Match Details
Match Date	13th Sep, 2003
Opponent	New Zealand Warriors
Result	Loss 22-48
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Steve Price
Venue	Sydney Showground Homebush
Crowd	18,312
Referee	Bill Harrigan

New Zealand Warriors winger Frances Meli has scored an amazing five tries as his team demolished the Bulldogs 48-22 in their National Rugby League qualifying final at the Sydney Showgrounds.

The visitors raced in nine tries to four against a totally outclassed Bulldogs line-up, the New Zealanders turning on their renowned pace and flair as they humiliated the home side.

Brent Webb chipped in with two for the visitors, who have well and truly found the form which took them to last year's grand final.

The visitors stunned the Bulldogs with a try-scoring blitz in the second half, despite being down a man for 10 minutes at one stage after Webb was sent to the sin-bin for a professional foul.

The Bulldogs will now sweat on the results of the weekend's other two fixtures,where wins to both Newcastle and Brisbane would see them exit the finals.

The Warriors led 16-4 at the break and despite the Bulldogs levelling the scores with the first two tries of the second half, the New Zealanders turned on their much-vaunted pace and flair to crush their opponents.

Meli went close for New Zealand early on but could not handle the ball and the movement broke down.

But he did not make the same mistake just moments later after a mistake from Mark O'Meley on the 20-metre line put his team back on the offensive.

Webb's conversion missed and the visitors led 4-0.

But the Dogs looked to hit back when a great kick return from winger Hazem El Masri took them over the halfway line.

Quick work from the Dogs saw halfback Brent Sherwin chip into the in-goal and force a line drop-out from the Warriors.

But the good work was undone when Ben Harris knocked on from the resulting set of six.

Meli then crossed for his second for the visitors, after great work from the Warriors saw them force Luke Patten into touch after he cleaned up a grubber in-goal.

The Warriors spread the ball quickly from the resulting scrum and Meli slid through the Dogs defence to score.

Webb converted from the touchline to put the Warriors 10-0 up.

A stunned Dogs looked to hit back and a bust from Harris got them in good field position.

But when it looked as if he should have passed the ball to Matt Utai who was in support, he was dragged down in possession by the Warriors defence.

The resulting play however saw Vagana touch down, but he was ruled to have been held up by Clinton Toopi after Bill Harrigan referred the decision to the video referee.

But this was the start of some intense pressure on the Warriors, the Dogs attack camping on the visitors' defensive line.

And the pressure told, Vagana crossing to pull the Dogs within six.

El Masri's conversion attempt from 11 metres inside the touchline hit the uprights and bounced back in to the field of play.

But New Zealand had the last laugh in the half, a precision pass from halfback Stacey Jones splitting the Dogs defence and finding a flying Webb, who streaked away to put it under the black dot.

He converted his try and the visitors led by 12.

El Masri put the Dogs back in the match just minutes in to the second half when the Warriors allowed a bomb to bounce right near the posts, the little winger diving on the loose ball.

The video referee gave El Masri the green light and he then converted, much to the delight of the hometown supporters.

But the Warriors' hopes of keeping their lead were dented not long after when Webb was sent to the sinbin for a professional foul.

Webb's tackle on a flying Vagana was to be applauded, but when he flopped back on the Bulldogs centre trying to get to his feet, Harrigan had no choice but to give him a 10-minute spell.

That was the only invitation the Dogs needed and O'Meley was over in the next play, El Masri converting with 31 minutes left on the clock to draw his side level.

Webb's sin-binning forced the hand of Warriors coach Daniel Anderson, who injected Broncos-bound Motu Tony in the match with immediate results.

A stray pass by the Bulldogs saw a turnover, and Tony danced around the Bulldogs defence and flicked and inside pass to Meli who dove over in the corner for his third.

Tony then pulled on his kicking boots in the absence of Webb but his conversion attempt was wide and New Zealand's lead was four.

But anyone who would have expected the Dogs to assume control against an out-manned Warriors side would have been surprised when Meli crossed for his fourth.

A great pass from Iafeta Paleaaesina found a flying Meli who gratefully accepted raced over for yet another try, and Tony's conversion put the Warriors in front by 10.

New Zealand were then home just two minutes later when slick footwork from Tony out of dummy half saw him evade a desperate Bulldogs defence, his try and conversion putting them out of reach.

The Warriors then really turned it on in the closing stages, Webb coming back on to score his second before Sione Faumuina sold a glorious dummy to Patten to cross.

The Bulldogs got a late consolation through Utai, but Meli was not finished and had his fifth after excellent work out of dummy half from Webb, to complete an awesome performance.

Source: www.abc.net.au

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