2007 Bulldogs RLFC season

The 2007 Bulldogs RLFC season was the 73rd in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2007 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 6th (out of 16) and reaching the semi-finals before being knocked out by the Parramatta Eels.

Season summary

The Bulldogs' 2007 NRL Premiership campaign began against the Newcastle Knights. While the Knights won 25–24 in a dramatic season opener at EnergyAustralia Stadium, the game will long be remembered for the sending off of Sonny Bill Williams for a swinging left arm which left Andrew Johns lying face down on the turf unconscious in the fourth minute. The Bulldogs capitalised on this, at one point leading 24–8 before a comeback by the Knights saw them lose by just one point.

The Bulldogs then suffered a gigantic loss to Penrith a week later, before recording their first win of the season against new club the Gold Coast Titans in front of a home crowd of 14,675. Round four saw them clash with newly crowned heavyweights South Sydney, who had yet to lose a game. The Bulldogs rose to the occasion, disposing of the highly fancied Rabbitohs 34–10 in front of a record Telstra Stadium crowd of 34,315. This was deemed a South Sydney home game.

Round five saw the Bulldogs host a tense match against the Manly Sea Eagles, ultimately going down by just two points in what was a very physical game at Telstra Stadium. A large crowd of 20,269 attended the match, which saw Hazem El Masri take the field in his 250th First Grade Premiership Match. The 'Dogs then travelled to Parramatta in Round six, and produced a remarkable comeback from 16–6 down just before halftime to snare victory 21–18 over the Eels in front of over 18,000 fans.

Round seven's clash was set to be a bumper one at Telstra Stadium, but a disappointing crowd and performance from the Bulldogs saw them fall to the Wests Tigers 34–18. The next week, the Bulldogs returned to form with a comfortable 30–16 win against the Newcastle Knights at Telstra Stadium. Hazem El Masri scored a try and 5 conversions to take his career tally to 1910 points, only the 6th player in history to do so.

Round nine was the first Monday Night game for the Bulldogs in 2007, playing against the in-form Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park. With Origin selections the next day, both teams were eager to impress. It was a disappointing game for the 'Dogs, going down 38–14. Round ten, and the Bulldogs returned to Telstra Stadium, taking on the Sharks minus their Origin stars. A late comeback from the Bulldogs in the second half was not enough, losing 30–20 in front of only 12,384 fans.

There were many Origin stars backing up from both teams for the round eleven clash with the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium. Johnathan Thurston and Matthew Bowen were brilliant as they carved up the 'Dogs defence, and although the Bulldogs rallied for a late comeback, it would again not be enough as the Cowboys ran away to a 26–16 win, leaving the Bulldogs with their 3rd straight loss and sitting 14th on the ladder.

Round twelve was a crucial match for the Bulldogs, travelling across the Tasman to face the New Zealand Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium. Under pressure, the Bulldogs broke their three-game losing streak with a 40–20 win over a 12-man Warriors outfit, only their 5th win of the season. Round thirteen was a bye.

Returning from the bye, the Bulldogs took on the Brisbane Broncos at Telstra Stadium. A sloppy affair, the Bulldogs went down 19–12, and dropped down to 13th on the ladder.

Again under pressure, the Bulldogs had another tough assignment in the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval. It was a stunning win for the Bulldogs, defeating the Sea Eagles 27–8. The next week, the Bulldogs returned once again to Monday Night Football for their round sixteen clash with the struggling Sydney Roosters. Without their Origin stars, it was a dominant display from Sonny Bill Williams that led the 'Dogs to a 38–6 dismantling of the Roosters in front of a big crowd of 20,722.

Now sitting on 10th spot, the Bulldogs had a chance to jump into the Top 8 against the Cronulla Sharks at Toyota Park. Down 12–0 at halftime, a good comeback saw the Bulldogs prevail 14–12 for their 3rd straight win. The next week, however, saw the Bulldogs suffer a loss against bottom-placed Penrith Panthers at Telstra Stadium, in front of just 12,465 fans. In control of the match for the first half, the Bulldogs conceded 26 points in the second half, losing 30–20. They were lucky to be sitting on 8th spot after round eighteen.

For round nineteen, the 'Dogs travelled to Carrara Stadium to face the Titans. It was a great performance from the Bulldogs as they streaked to a 36–12 thrashing against the Titans.

Round twenty and the Bulldogs took on the St George Illawarra Dragons at WIN Stadium. In front of 19,051 fans, the Bulldogs scored late in the game to score an upset, winning 28–24. This was the 'Dogs 10th win of the season, with their position in the Top 8 secured for another week.

Another Friday Night blockbuster was played in front of 27,201 fans where the Bulldogs hosted the Parramatta Eels at Telstra Stadium. Parramatta dominated the first half, leading 18–10 at the break, but during the second half the 'Dogs rallied for yet another comeback, scoring 2 tries to make the scoreline 28–22 with 10 minutes to go. As another try-scoring opportunity passed, Sonny Bill Williams looked to have scored off another one-on-one strip, but was ruled to have knocked it forward. In the end, the Bulldogs lost 34–22.

