.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 10-0 after 47 minutes when full-back Luke Patten stepped and weaved past some tired defenders to score next to the posts. Goodwin converted the try for a 12-0 lead after 48 minutes. The try came after Goodwin made a 40 metre run after he pushed off several tired defenders.

A superb 40/20 kick from dummy half by hooker and captain Robbie Farah in the 53rd minute gave Wests Tigers a scrum feed 20 metres out. Maxwell then penalised the Bulldogs for being offside on the first tackle.

The good work went undone when Ayshford lost the ball 10 metres out from the tryline.

Wests Tigers first real break in the game came in the 59th minute and it resulted in a fine try to Tuqiri. The ball travelled left through Farah, Marshall and Liam Fulton before Tuqiri raced 55 metres down the left flank before stepping inside Patten to score near the posts.

Marshall's conversion attempt hit the uprights and bounced away for a 12-4 scoreline with 19 minutes remaining.

The Bulldogs had a chance to secure victory when Patten made a 20 metre run and offloaded to centre Jamal Idris who dropped the ball 10 metres out with just one man to beat in the 71st minute.

Two minutes later, Ennis sealed victory when a Kimmorley crossfield kick near the posts saw the hooker latch on to the ball at its first bounce to beat Ayshford to score. Goodwin converted the try for an 18-4 lead.

The Bulldogs were in again a minute later when Ennis kicked the ball downfield into open space from dummy half for Kimmorley to toe it ahead to score next to the posts. Goodwin converted the try for a 24-4 lead.

The loss leaves Wests Tigers with a 4-2 win record from its first six games. Wests Tigers play Penrith at CUA Stadium on Saturday, April 24, at 5.30pm.

 

[Guest]

Dogged Dogs down Tigers
April 16, 2010 - 9:49PM

Bulldogs 24 Wests Tigers 4

Canterbury hooker Michael Ennis has taken first points in his battle with Wests Tigers skipper Robbie Farah for the NSW State of Origin No.9 jersey with two tries in the Bulldogs' scrappy 24-4 NRL win at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Ennis was on the spot twice to collect kicks from Ben Roberts and Brett Kimmorley before providing a kick for his halfback's late try as the Dogs took the first steps in getting their season back on track.

The beleaguered Bulldogs went into Friday night's clash with just one win from their first five games and another loss would have had the word "crisis" being used about the club, which finished second on the ladder last year.

There was little fluency in the way they went about it, but the determined Dogs did enough to unsettle the high-flying Tigers, whose handling was woeful as they adapted to life with debutant halfback Blake Lazarus.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens will now be sweating on the return of No.7 Robert Lui, due back in two weeks, after talented stand-in Tim Moltzen's season was ended by an ankle injury last week.

The Dogs scored four tries to one, with fullback Luke Patten and Kimmorley adding to Ennis' double and Bryson Goodwin booting four from four in front of 19,491 fans.

The Tigers' sole points came from winger Lote Tuqiri, whose barnstorming 50m effort in the 59th minute had narrowed the margin from 12-0 to 12-4.

Leading 6-0 at the break after dominating the first half territorially, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 12-0 seven minutes after halftime when Patten capitalised after a strong run from winger Goodwin.

That scoreline remained until Ennis grabbed a Kimmorley kick in the 74th minute and the No.7 touched down in the 77th.

Ennis' first try in the 35th was controversial in a first 40 minutes in which the Tigers weren't getting the rub of the green, but video referee Paul Simpkins ruled Dogs centre Jamal Idris had not knocked Roberts' kick forward.

BULLDOGS 24 (M Ennis 2 B Kimmorley L Patten tries B Goodwin 4 goals) bt WESTS TIGERS 4 (L Tuqiri try) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Jared Maxwell, Bernard Sutton. Crowd: 19,491.

 

[Guest]

Ennis stars as Dogs stun Tigers

Updated April 16, 2010 22:04:00
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Michael Ennis has drawn first blood in an intriguing battle for the NSW Origin hooking berth, scoring twice in the Bulldogs' 24-4 upset of Wests Tigers in Sydney.

