Match Details
Match Date	31st Jul, 2005
Opponent	South Sydney
Result	Loss 24-37
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Andrew Ryan
Venue	Sydney Football Stadium
Crowd	13,062
Referee	Sean Hampstead

South Sydney denied the Canterbury Bulldogs the chance to enter the top eight with a determined 37-24 victory in the round 21 National Rugby League match at the Sydney Football Stadium.

A win would have seen the Bulldogs move to sixth on the competition ladder, but they were unable to contain the Rabbitohs who played some wonderful attacking football.

Instead the Bulldogs remain in ninth on 23 points, one point behind Cronulla, Manly and Melbourne.

The Rabbitohs, meanwhile, helped their cause to avoid the wooden spoon, moving to 15 points, three clear of the bottom-placed Newcastle Knights.

The Bulldogs posted the first points of the match when five-eighth Braith Anasta crossed in the ninth minute. Half-back Brent Sherwin, kicking in the absence of the injured Hazem El Masri, made no mistake with the conversion.

But the Rabbitohs hit back with converted tries to winger Shannon Hegarty and centre Luke MacDougall, and when Roosters-bound second rower Ashley Harrison crashed over in the 30th minute, the home side had established an 18-6 lead.

Reni Maitua pegged one back for the Bulldogs just minutes from the siren to reduce the half-time deficit to six points.

The Rabbitohs continued to impress after the break with Ben Walker scoring and converting his own try for a 24-12 lead.

The home side was then forced to weather a Bulldogs fight-back, which saw the visitors level the score at 24-24 with tries to Maitua and Cameron Phelps.

However Souths prop Peter Cusack put an end to the Bulldogs' run with a try in the 63rd minute before Walker potted a 73rd minute field goal to give the Rabbitohs a seven-point advantage.

Full-back Todd Polglase crossed in the 76th minute to seal the surprise win for the Rabbitohs.

Walker added the extras to finish with a perfect goal-kicking record of six from six. His haul for the match was 17 points.

Source: www.abc.net.au

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