BATHURST Bulldogs showed why they've been the team setting the benchmark this entire Blowes Cup season by finding the mental resolve in Saturday's major semi-final against the Orange Emus to recover from a poor opening first half and claim victory.
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The defending champion and minor premier Bulldogs squad secured the first ticket to the grand final - and hosting rights at Ashwood Park for the second year running - on the back of a 24-10 win at home.
It was a stop-start contest where each side struggled to develop any long passage of momentum, which made the result ultimately boil down to ball retention and discipline at the breakdown.
Emus' superb defensive efforts were rewarded in the shadows of half-time when, despite having a player yellow carded, they were able to find a try and take a 10-7 lead into the break.
With a slight breeze at their backs for the second half there was the growing possibility of an upset being on the cards.
But Bulldogs fought back after the break as they moved the ball wider more efficiently, made smarter decisions, and kept the Emus scoreless throughout the term.
Bryce Rue scored twice in the victory and loved the way that the team were able to keep a cool head as the game developed.
"That was so good. The team pulled through in the end," he said.
"We just had to stay solid and keep the energy up going into the second half. I knew we could get on top of them once we got the momentum.
"It was hard to get going at times, especially in the first half where we gave away a lot of penalties and shot ourselves in the foot a bit, but other than that it was really good.
"That was nice to score a couple but I can't do any of that without the work of the boys on the inside."
Emus coach Nigel Staniforth said his side didn't evolve their game quick enough to account for the way the match was being officiated.
"We got into the wrestle a bit ... and we lost the interpretation of what was going on at the ruck, and we didn't adapt quick enough. That's when we need to stop wrestling, put them on their backside, reset, and go again," he said.
"Unfortunately a few lapses and poor decisions held us back a bit. We weren't far off and we can be better.
"It wasn't a bad game from us. I think we left a few points out there in the first half. We've got a couple of guys coming back next week who will really add some punch.
"We've just got to execute those couple of moments a little better."
Emus were dealt a cruel blow inside the first five minutes when Louis Monro-Carr and Mark Jackson both left the field injured.
Bulldogs compounded the pain by scoring the first try of the game through Jason Corliss, which was converted by Kurt Weekes for a 7-0 lead.
The blue and gold were threatening to score again with a scrum close to the Emus' try line in the 13th minute, but a wayward Bulldogs pass was scooped up by the visitors and they took the ball right down the other end of the field to score through Angus Cudmore.
Emus lost Charlie Steele-Park to a yellow card in the 25th minute and had to suffer through a relentless wave of Bulldogs attacking pressure close to their own try line.
But not only did the Emus soak that up, they managed to score through Harry Todd two minutes before Steele-Park was due to return to the field.
Bulldogs continued to apply that pressure near the Emus try line early in the second half and it eventually led to Rue's first try of the day in the 53rd minute.
Travis Gibson scored quickly after that and Weekes converted to have the Bulldogs up 19-10.
Bulldogs then had a player of their own shown yellow when Matt Trapp was given his orders to sit for 10 minutes.
The hosts maintained possession well despite the player disadvantage and soaked extra time off the clock with a penalty goal attempt, which was wide of the mark.
Once they returned to a 15-man side they put the game away with Rue's second try of the match in the 33rd minute, as he found plenty of space to score on the right wing.
BATHURST BULLDOGS 24 (Bryce Rue 2, Jason Corliss, Travis Gibson tries; Kurt Weekes 2 conversions) defeated ORANGE EMUS 10 (Angus Cudmore, Harry Todd tries)
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