Saturday, September 29, 2012
Johns hails 'genius' Hasler
Rugby league's newest Immortal Andrew Johns has hailed Des Hasler's tactic of using the Bulldogs props as playmakers, calling it "an act of genius".
Hasler can make history on Sunday by winning consecutive premierships and Johns feels he deserves every bit of kudos he would receive for this achievement if Canterbury beats Melbourne.
Johns, the half-back in the team of the century, likes the way Hasler's tactic to use props as dummy halves frees Bulldogs number seven Kris Keating and talisman Ben Barba.
"It's a masterstroke by Des," Johns told the Sydney Morning Herald. "There were wraps about James Graham that he was the best half-back in England, but unfortunately he's trapped in a front-rower's body.
"So Des has used that, and he's also using Sam Kasiano.
"It's a masterstroke. No one's ever done that in the game. That frees up the half, which takes pressure off them, which then frees up Ben Barba to float around. It's an act of genius.
Johns says other teams have already tried to copy the Bulldogs but tips Hasler to evolve his system in 2013.
"Everyone's trying already,'' Johns said. ''It's just the way of rugby league; everyone follows each other. The key is to be one step ahead, and that's what Des does.
"He'll take that style, and he'll evolve it. Watch for next year: we'll all see some six-foot four, 120-kilo half-backs.''
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, canterbury-2193 First posted September 29, 2012 10:53:16Bulldogs v Storm: Grand final preview
Melbourne Storm and the Canterbury Bulldogs meet for the first time in an NRL grand final at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Sunday. Grandstand's NRL stats analyst Tim Gore examines both side's credentials.
The Storm and the Bulldogs are well deserved grand final participants and an an epic clash is expected between the most dominant teams of the 2012 season.
The Bulldogs, the minor premiers for 2012, are playing for their first premiership since 2004 having won 15 of their past 16 matches this year.
The Storm, who had their 2007 and 2009 titles stripped for salary breaches, have been just as impressive. They won their first nine matches, lost five in a row during the Origin period before regaining form to win their past seven.
It will be the 30th meeting between these two clubs. The ledger stands 15-14 in favour of the Bulldogs but the Storm have won all three at this venue and nine of the last 12.
The last time they met at the Olympic stadium was in 2008 and the Storm won 46-0. But it was the last meeting between the two sides in Mackay that will give Canterbury confidence.
The Dogs beat the Storm, who were without Billy Slater, 20-4.
Aiden Tolman, James Graham, Krisnan Inu and particularly Ben Barba had great games.
The Dogs won on the back of their ability to break Melbourne's tackles and defensive line.
The Dogs particularly targeted Dane Nielsen, Matt Duffie and Maurice Blair to great effect in that game. Of those three only Nielsen will feature in the grand final.
In the round 7 fixture in Melbourne, the Storm won a tight contest 12-6. Despite making 300 more metres and 40 fewer tackles, the Dogs' finishing was poor and they made a massive 15 errors.
Going into this match it looks like very little separates these sides statistically.
However, if you look at the team stats from the beginning of August onwards you can see a distinct divide.
The Storm have been scoring six more points, gaining 80 more metres, making 1.5 more line breaks, conceding four fewer points and conceding 262 fewer metres per match.
This means the Storm are 10 points and 342 metres better a match than the Dogs right now. Their form seems to be peaking at the right time.
Ennis - 38
Graham - 32.5
Tolman 32
Smith – 40
Hinchcliffe – 29
Lowrie - 26
Graham – 127
Tolman – 125.5
Perrett – 123
Barba – 122
Slater – 139
Waqa – 132
Hoffman - 114
Barba – 25
Morris – 22
Reynolds – 10
Slater – 21
Chambers – 15
Widdop - 13
Barba – 6.5
Morris – 3.6
Reynolds – 3.4
Slater – 5
Widdop – 3.3
Hoffman – 2.6
Reynolds – 4
Ennis – 3.5
Halatau – 2.4
Kasiano – 2.3
Widdop – 3
O’Neill – 2.8
Cronk – 2.3
Chambers - 2
Barba – 31
Reynolds – 26
Inu – 23
Pritchard – 23
Slater – 32
O'Neill – 27
Widdop – 20
Cronk - 20
Ennis – 20
Reynolds – 14
Tolman – 13
Manu – 11
Slater – 11
Lowrie - 10
Stats courtesy of SportsData
The Bulldogs will look for their bigger pack to get on top in the middle and also attack the Storm players a bit wider out.
Frank Pritchard and Sam Kasiano will look for off-loads and once they get a roll on look for halves Josh Reynolds and Kris Keating to put Barba, Josh Morris and the other backs through the line.
