Canterbury join Manly on top of the table

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have joined the Sea Eagles on top of the Telstra Premiership table with a 7 point victory at ANZ Stadium in front of 14,921 fans.

Signs looked troubling early for the home side as Dunamis Lui sliced their defence easily on the Sea Eagles first visit to Bulldogs try line. Mid-way through the first half, Manly claimed a 6-0 lead.

The Bulldogs returned served minutes later as Man of the Match James Graham crashed over next to the uprights via a Michael Ennis short pass. Canterbury locked the game up at 6-all after 25 minutes.

Graham led the way for the Bulldogs pack as his 21 runs provided the foundations for fill in halves Tony Williams and Josh Jackson to get things moving in the first half.

Shortly before the break, Krisnan Inu sailed through a crumbling Manly defensive line to extend the Bulldogs lead to a converted try at half time.

The Sea Eagles fired immediately in the second half as Clinton Gutherson powered down the sideline to dive over in the eastern over courtesy of a Brett Stewart pass. Manly trailed by 2 points minutes in the new half, 12-10.

Michael Ennis in the action 10 minutes later as his boot provided points for Corey Thompson to beat Brett Stewart to a bouncing ball. Canterbury extended their lead to 16-10 with Inu's conversion successful.

Mitch Brown did not have a game to remember with several errors costing his team points. None more so in the 66th minute as his fumble gifted Justin Horo Manly's third try. Once again the game locked up, 16-all.

Michael Ennis gave his team a one point lead in the 74th minute after a missed attempt from Krisnan Inu. Brett Stewart attempted to follow Ennis' lead but his strike from just 5 metres failed.

In what ended as controversial circumstances, the video referee awarded Michael Ennis a try in the 79th minute as Tim Browne broke free of wouldbe tacklers to throw a forward pass to his hooker. Canterbury kicked ahead to win the game 23-16 as their fighting spiriting was too much for the visitors.

Next week the Sea Eagles return to Brookvale to host Wests Tigers, meanwhile the Bulldogs will fly south to Melbourne to clash with the Storm.

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (23)
Tries: James Graham, Krisnan Inu, Corey Thompson, Michael Ennis
Field Goals: Krisnan Inu (0/1), Michael Ennis (1/1)
Conversions: Krisnan Inu (3/4)
Penalty Goals:

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (16)
Tries: Dunamis Lui, Clinton Gutherson, Justin Horo
Field Goals: Brett Stewart (0/1)
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (2/3)
Penalty Goals:

LATE MAIL: Manly Sea Eagles - Jorge Taufua has been ruled out with an ankle injury, Clinton Gutherson comes in. Jayden Hodges makes his Manly debut from the bench, replacing James Hasson.

LATE MAIL: Tony Williams joins Josh Jackson in the halves for the Bulldogs, this could be the largest halves pairing in League history. Michael Ennis shifts back to hooker, Reni Maitua and Sam Kasiano come into the starting side. Damien Cook and Dale Finucane move to the bench

Welcome to LeagueUnlimited's LIVE coverage from ANZ Stadium as the Bulldogs host the Sea Eagles to kick off Round 17. Once again it's a shortened round with Origin III to come on Wednesday night, the Sea Eagles will be out to extend their lead on top of the Telstra Premiership. It's an interesting match up with the Bulldogs pushing for the number 1 ranking in the competition.

Earlier in Holden Cup, Bulldogs were defeated by the Sea Eagles, 34-14

1: We are UNDERWAY here at ANZ Stadium

3: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Drury Low makes an unforced error.
Jamie Lyon attempts and offload and it's knocked down by Low. Scrum for the Sea Eagles inside their own half.

4: Corey Thompson comes up with a brilliant catch of the ball under pressure just shy of his try line and the Manly defence keeps him inside the 10m zone.

6: Aidan Tolman has been replaced already, straight into the sheds here at ANZ Stadium. Tim Browne has come on in his place.

9: Kieran Foran rockets the long kick downfield to get out his own half but it's out on the full. Change over for the Bulldogs on half way

10: Matt Ballin appeared to have knocked on as Josh Jackson toed a grubber through the line but it's "cleaned up" by the Sea Eagles.

