Match Details
Match Date	28th Aug, 2005
Opponent	Penrith
Result	Loss 6-28
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Andrew Ryan
Venue	Homebush (Telstra Stadium)
Crowd	10,599
Referee	Jason Robinson

National Rugby League reigning premiers the Bulldogs crashed out of finals contention with a 28-6 loss to Penrith at the Olympic Stadium this afternoon.

The Panthers' fourth win on the trot lifted them to ninth spot on the ladder, keeping their hopes of finals football alive, while eliminating the chances of the Bulldogs who have lost their last five games.

Half-back and captain Craig Gower and centre Paul Franze were the stars for Penrith, scoring all five of their tries with Franze's hat-trick following the double he managed against the Broncos last weekend.

Penrith will go into their clash with Wests Tigers next Sunday knowing for sure if their season is still alive.

The only team not safe in the top eight is eighth-placed Manly but they can cement their position by beating the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday night.

A loss will open the door for both the Panthers and the Roosters, who are two points behind and have better points differentials.

The Panthers led the Bulldogs 16-6 at the break after scoring three tries to one.

Gower used brute strength for his first, busting through tackle after tackle and forcing his way over through a wall of three defenders.

A Frank Pritchard break then put Penrith on the way for their second try, with the ball spun from right to left where Franze went over in the corner after a one-arm offload by Luke Rooney.

Weak defence by Bulldogs centre Cameron Phelps let the Panthers in again, with Luke Priddis muscling his way through Phelps's attempted tackle and passing inside to Gower who scored under the posts.

New South Wales five-eighth Braith Anasta kept the home team in it with a try five minutes from half-time but the Panthers shut the gate after the break with Franze scoring four-pointers in the 51st and 78th minutes.

Source: www.abc.net.au

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