They will target defensive weak links Gareth Widdop, Justin O'Neill and Will Chambers. They may also choose to spin the ball wide early to get around Melbourne's defensive umbrella and attack the weaker defenders out wide.
The Storm will try to play no-error footy with the ball and look to gain field position through the boot of Cooper Cronk.
They will then put the Dogs under pressure to turn the ball over. Extreme pressure will be applied on Reynolds - who has made 26 errors this season - by Ryan Hoffman, Cameron Smith and Ryan Hinchcliffe.
The Storm - mostly through Widdop, Slater and Hoffman - will try to isolate Reynolds, Inu and Kasiano one-on-one in defence, as they all miss tackles regularly.
Barba and winger Jonathan Wright are both suspect under high balls. You can expect Cronk to target them.
The stats show when Canterbury wins, they score plenty of points in the first half. The Dogs' quietest time for scoring is in the first 20 minutes of the second half, which is also the period they concede the most points.
The Storm wear sides down. While they do score well in the first 40 minutes, it is the second half where they really accumulate points and concede very few.
Both sides will kick away from the full-backs as both specialise in line breaks from kick returns.
If things go right for Canterbury in the first 20 minutes and it can turn pressure into points then, the minor premiers could run away with the match.
If Graham, Tolman, Kasiano and Pritchard start rampaging into the purple line it could be a famous victory.
But the stats favour experience in grand finals and the Storm have it in spades over the Dogs.
Canterbury has five players who have played in an NRL grand final - Sam Perrett (Roosters), Inu (Eels/Warriors), Tolman (Storm), David Stagg (Broncos) and Dene Halatau (Tigers). It equals six appearances in total.
The Storm boast 20 grand final appearances. Nine of the 17 Storm players taking the field have played in a grand final.
This will be the fifth for Slater and Cronk and fourth for Smith. Barring serious mishaps, their leadership and experience will most probably overwhelm the talent and enthusiasm of the Dogs.
Tim's tip: Storm by 13.
Clive Churchill Medal tip: Ryan Hoffman
Points the Bulldogs have conceded in the second half of their last three matches
Games Storm have lost in the last two seasons (28 games) after leading at half-time
Matches played between Dogs and Storm at Olympic stadium. Storm has won all three.
Occasions Des Hasler has defeated Craig Bellamy as coach. More than any other coach.
Storm tries this season from 10 metres or closer - most in the NRL.
Bulldogs tries this season from within their own half - most in the NRL.
The Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs attended a relaxed NRL grand final breakfast on Thursday, with the two coaches giving their assessment of season 2012 and the looming final.
The Bulldogs' Des Hasler says his side has gelled over the season, while Storm coach Craig Bellamy says his team has found its rhythm towards the end of the season.
NRL referee Ben Cummins will make his grand final debut alongside the experienced Tony Archer.
Cummins, who already has State of Origin experience, says he will approach the final like any other game and he is not feeling extra pressure.
Tags: nrl, sydney-2000, melbourne-3000, canterbury-2193 First posted September 28, 2012 11:49:01Hasler happy with battle-hardened Bulldogs
Des Hasler believes Canterbury's tough finals battles with Manly and South Sydney will hold his side in good stead for Sunday's grand final against Melbourne.
The Bulldogs edged out Manly 16-10 in a brutal encounter in week one of the finals before overcoming Souths 32-8 in the preliminary final last Saturday.
Despite the lop-sided looking scoreline, Souths were on top for most of the first half before half-back Adam Reynolds was forced off with an injury allowing the Bulldogs to wrestle control of the game.
Hasler said he was happy with his side's preparations leading into the grand final and his experience of taking Manly to three deciders was invaluable this week.
"I think we've had two reasonably hard hit-outs against Manly and Souths and we will arrive on Sunday in a good position to give it our best," Hasler said at the grand final breakfast in Sydney on Thursday.
Hasler is aiming to become the first man to coach different teams to successive premierships, and said he began plotting Melbourne's downfall as soon as the full-time siren sounded against Souths.
"You tend to start on a Sunday and work backwards from there," he said.
"You know your routine, what you have to do and where to place things to make sure you're ready."
Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis said his side would be boosted considerably by the presence of Hasler.
Only Aiden Tolman, David Stagg, Krisnan Inu and Sam Perrett have experience of a grand final and the former New South Wales hooker said there was no better man than the two-time premiership-winning coach to guide the Bulldogs.
"We're very fortunate to have someone like Des as well as Jim Dymock and Tony Grimaldi on the staff who have both won grand finals," Ennis said.
