A bitter rivalry turned sour on Friday night when Canterbury supporters violently clashed with police during the Bulldogs semi-final loss against Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
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It was a bitter blow for the Dogs but there was no doubt about the Roosters’ try in the very next set and again Evans was involved, popping a attractive late offload to send Tuivasa-Sheck streaking into space, getting around Brett Morris to score and all of a sudden an 8-4 arm-wrestle was 20-4 to the Roosters.
THE Sydney Roosters have advanced to face the Broncos in a dream interstate preliminary final after accounting for the Bulldogs 38-12 at Allianz Stadium.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall runs the ball up against the Bulldogs.
Kenny-Dowall crossed for his second try out wide in the 65th minute, before Cordner surged over for a 73rd-minute four-pointer.
The Roosters snuffed out any hopes of a comeback shortly after when Kenny-Dowall bagged his second, showing great strength and poise to ground the ball under pressure in the corner to finish off a right-side shift.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the call could’ve gone either way, but agreed that it was a turning point in the match.
Skipper James Graham, David Klemmer and Sam Kasiano all received suspensions from the last-gasp loss, while Morris and Tim Lafai both suffered long-term injuries.
“I was happy that he awarded it a try first of all because I think it would have been either way”, Robinson said.
For the second time in Des Hasler’s tenure, the Bulldogs failed to return to the NRL decider in what is now becoming an elusive title for the two-time premiership-winning coach at Belmore.
But took aim at his side’s poor handling.
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“You don’t even have to know anything about stats to do with the game, but to come up with 18 from 30 (completions) on one of the biggest nights of the year was just really disappointing for the side and for the fans. We really didn’t give ourselves much chance to do anything”.
