Match Details
Match Date	18th Aug, 2006
Opponent	Brisbane
Result	Loss 0-30
Coach	Steven Folkes
Captain	Andrew Ryan
Venue	Homebush (Telstra Stadium)
Crowd	26,111
Referee	Steve Clark

The Bulldogs premiership hopes were dealt a potentially fatal double blow with representative duo Roy Asotasi and Willie Tonga suffering suspected season-ending knee injuries in their side's 30-0 NRL loss to Brisbane at Telstra Stadium.

Asotasi and Tonga both limped off early in the first half to leave the Bulldogs shorthanded for the majority of the match, the Broncos taking advantage of a tiring defence to run up an impressive five tries to nil victory.

The win ended a run of five consecutive losses for the Broncos and boosted their chances of a top four finish, hooker Shaun Berrigan the star with a try in each half.

But as demoralising as the thumping was, the Bulldogs may not feel the full impact of the loss until Saturday when both Asotasi and Tonga undergo scans on their injured knees.

To compound the injury crisis, Bulldogs forward leader Willie Mason could find himself in a spot of bother with the NRL match review committee after being placed on report for a high and late swinging arm on Broncos halfback Shane Perry also in the first half.

For long periods of the game Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes was left with just one player on his bench after both Nate Myles (corked leg) and Dallas McIllwain (shoulder) spent time in the sheds nursing injuries.

Tonie Carroll gave the visitors a dream start when he scored with a powerful effort after only seven minutes, the former Test lock dragging three defenders over the line with him.

As the Bulldogs defence tired Brisbane's little men started to run amok, Shaun Berrigan scoring from close range in the lead-up to halftime before Darren Lockyer took advantage of good Corey Parker bust to give the Broncos a comfortable 18-0 halftime lead.

McIllwain almost gave the home side a sniff after the break only for his athletic chip and chase effort to be denied by the video referee, the Bulldogs utility ruled to have bounced the ball as he touched down just before the dead ball line.

Berrigan put the issue beyond doubt soon after when he backed up a brilliant kick return from makeshift fullback Justin Hodges to go over for his second of the night, Brent Tate putting the icing on the cake with a runaway try at the death.

The match officials were again in the spotlight with three seemingly fair tries denied due to alleged forward passes, the Broncos twice robbed of four-pointers and the Bulldogs once with all three final passes ruled forward on the advice of the touch judge.

Source: AAP

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