"It's good that we have been able to draw on the experience of those guys through the week.
"And because of that, it has been really good that we have not had to change our routine through the week."
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who is taking charge of his fifth grand final side, cut a relaxed-looking figure despite fears over the fitness of in-form centre Will Chambers.
Chambers scored a try in the 40-12 win over Manly last Friday and played superbly in attack, but tweaked his hamstring in training on Tuesday.
Youngster Mahe Fonua, who is the first Victorian-born product to come through the Storm's ranks, is standing by to play should Chambers miss out.
But Bellamy is hopeful the former Queensland Reds man will be fit for the big game, and said he'd give him until the eve of the game to prove his fitness.
"Will will hopefully get through a full session today (Thursday)," Bellamy said.
"Ideally we'd like to know today, but if it's touch and go we will definitely give him until Saturday."
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, canterbury-2193, melbourne-3000, vic First posted September 27, 2012 14:10:16Friday, September 28, 2012
Johns becomes eighth Immortal
Andrew Johns heard whispers he was going to be named rugby league's eighth Immortal but nothing prepared him for the sight of his image appearing on the Sydney Harbour Bridge to signal he had clinched the honour.
A surprised Johns leapfrogged Norm Provan, Ron Coote and Mal Meninga for the honour at a fundraiser for the Men of League charity in Sydney on Thursday night.
Johns, the former Newcastle star, joins Bob Fulton, John Raper, Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis and Arthur Beetson in the illustrious list of Immortals.
New South Wales premier Barry O'Farrell made the announcement by telling guests to watch the big screen with the image of the eighth Immortal to appear on a pylon of Sydney's iconic bridge.
"It's just so overwhelming ... those things like winning grand finals and playing for Australia, that's all team orientated and that's why you play footy but individual awards, you don't play to win Dally M's or Clive Churchill medals or anything like that," Johns said.
"No-one ever thinks they are going to join this select group of players ... an Immortal. I'm just blown away by it.
"You hear whispers, there's no secrets in rugby league as we all know. I sort of didn't really believe it.
"I don't know when it's going to sink in. I'm going surfing in a couple of days, it might sink in then.
"Those guys are like icons of the game and have done so much. I grew up idolising those players."
Johns, a freakishly talented half-back, played 249 games for the Knights between 1993 and 2007 as well as 27 Tests for Australia and 24 games for New South Wales.
With sublime kicking and passing skills and uncanny ability to read the game, many pundits felt he re-defined the role of the number seven in rugby league.
But there had been question marks about whether he was worthy of the award in light of admissions in his biography of frequent recreational drug use and alcohol abuse.
Johns, though, felt people had moved on.
"I feel like the game's forgiven me," he said.
"I'd love to go back and change some things but I unfortunately you can't do that.
"They were hard times but they shape the person you are. We all make mistakes, don't we."
Langlands was delighted for Johns.
"It's bloody terrific to see him get it," Langlands said.
"I hope he enjoys it as much as I did when I came into it. It's great to see him in there."
Rugby League Week owns the Immortals' brand with the latest inductee chosen by 18 judges including the five living Immortals and a host of rugby league personalities including coach Wayne Bennett and radio presenter Ray Hadley.
Legends such as Dally Messenger and Frank Burge, are ineligible because they played before World War II, one of the Immortals' original stipulations.
The first judges (Frank Hyde, Harry Bath and Tom Goodman) agreed in 1981 they could only judge players they had seen in action.
AAP
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, sydney-2000, newcastle-2300 First posted September 27, 2012 21:29:17Bulldogs greats eye a Hasler dynasty
Three-time premiership winner Andrew Farrar says Canterbury is capable of creating another Bulldogs dynasty under coach Des Hasler.
Farrar's comments were also echoed by title winning captains Steve Price (2004) and Terry Lamb (1995).
Farrar was a part of premiership-winning Bulldogs sides in 1984, 1985 and 1988 in a decade of rugby league dominated by blue and white.
And the former grand final co-coach with St George Illawarra predicts the Bulldogs may be on the cusp of another era of rugby league dominance.
"It is a bit scary when you consider the inexperience in the team how they could actually get if this main group of players stay together," Farrar said at the Bulldogs' annual grand final luncheon.
"Not just consistency over a year but also consistency over a few years. It would be a great thing for the club.
"They are only young players, it is a young squad, there is a lot of room for a lot of improvement. It's a great thing for this group of players they can make their own history."
Price, who captained the Bulldogs in 2004 but missed the grand final through injury, says Hasler's squad has the "makings of greatness".
