# 2009 Bulldogs RLFC season

The 2009 Bulldogs RLFC season was the 75th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 2nd (out of 16), a vast improvement on the previous season, when they came last. The Bulldogs came within one match of the grand final but were knocked out by the Parramatta Eels.

## Season summary

After an extremely disappointing 2008 season, in which the club finished with the wooden spoon, 2009 will be a season of rebuilding for the Bulldogs. A number of high-profile new recruits, including Brett Kimmorley, Josh Morris, Michael Ennis, David Stagg and Ben Hannant along with mid-season signing of Greg Eastwood will join the club.

## Fixtures

During the regular season, the Bulldogs will play most home games at ANZ Stadium in Homebush Bay. ANZ Stadium is also the home ground of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and one of the home grounds of the Parramatta Eels, so Bulldogs away matches against these two teams will also be played at this venue. Two Bulldogs home games will be played away from Homebush Bay: the Round 11 match against Melbourne will be played at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford, and the Round 19 match against the Gold Coast will be played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

### Trial Matches

* Trial 1 21 February 2009 7:00pm Local
| St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24–12 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Cooper, Nightingale, Thorby, Clarke Goals: Soward 4/4 | | Tries: Utai, Barba Goals: El Masri 1/1, Ennis 1/1 |
* WIN Stadium, Wollongong Attendance: 7,628
* Trial 2 28 February 2009 8:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 24–16 | Canberra Raiders |
| Tries: Goodwin, Ennis, Patten, Armit Goals: Ennis 3/3, El Masri 1/1 | | Tries: Monaghan 2, Purtell Goals: Campese 2/3 |
* Meakin Park, Brisbane

### Regular season

* Round 1 14 March 2009 7:30pm Local
| Bulldogs | 34–12 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles |
| Tries: Goodwin 2, Idris 2, Morris Goals: El Masri 7/7 | | Tries: Ballin, Lyon Goals: Orford 2/2 |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 19,791 Referee: Cummins, Suttor
* Round 2 21 March 2009 7:30pm Local
| Penrith Panthers | 26–28 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Waterhouse 2, Aiton, Tighe Goals: Gordon 5/5 | | Tries: Eastwood, Idris, Kimmorley, Roberts, Stagg Goals: El Masri 4/5 |
* CUA Stadium, Penrith Attendance: 16,846 Referee: Cecchin, James
* Round 3 27 March 2009 7:35pm Local
| Gold Coast Titans | 20–12 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Campbell, O'Dwyer, Rogers, Tonga Goals: Rogers 2/5 | | Tries: Goodwin, Ryan Goals: El Masri 2/3 |
* Skilled Park, Gold Coast Attendance: 19,854 Referee: Maxwell, Shortall
* Round 4 5 April 2009 2:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 24–12 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
| Tries: El Masri, Goodwin, Morris, Ryan Goals: El Masri 4/4 | | Tries: Gallen, Tupou Goals: Covell 2/2 |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 15,520 Referee: Robinson, Sutton
* Round 5 13 April 2009 7:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 14–12 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Tries: Morris, Ryan Goals: El Masri 2/2, Ennis 1/1 | | Tries: Champion, Pettybourne Goals: Luke 1/1, Sandow 1/1 |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 22,775 Referee: Klein, Suttor
* Round 6 19 April 2009 3:00pm Local
| Parramatta Eels | 18–48 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Hauraki 2, Hayne Goals: Burt 3/3 | | Tries: Morris 2, Patten 2, El Masri, Goodwin, Hodgson, Kimmorley, Warburton Goals: El Masri 6/9 |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 18,223 Referee: Badger, De Las Heras
* Round 7 26 April 2009 2:00pm Local
| Canberra Raiders | 20–30 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Monaghan, Purtell, Thompson, Tongue Goals: Dugan 2/4 | | Tries: El Masri, Ennis, Goodwin, Hannant, Millard Goals: El Masri 5/5 |
* Canberra Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 10,241 Referee: James, Klein
* Round 8 3 May 2009 3:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 22–20 | Wests Tigers |
| Tries: El Masri 2, Ennis, Goodwin Goals: El Masri 3/4 | | Tries: Moltzen, Payten, Ryan 2 Goals: Gallant 2/5 |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 25,622 Referee: Hayne, De Las Heras
* Round 9 9–11 May 2009
| . | Bye | . |
* Round 10 16 May 2009 7:30pm Local
| St. George Illawarra Dragons | 20–18 | Bulldogs |
| Tries: Creagh, Poore, Weyman Goals: Soward 4/4 | | Tries: Hannant, Idris, Kimmorley Goals: El Masri 3/3 |
* Jubilee Oval, Kogarah Attendance: 18,415 Referee: Archer, Klein
* Round 11 22–25 May 2009 7:30pm Local
| Bulldogs | 26–10 | Melbourne Storm |
* Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
* Round 12 29 May - 1 June 2009 3:00pm Local
| Newcastle Knights | 22–14 | Bulldogs |
* EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle
* Round 13 5–8 June 2009
| . | Bye | . |
* Round 14 12–15 June 2009 7:35pm Local
| Brisbane Broncos | 22–44 | Bulldogs |
* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Player of the Match: Ben Roberts (BUL)
* Round 15 19–22 June 2009 7:35pm Local
| Bulldogs | 19–12 | Penrith Panthers |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 16 26–29 June 2009 7:35pm Local
| Bulldogs | 30–18 | North Queensland Cowboys |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 17 3–6 July 2009 7:35pm Local
| Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 19–12 | Bulldogs |
* Brookvale Oval, Brookvale
* Round 18 10–13 July 2009 2:00pm Local
| New Zealand Warriors | 14–18 | Bulldogs |
* Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
* Round 19 17–20 July 2009 8:30pm Local
| Bulldogs | 23–16 | Gold Coast Titans |
* Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
* Round 20 24–27 July 2009 5:30pm Local
| Bulldogs | 8–27 | Parramatta Eels |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 21 31 July - 3 August 2009 3:00pm Local
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | 18–26 | Bulldogs |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 22 7–10 August 2009 7:30pm Local
| Bulldogs | 23–20 | Canberra Raiders |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 23 14–17 August 2009 7:35pm Local
| North Queensland Cowboys | 12–22 | Bulldogs |
* Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
* Round 24 21–24 August 2009 7:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 28–4 | Sydney Roosters |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Round 25 28–31 August 2009 3:00pm Local
| Bulldogs | 40–20 | New Zealand Warriors |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay Attendance: 41,835 (record crowd)
* Round 26 4–6 September 2009 7:35pm Local
| Wests Tigers | 34–12 | Bulldogs |
* Sydney Football Stadium, Moore Park