Ennis crossed the tryline in the 35th and 75th minutes as Canterbury dusted off a horrible start to the 2010 season to get the better of the 4-1 Tigers.

Lote Tuqiri's sizzling try with 20 minutes remaining had given Wests a faint hope of a comeback at 12-4, but Ennis and Brett Kimmorley scored late to give the Dogs just a second win for the season.

Tigers skipper Robbie Farah is the odds-on favourite to win the coveted number nine jersey for the Blues, although his chief rival Ennis firmly underlined his credentials in a stellar performance.

Additionally, Bryson Goodwin enjoyed a perfect night with the boot as he landed all four of his conversion attempts.

Luke Patten (47th minute) was the other try scorer for the Bulldogs, who were far from perfect with a completion rate of 67 per cent but who made more of their attacking opportunities and defended stoutly.

Patten said it was only a matter of time before the Bulldogs experienced a turnaround in their fortunes.

"I've been around long enough to know that we're not that far off," he told ABC Grandstand.

"Everyone's writing us off but we've been in games and we've just been clocking off. We just haven't been working together as a team and we were individually trying to dig our way out of it.

"I think tonight you saw a team that just covered each other hard the whole 80 minutes and that's what we talked about all week.

"We need to build on this now and we need to start getting some more wins… there's a good feel around the club still."

Ennis was on the spot twice to collect kicks from Ben Roberts and Kimmorley to score four-pointers, and provided a kick for his half-back's late try.

There was little fluency in the way they went about it, but the determined Dogs did enough to unsettle the high-flying Tigers, whose handling was woeful as they adapted to life with debutant half-back Blake Lazarus.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens will now be sweating on the return of number seven Robert Lui, due back in two weeks, after talented stand-in Tim Moltzen's season was ended by a knee injury last week.

Leading 6-0 at the break after dominating the first half territorially, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 12-0 seven minutes after half-time when Patten capitalised after a strong run from winger Goodwin.

That scoreline remained until Ennis grabbed a Kimmorley kick in the 74th minute and the number seven touched down in the 77th.

Ennis's first try in the 35th was controversial in a first 40 minutes in which the Tigers were not getting the rub of the green, but video referee Paul Simpkins ruled Dogs centre Jamal Idris had not knocked Roberts's kick forward.

 

[Guest]

Bulldogs defeat West Tigers 24-4 in NRL match at Sydney Football Stadium

By David Beniuk
April 16, 2010

Canterbury-Bankstown captain Andrew Ryan starred as his side overcame a dogged West Tigers to revive their NRL season with a 24-4 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis took first points in his battle with Tigers skipper Robbie Farah for the NSW State of Origin No.9 jersey with two tries in the Bulldogs' 20-point win.

Ennis was on the spot twice to collect kicks from Ben Roberts and Brett Kimmorley before providing a kick for his halfback's late try as the Dogs took the first steps in getting their season back on track.

The beleaguered Bulldogs went into Friday night's clash with just one win from their first five games and another loss would have the club at crisis point after having finished second on the ladder last year.

There was little fluency in the way they went about it, but the determined Dogs did enough to unsettle the high-flying Tigers, whose handling was woeful as they adapted to life with debutant halfback Blake Lazarus.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens will now be sweating on the return of No.7 Robert Lui, due back in two weeks, after Tim Moltzen's season was ended by an ankle injury last week.

The Dogs scored four tries to one, with fullback Luke Patten and Kimmorley adding to Ennis's double and Bryson Goodwin booting four from four in front of 19,491 fans.

The Tigers' sole points came from winger Lote Tuqiri, whose barnstorming 50-metre effort in the 59th minute had narrowed the margin from 12-0 to 12-4.

Leading 6-0 at the break after dominating the first half territorially, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 12-0 seven minutes after half-time when Patten capitalised after a strong run from winger Goodwin.