With a chance to cement their spot in the Top 8, the Bulldogs played against the Canberra Raiders at Telstra Stadium. Another superb performance from Sonny Bill Williams, including a first career hat-trick, saw the Bulldogs effectively end the Raiders' finals hopes with a crushing 52–4 win, their biggest win over the Raiders in history. Hazem El Masri kicked only 6 goals from 10, but during the game scored a try to take his career tally to 2000 points. He ended the day on 2010 points, only 166 points from Andrew Johns' record.

The Bulldogs began their final three games (all to be played on Friday nights through Rounds 23, 24 and 25) with a one-point victory against the Brisbane Broncos by 25–24. The game 'see-sawed' considerably before a Brent Sherwin field goal managed to put the Bulldogs in front by one with 5 minutes remaining. The victory saw them temporarily third, but other results meant they kept their position in the top four and secured a likely finals berth.

The Bulldogs now have 2 matches left, first against the Melbourne Storm at Telstra Stadium, and then will conclude their regular season against the North Queensland Cowboys at Dairy Farmers Stadium on 31 August. With these two matches remaining, the Bulldogs are currently positioned in the top four.

Match results

2007 Season Results
Round	Opponent	Result	Bulldogs	Opposition	Date	Venue	Crowd
TM	St George Illawarra Dragons	Win	26	16	24 February	WIN Stadium	–
TM	New Zealand Warriors	Loss	6	36	3 March	North Harbour Stadium	–
1	Newcastle Knights	Loss	24	25	18 March	Energy Australia Stadium	18,791
2	Penrith Panthers	Loss	10	40	23 March	CUA Stadium	16,652
3	Gold Coast Titans	Win	22	6	1 April	Telstra Stadium	14,675
4	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Win	34	10	6 April	Telstra Stadium	34,315
5	Manly Sea Eagles	Loss	14	16	14 April	Telstra Stadium	20,269
6	Parramatta Eels	Win	21	18	22 April	Parramatta Stadium	18,285
7	Wests Tigers	Loss	18	34	27 April	Telstra Stadium	18,066
8	Newcastle Knights	Win	30	16	6 May	Telstra Stadium	12,654
9	Melbourne Storm	Loss	14	38	14 May	Olympic Park	14,066
10	Cronulla Sharks	Loss	20	30	20 May	Telstra Stadium	12,384
11	North Queensland Cowboys	Loss	16	26	25 May	Suncorp Stadium	15,412
12	New Zealand Warriors	Win	40	20	3 June	Mount Smart Stadium	10,041
13	Bye
14	Brisbane Broncos	Loss	12	19	15 June	Telstra Stadium	10,121
15	Manly Sea Eagles	Win	27	8	22 June	Brookvale Oval	13,849
16	Sydney Roosters	Win	38	6	2 July	Telstra Stadium	20,722
17	Cronulla Sharks	Win	14	12	8 July	Toyota Park	8,441
18	Penrith Panthers	Loss	20	30	14 July	Telstra Stadium	12,465
19	Gold Coast Titans	Win	36	12	20 July	Carrara Stadium	15,873
20	St George Illawarra Dragons	Win	28	24	28 July	WIN Stadium	19,051
21	Parramatta Eels	Loss	22	34	3 August	Telstra Stadium	27,201
22	Canberra Raiders	Win	52	4	12 August	Telstra Stadium	12,127
23	Brisbane Broncos	Win	25	24	17 August	Suncorp Stadium	35,199
24	Melbourne Storm	Loss	6	38	24 August	Telstra Stadium
25	North Queensland Cowboys	Loss	32	38	31 August	Dairy Farmers Stadium
Qualifying Final	North Queensland Cowboys	Loss	18	20	8 September	Dairy Farmers Stadium
Semi Final	Parramatta Eels	Loss	6	25	15 September	Telstra Stadium

Round	Position
1	9/16
2	13/16
3	11/16
4	7/16
5	10/16
6	7/16
7	10/16
8	8/16
9	11/16
10	11/16
11	14/16
12	11/16
13	11/16
14	13/16
15	11/16
16	10/16
17	7/16
18	8/16
19	7/16
20	6/16
21	7/16
22	6/16
23	4/16
24	4/16
25	6/16

