Let's take a walk down memory lane and remind all Bulldog members and supporters about the come from behind win in Newcastle in round 20 of the 2002 season.
The Bulldogs went into this match with plenty of confidence and all the momentum.
Travelling to Newcastle to take on the Knights is a tough road trip and when Newcastle started the first 40 in superb fashion, crossing for three tries and leading 19 nil at half-time, the result looked out of reach for the boys from Belmore.
The second half began in true Dogs style of play, an arm wrestle.
The players came out after the half-time break with plenty of energy and enthusiasm and were able to claw their way back into the match thanks to tries to Willie Mason and Todd Polglase and two conversions to Hazem El Masri.
The Bulldogs were well and truly back in the match, trailing 19-12 with just over 20 minutes to go.
The next 10 minutes was a battle with both teams throwing the footy around from one end of the field to the other, before winger Matt Utai scored in the corner off a Braith Anasta cross field kick.
Utai out jumped his opposite number and planted the ball over the try-line. El Masri missed the conversion, but with the Dogs only behind by five points, the boys in blue and white were coming home like an express train.
The excitement was building, the crowd were on their seat and with a minute to play, the Bulldogs shifted the ball from the left to the right and found fullback Luke Patten on the wing, who scored in the corner to give Hazem El Masri the chance to win the game with a kick from the sideline.
Who could have predicted the finish?
And in true El Masri style, he took his time, soaked up the pressure and converted the Patten try from the sideline to give the Bulldogs a memorable 22-21 victory over the Newcastle Knights.
What an amazing afternoon of rugby league and what a committed effort from the Bulldogs to come from 19 nil down and defeat the Knights on their home turf.
BULLDOGS 22 ( Patten, Utai, Mason, Polglase tries: El Masri 3 goals)
def
KNIGHTS 21 ( Gidley, Morris, Johns tries: Johns 4 goals, 1 field goal)
LINE - UPS:
| KNIGHTS | BULLDOGS | |
|---|---|---|
| FULLBACK | KURT GIDLEY | LUKE PATTEN |
| WING | NEIL SWEENEY | HAZEM EL MASRI |
| CENTRE | MATTHEW GIDLEY | NIGEL VAGANA |
| CENTRE | ANTHONY QUINN | TODD POLGLASE |
| WING | JOHN MORRIS | MATT UTAI |
| FIVE - EIGHTH | SEAN RUDDER | BRAITH ANASTA |
| HALFBACK | ANDREW JOHNS | BRENT SHERWIN |
| PROP | JOSH PERRY | WILLIE MASON |
| HOOKER | DANNY BUDERUS | COREY HUGHES |
| PROP | ADAM WOOLNOUGH | STEVE PRICE |
| SECOND - ROW | STEVE SIMPSON | JAMIE FEENEY |
| SECOND - ROW | CLINT NEWTON | STEVE REARDON |
| LOCK | BILL PEDEN | DARREN SMITH |
| BENCH | JARROD O'DOHERTY | TONY GRIMALDI |
| BENCH | MATT JOBSON | JOHNATHAN THURSTON |
| BENCH | JULIAN BAILEY | DENNIS SCOTT |
| BENCH | TRENT ESTATHEO | PAUL RAUHIHI |
| COACH | MICHAEL HAGAN | STEVE FOLKES |
