News: Last-gasp try saves Kangaroos from defeat

[ManlyBacker]

<p class="first">Cameron Smith's last-gasp try has ensured Australia escaped with a 20-20 draw against World Cup holder New Zealand in the opening round of the Four Nations.</p>


<a href="http://www.silvertails.net/news/4350-last-gasp-try-saves-kangaroos-from-defeat.html">Read the full article</a>

 

[ManlyBacker]

A lot of Aussies are going to be unhappy with that performance. There were players I could name who didn't play to their best but I'm not going to mention any of them. I am just going to say as a game to watch and RL spectacle it was just fantastic, up there with some of the most memorable SOO clashes. The forward exchanges were described as brutal and they were. Loved it.

 

[byso]

How did Mr DNA go?

 

[ManlyBacker]

How did Mr DNA go?

He was hammered in the first 5 minutes but got straight back up and played his bone-rattling best and surging runs. Had a really good game except for one 'play the ball' error when close to the kiwi line late in the game and that probably undid all his efforts in the eyes of Sheen.

 

[byso]

Watching the replay now. I saw his manditory play the ball error pfft.

Hayne has shown nothing, inglis, smith  and thurston are in everything

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Great test match, the Luke goal that hit the post the crucial moment of the match, Kiwis were probably the better side but goalkicking and discipline cost them. The commitment was awesome though

The referee was an interesting character

How about that incident in the 1st half, Gallen hits Luke high, gives him a facial, and then head slams him starting some biff. Referee calls him in and he gets a warning about running in to join a fight, and he started the whole thing !! And they missed Adam Blair running 20m to get involved !!

JWH is certainly showing a helluva lot more now than he did while playing for Manly

 

[piggyboy]

It was a good game, nearly spoilt by the refereeing

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

JWH is certainly showing a helluva lot more now than he did while playing for Manly

The last game he played for us, against the Storm, convinced me of his potential. Weirdly enough he didn't look half as good the following week in the President's Cup game against the Broncos. Still, he might be a big match player. He's certainly got the ticker and the size.
I'm really going to hate watching him go around for the Roosters.

 

[SilentBob]

Watmough went well, should never has been taken off for the embarassment from Cronulla, we're lucky they have Matai to even it out a bit. Can't believe Ben Creagh isn't even in the squad, I would think he would be more effective than Hoffman. Gidley a waste of space as usual. Hayne should take it upon himself to get involved, he's not going to get ball from Hodges. Very rusty.

NZ have the strongest pack in the world but still their tactics were simple and effective, move up fast and bash 'em, nothing that England can't replicate next week.

 

[The Wheel]

The thing that amazes me is that Gidly will be a walk up start for NSW next year.  Choc had his couple of usual mistakes and then he threw a panic pas in the final minute, luckily it went to another Aust player who didnt knock it on.

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

Was at the game.(Not too many opportunities to see a good game live over here).

gallen: was behind the posts at that end and had a good view of this one. I had the impression he tried a little knee drop after the head slam but luke was up too quick for it.
what a grub; but his energy level showed up some of the others who were a bit rusty.

choc was good but was a bit patchy in his contributions.

matai was solid and came up with some big hits. junior sau on the other side was the best kiwi centre out there.

slater: came up with his predictable shocker at a key moment: let hohaiha slip straight past him in a situation where the tackle just had to be made: I simply can't imagine b stewart doing that.

Inglis: all I can say his I pity his gf copping a don't argue off him.

jared w-h: scary dude. but the standout kiwi forward was cameron blair. big tackle on a flying watmough was great, but the one on hodges running cross-field was the hit of the year; I don't think the cameras caught it properly because of the angle hodges was running. You just don't see hodges pile-driven like that and he was running at full pace.

kiwis were the better side with alot more energy in their game and kamikaze defense on their line. ozzies started slowly but look like they could step up a gear or two from here as the matches progress. If I were the coach I'd consider sticking Haine at full back and give slater the flick pass. Haine was in danger of getting swine flu out there on the wing next to hodges.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

IMT, Adam Blair is the man you were after, and even though he is a Melbourne player, would have to rate him in the top few forwards going around at the moment, he should have won the Churchill in the GF and should have won MOTM in this test