When the ASRL began its new look back in 2001/2002, these two sides finished seventh and eighth respectively. Whilst neither set the world afire that season, this year has showcased just how strong both clubs can be. With Brisbane last week dropping their game against Northern in epic fashion, today they came up against an in form Falcons' side at a packed Telstra Stadium. One of these two sides will go home wondering what could have been, whilst the winner will go on to face Wellington next weekend.

Central Coast Falcons Brisbane Bulls
1 Luke Patten 1 Ben Hornby
2 Matt Utai 2 Paul Bowman
3 Matthew Burke 3 David Stagg
4 Nigel Vagana 4 Josh Hannay
5 Hazem El Masri 5 Ty Williams
6 Braith Anasta 6 Trent Barrett
7 Brent Sherwin 7 Scott Prince
8 Stuart Fielden 8 Shane Webcke ©
9 Justin Marshall 9 Cameron Smith
10 Luke Davico 10 Ben Ross
11 Imanol Harinordoquy 11 Luke Williamson
12 James Manson 12 Luke O'Donnell
13 Paul Sculthorpe © 13 Trent Waterhouse
++Interchange
14 Michael Korkidas 14 Petero Civoniceva
15 Chris Flannery 15 Adrian Morley
16 Reni Maitua 16 Luke O'Dwyer
17 Graham Anlezark 17 Johnathan Thurston

The most anticipated of this weekend's Premier League clashes got underway to rapturous approval from the predominantly NSW crowd. It was a different looking Brisbane side on the park this weekend, with the absence of Karmichael Hunt and Matt King making the Bulls look a little less dangerous. The Falcons started off full of enthusiasm, and twice went close to claiming first points. In fact, the Falcons looked so switched on in the early going that Brisbane had very little of the possession, and it was no surprise when Justin Marshal was able to rampage his way across the line from a penalty tap. Whilst Shane Webcke berated his troops for leaking such soft points, Hazem El Masri converted to give his side a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.

The Falcons didn't ease the pressure at all following their first try, and the Bulls remained under constant pressure from a switched on Falcons' outfit. The defence of Brisbane's world class forward pack was all that prevented them from leaking points at a rate of knots, but there was little they could do when, in the 16th minute, Matthew Burke finished off a powerhouse eighty five metre set from the Falcons by stepping around Ty Williams to go over out wide. El Masri proved human when he missed the conversion, but at 10-0 after sixteen, the Falcons looked ready to inflict an embarassing semi final defeat on the Bulls.

10-0 became 16-0 not long after, and it was again Matthew Burke excercising his considerable talents. First it was a big bust from Brisbane bound Chris Flannery, before Braith Anasta lofted a spiralling bomb. Matthew Burke, also leaving the club at the end of the season, leapt above the Bulls' backs to claim the ball and crash over for the third try of the match. El Masri duly converted, and the Bulls looked ragged at 16-0 after twenty one minutes. The Bulls needed to find a way to stem the flow of points, and soon, but Trent Waterhouse's return to the game couldn't change the fact that the Falcons were playing perhaps their finest game of the season. It took only a minute for CCF to cross again, Matt Utai emulating Burke's try from just moments earlier when he soared above Paul Bowman, out of place on the wing, to score his side's fourth try. Another conversion, and the Falcons looked like world-beaters with a 22-0 lead. The Bulls, if they wanted to see the major semi final, would need to start firing on all cylinders and start doing it soon.

The Falcons didn't switch off after their fourth try, but Brisbane gradually began to find answers to the big metres that the Falcons had been making up their middle. A new look forward pack, including Civoniceva and Morley from the bench, began to better restrict the metreage made by the Falcons' pack. This saw the Bulls fight their way back into the game territorially, and it was only a matter of time before their talent packed lineup could cross for points. A promising Ty Williams break got it started, and Shane Webcke inspired his troops when he cast off a weak Nigel Vagana attempted tackle to plant the ball beside the uprights. Josh Hanny converted, and whilst the scoreline read 22-6 with seven minutes of the half remaining, Webcke's try would undoubtedly lift his side's spirits.

The scoring wasn't done for the half, and unfortunately for the Queensland fans, it was the 'home' side that scored the final blow of the half- Nigel Vagana pouncing on a well timed grubber from Chris Flannery to score his side's fifth of the evening. El Masri converted on halftime, and it was a dispirited Brisbane side that trudged to the sheds, down 28-6 at halftime.