12: Justin Horo concedes the first penalty of the game for a second effort in the tackle pushing the tackler down. James Graham from the free kick attacks 20 metres out from the Sea Eagles try line.

13: VIDEO REFEREE for the Bulldogs, Sam Kasiano is claiming as he charged forward and bounced into the eastern corner.

13: NO TRY is the call for Sam Kasiano, ruled to have gone over the sideline before grounding the ball. Manly come up with possession.

14: Penalty follows the line drop out from Tim Browne for a shoulder charge. Kick for touch is taken and the Sea Eagles attack 25 metres out

15: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Dunamis Lui. Kick to come.
Dunamis Lui has snuck under the Bulldogs defence and just reached out for the try line easily and the first points comes up.

17: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Jamie Lyon makes no mistake from beside the uprights to extend the lead

17: Time off here with a heavy tackle from the kick off, Josh Starling the player down after making contact with Tim Browne and James Graham.

19: Shocking attacking side from the Bulldogs, attack is missing without the halves in Reynolds and Hodkinson. The Manly defence holds which held out a floating pass from Williams who continues to run the play in the halves.

21: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by James Graham. Kick to come.
James Graham takes a short pass from Michael Ennis out of dummy half and he strolls over way too easily beside the uprights.

23: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Krisnan Inu successful.
Krisnan Inu puts on a trademark smile and slots the extras to lock the game up at 6-all

27: Penalty comes the way over the Sea Eagles, Matt Ballin stripped the ball out and the tackle following was too long. The Sea Eagles attack 15 metres out

28: Steve Matai's head is dragged over the sideline as the Bulldogs defence slides across to shut down the play. Scrum for the Bulldogs 10 metres off their own try line.

29: Penalty to the Bulldogs, Tony Williams draws the penalty for an interference in the ruck. Littlejohn kicks for touch and the Sea Eagles advance to the half way line.

30: Back to back penalties conceded by the Bulldogs as we enter the final 10 minutes before the half time break. The Sea Eagles just 20 metres from the Bulldogs try line now.

32: Corey Thompson comes up with a brilliant sliding catch and after a review from the video referee it's a 20 metre tap for the Bulldogs.

33: Tony Williams puts up a cross field kick and it's defused by the Sea Eagles Gutherson easily.

35: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Krisnan Inu. Kick to come.
Krisnan Inu makes the Sea Eagles defence crumble and steps over the would be tacklers to bring up the Bulldogs second try of the night

37: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Krisnan Inu successful.
Krisnan Inu flashes the smile again as he goes to his happy place to slot the extras to make it a converted try lead for the Bulldogs

39: Clinton Gutherson rockets down the sideline and kicks ahead for himself and kicked over the dead ball line by Greg Eastwood. Line drop out for the Bulldogs

40: HALF TIME here at ANZ Stadium sees the Bulldogs take a converted try lead into sheds over the Sea Eagles. The forward pack of the Bulldogs has laid the platform for the Blue and Whites to march up field, they have looked hungrier than the Manly side so far tonight.

41: Second half is UNDERWAY as the Sea Eagles kick off to get us going.

42: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Mitch Brown makes an unforced error.
Mitch Brown jumping for a catch and it's a mistake as he attempted to grab it out of the air. Scrum for the Sea Eagles 10 metres out

43: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Clinton Gutherson. Kick to come.
Clinton Gutherson powers down the eastern sideline off a beautiful cut out pass from Brett Stewart and he dives over in the corner. Brilliant play from the Sea Eagles

45: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Jamie Lyon with the conversion attempt is unable to slot the extras from the sideline

45: Penalty to the Sea Eagles from the kick restart, count is now 5-2 in favour of the Sea Eagles.

46: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Brenton Lawrence makes an unforced error.
Brenton Lawrence fumbles the play of the ball and it's a messy ruck. Scrum feed for the Bulldogs just short of the half way line.

48: Tony Williams tries to get a try one with a short kick through the line but it's collected by Hiku and the Sea Eagles have possession on the try line.

