Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5001023,00.html
MILLION-DOLLAR Roosters recruit Willie Mason last night pleaded his innocence despite admitting involvement in a tackle that left Wests Tigers forward Todd Payten with severe concussion.
In a brutal Foundation Cup, Tigers coach Tim Sheens was last night counting the cost of the trial after losing both Payten and Ryan O'Hara (suspected broken jaw).
In his first match in the tri-colours since his controversial exit from the Bulldogs, Mason ensured he would dominate headlines when he was involved in a three-man tackle - with Nate Myles and Anthony Tupou - that left Payten down injured for five minutes.
Mason admitted that he was responsible for the tackle that left Payten with no memory of the incident.
"I nearly knocked myself out, I was a bit dazed, too,'' Mason said.Â
ROOSTERS 34 (S Kenny Dowall 3, A Minichiello, B Anasta, A Tupou tries; Roberts 5 goals) WESTS TIGERS 28 (L Fulton, C Lawrence, J Morris, P Tagive, B Marshall tries; B Hodgson 4 goals). Crowd: 15,197. Referee: S Hampstead.
Rabbits audition partners for Wing
SOUTH Sydney's halves puzzle became more complicated last night after a slick performance against a second-string Sharks side.
Souths coach Jason Taylor confirmed star recruit Craig Wing would start the year in the No7 jumper, but his five-eighth partner remains unknown after strong performances from Jeremy Smith, Ben Rogers and Eddie Paea.
"We came here with some things we wanted to work on and commit ourselves to and we did that,'' Taylor said.
Cronulla were a major disappointment, lacking shape and structure with the ball and offering a brittle first line of defence.
For Souths, Manase Manuokafoa was destructive early, virtually demanding a starting jumper for the match against the Roosters.
Wing entered the fray in the second half, adding some class touches.
SOUTHS 44 (B Rowe 2, I Luke, S Huihaha, B Falloon, M Greenfield, B Champion, C Wing tries; Luke 2, E Paea 2, G Nadara 2 goals)CRONULLA 0
Chalk one up for plucky Raiders
A STUNNING 11-minute burst lifted Canberra to victory over Brisbane last night night and ruined a golden start to the season for Broncos flyer Darius Boyd.
Boyd scored a hat-trick of tries, but that was lost as the Raiders scored four tries in the final third of the 90-minute match.
The Broncos appeared to be cruising when Boyd brought up his hat-trick in the 55th minute, finishing a superb 95-metre movement to give his side a 16-12 lead.
But Marshall Chalk and Joel Monaghan scored two tries apiece in the dying stages to give the Raiders an impressive victory in an entertaining trial played in 30-minute thirds.
CANBERRA 32 (M Chalk 2, J Monaghan 2, M Weyman, R Hinchcliffe tries; M Dobson 2, M Herbert, T Campese goals) BRISBANE 16 (D Boyd 3, D Kemp tries). Crowd: 8500.Referee: Ben Cummins.
Rogers is pivotal to Gold Coast's future
MAT Rogers produced an eye-catching audition for the vacant Gold Coast No.6 jersey as the Titans scored a 30-22 victory over North Queensland in Cairns last night.
Rogers will almost certainly be Scott Prince's halves partner for the Titans in 2008 after the star duo masterminded the Gold Coast's win in front of a 12,000-strong crowd at Barlow Park.
With Prince, Rogers and fullback Preston Campbell pulling the strings, the Titans raced to a 24-0 lead after just 29 minutes but the Gold Coast had to survive a late Cowboys comeback.
North Queensland struggled in the first half without the guiding hand of skipper Johnathan Thurston.
GOLD COAST 30 (A Laffranchi, B Jeffery, K Kahler, M Rogers, A Harrison tries; S Prince 4, B Jeffery goals) NORTH QUEENSLAND 22 (C Webb 2, S Faust, T Williams tries; A Graham 3 goals).
Dragons streak away to start the silly season
ST GEORGE Illawarra skipper Mark Gasnier produced a 20-minute cameo last night to sink the Bulldogs and declared he holds no fears about the prospect of another trial match injury.
Gasnier led the Dragons as they piled on 22 unanswered points in the second quarter. He set up a try and scored another in a blistering spell.
There was a cameo of another sort last night as coaches shuffled their troops, with a streaker adding an unwanted sidebar to proceedings.
The Bulldogs staged a second-half comeback to finish the match just 10 points behind, but their rally came after Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Jason Ryles and Ben Creagh went to the bench.
DRAGONS 40 (J Morris 3, B Creagh, M Gasnier, J Nightingale, M Lett tries; Gasnier 3, B Hornby, J Soward, M Hendy goals) BULLDOGS 30 (M Utai, H El Masri, G Warburton, C Phelps, K Cleal tries: El Masri 3, D Holdsworth 2 goals).
