Match Details
Match Date	24th Jun, 2000
Opponent	Brisbane
Result	Loss 18-48
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Darren Britt
Venue	Homebush (Stadium Australia)
Crowd	12,214
Referee	Sean Hampstead

BULLDOGS coach Steve Folkes questioned Brisbane's ability to legally sign Australian Test half-back Brett Kimmorley after they demolished his team last night.

The Broncos all but ended the Bulldogs' finals hopes with a 48-18 flogging at Stadium Australia that featured a hat-trick from Wendell Sailor and two tries by fellow winger Lote Tuqiri.

But Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett said afterwards that he'd like to see his side "put a team away". To which Folkes responded: "What does he want? Blood?"

Asked about the Broncos' approaches to Kimmorley, Folkes said: "You're always aiming to better yourself but I don't know how they fit them all under the cap, I haven't got a clue."

Easy, said Broncos chief executive Shane Edwards : "Creative accounting. We can certainly fit him under the cap, otherwise we wouldn't be talking to him."

The Storm star was in Queensland for talks on Thursday but Edwards said they didn't discuss money: "He just came up to look at our setup and that's all we're saying at this stage."

Centre Tonie Carroll gave the Broncos a taste of what they'll be missing when he goes to Leeds on a four-season deal next year. His damaging display included a try.

"I haven't signed anything yet, and when I come to sign it's going to be hard," Carroll said.

The Broncos' convincing eight-try victory keeps them four competition points ahead of the pack. Their nearest rivals, Sydney Roosters, flogged Auckland earlier in the day.

Brisbane were first on the board, centre Michael Devere booted a penalty after Bulldogs hooker Jason Hetherington was penalised for lifting Broncos interchange forward Harvey Howard.

They extended the lead in the 17th minute, when Devere sent a short pass to Tuqiri, who crossed in the left corner, Devere missed the kick.

Three minutes on, Bulldogs late inclusion Justin Murphy scored, on debut, to lift his side back into the match with a converted try.

The Bulldogs were lucky not to concede a penalty try in the 24th minute, Broncos lock Kevin Campion was tackled without the ball by Shane Perry as he tried to take a pass from Carroll that would almost certainly have brought a try. The Broncos had to settle for a penalty.

Soon after, hooker Luke Priddis scored from dummy half, Devere converted, making it 12-6.

Just before half-time, Sailor crossed in the right corner from a Kevin Walters bomb, Sailor's conversion took the visitors to 18-6.

Probably the only glimmer of hope the Bulldogs had was when point-scoring record-holder Daryl Halligan scored his second try in as many weeks. He converted from the sideline to make it 24-12.

But Brisbane accelerated away again, scoring four more tries. Sailor's third, in the final minute, completed the trouncing.

Despite the win, Bennett refused to contemplate a minor premiership. "There hasn't been much talk about it and there won't be much talk about it. It's incidental to what we want to do.

"I'd say we got ourselves a semi-final spot tonight and that's pretty important. Our next achievement is to try and wrap up a top-four position."

Folkes described the Broncos as "awesome" and said: "It wouldn't surprise me if they are the premiers. Too big, too fast, too strong tonight."

He refused to concede the Bulldogs had done their dash for the year.

Source: The Sun Herald

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