Late try breaks Warriors hearts as Bulldogs finish fifth

A try to James Graham two minutes from fulltime has seen the Bulldogs run out 26-22 victors over a much-improved Warriors side in front of 14,821 fans at ANZ Stadium.

With Cronulla unable to overcome the Sea Eagles earlier in the day, the Bulldogs had an opportunity to overtake the Sharks into fifth place with a win.

The first half was a scrappy affair with both sides unable to complete to a high standard, the Warriors were particularly poor, however they were able to open the scoring through departing hooker Nathan Friend, who burrowed over after four minutes.

First half tries to Josh Morris and Curtis Rona gave the Bulldogs a halftime lead, but coach Des Hasler was less than impressed by their effort considering the importance of next week.

An early second half try to Solomone Kata allowed the Warriors to take back the lead momentarily, but two tries in quick succession to Chase Stanley and Damien Cook gave the Bulldogs a 20-10 lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Having been heavily criticised for several lacklustre performances in recent weeks, the Warriors galvanised to take back the lead following two sensational tries from outstanding youngster Tuimoala Lolohea.

With the Warriors maintaining an excellent completion rate in the second half allowing them to regain the lead, it proved a cruel end to the game as Sam Lisione came up with a mistake allowing the Bulldogs an opportunity to seal the match.

In his first game back from a six-week layoff, Josh Reynolds exposed the Warriors defence to put James Graham over for the match-winning try.

While the Warriors threatened to pull off a last-minute win it was not to be, as the Bulldogs managed to hold on and secure fifth place.

In the absence of Trent Hodkinson, the Bulldogs also unearthed an unlikely goalkicker with interchange prop Tim Browne nailing three conversions to give the Blue and Whites the win.

Next week the Bulldogs play St. George Illawarra in an elimination final at ANZ Stadium on Saturday, while the Warriors will be left to lament a season of missed opportunities culminating in an eight game losing streak.

Match Details

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 26 New Zealand Warriors 22
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Crowd: 14821
Halftime Score: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 8 New Zealand Warriors 6

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (26)
Tries: Josh Morris, Curtis Rona, Chase Stanley, Damien Cook, James Graham
Conversions: Timoteo Lafai (0/2), Tim Browne (3/3)

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS (22)
Tries: Nathan Friend, Tuimoala Lolohea (2), Solomone Kata
Conversions: Tuimoala Lolohea (3/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - James Graham
2 points - Tuimoala Lolohea
1 point - Tim Browne

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to League Unlimited's coverage of Round 26 Sunday Night Football between Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and New Zealand Warriors at ANZ Stadium.

Brett Morris has been rested tonight; Sam Perrett takes his place at fullback, allowing Chase Stanley to come in for his first game since Round 14.

Sione Lousi comes onto the bench in place of Konrad Hurrell, who played for the Warriors NSW Cup side yesterday.

Both sides are on the field - Kickoff only moments away.

Ben Matulino takes the first run of the night.

1: Mason Lino's kick goes straight to Curtis Rona. The Bulldogs start their set just short of halfway.

2: TEAM NEWS: Sam Kasiano is starting, Aiden Tolman to the bench.

2: Chad Townsend aims a chip-bomb for Matthew Allwood, but the goes into touch.

3: Josh Reynolds gets a nice kick away inside the Warriors half.

4: Warriors penalty - High tackle on Matthew Allwood by Josh Reynolds.

4: Nathan Friend is over for a try. The referee wants to check, but the Warriors look to have gotten off to a good start once again.

4: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Nathan Friend. Kick to come.
The Warriors hooker opens the scoring. Can they maintain this energy for the full 80, or will they fade away once again.

5: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea successful.
From right in front, Lolohea adds the extras.

6: Simon Mannering loses the ball trying to get an offload away. Bulldogs to start a set inside the Warriors half.

7: Bulldogs get a penalty after Dominique Peyroux failed to release.

