THE Sydney Bulldogs finally laid to rest the ghosts of last year's grand final thrashing by Canberra with a decisive win over the Raiders in yesterday's Australian Rugby League minor preliminary final.
Swamped by the Raiders in last season's biggest game, the Bulldogs won through to the grand final with a 25-6 defeat of their arch rivals. The win, which also knocked Canberra out of business, is an important psychological result for the team, according to coach Chris Anderson. 'That loss last year was in the back of a lot of people's minds,' Anderson said. 'You don't forget such a big loss overnight, particularly in a grand final.
I think a few of the boys will be sleeping a lot easier tonight.' In wet and slippery conditions, the Bulldogs simply out-muscled Canberra up front. The Raiders' match-winners Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley were given no room to move and both came up with uncharacteristic errors.
The Bulldogs racked up a match-winning 11-0 lead by half-time and were rarely troubled by a sloppy Canberra outfit. 'It was probably as good a win as we've had since I've been coaching at the club,' Anderson said. The win gives the Bulldogs the chance to send skipper Terry Lamb out of the game on a winning note next Sunday.
One of the most popular players in the league world, Lamb declared at the start of the year he would hang up his boots this year. Lamb had a grand game, scoring the opening try, kicking a field goal and putting centre John Timu in for the try that sealed Canberra's fate.
Raiders coach Tim Sheens was a picture of despair after the loss. 'The game is gone and I don't even want to talk about it,' he said. 'We've had a good year and it's a pity to bow out so close to the grand final. 'The team only lost three games all year but it wasn't to be our day today.'
