Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore has promised the club's latest points-stripping controversy won't derail the ladder leader's NRL season.
The Bulldogs plan to appeal the NRL's decision to strip the club of two competition points for having 14 men on the field when they snatched victory from Penrith last Saturday.
Describing the penalty as ''harsh'', Moore said the players would remain united and ensure they got the points back with an upset victory over the Titans on the Gold Coast on Friday.
''The feeling amongst the club is tremendous. We won't be pointing the finger of blame at anyone,'' Moore said.
''We will accept responsibility for it and cop it on the chin as a unit but the main focus for us is we have to back up again on Friday night.
''I think it is very harsh ... we have got to determine and maybe prove that it is harsher than the crime committed.
''From time to time we all make mistakes. We learn from it, move on and all stick together and win the game on Friday night.''
Captain Andrew Ryan was deemed to be the 14th man on the field as Ben Roberts scored the match-winning try in the 78th minute.
The second-rower had been substituted seconds earlier by Roberts but trainer Tony Ayoub summoned Ryan back on the field as it was forward Greg Eastwood who was supposed to be replaced. Ryan and Eastwood were both on the field as Roberts scored, while Michael Ennis was not involved in the play as he had been felled in back-play.
Eastwood left the field without a replacement after Roberts scored.
Ryan admitted yesterday he had ''no idea'' what went wrong, revealing he wasn't fully up to speed with the laws of the interchange process.
''I wasn't totally understanding of the rules,'' Ryan said.
''I got told by the trainer to go off ... I had no idea what was happening on the other side of the field and was told to go back on the field by the trainer.
''I didn't touch the ball or anything.
''I felt as the whole club did, disappointed we lost the two points.
''The club takes the wins and the club deals with these sorts of things. It's not just one individual person, a trainer, a coach or a player.
''It is the whole club that takes it on. We all bare the brunt of the club if we do lose the two points.
''It's important it doesn't [affect us]. We need to forget about it.''
The Bulldogs will spend all week building a case for the points penalty to be overturned into a fine as Brisbane did in 2004.
The Broncos argued there had been confusion with the interchange official when Corey Parker ran on to score a try as 14th man against the Wests Tigers five years ago.
A key argument for the Brisbane was that a points penalty effectively acted as a double demerit because it could potentially cost the club a minor premiership, top four or finals place all of which carry significant financial rewards.
The NRL appeals committee subsequently agreed that a $75,000 fine was sufficient.
Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the club would exhaust all avenues, including previous successful bids for penalty reductions, to keep the two competition points.
''Two points seems like an extreme price to pay for what was an error,'' Greenberg said.
''What we're suggesting is the severity of the punishment doesn't fit.
''We will look at everything. We have a duty to try and stick up for ourselves and try to maintain our two points and we will do everything we possibly can.'' AAP
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