8: Sam Perrett is over in the corner, but the referee has deemed the Bulldogs fullback lost the ball. Warriors get away with one there.

9: Mason Lino dummies and breaks into the clear, but a try-saving tackle from Sam Perrett saves a try. Wonderful displays of attack and defence from both players.

10: Albert Vete and James Graham come together in a heavy collision.

11: Damien Cook drives Matthew Allwood into the ground forcing a turnover. Fantastic tackle from the fill-in hooker.

12: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Josh Morris. Kick to come.
Down the left side of the field, the Bulldogs open their account.

13: Great work by Pritchard and Rona to enable Morris to score.

13: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Timoteo Lafai unsuccessful.
In the absence of Trent Hodkinson, Tim Lafai pushes his first attempt wide.

15: Kasiano bumps off a Warrior, but in doing so he loses the ball. Warriors with an attacking set.

16: Nathan Friend loses the ball. Bulldogs with a scrum 10 metres out from their own line.

16: Matulino gives away a penalty - Bulldogs find touch 40 metres out from the Warriors line.

17: On the first tackle, Kasiano loses the ball.

18: Warriors will get a scrum close to the Bulldogs tryline.

20: Chad Townsend kicks for Matthew Allwood, but Chase Stanley bats the ball dead. Line drop out.

22: Solomone Kata comes up with an error only a metre out from the line.

23: Klemmer replaces Kasiano; Faitala-Mariner is on for Vete.

24: Ikahihifo on for the Warriors.

25: Lolohea comes up with a strong kick-return.

25: Sam Perrett narrowly gets out of his in-goal, despite the best efforts of Chad Townsend.

26: The Warriors will get a seven-tackle set after Damien Cook's grubber hit the corner post.

27: Warriors concede a penalty after yet another poor last-tackle play.

28: Curtis Rona dives over for a try, we'll just check to see what transpired. Was he in? Was he out? Was there a shoulder charge in the lead-up? The video referee will reveal all.

28: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Curtis Rona. Kick to come.
As he has done all season, Rona contorts his body to score.

30: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Timoteo Lafai unsuccessful.
Lafai's kick can't fade back enough. Bulldogs lead 8-6.

31: The Bulldogs turn the ball over after threatening to break away down the left.

32: Bodene Thompson can't hold onto a short pass from Tuimoala Lolohea.

32: Poor execution is killing the Warriors, but the scoreboard is keeping them in the contest.

33: Lolohea is dragged back by three Bulldogs led by Josh Jackson.

34: Warriors get a penalty. Can they complete a set in an attacking position.

34: Allwood goes close to getting over the line.

35: The Warriors make another mistake. If the Warriors had capitalised on just one of their attacking opportunities, they could easily be leading.

36: The Bulldogs put the ball out on the full.

38: If the Warriors players made a bet that they could butcher every attacking opportunity they had, they're doing a fantastic job.

38: The Warriors are trying, but their ball control has been abysmal in this first half.

39: The Bulldogs will get a repeat set close to the Warriors line. Big chance for the Blue and Whites.

39: Reynolds bomb, Josh Morris is claiming a try. But the referee is saying No Try. We'll leave it to the colonel to determine whether Morris has his second.

39: No Try. Bulldogs knock-on.

39: Bulldogs defuse a Warriors grubber.

40: Sam Perrett is cut down by Nathan Friend as the halftime siren sounds.

40: FINALS WEEK ONE FIXTURES:

Friday Night - Roosters v Storm @ Allianz
Saturday Night - Broncos v Cowboys @ Suncorp

Remaining fixtures to be confirmed at the conclusion of this match.

40: Aiden Tolman takes the first hit-up of the second half.

41: Reynolds hoists a bomb into the air, but Matthew Allwood comes up with the ball for the Warriors.

42: Sam Perrett is forced in-goal after a sensational bomb from Chad Townsend.

43: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Solomone Kata. Kick to come.
The Warriors are in. Is this the end to 2015 they were after.

44: Great work from Lolohea to put his centre over out wide.