"I'm not surprised at all at what they have done this year." he said.
"The club was equal eighth last year and had they not had the circumstances during the year they had they probably would have been in the semi-finals.
"They had a good squad and it's just that things were not quite sweet, to bring in a guy like Des is just what they needed.
"They are young and enthusiastic and they are not scared to throw caution to the wind."
Those comments were backed up by Lamb.
"This team has almost been together for the last four years, the potential was always there," he said.
"Des should be proud of his coaching staff and what they have done. I think they will win and win well."
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, belmore-2192 First posted September 28, 2012 21:08:16Rabbitohs secure Inglis until 2017
South Sydney superstar Greg Inglis has signed a new deal to stay with the Rabbitohs until the end of 2017.
Inglis, who moved from Melbourne at the end of the 2010 season, was out of contract after the 2013 campaign.
Now Inglis has committed to be a part of the Rabbitohs' long-term plans as they look to win a first premiership in over 40 years.
Inglis, 25, shifted to full-back this season with great effect as Souths finished one game short of the grand final, losing to the Bulldogs in the preliminary final.
The Maroons try-machine is confident the Bunnies will achieve long-awaited success under coach Michael Maguire.
"I couldn't be happier to have sorted out my future for the long term, and to be part of the Rabbitohs' plans for the next five years or more is very special for me," Inglis said.
"South Sydney is a very special club and I know we're on the verge of achieving something equally as special here.
"I'm glad I can contribute to that and, as I said, I couldn't be happier knowing I'll be in the red and green for a long time to come."
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, sydney-south-2000 First posted September 28, 2012 13:30:04Thursday, September 27, 2012
Breaking with routine for a career highlight
Grandstand rugby league expert commentator Daniel Anderson, who has coached teams to two grand finals, gives an insight into this year's premiership decider.
Grand finals can be a strange game.
Emotionally players ride the euphoria from winning the penultimate game of the season through the logistics of obtaining and/or purchasing grand final tickets for the extended family.
They answer umpteen similar questions about themselves, their family, the chronology of their life, rise at 5am and don the new suit for the grand final breakfast and then fit in some training for the biggest game of the year.
In speaking to players about this strange break of routine for the most important match they will likely play in their career, a worthy response is "better than watching it at home".
I am envious of both Craig Bellamy and Des Hasler because it is a great highlight to your professional career and a particularly enjoyable week.
Melbourne Storm love being the front runner. The Storm thrive on setting up a lead and then playing disciplined footy to ensure that the Bulldogs will have to create and score points off their own good play.
The Storm will give nothing away. In Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk the Storm have the monopoly of the top ' two inches'.
The Canterbury Bulldogs will play their game. All week, scribes have been asking how they planned and demolished the South Sydney Rabbitohs last week.
To a man, their response has been "we just play our own style".
Let's not be naive and suggest they have no plan.
Des Hasler has a plan but in essence they are a team that have been coached to have multiple attacking options and styles.
They will adapt to the defence that the Storm executes.
Barba v Slater: Brilliant at their best, these two 'indicators' will identify where the ball is going 75 per cent of the time. They know it, you know it but can you stop it?
Hoffman v Jackson: Old Hardhead v Young Buck. Ryan Hoffman has been superb throughout the last few weeks terrorising the opposing halves with powerful runs.
Josh Jackson is the boy on the rise with better days ahead.
If Jackson limits the effectiveness of Hoffman then the Bulldogs will be closer to wearing the premiership ring.
Morris v Chambers: Josh Morris is almost untouchable at the moment.
Will Chambers has been from the 13-man game to the 15-man game and back with a stop for a very serious illness.
Both have been catalysts for try scoring opportunities or scoring them. If Chambers can deny Morris the chance to get to full speed, the Storm may chalk up a premiership without the asterisk next to the 2012 title.
Hasler v Bellamy: There will be strategy, counter strategy, plan A with a plan B or C in reserve, "you're the favourites, and we are the underdogs".
These two coaches possess the biggest bouffants in rugby league.
I like the Storm because they have the best dummy half, the best full-back and the best half-back.
They are aggrieved that their 2007 and 2009 titles have an asterisk and even though they own the premiership rings, they are not acknowledged in the annals of rugby league history as premiers.
Daniel Anderson is a Grandstand rugby league commentator and former NRL coach who took the Warriors (2002) and the Eels (2009) to the grand final.
Follow Daniel on Twitter: @ABCLeagueCoach
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic First posted September 27, 2012 17:52:00Parish leaving Sea Eagles for Eels
Manly assistant coach Matt Parish has left the Sea Eagles to take a similar position with Parramatta next season, ending speculation he could become the next Wests Tigers head coach.
