Matabele
Journey Man
If Toovey needed a script writer for last night's press conference, this is what should have been said:
"Eighteen years ago I played in a Grand Final featuring a try from a seventh tackle, another from a blatant shovel pass forward and a run of penalties which gave the momentum to one side only. Few remember this when they talk about that year's Premiers and Runners Up, but it continues to haunt the players and fanbase of the club to this day. Sadly my playing group and our fans have another similar performance to add to the list. Predominantly every 50/50 call went against Manly tonight, and I count at least 7 of them. Entering the game the Roosters were the most penalised side in the competition, but somehow tonight they received 250% more penalties than were awarded to us. Apparently they only transgressed twice.
In both halves Manly were on top and in a good position after 20 minutes only to see momentum shift on the back of dubious penalties or Rooster errors missed. The Rooster go-ahead try was scored off a forward pass to rival the one seen in 1995. And their final try was scored after Manly failed to receive a penalty at the other end when the same player, Jennings, changed course to shoulder charge our captain as he contested a bomb.
History repeats 18 years after. Despite all the changes in technology, a second referee being added, umpteen officials scrutinising the game, they still can;t get it right and teams and fans are the ones penalised (pardon the pun). Six weeks ago I was fined $10,000 for asking if two officiating referees were the best in the game. By appointing Shane Hayne to the Grand Final the NRL answered my question with a resounding yes. His performance tonight resoundingly answered in the negative - but it is not he or the NRL who will pay the price."
"Eighteen years ago I played in a Grand Final featuring a try from a seventh tackle, another from a blatant shovel pass forward and a run of penalties which gave the momentum to one side only. Few remember this when they talk about that year's Premiers and Runners Up, but it continues to haunt the players and fanbase of the club to this day. Sadly my playing group and our fans have another similar performance to add to the list. Predominantly every 50/50 call went against Manly tonight, and I count at least 7 of them. Entering the game the Roosters were the most penalised side in the competition, but somehow tonight they received 250% more penalties than were awarded to us. Apparently they only transgressed twice.
In both halves Manly were on top and in a good position after 20 minutes only to see momentum shift on the back of dubious penalties or Rooster errors missed. The Rooster go-ahead try was scored off a forward pass to rival the one seen in 1995. And their final try was scored after Manly failed to receive a penalty at the other end when the same player, Jennings, changed course to shoulder charge our captain as he contested a bomb.
History repeats 18 years after. Despite all the changes in technology, a second referee being added, umpteen officials scrutinising the game, they still can;t get it right and teams and fans are the ones penalised (pardon the pun). Six weeks ago I was fined $10,000 for asking if two officiating referees were the best in the game. By appointing Shane Hayne to the Grand Final the NRL answered my question with a resounding yes. His performance tonight resoundingly answered in the negative - but it is not he or the NRL who will pay the price."