That scoreline remained until Ennis grabbed a Kimmorley kick in the 74th minute and the No.7 touched down in the 77th.

Ennis's first try in the 35th was controversial in a first 40 minutes in which the Tigers weren't getting the rub of the green, but video referee Paul Simpkins ruled Dogs centre Jamal Idris had not knocked Roberts's kick forward.

Ennis rated his own game as he notched one over rival Farah.

"It was good,'' he said. "The big guys did a hell of a job and that's when you start to see myself and Noddy (Kimmorley) and guys like Ben Roberts and General (Patten) brought into the game.

"I'm fortunate I've been around a little while and know that people's opinions are what they're going to be … as long as I've got the belief and the support of the guys in amongst this group then that's all that matters.''

Farah, who played through the pain of an elbow injury for most of the match, also praised Ennis's game.

"It was hard with the lack of ball that we had so any half and hooker's going to struggle when you're defending your tryline and trying to get the ball out of your own half,'' the Tigers skipper said.
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Andrew Ryan

Tireless performance ... Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan. Brett Costello
Bulldogs defeat West Tigers 24-4 in NRL match at Sydney Football Stadium

By David Beniuk
April 16, 2010

Canterbury-Bankstown captain Andrew Ryan starred as his side overcame a dogged West Tigers to revive their NRL season with a 24-4 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis took first points in his battle with Tigers skipper Robbie Farah for the NSW State of Origin No.9 jersey with two tries in the Bulldogs' 20-point win.

Ennis was on the spot twice to collect kicks from Ben Roberts and Brett Kimmorley before providing a kick for his halfback's late try as the Dogs took the first steps in getting their season back on track.

The beleaguered Bulldogs went into Friday night's clash with just one win from their first five games and another loss would have the club at crisis point after having finished second on the ladder last year.

There was little fluency in the way they went about it, but the determined Dogs did enough to unsettle the high-flying Tigers, whose handling was woeful as they adapted to life with debutant halfback Blake Lazarus.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens will now be sweating on the return of No.7 Robert Lui, due back in two weeks, after Tim Moltzen's season was ended by an ankle injury last week.

The Dogs scored four tries to one, with fullback Luke Patten and Kimmorley adding to Ennis's double and Bryson Goodwin booting four from four in front of 19,491 fans.

The Tigers' sole points came from winger Lote Tuqiri, whose barnstorming 50-metre effort in the 59th minute had narrowed the margin from 12-0 to 12-4.

Leading 6-0 at the break after dominating the first half territorially, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 12-0 seven minutes after half-time when Patten capitalised after a strong run from winger Goodwin.

That scoreline remained until Ennis grabbed a Kimmorley kick in the 74th minute and the No.7 touched down in the 77th.

Ennis's first try in the 35th was controversial in a first 40 minutes in which the Tigers weren't getting the rub of the green, but video referee Paul Simpkins ruled Dogs centre Jamal Idris had not knocked Roberts's kick forward.

Ennis rated his own game as he notched one over rival Farah.

"It was good,'' he said. "The big guys did a hell of a job and that's when you start to see myself and Noddy (Kimmorley) and guys like Ben Roberts and General (Patten) brought into the game.

"I'm fortunate I've been around a little while and know that people's opinions are what they're going to be ... as long as I've got the belief and the support of the guys in amongst this group then that's all that matters.''

Farah, who played through the pain of an elbow injury for most of the match, also praised Ennis's game.

"It was hard with the lack of ball that we had so any half and hooker's going to struggle when you're defending your tryline and trying to get the ball out of your own half,'' the Tigers skipper said.
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"They played well, I thought Kimmorley and Mick controlled the game well, kicked in the corners and made it hard for us.''

The game ended on a sour note with a verbal exchange between Dogs prop Ben Hannant and several Tigers forwards before a Canterbury official intervened.

"I missed it but I saw Chris Heighington and Benny and I think one of their team managers, he was running his mouth off,'' Farah said.

