Match Details
Match Date	19th Jul, 2018
Opponent	Parramatta
Result	Loss 8-14
Coach	Dean Pay
Captain	Josh Jackson
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	8,437
Referee	Henry Perenara Phil Henderson

An Eels and Bulldogs fan came to the footy on Thursday night and sat next to each other having smuggled in a wooden spoon.

It sat between them for most of the night, nestled in a drink holder. They posed for selfies holding the dreaded wooden utensil – and then laughed about who would collect the ‘‘spoils’’ come September.

They saw the funny side in playing to avoid last. At least for one night. Both looked old enough to remember what it was like when their teams usually played for first 30-odd years ago. If a week is a long time in rugby league, three decades is altogether something else. For now, (some) of the fans are having fun with the race to the bottom.

Whatever the result at ANZ Stadium after a game in the graveyard Thursday night timeslot, the Eels were always going to leave the western Sydney cavern in last spot on the NRL ladder. But they’re not dead last anymore, scuffling past Canterbury 14-8 in a dour struggle.

Bulldogs coach Dean Pay was tearing his hair out as the Bulldogs went 73 minutes tryless after leading early. The only people angrier at the ground sat in the Channel Nine commentary box. Angry at the occasion. Angry at the clubs’ fall from grace. Angry at the officials. Angry for being rostered on.

Mitchell Moses’ match-winning try in the second half summed it all up. He picked up an ill-judged deflected kick from Bulldogs No.6 Lachlan Lewis with Canterbury on the attack. Moses sprinted 90 metres. The referees wanted to check if he was onside from the ricochet, which took a while. The crowd became restless. The callers even more so. The try was eventually given. The Bulldogs barely raised a yelp thereafter.

So, the Eels joined the Bulldogs and Cowboys – who host the Dragons on Saturday night – on 10 points at the bottom of the ladder. Who finishes with the wooden spoon? Who knows.

If not for a try here and a try there, the Bulldogs might be well adrift of dreaded spoon territory. And Pay’s first year in charge of the club would look very different.

They started sharply, Kerrod Holland jinking over for the first try on an adventurous last play option where the ball was flung from one pair of hands to the next. It was the least they deserved.

Eventually, the Eels clicked into gear. It took Brett Morris’ sin binning for hauling back Bevan French chasing a short kick to reignite the blue and golds.

They didn’t score from the next set as Kaysa Pritchard maddeningly threw a forward pass close to the line, but the little No.9 slid over soon after from a Tepai Moeroa break.

When Morris returned, the Bulldogs couldn’t lift. And for their troubles, they might be lifting a spoon soon.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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