48: Penalty to the Bulldogs, too long in the ruck from Matt Ballin and the count is now 5-3.

50: Clint Gutherson comes up with a brilliant catch under pressure. Sea Eagles with possession 10 metres out from their try line.

51: Mitch Brown draws a penalty as Brenton Lawrence works over his legs in the ruck with a second effort. Bulldogs attack 10 metres short of the half way line.

53: VIDEO REFEREE for the Bulldogs, we have a TRY for Corey Thompson as we look at onside from a Michael Ennis grubber through the line.

53: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Corey Thompson. Kick to come.
Corey Thompson has cleaned up a Michael Ennis grubber kick as Brett Stewart failed to get a pick up on the sliding run through.

54: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Krisnan Inu unsuccessful.
Krisnan Inu fails with the conversion attempt as he misses it from out wide on the eastern side

56: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Michael Ennis makes an unforced error.
Michael Ennis unable to take the short pass as it's a shocking on the last tackle. Change over on the last tackle just short of the half way line.

57: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Steve Matai makes an unforced error.
Steve Matai fumbles the play of the ball as he tried to play it too quickly. Scrum for Canterbury on their own 30 metre line.

60: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Justin Horo. Kick to come.
Justin Horo has been gifted a four-pointer as Mitch Brown again jumped to catch the kick and dropped it in the moment. Horo picks up the mistake and dives over next to the posts.

63: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Jamie Lyon locks the game up again as he slots the conversion attempt

63: UNFORCED ERROR CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Drury Low makes an unforced error.
Drury Low unable to hold onto possession as he surged for the corner, appeared to be a one on one strip. Scrum for the Sea Eagles.

65: WAIT ON! The error is change and it's ruled a strip, scrum for the Bulldogs 10 metres out. Video Referee makes the call and overturns the onfield decision.

66: The Bulldogs unable to use the possession in the Manly red zone and it's rolled dead. 20 metre tap for the Sea Eagles

67: Kieran Foran shaped for a field goal and changed at the last minute with a bomb placed to the western corner.

69: Jamie Lyon opts for the short side play on the last tackle and the following chase tackle from Peta Hiku is penalised for a slow release.

71: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Field goal attempt by Krisnan Inu unsuccessful.
Krisnan Inu takes a snap at field from 30 metres out and it's well wide of the right post.

72: Penalty comes to the Sea Eagles, Geoff Toovey celebrates in the coaches box and the Manly side march up over the half way line to attack 40 metres out

73: Foran chips to the centre of the in goal for Brett Stewart but it's bounced dead. Drury Low races from the in goal and comes up possession at the 20 metre line with a quick tap

74: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Field goal attempt by Michael Ennis successful.
Michael Ennis snaps the one point from 20 metres out. Incredible set of six as the forwards charge up field.

74: Short kick off taken and is successful from Jamie Lyon as Steve Matai has possession

75: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Field goal attempt by Brett Stewart unsuccessful.
Brett Stewart takes a stab at the field goal from 5 metres out from beside the uprights and it's charged down. ZERO TACKLE for the Sea Eagles

76: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Steve Matai makes an unforced error.
Steve Matai juggled the ball and it's fumbled as he looked to take the shift across looking for the overlap. The Bulldogs defence too good as they raced up. Scrum for the Bulldogs 10 metres off their own try line.

78: Brett Suttor, the touch judge, rules that chip kick from Peta Hiku hits the line on the full. Change over for Bulldogs as it was last tackle. 2 minutes left here

79: VIDEO REFEREE for the Bulldogs. Michael Ennis has scored as Tim Browne cleaned up a mistake and charged away as Krisnan Inu looked for the sideline.

79: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Michael Ennis. Kick to come.
Michael Ennis gets the GREEN LIGHTS as he sailed in off a forward pass from Tim Browne, the video referee can't rule on the play and the Bulldogs will win.

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Krisnan Inu successful.
Krisnan Inu slots the conversion and the Bulldogs make it a 7 point win

80: FULL TIME at ANZ Stadium sees the Bulldogs pull off an upset over the Sea Eagles claiming a 7 point win in front of 14,921.