HALFTIME: Central Coast 28 lead Brisbane 6

The second half kicked off, but Brisbane didn't look like they'd learned anything from the torturous first half, Scott Prince knocking on in the first set of six and putting his side right back under the pump. Another promising Falcons' attacking set, again marshalled by Chris Flannery, was disarmed only by the desperate defence of the Bulls' pack. Whilst Brisbane coach Josh Hussey would undoubtedly be happy with the form his latest acquisition was showing, for now, it was tearing his side apart.

With the two sides playing like they were, it wasn't long before the Falcons' again troubled the scorers, a penalty putting the Falcons on the attack- and Hazem El Masri adding to his game haul when he ran onto a Matthew Burke long ball to score out wide. Making perhaps his most difficult conversion attempt of the game, El Masri rubbed further salt into Brisbane's wounds, making it 34-6. The second half had a long time to go, but a Bulls' resurrection seemed about as likely as a Labour government in the near future. The Falcons took only 47 minutes to reach the forty point barrier, Chris Flannery adding to his already great game when he cut through some tired Bulls defence and raced away for a classic solo try. El Masri's conversion had it at 40-6, and already the Bulls' faithful were filing out of Telstra Stadium.

With a match-winning lead, the Falcons were guilty of slackening off a little, and in the 55th minute the Bulls got on the board for the first time in the second half - Scott Prince scoring a soft try after his dummy lured Hazem El Masri into racing up out of the line for an intercept attempt. Prince brought it around under the sticks, and Hannay converted to make it 40-12. A twenty nine point turnaround would be needed to steal an unlikely victory, but the Bulls' players didn't look like a comeback was on their minds. A penalty from the kick-off gave Brisbane more field position, and Falcons' fans were given a few heart palpatations when Trent Barrett muscled his way across the line. The conversion saw the scoreline at 40-18, and whilst the Bulls were still a long way adrift, twenty five minutes of football was enough time for an unlikely footballing miracle. Falcons management were no doubt looking at Gold Coast's comeback in the 2002 Grand Final (scoring twenty eight second half points to three) with worry.

A comeback was unlikely, and would require a fast rate of scoring if it were going to occur. The Falcons just needed to hold on defensively, even if it meant leaking a try or two. When Trent Barrett snared his second in the 68th minute, the failed conversion left it at 40-22. But eighteen points in ten minutes was not beyond the realm of possibility, and with the last Falcons' interchange used- the current crop of tiring Falcons would have to hold out a potentially record breaking comeback. The Falcons were denied a potentially morale shattering try in the 70th for double movement, and those few Bulls' fans on hand were chanting as their chargers looked to surge home to an unlikely draw or victory. The Bulls had their heroes as time wound on and defeat looked more and more likely. Trent Waterhouse sent hearts aflutter with his 71st minute linebreak, but ultimately the Falcons' first half display proved too much of a mountain for the Bulls to scale. Fulltime sounded with Matthew Burke crossing for his third try of the game, a perhaps unfair end to a game that Brisbane had brought to life in the second half.

FULLTIME

Central Coast Falcons 46
Matt Utai
Matthew Burke 3
Nigel Vagana
Hazem El Masri
Chris Flannery
Justin Marshall
El Masri 7/8

defeated

Brisbane Bulls 22
Trent Barrett 2
Scott Prince
Shane Webcke
Hannay 3/4

PoM Points
Chris Flannery.............3
Matthew Burke............2
Justin Marshall.............1

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT

How good was that game? I mean come on, the Falcons were on fire! Our players have, I don't know, I'm so happy I don't even know what I'm saying.

We turned up for the full 80 minutes. It could have been our last together but I think many want to leave here with a Premiership. We want to make Central Coast history... boys we're into the semis. WHOOOOT!!!!!

That's a gay semi. Hope I don't lose by that much in mine. Even if I win it just means I get to lose to Gold Coast in a major semi final yet again.

yeah grand final time, the falcons coach has nothing in his bag of tricks.

I wouldn't go that far.

against me he has nothing, absoulotely nothing in asrl club history hes only beaten me once that was a trial full strength central coast versus second string waikato and only beat me by 4 -6 points.

and no mrc i will not forfeit the game for 500,000.

lol. I don't think you understand the simplicity of our game's sim. Your ego is somehow larger than Mr. Magroober's. I hope you lose. ;)

I am intrigued by this talk offering 500K. Have there been precedents to this sort of behaviour.

Ooh, the controversy. Wouldn't be the first time Falcons' management was in trouble for attempted match-fixing, would it, MrC? ;)

Mmm, I can think of a million reasons not to do it again.

Bastards, I'll kill you all!

Doug... I think I've beaten you three times. Once with CCF, once with The Entrance and finally once with England.

So I'm on about 3-50

*waves Falcons flag*

can't remember the enterance beating gisborne, as i beat you last year and this year. as i said club history internationals are not club games