Panthers all-but out of the running for the NRL title in 2013.
Whatever Tony Williams did before his side’s 34-14 victory over the Penrith Panthers, the club will be hoping he does so for the rest of the season.
The massive backrower flipped the switch and became the human wrecking ball he can be to help spur the Dogs to an important win which lifts them to fifth on the ladder.
Williams injected himself into the game as the Panthers had a small but important lead of 14-6.
Taking a hit-up close to half-way, the player known as T-Rex lived up to his moniker and barreled his way through the Penrith defensive line.
After inflicting the trail of destruction, Williams popped an overhead pass to send Mitch Brown into space before the Bulldogs left winger put a kick ahead for centre Tim Lafai to swoop and score, finishing a 50m movement.
It was the turning point of the game and the type of play Canterbury-Bankstown’s legion of supporters have been craving from Williams all season.
In the first 40 minutes Penrith captalised on a sloppy Bulldogs side, who only managed to complete 10 of 17 sets.
But after a rev-up from coach Des Hasler at the break, the Dogs looked more like the side that won the minor premiership last year as tries to centre Lafai, winger Brown, centre Krisnan Inu and halfback Trent Hodkinson put them over the top.
Canterbury will have a concern mid-week after backrower Josh Jackson was placed on report for a swinging arm on Penrith’s Clint Newton, with the Panthers forward leaving the field after being concussed by the hit.
Penrith still have the slimmest of chances of making the finals, but they will need the North Queensland Cowboys to lose on Sunday if that eventuality is to come true.
The Bulldogs are still not playing as well they can despite sitting in fifth place, and they will look to shake out the cobwebs before another tilt at the title when they tackle the Brisbane Broncos next weekend in the last round of the regular season.
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