Bulldogs need to get on a roll: Hannant - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Bulldogs need to get on a roll: Hannant

By Adrian Warren 04/07/2010 11:31:27 AM Comments (0)

Bulldogs prop Ben Hannant is certain his resurgent side can still make the NRL finals, but says first they have a point to prove against Melbourne next weekend.

Sparked by two tries from exciting young five-eighth Ben Barba, the Bulldogs followed up their 18-10 win over the Raiders in Canberra five days earlier with a 24-12 conquest of the Sharks in Gosford.

Recording back-to-back wins for just the second time this season lifted the Bulldogs level with the Sharks, but still left them four points off eighth spot.

Nonetheless, Hannant sounded almost affronted when asked if it was still possible for the Bulldogs to play finals football in September.

"Of course, definitely," Queensland Origin forward Hannant said.

"We've got a great team and the last two weeks we've started to show that we're playing as a team. instead of waiting for stuff to happen.

"This is a crucial time, the next four week for the club and we need to win a fair few games in a row now."

The Bulldogs' revival will be put to the test by Melbourne on the neutral territory of Adelaide Oval next Saturday.

An understrength Storm lacking Origin stars Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith and Brett White beat the Bulldogs 23-12 in Melbourne in late May.

"Their young kids touched us up last time down in Melbourne, so we've got a point to prove," Hannant said.

The Adelaide fixture completes a four-week odyssey for the Bulldogs whose previous three games were in Brisbane, Canberra and Gosford.

"Traditionally we've always travelled pretty well and we enjoy doing that and the players like being away together, so I think it's been good for us," Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore said.

He will keep an open mind about whether to continue his experiment of playing young boom centre Jamal Idris in the second row.

NSW Origin representative Idris has started the last two games in the pack, but showed he still retained a scoring threat with a fine try against the Sharks.

Moore said the powerful 20-year-old was adapting well to his new position and appeared to be relishing the switch to the forwards.

"We'll just leave it open and it may even get to the stage where we can use it tactically depending on who we we're playing," Moore said.

Idris, who spent some time in the forwards as a schoolboy, said he loved the extra involvement of playing in the pack and wouldn't be averse to staying in the second row.

"If he (Moore) wants me there, I'll play there and I'd love to play there, but if he wants me out in the centres, I'll go out in the centres as well," Idris said.

Moore said 194cm Idris added size to the pack and praised the input of recent recruit and former Melbourne forward Ryan Tandy.

"Bringing Ryan Tandy on board has been great for us, his last two weeks have been tremendous," Moore said.

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