"I don't know about ... what happened but I just grabbed Hieghno and pulled him away, made sure that that's where it stopped.''

 

[prattenpark]

sheens interview on ABC grandstand is interesting http://www.abc.net.au/sport/rugbyleague/audio/

 

[Guest]

Bulldogged Tigers leave nothing in the tank
CHRIS BARRETT
April 17, 2010
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Wests Tigers 4 Bulldogs 24

DEFENCE is alive and well in the NRL. In an old-fashioned arm wrestle to hearten league purists, Canterbury shook off some of the cobwebs of their early season wobbles to withstand a gallant Wests Tigers last night.

But on an evening which saw only three tries until the final moments, the real story lay beneath the details.

The Tigers, known for being fearlessly entertaining, were beaten but could hold their heads high after a defensive effort of the highest order.

The Bulldogs, thoroughly dominant for the first hour, could have, and should have, had the match wrapped up well before its thrilling conclusion. Sure, there was the razzle-dazzle from Benji Marshall and company but the Tigers showed a new dimension even in defeat.

For the Bulldogs, their second victory in only six games takes some weight off the shoulders of one of the pre-season title favourites. They weren't without their flaws but, after a slug-out like this, they will take it.

Hooker Michael Ennis, in direct combat with NSW rival Robbie Farah, was excellent, while forwards Ben Hannant and David Stagg wore the Tigers into the ground.

A casual glance at the scoreboard only five minutes from half-time indicated a dire match. Devoid of points, it must have been lacking in excitement and intrigue, right? Not on your life. An incredible first half-hour may not have had any flashy tries, or any four-pointers at all for that matter, but some brave Tigers' defending proved that this game doesn't always need the scoreboard ticking over to be gripping viewing.

Partly as a result of their own misdeeds but also via a couple of questionable refereeing decisions, the Tigers were forced to make almost 50 more tackles than Canterbury in the first half, many of them as they desperately clung to their own line.

No shortage of them were crackers: Bryce Gibbs pulled off two stunning examples, a super one-on-one trysaver on Yileen Gordon when you would have put your house on the Dogs forward scoring, and a thundering whack on Chris Armit.

Beau Ryan, the fullback, was responsible for another, a beauty to bring down a rampaging Andrew Ryan, who had shot through a hole created by Brett Kimmorley. Yet another for the defence highlight reel was managed by young Tigers halfback Blake Lazarus, whose uncle Glenn won a premiership against the Tigers on the very same ground 21 years ago.

No small number of backs defending out wide have been steamrolled by Josh Morris in recent times. But as the Bulldogs centre looked about to complete the inevitable in the 28th minute, Lazarus, making his NRL debut, picked him up and threw him into the corner post.

Gareth Ellis, Andrew Fifita and Liam Fulton were responsible for a mountain of other gutsy efforts.

The Bulldogs, denied again and again, looked as if their interminable wait would never end. When it finally did it was with little help from the officials, with a Canterbury advantage somehow ruled not expired despite winger Bryson Goodwin ending up with the ball 30 metres away from the initial infringement. The Tigers protested but they could hold out again, with Ennis diving on the ball to score in the wash-up of a Ben Roberts cross-field kick. The second half picked up just where the first left off; with the Bulldogs on the attack. Goodwin, a standout for the visitors, beat four defenders in a 50-metre run. A few moments later Luke Patten was over.

Twelve behind with 30 minutes left, the Tigers' major drama was not the deficit but fears they were out of gas. A Farah 40-20 brought them to life but it took a characteristic try from nothing - set up by Marshall and Fulton and finished off by a galloping Lote Tuqiri - to finally get on the board. Marshall hit the post with a conversion he should have thrown over.

The Tigers, led by Marshall, Farah, Tuqiri and centre Blake Ayshford, left nothing in the tank in an effort to fight back but fatigue would get the best of them. Ennis got a second try, then Kimmorley earned one himself at the death. Heaving, 34 players could not get to their water bottles quick enough. They had earned it.