Bennett: ‘There is a football god’

Dolphins NRL Head Coach Wayne Bennett has declared there is a football god after his side pulled off a golden point win against the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium this afternoon.

The Dolphins beat the Warriors 34-32 in a heart-stopping game – the third time the team has been forced into extra time this season.

It was the first time they managed to get a win in golden point this year, and Bennett has been a vocal critic of the method of deciding a game when scores are locked at full-time.

His decision to call on the services of Sean O’Sullivan, from the interchange bench in the 82^nd minute, made the difference this time around with his two-point field goal breaking the deadlock.

“I just knew he’d bring something. You’re in that situation when both teams are trying to score in one set of six ... I thought his halfback/five-eighth role ... I put him into hooker when he went on ... maybe there he could help us a bit ... out of dummy half ... I don’t know I just knew I had to get him on the field,” Bennett said.

“We got a bit of luck today ... we’ve probably been missing that a bit in that situation. That’s our third golden point game this year ... and we lost the other two ... we got this one.”

So, does the Super Coach still hate golden point?

“Yeah I do. If you got a point for a draw, we’d be one point ahead of where we are now. The disappointing thing for me with it is both teams put a lot of effort into today and when you get to that place, both teams have played with a lot of effort and there’s no reward,” he explains.

“It’s based on a dropout really, that’s what it gets down to, because 90 per cent of the overtime scores are from dropouts. I know it excites the fans, but I know the losing team’s fans aren’t excited.”

The great escape

The Dolphins went to the halftime break 14 points in front (20-6), with the Warriors down a player after Dylan Walker was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Mark Nicholls. Nicholls did not return to the field after suffering category one concussion symptoms.

When play resumed, the Warriors showed their intent scoring in the 42^nd minute and following it up with three more tries and a penalty try.

The Dolphins kept themselves in the game with tries to Herbie Farnworth and Jake Averillo, which followed tries to Felise Kaufusi, Farnworth and Nikorima in the first half.

Errors again crept into the Dolphins’ second-half performance, but they managed to hang on to keep their finals hopes alive.

After the game, Head Coach Wayne Bennett said his heart was pretty good but added: “There is a football god, though”.

“We needed a bit of help there at the end.”

The win means the Dolphins are back in the top eight, but the path to finals footy will be challenging as they face Bulldogs, Storm, Broncos and Knights in the final four rounds.

“We’ve got a tough month in front of us but yeah we’re in that situation. It’s good, that’s what we’re playing for. We’ve played against all the teams now and we’ve held our own against all the teams. If we can just clean our act up a little bit, make sure we’re getting better rather than getting worse, we’ll be OK,” Bennett said.

Thanks to Jesse

Before and after today’s game, the Dolphins paid tribute to inaugural captain Jesse Bromwich who will retire at the end of this season.

“I’m not one to make too much of a fuss of things but I’m grateful that the club put in some effort for me and my family,” Bromwich said when asked what the tribute meant to him.

“I’m just very grateful to come up here and play under Wayne and be the inaugural captain of this club. It’s been very special. I hold that in high regard. I’m very grateful and thankful we got that win to top it off.”

Bennett was full of praise for the bloke he hand-picked to be the Dolphins’ first captain.

“I’m often talking about Jesse ... I made the right decision. I have no regrets about the decision I made. I made it on the interview that day and what he’d done in the game, what I’d seen him do for New Zealand,” Bennett explained.

“He’s been wonderful for us and the best part is he’s still enjoying his football. He’s a pleasure to coach. The players love him. They think the world of him. It worked out great for us.”

See our photo gallery from the game

By Dominika Lis