### Finals Series

* Qualifying Final 12 September 2009 8:35pm Local
| Bulldogs | 26–12 | Newcastle Knights |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay
* Preliminary Final 25 September 2009 7:45pm Local
| Bulldogs | 12–22 | Parramatta Eels |
* ANZ Stadium, Homebush Bay

## Ladder

2009 NRL seasonvte :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 548 | 329 | +219 | 38 |
| 2 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 575 | 428 | +147 | 38$^1$ |
| 3 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 514 | 467 | +47 | 36 |
| 4 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 505 | 348 | +157 | 33 |
| 5 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 549 | 459 | +90 | 32 |
| 6 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 511 | 566 | −55 | 32 |
| 7 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 508 | 491 | +17 | 30 |
| 8 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 476 | 473 | +3 | 29 |
| 9 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 558 | 483 | +75 | 28 |
| 10 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 566 | 549 | +17 | 27 |
| 11 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 515 | 589 | −74 | 27 |
| 12 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 558 | 474 | +84 | 26 |
| 13 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 489 | 520 | −31 | 22 |
| 14 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 377 | 565 | −188 | 20 |
| 15 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 359 | 568 | −209 | 14 |
| 16 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 382 | 681 | −299 | 14 |
$^1$ The Bulldogs were deducted 2 competition points after an interchange breach in Round 2.

## 2009 squad

| No. | Position | Player Chris Armit – PR Ben Barba – FE Brent Crisp – FB Greg Eastwood – SR Hazem El Masri – WG Michael Ennis – HK Bryson Goodwin – WG Yileen Gordon – SR Ben Hannant – PR Jarrad Hickey – PR Michael Hodgson – PR Daniel Holdsworth – FE Jamal Idris – CE Brett Kimmorley – HB John Kite – PR |
| No. | Position | Player Charles Leaneo – PR Daryl Millard – CE Brad Morrin – SR Josh Morris – CE Heka Nanai – WG Luke Patten – FB Ben Roberts – FE Andrew Ryan – SR (c) David Stagg – LK Michael Sullivan – HK Lee Te Maari – SR Matt Utai – WG Gary Warburton – SR Danny Williams – PR Tim Winitana – CE |