MILLION-DOLLAR Roosters recruit Willie Mason last night pleaded his innocence despite admitting involvement in a tackle that left Wests Tigers forward Todd Payten with severe concussion.
In a brutal Foundation Cup, Tigers coach Tim Sheens was last night counting the cost of the trial after losing both Payten and Ryan O'Hara (suspected broken jaw).
In his first match in the tri-colours since his controversial exit from the Bulldogs, Mason ensured he would dominate headlines when he was involved in a three-man tackle - with Nate Myles and Anthony Tupou - that left Payten down injured for five minutes.
Mason admitted that he was responsible for the tackle that left Payten with no memory of the incident.
"I nearly knocked myself out, I was a bit dazed, too,'' Mason said.Â
ROOSTERS 34 (S Kenny Dowall 3, A Minichiello, B Anasta, A Tupou tries; Roberts 5 goals) WESTS TIGERS 28 (L Fulton, C Lawrence, J Morris, P Tagive, B Marshall tries; B Hodgson 4 goals). Crowd: 15,197. Referee: S Hampstead.
Rabbits audition partners for Wing
SOUTH Sydney's halves puzzle became more complicated last night after a slick performance against a second-string Sharks side.
Souths coach Jason Taylor confirmed star recruit Craig Wing would start the year in the No7 jumper, but his five-eighth partner remains unknown after strong performances from Jeremy Smith, Ben Rogers and Eddie Paea.
"We came here with some things we wanted to work on and commit ourselves to and we did that,'' Taylor said.
Cronulla were a major disappointment, lacking shape and structure with the ball and offering a brittle first line of defence.
For Souths, Manase Manuokafoa was destructive early, virtually demanding a starting jumper for the match against the Roosters.
Wing entered the fray in the second half, adding some class touches.
SOUTHS 44 (B Rowe 2, I Luke, S Huihaha, B Falloon, M Greenfield, B Champion, C Wing tries; Luke 2, E Paea 2, G Nadara 2 goals)CRONULLA 0
Chalk one up for plucky Raiders
A STUNNING 11-minute burst lifted Canberra to victory over Brisbane last night night and ruined a golden start to the season for Broncos flyer Darius Boyd.
Boyd scored a hat-trick of tries, but that was lost as the Raiders scored four tries in the final third of the 90-minute match.
The Broncos appeared to be cruising when Boyd brought up his hat-trick in the 55th minute, finishing a superb 95-metre movement to give his side a 16-12 lead.
But Marshall Chalk and Joel Monaghan scored two tries apiece in the dying stages to give the Raiders an impressive victory in an entertaining trial played in 30-minute thirds.
CANBERRA 32 (M Chalk 2, J Monaghan 2, M Weyman, R Hinchcliffe tries; M Dobson 2, M Herbert, T Campese goals) BRISBANE 16 (D Boyd 3, D Kemp tries). Crowd: 8500.Referee: Ben Cummins.
Rogers is pivotal to Gold Coast's future
MAT Rogers produced an eye-catching audition for the vacant Gold Coast No.6 jersey as the Titans scored a 30-22 victory over North Queensland in Cairns last night.
Rogers will almost certainly be Scott Prince's halves partner for the Titans in 2008 after the star duo masterminded the Gold Coast's win in front of a 12,000-strong crowd at Barlow Park.
With Prince, Rogers and fullback Preston Campbell pulling the strings, the Titans raced to a 24-0 lead after just 29 minutes but the Gold Coast had to survive a late Cowboys comeback.
North Queensland struggled in the first half without the guiding hand of skipper Johnathan Thurston.
GOLD COAST 30 (A Laffranchi, B Jeffery, K Kahler, M Rogers, A Harrison tries; S Prince 4, B Jeffery goals) NORTH QUEENSLAND 22 (C Webb 2, S Faust, T Williams tries; A Graham 3 goals).
Dragons streak away to start the silly season
ST GEORGE Illawarra skipper Mark Gasnier produced a 20-minute cameo last night to sink the Bulldogs and declared he holds no fears about the prospect of another trial match injury.
Gasnier led the Dragons as they piled on 22 unanswered points in the second quarter. He set up a try and scored another in a blistering spell.
There was a cameo of another sort last night as coaches shuffled their troops, with a streaker adding an unwanted sidebar to proceedings.
The Bulldogs staged a second-half comeback to finish the match just 10 points behind, but their rally came after Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Jason Ryles and Ben Creagh went to the bench.
DRAGONS 40 (J Morris 3, B Creagh, M Gasnier, J Nightingale, M Lett tries; Gasnier 3, B Hornby, J Soward, M Hendy goals) BULLDOGS 30 (M Utai, H El Masri, G Warburton, C Phelps, K Cleal tries: El Masri 3, D Holdsworth 2 goals).
