‘There is a football god’: Dolphins masterstroke stuns even Wayne Bennett

Wayne Bennett has shown even when you’re one of the greatest coaches in NRL history, sometimes it all comes down to the “football god”.

Wayne Bennett can't even take the credit for this masterstroke. Photo: Getty Images and NRL.com

The Dolphins have breathed new life into their season — and hammer a nail into the Warriors’ coffin — after pulling off stunning 34-32 golden point victory on Sunday afternoon.

As has been the story of the last few weeks, the Dolphins ran out to a 14-0 lead — and 20-6 lead at halftime — before leaving the door open for a Warriors comeback.

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Up 26-12 with 20 minutes to play, the Warriors surged home with four tries to send the game into extra time.

In a week where legendary halfback Shaun Johnson announced his retirement, his heir apparent Te Maire Martin starred, having a hand in four tries and scoring one himself, only to be denied by a masterstroke decision from Bennett.

It appeared as though there was a sense of destiny for the Warriors when they drew level on the back of a Mitch Barnett penalty try after Dolphins half Kodi Nikorima was pinged after grabbing the rampaging prop.

Bunker official Grant Atkins ruled that Barnett, who knocked the ball on in trying to ground it, would have got to the ball earlier and scored.

With the game on the line, supercoach Wayne Bennett then made a stunning call — bringing on Sean O’Sullivan, who had been warm the bench.

Sean O’Sullivan celebrates the win. Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Less than a minute after coming onto the field, O’Sullivan booted a two-point field goal to claim the victory.

“It was a great moment. Sean had a long time on the bench to think about how he would play,” Bennett said.

“I just knew I had to get him on the field as he’d bring something in that situation where both teams are trying to score in one set of six.

“I though the five-eighth, halfback role — I put him into hooker when he came on — but maybe he could help us a bit. I just knew I needed to get him onto the field.”

Asked how his heart was in the press conference post-game, Bennett said: “It’s pretty good – there is a football god though. We needed a bit of help at the end.”

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

But the situation still hasn’t changed his views on the golden point as the Dolphins had lost in extra-time to the Raiders and Panthers so far this season.

“Yeah I do,” Bennett said when asked if he still hated Golden Point. “If you got a point for a draw we’d be (two) points ahead of where we are now.

“The disappointing thing for me with it is that both teams put a lot of effort into today. When you get to that point, both teams have played with a lot of effort and there’s no reward.

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

Wayne Bennett was happy with that one. Photo: NRL.com

It was a controversial match with a high tackle drama also erupting throughout the match.

Veteran Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was penalised in the 35th minute for a high shot which resulted in a Dolphins penalty goal, despite never coming in contact with the head of Ray Stone.

Minutes later Warriors lock Dylan Walker was sin-binned for a shot on Mark Nicholls, a glancing blow off his shoulder that ended Nicholls’s game prematurely.

Both calls also earned the ire of Panthers legend and Fox League pundit Greg Alexander, who questioned whether the punishments fit the crime.

“I’m all for protecting players and everything they’re doing with concussions, but there’s been some tackles over the last few weeks where I’ve seen no head contact [be penalised] and the player being tackled not even realising,” Alexander said.

“The Tuivasa-Sheck tackle is at an important point of the game which allows the Dolphins to go ahead by another two points.

“The contact there from Dylan Walker is questionable, but does he deserve to go to the bin for that?”

The Tuivasa-Sheck call in particular proved vital in the grand scheme, with the ensuing penalty goal proving the difference by game’s end.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster couldn’t hide his bemusement over the costly decision: “Are you referring to the tackle where Roger never hit him high? I watched the replay three times and have no idea why they gave that.”

With Jack Brady, Newswire

Originally published as ‘There is a football god’: Dolphins masterstroke stuns even Wayne Bennett