Parish joined the Manly coaching staff a year ago when Geoff Toovey took over from Des Hasler, following the flag-winning coach's departure from Brookvale Oval.
After Tim Sheens was removed from his position as Tigers coach this week, the former Balmain Tigers utility Parish was mentioned as a likely successor.
Instead he will serve under new Eels coach Ricky Stuart, who he previously worked with as an assistant to the New South Wales Origin team.
"It was a very tough decision because I really admire Tooves and the staff and the players," Parish said.
"I can tell you I had many sleepless nights about it.
"Manly have been really good to me and I appreciate everything they have done."
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, parramatta-2150, manly-2095 First posted September 27, 2012 11:37:36Two giants to collide in NRL decider
Over the last three years, the NRL grand final has been a battle of David against Goliath. A premiership force against a grand final bolter.
On all three occasions the giants emerged victorious.
Melbourne ended Parramatta's finals surge in 2009 (salary cap scandal aside), a year later the Dragons captured an elusive premiership over the rejuvenated Roosters and last season Manly proved too classy for the plucky Warriors.
But in 2012 the equation is not as simple.
The minor premier Canterbury Bulldogs, slight outsiders with most bookies, have a massive chance to win their first premiership since 2004. Just don't tell Des.
"The bookies can't split us - we're equal favourites. Thanks very much," a typically sheepish Hasler said at Thursday morning's grand final breakfast.
Melbourne counterpart Craig Bellamy was happy to play along, and the race to be grand final underdogs was all square again.
When it comes to grand final experience the Storm have a clear advantage. Melbourne has now featured in five of the last seven NRL deciders with its influential spine of Cam Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater featuring in most.
The grand final horrors on the Dogs' playing roster have been well documented.
"Melbourne has a wealth of experience at this time of year," Bulldogs captain Michael Ennis said.
"We are working away this week on what we need to do and try and focus on ourselves as much as possible."
The Bulldogs won 18 games this season - one more than the Storm - and lost just six. What Hasler has been able to achieve in one short year after leaving Manly has been extraordinary.
Canterbury failed to make the finals last year, but Hasler's arrival has signalled a significant change at Belmore.
"Des's record in a short time of coaching speaks for itself," Ennis added.
"Since Des has come to the club, and the staff he has put in certain areas, it gives us players the chance to fulfil our potential and be at our very best."
Ben Barba has been transformed from a talented rookie to the Dally M medalist, with the full-back putting it down to Hasler's focus on work ethic.
"It's not just about how many yards you put in on the paddock, but off the paddock as well," Barba said.
"I knew what sort of coach Des was. I'd seen him at Manly, and I knew if I was any chance to put that number one on my back I had to put in the extra hours."
Ever-improving playmaker Josh Reynolds set a goal in preseason to just make the side. Now with Hasler's help he is one of the biggest factors in Sunday's final.
"Sometimes as you're growing up you might have a bad game here and there, you definitely doubt yourself," he said.
"When I have been doing a few bad things, Des came to me and said keep your head and keep trying things."
Hasler needed no prompting to credit the way his charges have been able to adapt to an exciting, expansive and effective game style.
But the cunning strategist has shown his coaching nous and versatility in not just trying to enforce the ethos he preached with Manly.
"This is the pay back for all the hard work that we've put in," he said.
"It's what suits and what works well for the players.
"It's what the players bring to the table and being able to coordinate that with some very clever footballers and strategists within the staff that work with me.
"It's the players who have performed admirably."
Central to the Bulldogs' success this season has been the ability of their forwards to promote the football.
Prop-of-the-year Sam Kasiano has been a shining example of Hasler's ideals of matching a plan to his players' strengths.
"Credit to Sammy for what he has done this year. He is pretty hand with the ball and the coaches have seen that in him and decided to utilise it as much as possible," Barba said.
Slater admitted Kasiano would present a handful on Sunday.
"You can't really pressure him because he is a big fella and he'll take you on," Storm full-back Slater said.
"He has those ball skills to get the ball to Ben Barba, Kris Keating and the likes with pace, so he is a great asset to their side."
Listen to Grandstand's live coverage of the NRL grand final from 10am Sunday, with kick-off at 5pm (AEST). You can also follow the action with our online live blog.
Melbourne's dominance has been based around the ability of Test representatives Slater, Smith and Cronk.
It certainly felt that way during the middle of the season when the Storm lost a remarkable five matches in a row post Origin.
