Match Details
Match Date	6th Sep, 2015
Opponent	New Zealand Warriors
Result	Win 26-22
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	James Graham
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	14,821
Referee	Ashley Klein Grant Atkins

Canterbury Bulldogs have secured a fifth-place finish to the 2015 season after labouring to a narrow and unconvincing win over a depleted New Zealand Warriors.

Their fifth straight win was one of their most pedestrian in a display that raised more questions than provided title statements to rivals. The Bulldogs appeared more like a team waiting for Mad Monday than one gunning for the title as they were too careless in possession, porous in defence and predictable in attack.

Perhaps most concerning for Canterbury coach Des Hasler was the lack of answers their halves provided from the boot. The Bulldogs offered little in their kicking game in the absence of regular half-back Trent Hodkinson and with finals opponents set to offer a tougher test than the Warriors, what creativity they showed did little to concern the Dragons who await in the finals.

Halves Moses Mbye and Josh Reynolds did little to fill the void of Hodkinson but if there was a silver-lining to the Bulldogs’ kicking game it was perhaps the emergence of front-rower Tim Browne as the unlikely goalkicking replacement.

The Warriors had nothing but pride to play for and showed that sometimes that can be more of a motivation than two competition points. They were desperate not to let their disappointing season end with more woe and for those filling in for the injured stars, the fight for 2016 starting places had already begun.

Gold Coast-bound Nathan Friend may not have been one of those staking his claim but impressed his new bosses with a darting run that opened the scoring five minutes from kick-off.

Overcoming a rusty start, the Bulldogs hit back through Josh Morris who had the simple task of diving over the line after Curtis Rona drew in two markers to create an overlap allowing the Origin star to cross in the corner.

It was Rona again at the forefront of Canterbury’s attack and the winger gave his side the lead with an incredible solo effort. In an acrobatic move, he contorted his body to evade the corner post and somehow managed to tuck the ball on the try line with the rest of his body over the boundary in the air.

But just minutes after the restart their lead was erased when Solomone Kata finished a slick passing move that left the Bulldogs defence in tatters.

A fortuitous referee decision gave Canterbury possession inside the Warriors territory and despite a pedestrian pace in attack, it was enough to capitalise on the weary New Zealanders as Chase Stanley scored in the corner.

However, two late tries both by Tuimoala Lolohea looked to have secured the Warriors comeback and set-up a grand final replay in the first week of the finals.

That was until James Graham – who had spent much of the second half on the sideline – popped up with a late try to spare the Bulldogs blushes and clinch the win.

The Bulldogs will now play the Dragons in the first elimination final at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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