NRL: Dogs beat Manly in golden point thriller

Trent Hodkinson of the Bulldogs celebrates after kicking the winning field goal during the NRL semifinal match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images

A Trent Hodkinson golden point field goal has pushed Canterbury through to a preliminary final showdown with Penrith, after the Bulldogs accounted for Manly 18-17 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

The scores were locked at 17-all after Hodkinson and his Sea Eagles counterpart Daly Cherry-Evans had kicked late field goals before 28,186 fans.

The NSW half landed the match-winning point four minutes into the extra time period, after bouncing back from a first half knee injury in a dramatic encounter.

The Dogs led 16-6 at halftime and things stayed that way until well into the second half until Brett Stewart brought Manly right back into the contest in the 64th minute when he dummied and sliced his way through the Dogs line from 20m out for the Sea Eagles to drag closer 16-12.

Cheyse Blair then pounced on a loose ball in the Dogs' ingoal in the 71st minute and the game arrived at its second flashpoint.

Canterbury captain Michael Ennis spilt the ball ingoal from a Sea Eagles kick and Manly players - in particular James Hasson and Justin Horo - rushed to give the serial pest some of his own medicine.

In the ensuing melee Dogs utility Reni Maitua punched Hasson and was marched for the mandatory 10 minute sin binning.

He was the second man given a rest for the offence after Josh Starling punched Josh Jackson in the first half.

Lyon missed the conversion for a 16-all scoreline.

Hodkinson put the Dogs one point ahead in the 75th minute after a Josh Reynolds last tackle kick hit referee Gerard Sutton and game Canterbury a fortuitous scrum feed 20m out.

Sam Perrett scores for the Bulldogs. Photo / Getty Images

But Cherry-Evans calmly returned the favour one minute from fulltime to put the game into an extra period.

With Manly missing star back-rower Anthony Watmough through suspension, Canterbury dominated the early exchanges and opened the scoring through winger Mitch Brown when he crossed out wide in the 10th minute.

The Sea Eagles' defence looked frail early and on the back of a dubious stripping penalty, Corey Thompson added to the Bulldogs' early lead when he crossed on the opposite wing in the 14th minute.

After missing his first conversion Trent Hodkinson nailed this one from the sideline for a 10-0 lead.

Daly Cherry-Evans shows his disappointment as Manly lose the game in golden-point extra time. Photo / Getty Images

Hodkinson then went down with a left knee injury when he fell awkwardly when tackling Jamie Lyon and left the field for attention in the 18th minute.

But it made no difference to Des Hasler's rampant Dogs - fullback Sam Perrett adding a third try immediately off an inside ball from James Graham.

With Hodkinson off, Tim Lafai landed the conversion from straight in front for a 16-0 scoreline, with weight of possession very much falling the Dogs' way, with their monster forward pack eating up the metres.

The two sides then came together acrimoniously in the 24th minute when Josh Starling was sin binned for punching.

The Manly prop reacted to an ugly chicken wing tackle from Josh Jackson, who was put on report and looks in danger of a suspension.

Bulldogs captain Mick Ennis could also be in trouble of a high tackle on Daly Cherry-Evans as he kicked in the 32nd minute.

Hodkinson returned to the fray in the 25th minute with his knee heavily strapped and in obvious discomfort.

Jayden Hodges gave Manly some hope when he sliced over from dummy half from short range 12 seconds from the break, for the Dogs to head to the sheds leading 16-6.

-AAP