Canterbury will be fined a minimum of $50,000 for arriving five minutes late onto the field for the start of the NRL grand final on Sunday.

Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle provided the NRL's head of marketing Paul Kind with a statement in writing that the Bulldogs would immediately follow the Rabbitohs onto the field.

Finally: Bulldogs fans go wild as their team finally makes it onto the field. Credit:Getty Images

However, neither Castle nor the NRL had counted on Des Hasler doing what Des Hasler does.

It's been an axiom in rugby league that "they can't start without us". Hasler clearly intended to delay his team's entry onto the field in order to destabilise the Rabbitohs, playing in their first grand final in 43 years.

Viewers saw Channel 9 footage of Canterbury players still pulling on their jumpers while Souths were warming up.

The NRL is furious at the Dogs' breach of a written undertaking and a $50,000 fine is considered the minimum penalty.

Meanwhile, the Rabbitohs' celebrations took on a nautical theme on Monday: the players were at The Dolphin hotel in Surry Hills and coach Michael Maguire took his coaching staff to Bondi Icebergs – and all mused on the night Des attempted to freeze them out.