break. The 1980 season was a watershed year for the Bulldogs and they would win their first Premiership since 1942. Canterbury played consistent football all season to finish in a tie for top position with Eastern Suburbs having the superior for and against. The Bulldogs defeated Wests and Easts to make it through to the Grand Final having the week off. The Roosters were favoured to win the decider but the unheralded Bulldogs pack outmuscled the Roosters pack with Steve Mortimer doing the rest. Mortimer completely outplayed opposing half Kevin Hastings with the Bulldogs winning 18–4. Chris Anderson scored the Bulldogs first try but the Grand Final will always be remembered for Steve Gearin's performance where he landed six goals from six attempts and scored one of the all-time greatest tries in Grand Final history. Gearin chased through a bomb by fullback Greg Brentnall 40 m out and caught the ball in mid-air despite the best attempts from Hastings and David Michael to prevent the try. The Grand Final was also famous for the three Mortimer and three Hughes brothers playing in the clash. As premiers, the Bulldogs did not buy significantly in the following couple of years and paid the penalty. Crippled with injuries they fell to tenth in 1981, and in 1982 stood ninth among 14 clubs in a newly expanded competition. Despite finishing third in 1983, the gap between Parramatta and Manly and the rest of the Premiership was massive. The style of football that worked for Canterbury in 1979-80 was now outdated with the club looking in a new direction. Warren Ryan would be appointed coach and the Bulldogs would quickly go from the Entertainers to the Enforcers in very quick time. "Wozzaball" At the end of 1983 the board decided to go on a major rebuilding exercise. New coach Warren Ryan was brought on board, together with a collection of new players. Some of the major signings by Ryan and Chief Executive Peter Moore included 1983 Dally M Player of the Year Terry Lamb and Brian Battese from Wests, Queensland forward Darryl Brohman from Penrith, hooker Mark Bugden, Phil Gould and Peter Kelly from Newtown, and prop Peter Tunks from Souths. The Bulldogs went from the "Entertainers" to the "Enforcers". Young fullback Mick Potter's form led to him becoming 1984 Dally M Player of the Year. The Bulldogs finished the season as minor premiers four