But more importantly, Melbourne has recovered and according to Slater and coach Bellamy has played its best two games of the year in defeating South Sydney and Manly en route to the grand final.
"To the guys' credit, it's all about hard work, sticking to your beliefs," Bellamy said.
"The players were really strong on what we needed to do and we kept working hard at it.
"And even when we started to win a few games, we weren't consistent through the 80 minutes.
"But over the last few weeks the guys have found their rhythm."
There is of course the influence of Bellamy, whose determination for a "legitimate" premiership can only be matched by his players.
"His greatest asset is he gives all the information we need, prepares us basically to within an inch of our lives," half-back Cronk said.
"It just comes down to executing the plan on Sunday afternoon."
The Bulldogs beat the Storm 20-4 in Mackay in round 16 to start the Storm's mid-season slide while Melbourne was victorious on home turf 12-6 in round seven.
"The game down in Melbourne was the best indication of what sort of game will be played on Sunday. It was a tough contest," Ennis admitted.
"In Mackay they didn't have Billy and it was around Origin time.
"I think both sides have grown since that period."
Neither side has injury concerns, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated grand finals in years.
Slater said he is not bothered by his PCL injury suffered during Origin II.
"I've played a fair bit of footy since I've had the injury," he said.
"It's just about managing it.
The NRL also recognised grand final referees Tony Archer and Ben Cummins at the event, awarding them with their premiership medals to perhaps avoid a cacophony of boos come presentation time at the Olympic stadium.
With the two best sides of 2012 set to duke it out, rugby league can only hope it is not ruined by yet another controversial refereeing decision.
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic, canterbury-2193 First posted September 27, 2012 11:18:40Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tigers cut Sheens from coaching role
He did not quit and the club did not formally sack him, yet after ten years at the helm, Tim Sheens will no longer be the coach of Wests Tigers.
The man who steered the Tigers to their only NRL title in 2005 was on Tuesday told the coaching position was no longer his as Sheens paid the price for the club's dismal 2012 campaign.
Sheens has been offered the opportunity to remain at the Tigers in an as yet undefined role - a hefty payout of close to $900,000 seemingly a key factor in the cash-strapped club not wanting to cut him outright.
Claims of a player revolt and the board's desire to go in a new direction would seem to make a new Tigers position for Sheens untenable, the club perhaps hoping he can pick up a role elsewhere to potentially limit the extent of any payout.
Sheens has been linked with the vacant Warriors job but David Kidwell has recently emerged as favourite to take up the role.
But Tigers chairman David Trodden remains adamant the man who has coached more NRL games than anyone else still had a future with the club.
"We would love to see him continue in a senior role with our club, but to be fair to Tim this has all happened quite suddenly," Trodden said.
"There was a consideration that we had come to a point in time when it was appropriate for the organisation to try something different in the NRL coach role for 2013."
Told it seemed as if Sheens was being forced out, Trodden said:
"I think (that's) really disrespectful of Tim and disrespectful of the people in this club who hold him in high regard," Trodden said.
"We want him to be involved in this club because he's been the most influential figure in this club during the course of its history."
While speculation over Sheens' future has been a hot topic ever since the club failed to make the top eight, Trodden insists the decision to restructure the Tigers' football operations was only determined on Tuesday afternoon.
While the failure to make the finals was a catalyst for the review, Sheens' fate was seemingly sealed when players voiced their displeasure over the cleanout of the squad - particularly the departure of popular pair Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan to Cronulla.
Chief executive Stephen Humphreys was non-committal when asked if the playing group could still work under Sheens.
"All of us at Wests Tigers including all of the players and the senior players have nothing but the highest regard for Tim," Humphreys said.
"There are lots of roles in our club that may or may not involve being around the NRL squad."
Trodden praised Sheens' role in turning a dysfunctional joint-venture into a premiership contender during his ten years at the club.
But his term was also blighted by a failure to turn promise into success with the 2005 title a beacon within a reign which featured seven missed finals campaigns.
Humphreys said a sub-committee had been formed to find a new coach, and while no one had been approached about the position, Manly assistant Matt Parish is considered a frontrunner for the role.
Former St George Illawarra coach Nathan Brown - who is set to start his role as St Helens coach later this year - has also been mentioned as a contender, as has Melbourne assistant Kevin Walters.
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted September 25, 2012 21:04:12Bulldogs unchanged for grand final
Canterbury coach Des Hasler has named an unchanged side for Sunday's NRL grand final against Melbourne.
The Bulldogs have fielded the same team throughout the finals as they progressed to the finals beating the reigning champion Sea Eagles 16-10 and humbling the Rabbitohs 32-8.
