Bulldogs 40
Warriors 20
The Bulldogs are odds-on to become the first team in NRL history to go from the wooden spoon to the minor premiership in the space of a season, but their chances of claiming the title were dealt a major blow in yesterday's thrashing of the Warriors.
Star playmaker Brett Kimmorley's
season is almost certainly over, his cheekbone depressed and eye socket fractured in an early clash of heads with Jerome Ropati.
The Bulldogs were refusing to rule out their veteran halfback, but it is an injury that likely requires surgery followed by an extended healing period.
Kimmorley's demise, coupled with the Dragons' stunning meltdown against the Rabbitohs on Saturday night, saw momentum in the title race swing dramatically in favour of the rampant Parramatta Eels in what was a tumultuous 24 hours.
The Eels were sublime in thrashing Penrith on Friday to chalk up a seventh straight win. They could begin their playoff campaign from as low as seventh - where they sit after Manly squeaked past the Sharks to leapfrog them thanks to a late Ben Farrar try.
But with Jarryd Hayne's irrepressible form showing no signs of dissipating, they will be the team no one wants to face.
Having lost three straight, the Dragons end their season with just that assignment. If they go down to the Eels, they will likely be overtaken by the Titans, who proved too good for the Tigers on Saturday night.
That result all but eliminated the Tigers, who need the Knights (twice) and Panthers to lose to have any chance of making the eight. If the Knights beat the Raiders tonight, the eight will be virtually decided.
But writing off the Bulldogs would be a mistake.
The club has Daniel Holdsworth as a back-up, and even without a halfback they were able to dismantle the hapless Warriors.
After a bright opening that saw Kimmorley's departure coincide with the opening try, it seemed the Warriors might spoil Hazem El Masri's retirement party. The veteran winger put his side in front with a penalty but it was the Warriors who crossed the chalk first, Kimmorley injuring himself trying to shut down Ropati as he sent the ball left for Manu Vatuvei to cross in the corner.
Vatuvei scored a double for the Warriors, as did prop Sam Rapira.
Having partnered Lance Hohaia and Patrick Ah Van on the right flank coach Ivan Cleary will have to carry the can for much of what ensued. Up against Josh Morris and Bryson Goodwin - the competition's most lethal outside back pairing - Hohaia and Ah Van were always going to be dog tucker. Morris had a hat-trick by half time, Kiwis stand-off Ben Roberts doing the damage to set up the first two.
But it was Morris' third that said it all about the Warriors. With time up on the clock they were awarded a penalty. Stacey Jones hoisted a kick and Ah Van chased dutifully, batting the ball back in textbook fashion - to nobody. But the Bulldogs had read the play correctly. Roberts scooped up the ball and fed Morris, Hohaia laboured, Wade McKinnon fell off the pace and Morris raced away for a try that began 105m away.
A record crowd of 41,835 packed into ANZ Stadium to farewell El Masri but, with the Bulldogs' attack channelled down the opposite flank, the winger was limited to defensive duties on Vatuvei and goal kicking.
He performed the first task adequately, the second with aplomb, landing six conversions and two penalties for a perfect eight-from-eight record. Trailing 8-28 at the break, the Warriors managed a partial second half recovery, with Vatuvei grabbing his second and Rapira bustling over twice.
But they will need to improve dramatically against the Storm on Saturday if they are to farewell Jones, in any style at Mt Smart Stadium.
