Match Details
Match Date	6th Sep, 2002
Opponent	Brisbane
Result	Win 25-18
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Steve Price
Venue	Sydney Showground Homebush
Crowd	16,492
Referee	Sean Hampstead

The Bulldogs gave their loyal fans a fitting send-off and showed everyone what the National Rugby League finals series will be missing with a nailbiting 25-18 win over Brisbane at the Sydney Showground last night.

A month ago, this clash shaped as a possible grand final preview, but the Bulldogs' well-documented salary cap woes meant it was instead the club's farewell performance for 2002.

The Bulldogs raced in four tries in the first half to take a 24-6 lead into the break and held on in the second half as Brisbane fought back.

Half-back Brent Sherwin sealed the result in front of 16,492 fans with four minutes remaining when he kicked a field goal to make the score 25-18, giving the home side a seven-point edge.

The Broncos had surged back into the match on the back of an inspired performance from half-back Allan Langer, who had a hand in second-half tries to prop Corey Parker and centre Brent Tate. But it was too late to deny the Bulldogs a gutsy victory, prompting fans to stream on to the pitch and mob the players at the end of the game.

Brisbane finished the season in third place, setting up a finals date with seventh-placed Parramatta next weekend.

Langer created the opening try for Darren Lockyer by sending lock Dane Carlaw through a slender hole, Michael De Vere converting to make the score 6-0.

Langer was involved in the game's second try as well, only this time it was Hazem El Masri who was on the end of his pass and the Bulldogs winger raced 40 metres to score, converting to level the match. From there, the Bulldogs dominated, with El Masri adding a second and centre Nigel Vagana, the competition's leading try-scorer, helping himself to a brace.

Sherwin was at the heart of two of the tries with perfectly-weighted grubber kicks, while veteran Darren Smith - playing his last game - created Vagana's opener when he drifted out of dummy half and passed to the New Zealand centre. Vagana beat the tackle of Gorden Tallis and carried five-eighth Brett Seymour over the line to score.

Bulldogs captain Steve Price was placed on report for a high tackle on Lockyer.

Source: www.theage.com.au

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