LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
'We definitely took that personally': Bulldogs forwards vow to bounce back after admitting they were 'absolutely smoked' by Manly a fortnight ago
Canterbury's hard-hitting forwards left Accor Stadium with a bitter taste in their mouths, feeling like they were the ones to blame for the tough loss to Manly.
But now, they have a chance to redeem themselves.
The Bulldogs' agile forward pack has been punching above their weight all season, but one of their key leaders admits they were "absolutely dominated" and felt accountable for the defeat at the hands of Manly in round 26.
As they gear up for their revenge mission in Sunday's elimination final, Max King - a standout in the middle - knows the pressure is on.
In his three-year tenure with the club, King has established himself as Canterbury's rock-solid middle forward, clocking in massive minutes in a pack that was doubted at the start of the season for lacking the size to compete with the big guns.
Despite early skepticism, the Bulldogs silenced their critics for the most part of the regular season, swarming in defence with their nimble forwards who also had the stamina to make an impact late in games.
However, their compact pack was overpowered by Manly and North Queensland in the final two games of the season, with the likes of Matt Lodge, Taniela Paseka, and Nathan Brown running riot at Accor Stadium in the last round.
King hasn't let that defeat slip his mind, and it's evident that the forwards have had some serious discussions about avoiding a repeat performance when they face off against the Sea Eagles on Sunday.
"I reckon that's something we've really hung the hats on this year - despite all the noise around the forwards, we've really stepped up," King emphasized.