44: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea unsuccessful.
The kick is unsuccessful. It's a two-point game now.

46: Townsend comes up with a great touch-finder to force the Bulldogs to start a set close to their own tryline.

47: Mason Lino makes a good tackle to stop Curtis Rona from finding space down the left.

47: Lolohea is trapped in-goal. The Warriors will restart play with a line drop out.

48: Chase Stanley draws a penalty after Solomone Kata was ruled offside.

48: Simon Mannering back on for the visitors.

49: Sam Perrett is cut down close to the tryline.

49: Pritchard loses the ball, allowing the Warriors off the hook.

51: The Warriors manage to come up with possession after the Bulldogs throw a loose pass close to halfway.

52: Lino puts the ball in the air, but Curtis Rona has no problem coming up with possession.

53: Vete makes a solid charge over the Bulldogs 30 metre line.

53: Townsend kicks for Lolohea, but Tolman is on the spot to clean up.

54: Reynolds' kick doesn't have enough on it for a 40/20.

55: The Bulldogs get a relieving penalty after being forced down their own end.

56: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Chase Stanley. Kick to come.
From a long way out, Stanley slides over to give the Bulldogs the lead. Great work to attack down the right.

58: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Tim Browne successful.
Tim Browne. That's right, the interchange front rower has nailed the conversion from the sideline. HAZEM EL BROWNE!!

60: Shaun Lane draws a penalty right in front of the posts.

61: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Damien Cook. Kick to come.
3 games this season for 3 tries. Damien Cook dummies and splits the Warriors defence. Bulldogs running away with the game now.

61: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Tim Browne successful.
From next to the posts, Tim Browne puts the Bulldogs out by 10.

63: Curtis Rona makes a bust down the left, but the Warriors come up with the ball after a wayward pass goes to ground.

63: Vete loses the ball, but the Warriors get a penalty in a try-scoring position.

64: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Tuimoala Lolohea. Kick to come.
He's been there best all year, once again Lolohea comes up with a brilliant try to keep the Warriors in the contest.

65: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea successful.
Fading back, the Warriors trail by 4.

67: Nathan Friend puts a great kick in to trap Sam Perrett close to his goal line.

68: Albert Vete is down clutching at his head.

68: Townsend bombs, Chase Stanley puts it down and the Warriors get a penalty!

69: Matulino goes close to scoring.

69: TRY NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Scored by Tuimoala Lolohea. Kick to come.
He's in again! Lolohea, who needs Sam Tomkins when you've got Tuimoala Lolohea!

70: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Tuimoala Lolohea successful.
Lolohea gives the Warriors the lead. It's 22-20.

71: Vete almost loses the ball from the kickoff.

72: Townsend puts another great kick in, forcing the Bulldogs to play out of their own end.

73: Greg Eastwood loses the ball, after some confusion the Warriors will have a scrum.

74: Lino kicks into touch, the Bulldogs will feed a scrum 10 metres out.

76: Mbye puts a bomb up for Jonathan Wright, but the former Bulldogs comes up with the ball.

77: Sam Lisione comes up with an awful dropped ball. The Bulldogs will be looking to punish the Warriors here.

77: Jackson is only 10 metres out.

77: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by James Graham. Kick to come.
Reynolds runs from dummy half to put his captain over for a try to give the Bulldogs the lead.

77: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Tim Browne successful.
The Warriors will need a converted try to win.

79: The Warriors have possession inside the Bulldogs half.

79: Solomone Kata is forced into touch and the Bulldogs secure 5th place.

79: It's a heartbreaking result for the Warriors, they've tried so hard in the second half but in the end the Bulldogs will win.

80: The siren sounds and the Bulldogs get out of jail.

80: FINALS WEEK ONE FIXTURES:

Roosters v Storm @ Allianz
Broncos v Cowboys @ Suncorp
Bulldogs v Dragons @ ANZ
Sharks v Rabbitohs @ TBC