Des Hasler became the first coach to reach back-to-back NRL grand finals with different clubs after Canterbury ended South Sydney’s bid for a first premiership in 41 years with a 32-8 preliminary final win on Saturday night.
Before 70,354 fans at ANZ Stadium, the Bulldogs set up a decider against Melbourne in a match which swung their way when the Rabbitohs lost rookie of the year Adam Reynolds to a hamstring injury midway through the first half.
The Bunnies – with the NRL’s longest active streak between premierships – were leading 8-4 and in control when Reynolds hobbled from the field with what had appeared a brilliant kick into the Bulldogs in-goal went horribly pear shaped.
From there it was all the Bulldogs as they scored 28 unanswered points, two tries in the four minutes before halftime breaking the back of the Bunnies before their spirit was destroyed with two tries in the space of five minutes before the hour.
The win means Hasler – who quit Manly just days after guiding the Sea Eagles to the 2011 crown – becomes the first man to make it back to a grand final with a new side the following season.
It was a stunning opening to the game, the Rabbitohs with skipper Michael Crocker on report and down 4-0 thanks to a Krisnan Inu try before they had even touched the ball.
Souths returned serve thanks to back-to-back penalties as Issac Luke dived over from dummy half, their lead extended when Reynolds added a penalty for what appeared an innocuous bump on Dylan Farrell.
Luke had been the Rabbitohs’ most influential player but his impact was minimised when he was moved out to halfback to cover for Reynolds, and the Bulldogs now had a sniff their enemy was vulnerable.
Greg Inglis came up with a brilliant try-saver on Josh Reynolds before being denied himself when held up over the line, and it seemed Souths would hold on for a deserved lead at the break.
Ben Barba’s charge to a 23rd try for 2012 was stopped by teammate Frank Pritchard getting in his way, but it proved only a minor delay as Sam Perrett scored his first on the next play off a precise Josh Reynolds kick.
The Bulldogs added a penalty from in front with Sam Burgess ruled to have kneed Perrett as he scored, but it was his penalty for a high tackle from the restart which proved pivotal as Johnathan Wright touched down with seven seconds to go before halftime.
From there it was always going to a mountain for the Bunnies to climb.
Perrett brilliantly tip-toed the sideline off a Greg Eastwood pass to score before Eastwood set up countryman Pritchard on 59 minutes before and finished the job himself with a try on the stroke of fulltime.
Antonio
Guest
It seems in other sports football (soccer) and cricket Melbourne out draws Sydney it must be a Rugby league issue
Allan
Guest
Sorry mate but you didn't mention the value of NRL as reflected in their admission tickets, half of AFL. If AFL's tickets were half price on friday nights final they would of got 70,000. I was going to go, but when I requested the cheapest ticket it was $100
steve b
Roar Guru
Renegade i am sure as rugby league fan ,you know the facts as do all fans ,ex players ,players, admin alike ,i am just not one to believe that coach and players knew nothing about what was going on in the ranks when it all went down ..yes we lost a Grand final but also other teams on the way to that Grand final were cheated as well ..some can forgive ,and in time maybe those who hold a deep grudge will to only time will tell ..Good luck to you and your belief's ,but i will remain bitter and twisted about the matter just as our friend oikee is about his beloved Manly ..And good luck to the current Storm ..but in saying that go the Doggies ...........
Renegade
Guest
LOL mate your hilarious.....you bring out the "facts" line without actually stating any and then come back with "your a puddle fan" when you actually get some facts thrown in the discussion. And no i'm not a storm fan, i'm a rugby league fan and as a rugby league fan i love watching the storm side and in particular - slater, smith and cronk. They play the game better than all others in their respective positions and as a team they're brilliant to watch. Smith and Slater will be future immortals without question....you can go on about what the storm administration did but i admire the ability of what these guys produce on the field.
steve b
Roar Guru
you must be A PUDDLE FAN ,,Sorry if i offended your delicate self ,and facts are you try and justify what was a shocker to RUGBY LEAGUE and then want everyone to forget and forgive thats rubbish !!
oikee
Guest
The more i read about that Stormland story, the more i wish i was part of this Stormland world. No wonder Queenslanders dont mind Stormland, it sounds Mysterious, sexy and downright fun. Why cant me Broncos be just like Stormland, a world where i never lose,,,, yeah baby.
oikee
Guest
Here is some more from Knoxy's page today. Bitter and twisted much Knoxy, he even begrudges them having 3 good players, he wants the lot gone to Manly. hahaha. It may be apparent that the writer of this column is not a diehard Storm fan as such. There may exist some bitterness in these quarters that the nucleus of a team that was built out of cheating the salary cap remains in place. The Storm haven't had a greater turnover of players than other clubs since 2007, and were able to keep three, instead of four, of the five best players in the game. Plus they got Ryan Hoffman back. The Storm are as ''cap clean'' now as an athlete who uses drugs to build his strength but is clean on competition day. In Stormland, however, Gallop's crushing jackboot forced them to invent an entirely new team from scratch out of cast-offs, plumbers and bricklayers Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/stormlands-a-state-of-mind-insular-deluded-fantastic-8230-20120922-26dn1.html#ixzz27GSSPVwJ
Renegade
Guest
I judge what happens on the football field....fact is they have been the best rugby league side over the past decade. Fact is - they have lost a host of internationals to other teams over the past 5 years Fact is - they are playing in their 5th Grand Final next week Fact is - They've put together a rag tag side and still dominated over the last 2 years. Fact is - It wouldn't matter if Greg Inglis had a boat or not, they still would have smacked parra in 09 and fact is they don't need Inglis, Crocker, King, Folau, Turner, White, Cross, J.Smith, Blair, etc as they have once again made the GF this year. Fact is - you talk rubbish and not facts and i quote "documented facts and not all has been told".....so not all has been told but apparently its a fact. The roar must hand out "Guru" tags to people, because it's unthinkable how someone who uses the term "the puddle'" as reference to a team has got one.....can someone fill me in on this?