Canterbury is looking for its first title since 2004, while Hasler is looking to become the first coach to win back-to-back flags with different sides.
Bulldogs team: Ben Barba, Sam Perrett, Josh Morris, Krisnan Inu, Jonathan Wright, Josh Reynolds, Kris Keating, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis (capt), Sam Kasiano, Frank Pritchard, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood. Interchange: James Graham, Dale Finucane, Corey Payne, David Stagg.
18th man: Dene Halatau.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, canterbury-2193 First posted September 25, 2012 17:02:44Sheens will not coach Tigers in 2013
Wests Tigers have announced that Tim Sheens will not coach the side in 2013, after ten seasons at the helm of the NRL club.
Tigers chairman David Trodden announced the news as part of a restructure of the club on Tuesday afternoon.
Trodden said Sheens would be offered another role within the club but, with Sheens heavily linked with the head-coaching vacancy at the Warriors, it seems unlikely he would remain in Western Sydney.
"It's fair to say that Tim is disappointed he will not be coach of the Wests Tigers," Trodden said.
"(He) has made an enormous contribution to this club over the last ten years (and) is the most influential figure in the club's 13-year history."
Trodden also praised Sheens for the "dignified and professional manner" he had conducted himself in the last two weeks, amid intense speculation about his future.
The chairman said the Tigers were "hopeful for (Sheens) to continue with the club in some role", later referring to an unidentified "senior" role.
The club had created a sub-committee including four directors and the chief executive, Stephen Humphreys, to identify a replacement coach and make a recommendation to the board.
Sheens won the 2005 premiership with the Tigers but the team has failed to live up to expectations recently, failing to reach the grand final despite possessing a star-studded side in the last three seasons.
This season, after beginning the campaign as favourites, the Tigers failed to finish in the top eight.
Sheens' cause was not aided by unhappiness felt within the squad over long-term players Beau Ryan and Chris Heighington being released.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, leichhardt-2040, sydney-2000 First posted September 25, 2012 16:14:04Storm name Waqa for grand final
Melbourne Storm have made one change to their grand final line-up from the side that beat Manly in the preliminary final, with winger Sisa Waqa named for Sunday's big game, pending a fitness test on Thursday.
Waqa was a late withdrawal from last weekend's preliminary final victory over Manly after jarring his knee at training.
The Bulldogs go into the grand final with a settled side, naming the same line-up that pummelled Souths last Saturday.
Before the announcements, Storm coach Craig Bellamy said he expected Waqa to recover in time for the grand final.
"He is still in a little bit of doubt," Bellamy said, before the Storm's open training session on Tuesday.
"He's running today, but how much he will do is determined by how he goes and how he feels.
"It's still early in the week.
"But having said that, the medical staff are very confident he'll be right for Sunday."
If Waqa is fit to take his place in the Melbourne line-up, he would replace the Storm's only Victorian-born player Mahe Fonua.
The 19-year-old Fonua - who has played four games in his debut season - has been named on an extended eight-man bench for Melbourne.
Canterbury coach Des Hasler has named an unchanged side for the grand final.
The Bulldogs have fielded the same team throughout the finals as they progressed beating the reigning champion Sea Eagles 16-10 and humbling the Rabbitohs 32-8.
Canterbury is looking for its first title since 2004, while Hasler is looking to become the first coach to win back-to-back flags with different sides.
Bulldogs team: Ben Barba, Sam Perrett, Josh Morris, Krisnan Inu, Jonathan Wright, Josh Reynolds, Kris Keating, Aiden Tolman, Michael Ennis (capt), Sam Kasiano, Frank Pritchard, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood.
Interchange: James Graham, Dale Finucane, Corey Payne, David Stagg.
18th man: Dene Halatau.
Storm team: Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Dane Nielsen, Will Chambers, Justin O'Neill, Gareth Widdop, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith, Bryan Norrie, Sika Manu, Ryan Hoffman, Todd Lowrie.
Interchange: Ryan Hinchcliffe, Kevin Proctor, Jaiman Lowe, Richie Fa'aoso, Rory Kostjasyn, Mahe Fonua, Siosaia Vave, Anthony Quinn.
ABC / AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, melbourne-3000 First posted September 25, 2012 15:06:36Storm approaching Sydney for grand final
The Melbourne Storm will arrive in Sydney this afternoon to finalise preparations ahead of Sunday's NRL decider against Canterbury.
The Storm are favourites with the bookmakers after their 40-12 demolition of Manly last Friday night, despite Canterbury finishing as minor premiers followed by strong finals performances against Manly and Souths.