Ladder

2007 NRL season v t e
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Melbourne Storm	24	21	0	3	1	627	277	+350	44
2	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	24	18	0	6	1	597	377	+220	38
3	North Queensland Cowboys	24	15	0	9	1	547	618	−71	32
4	New Zealand Warriors	24	13	1	10	1	593	434	+159	29
5	Parramatta Eels	24	13	0	11	1	573	481	+92	28
6	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	24	12	0	12	1	575	528	+47	26
7	South Sydney Rabbitohs	24	12	0	12	1	408	399	+9	26
8	Brisbane Broncos	24	11	0	13	1	511	476	+35	24
9	Wests Tigers	24	11	0	13	1	541	561	−20	24
10	Sydney Roosters	24	10	1	13	1	445	610	−165	23
11	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	24	10	0	14	1	463	403	+60	22
12	Gold Coast Titans	24	10	0	14	1	409	559	−150	22
13	St George Illawarra Dragons	24	9	0	15	1	431	509	−78	20
14	Canberra Raiders	24	9	0	15	1	522	652	−130	20
15	Newcastle Knights	24	9	0	15	1	418	708	−290	20
16	Penrith Panthers	24	8	0	16	1	539	607	−68	18

Players (31)

*Current to Round 17, 2007*
Player	Appearances	Tries	Goals	F Goals	Points
Adam Brideson	1	0	0	0	0
Fred Briggs	1	0	0	0	0
Kane Cleal	15	2	0	0	8
Trent Cutler	9	6	0	0	24
Hazem El Masri	15	6	51/60	0	126
Andrew Emelio	2	1	0	0	4
Jon Green	2	0	0	0	0
Jarrad Hickey	15	4	0	0	16
Daniel Holdsworth	11	0	0	1	1
Corey Hughes	15	1	0	0	4
Nick Kouparitsas	8	1	0	0	4
Heka Nanai	1	0	0	0	0
Reni Maitua	15	4	0	0	16
Willie Mason	11	2	0	0	8
Dallas Mcilwain	7	1	0	0	4
Daryl Millard	15	5	0	0	20
Brad Morrin	1	0	0	0	0
Mark O'Meley	11	1	0	0	4
Luke Patten	16	3	0	0	12
Adam Perry	10	0	0	0	0
Cameron Phelps	5	3	0	0	12
Ben Roberts	10	1	0	1	5
Andrew Ryan	14	4	0	0	16
Brent Sherwin	11	2	5/7	0	18
Lee Te Maari	6	1	0	0	4
Willie Tonga	15	3	0	0	12
Matt Utai	1	1	0	0	4
Aaron Wheatley	1	0	0	0	0
Sonny Bill Williams	14	8	0	0	32
Tim Winitana	1	0	0	0	0

Movements

Gains

2007 Signings/Transfers
Player	Previous Club	Years Signed	Until the End of
Daryl Millard	St George Illawarra Dragons	3 Years	2009
Kane Cleal	South Sydney Rabbitohs	2 Years	2008
Brent Crisp	Canberra Raiders	2 Years	2008
Lee Te Maari	St George Illawarra Dragons	2 Years	2008
Aaron Wheatley	St George Illawarra Dragons	1 Years	2007
Ryan Millard	St George Illawarra Dragons	Unknown duration	Unknown Year
Leon Bott	Cronulla Sharks	2 Years	2008

Losses

Losses
Player	Notes
Roy Asotasi	Contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
Daniel Irvine	Contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs
Nate Myles	Contract with the Sydney Roosters
Ben Czislowski	Contract with the Wynnum Manly
Daniel Conn	Contract with the Gold Coast Titans

Re-Signings

Re-Signings
Player	Years Signed	Until the End of
Hazem El Masri	2 Years	2009
Matt Utai	2 Years	2009
Ben Roberts	2 Years	2009
Cameron Phelps	1 Year	2008
Corey Hughes	1 Year	2008
Brad Morrin	1 Year	2008

References

Woods B (2007). El Magic – The Life of Hazem El Masri. Harper Collins Publishing. ISBN 0-7322-8402-3
Andrews M (2006). The ABC of Rugby League. ABC Publishing. ISBN 0-7333-1946-7
Whiticker A & Hudson G (2005). Canterbury Bulldogs – The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Bas Publishing. ISBN 1-920910-50-6
Whittaker A & Collis I (2004). The History of Rugby League Clubs. ISBN 978-1-74110-470-7
Lane D (1996). A Family Betrayal – One Man's Super League War – Jarred McCracken. Ironbark Publishing. ISBN 0-330-35839-1
Chesterton R (1996). Good as Gould – Phil Gould's Stormy Life in Football. Ironbark Publishing. ISBN 0-330-35873-1
Lester G (1991). The Bulldog Story. Playright Publishing. ISBN 0-646-04447-8
Whiticker A (1992). The Terry Lamb Story. Gary Allen Publishing. ISBN 1-875169-14-8
Tasker N (1988). Top-Dog – The Steve Mortimer Story. Century Hutchinson Publishing. ISBN 0-09-169231-8
Lester G (1985). Berries to Bulldogs. Lester – Townsend Publishing. ISBN 0-949853-06-2
NRL Official Information Handbook (2001–2007). Season Guide.
Middleton D (1987–2006). The Official NSWRL, ARL, NRL Yearbook / Annual.
Christensen EE (1946–1977). NSWRL Yearbook.
Rugby League Review (2003–2007).
Big League (1974–2007).
Rugby League Week (1970–2007).
The Rugby League News.

External links