Foran steps up to give Eagles a way back
Glenn Jackson
March 21, 2011
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/foran-steps-up-to-give-eagles-a-way-back-20110320-1c2bu.html
WHEN players around him were dropping like flies, Kieran Foran didn't shrug his shoulders and start making excuses.
Instead of thinking his team had every right to lose to the Roosters, he simply found one good reason they wouldn't.
''I just really wanted to step up and lead today,'' Foran said yesterday, after not only helping, but belting, the Sea Eagles to a victory over the Roosters.
''I put it on my shoulders during the week, with the players that we had sitting on the sidelines. I thought that this was a game that I had to lead from the front. I prepared really well for it, and luckily I came out and produced the OK performance on the field.
''We didn't want to be none from two games at the beginning of the season. I thought this was a really great opportunity for us to come out here and beat one of the teams that is regarded really highly in the competition.''
''I said to myself before the game, 'I don't want to wait; I want to go and make something happen,' and I thought I did that.''
Did he what. Foran also climbed to a level beyond any other player on the field. Not only was he man of the match, he might have produced the most dominant performance of the first two rounds.
A 51st minute try, wrapping around his centre Tony Williams to give his side the lead for the final try, was probably one of his more modest achievements. Not long after, Foran ran from the left side of the field to clean up a grubber by Roosters winger Joseph Leilua, then followed it up by smashing his former schoolmate, Mitchell Pearce, on his opponents' next set as the Roosters looked for a quick spread close to their line.
''I saw it coming a few seconds before he did it,'' Foran said of Pearce. ''I managed to line him up. I knew he was coming.''
The Roosters were stung by the hit, lost possession, and halfback Dale Cherry-Evans's bomb found Will Hopoate. While Cherry-Evans was good, the standout was the five-eighth, at 20 already a Kiwis international. Manly captain Brett Stewart said, ''It's inspirational to get young players doing that,'' and coach Des Hasler said Foran's input turned the encounter.
''You look to those players, and one that's so young, and one that's already represented his country,'' Hasler said. ''He's got a big future. ''[Although] he's got to pace himself a bit. I don't want to him doing too many big hits.''
Pearce would have preferred him to holster his shoulder as well. The pair are good friends but keen competitors, having been to primary school together.
''It doesn't matter what it is, one of us always wants to get the better,'' Foran said. This time there was no question who did.
Pearce said: ''He hit me pretty good, eh. He played awesome, 'Kez'. I saw him going pretty hard so I thought I'd get him. He read it pretty good. Good luck to him.''