The Bankstown City Bulls ended their spectacular 2009 season in blazing fashion with a comprehensive 32-nil Grand Final win at ANZ Stadium, securing the State Cup and capping off one of the most dominant campaigns in NSWRL history.

 

Opponents, Balmain-Ryde, entered the premiership decider rank outsiders but, to their credit, menaced the Bulls during the opening half-hour, slowing down the rucks and forcing the Bulls into regular error.

 

An early try to hard-running prop, Fred Briggs, was the only real highlight for the Bulls in a messy first half effort but a string of magic tricks after the break from halfback, Ben Barba, blew the game apart. 

 

"We had them [the Bulls] a bit rattled in that first half," observed Tigers coach Paul Fletcher. "A couple of penalty goals early in the second half really hurt us. In the slippery conditions once you give away a ten point lead you'll really struggle" he added.

 

Indeed, as Balmain attempted to push passes, loose balls became available for an opportunistic Barba to pounce, the lightning quick pivot notching up a trifecta of tries in a final quarter of individual brilliance that revived an otherwise predictable encounter.

 

Two men playing their final games for the club, Bulldogs stalwart, Matt Utai and fullback Brent Crisp were particularly driven on the day.

 

Utai managed to impose himself on proceedings with some solid running but was an absolute stand-out in defence, terrorising a series of Tiger raids with thunderous hits.

The stocky backliner dedicated his performance to his late Grandmother who was tragically lost to the Samoan tsunamis last week.

 

At the back, Brent Crisp collected a required twelve points to post a truly remarkable 300 individual points for a season and, incredibly, leaves to play Group 9 football in Young.

 

The best backrow in the premiership, Danny Williams and Brad Morrin, topped off their years with a pair of high quality efforts against a Balmain pack that increasingly back peddled as the game went on.

 

Tigers half, Josh Lewis, was often dangerous with the ball but a few half-chances all went to ground.

 

The Bulls 10th Anniversary year has been appropriately marked with yet another title, the successful Bankstown club adding the NSW State Cup to the Metro and Jim Beam Cups secured over the past decade.

 

 

Bankstown Bulls 32 (B. Barba 3, F. Briggs, N. Taylor tries; B. Crisp 6 goals)
dft

Balmain Ryde-Nil