oikee
Guest
Hey Steve, you sure your name is not Malcolm Knox, which i think is a anagram for Malcolm X. Here is a few lines from his Stormland story today, i am not sure if he is going after the Storm or Queenslanders, maybe he just hates anyone outside NSWRL. :) In Stormland, not just Melbourne but the entire world is against them. Paranoia is an effective team-gluing agent, and in some clubs - Manly, the Bulldogs - the persecution mania is well-grounded. In Stormland, as with much else about the club, the siege mentality is a confection. Aside from us cranks and crazies, it's hard to find league fans who harbour any more than a mild indifference towards the Storm. Queenslanders quite like them - Stormland, in the league world, is a province of Queensland anyway. In Sydney next Sunday, many neutrals will be cheering for Melbourne, as they cheered for the Warriors last year, because their antipathy for the opponent carries more authentic passion than any feelings about Melbourne. Few fans really care enough about the Storm to hate them. How can you hate a marketing exercise No, it is poeple like you Knoxy is why Queenslanders dont like you, and this is why i wont allow any Queenslanders to think winning 8 in a row next year is not important, to all you Queenslanders out their, and all those who have had to endure the Knoxes of this world, 8 in a row is for you, and for mud in the eye of this and the next Knox. :) Thanks for the ammo Knoxy.
Renegade
Guest
Then why refer to the current mob which will be playing in the 2012 Grand Final next week as cheats....i'm not sure you even know why your saying that but feel the need you have too cause your a parra fan.
steve b
Roar Guru
Got nothing to do with what their doing now , its not lest we forget but lest we remember so we can never forget and let it happen again , they got of to easy and not all got what they had coming to them ,as i have said best cover up of all time in league ...........
steve b
Roar Guru
No b.s. there bloke just documented facts and not all has been told ,but we all have an opinion ,but not all are based on the truth ,, they deserve to get their trophy back oh please !!!
oikee
Guest
Anyone who follows rugby league outside of Sydney understand the politics of the Sydney NRL. Or NSWRL as other clubs outside Sydney call the NRL. To get a handle on the truth, their are many pointers to the truth. The Broncos came out and put their whole salary cap in the paper so nobody could dispute their salaries. We just lost Petro and Lockyer, this Freed up 1.5 million on the cap. Point is, we have not replaced them with big name signings, not yet anyhow. We have resigned all the junior players, some are probably lucky to be getting paid after the weak effort they put in this year. That is another story. Anyhow, today i read that the Tigers are paying a broken down winger 450 thousand a season. Lotti. Benji is on close to a million. Farrah, not sure, but Parra will let you know what he is earning, they are making offers. Manly cant register Brett Stewart, who mind you is signing a 2.6 million contract. The 2 halves have both been recently resigned, i think Evans was close to 300 thousand a season, Forun maybe the same, then you got the captain , he is probably the highest paid. The dogs might not be over the cap yet, but with the rise they have made, 2 years and their players will be hunted by other clubs, Kasiano, Barber, Reynolds, Graham, Eastwood, Tolman, T-rex, Ennis, Frank the Tank, Come on, that team cant stay together for much longer. Was it the Dogs who had to ask the NRL for a concession to get Inu and Perrit, i thought i read this at the time . Dont forget they had Bronx Godwin and someone else, cant remember, they also have a Morris twin. Manly could be off the hook the way the dogs are going, or is it Dessy. This flying under the cap, i mean radar is now Dessies worst nitemare. Have a look at that team. Have a good look. I will be counting interantionals, Australian Kiwi and even Pommies (James Graham) along with Origin and Dally M players. (Barber) If another club offers big money for any of these players, i will be working out how much these players are knocking back, because we all know no player is stupid enough to knock back cash. We are not that stupid Dessy, dont give us they love the club garbage, nobody believes you mate. Its like your never the favorite, crap, the Dogs in Sydney are the favorites this week, get over it muppet.
steve b
Roar Guru
oikee mate if and when they ever tell the whole story i'll play words with you then ,,but until then opinion's very and i and many many others have the same thoughts as mine ,,mega liars and cheats,,, the puddle ..ha ha !!!!
Renegade
Guest
I got nothing against the dogs but when you read BS comments like that of Steve b above.....i really hope the storm win, they deserve to get their trophy back....no side has worked harder and put more in than this mob over the last 2 years.
Renegade
Guest
Yeah mate i'm sure they're cheating and paying overs for the likes of Bryan Norrie, Jaiman Lowe, Sisa Waqa, etc....
oikee
Guest
Tell me about it, gee whiz. :(
oikee
Guest
When you are unravilling that cover-up, dont forget to ask why they got away with this for 4 years. If the NRL were doing their job and supporting the Storm in a foriegn area, this would never have happened. Plus not since Al-Capone has a book-keeper ever had 2 sets of books. Its a cover up all right, but your way off track Steve, way off. I will go as far to sy, the last time i walked into a large business office, not a book was seen, only computers. Come-on Steve, let it go mate. Your just making a dill of yourself, and nobody wants to see you do that. You never see me making a fool of meself.
steve b
Roar Guru
No the rightful name can only belong to one the puddle !!!!
steve b
Roar Guru
Will say it forever the best cover up of all time ,,stick your head back in the sand meesta .....