Melbourne's football manager Frank Ponissi has said the team is not buying into Bulldog coach Des Hasler's comments reinforcing the favourite tag.
He said Canterbury does have a significant advantage playing in front of a home crowd at the Olympic Stadium.
"Our old mate Dessy was trying to deflect the favourites' (tag) back on us ... but that's a huge advantage for them," Ponissi said.
"The fact they (Bulldogs) play at home ... but most of our players have been there (Olympic stadium) ... our three Origin players play there in Origin."
The club is confident that both centre Will Chambers and winger Sisa Waqa will be fit to play on Sunday.
Chambers is suffering from hamstring tightness, while Waqa has a knee injury which forced him to miss the preliminary final win over the Sea Eagles.
Ponissi said he expected the team to run out as named against the Bulldogs.
"There were reports this morning that Will twinged his hamstring which wasn't quite correct, he's still tight like a few of them from a hard game last weekend," he said.
"Three or four players yesterday had restricted training but the only injury concern is Sisa Waqa and at this stage we're very confident that he'll play."
Meanwhile Canterbury gave little away ahead of the grand final cancelling a scheduled open training session for the media.
Both squads will be present at Thursday morning's traditional grand final breakfast.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, melbourne-3000, vic, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted September 26, 2012 15:52:44Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Archer, Cummins handed GF whistles
Tony Archer and Ben Cummins have been appointed the referees for Sunday's NRL grand final.
Archer will be in charge of his sixth grand final, having first been appointed for a season decider in 2007.
Cummins, who made his first grade refereeing debut in 2006, will be officiating in his maiden grand final.
Chris Ward and Shane Hayne have been named as the video referees.
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, sydney-2000, melbourne-3000 First posted September 25, 2012 13:28:28Ennis not focused on personal battle
Canterbury captain Michael Ennis is more worried about his own performance than shutting down Melbourne opposite Cameron Smith in Sunday's grand final.
Ennis and rival hooker Smith will go head to head at the Olympic stadium in a match-up that will go a long way to determining which team hoists the premiership trophy.
But despite lavishing praise on the Queensland and Test rake, Ennis says he cannot afford to get caught up in personal duels.
"If you go into a game like this trying to win personal battles, you're letting your team-mates down," Ennis said.
"I've got a role to play in this side and I don't think Cameron Smith or your Cooper Cronks or your Billy Slaters are blokes that can be nullified individually.
"... coming up against Cameron Smith, obviously he's the benchmark in our position and it's always a good challenge.
"I respect Cameron very highly, he's a terrific player and a terrific fellow, so I know I'll need to be at my best in my side and not worry about what Cameron's going to do for Melbourne."
Several hundred fans decked out in blue and white were at Belmore Sports Ground for the Bulldogs' grand final fan day on Tuesday, with the players to take part in a 'meet and greet' following training.
AAP
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, belmore-2192, australia First posted September 25, 2012 12:16:54Thurston claims Ken Stephen Medal
Queensland State of Origin star Johnathan Thurston has won the 2012 Ken Stephen Medal.
Thurston was awarded the medal at the NRL's One Community Awards on Monday night for his efforts in encouraging indigenous Australian children to finish their schooling.
The Ken Stephen Medal, first awarded in 1988, recognises the contribution an NRL player has made to the community over the course of the year.
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, indigenous-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander, community-and-society First posted September 25, 2012 12:10:01Sheens hasn't quit, say Tigers
Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys has denied reports Tim Sheens has quit the club, but his future could be settled at a board meeting on Tuesday.
News Limited reports on Tuesday suggested Sheens had walked away after 10 years at the NRL club following a player revolt.
Humphreys has vehemently denied Sheens had already quit the club but confirmed the board would meet on Tuesday afternoon, where it is expected an agreement for the veteran coach's departure will be reached.
The Tigers undertook a review of its entire football staff after failing to make the finals despite being the preseason favourites to win the NRL title.
Asked about reports Sheens' future had already been decided Humphrey's said: "We're not in a position to make comment on that at this stage.
"I can certainly deny the newspaper claim that Tim's quit.
"At this point in time he's neither quit nor been sacked as has been reported in some circles.
"We're conducting a review and when we're through that review and there's outcomes to announce, we'll announce them."
Either way, Sheens' future at the club seems untenable, and he has already been linked with a move to the vacant Warriors head coaching position.
The sticking point remains a pay out figure, with the Tigers baulking at forking out the full $450,000 a year the four-time premiership winner is due for the final two years of his contract.
Manly assistant coach Matt Parish has been heavily linked to take over from Sheens, with Melbourne assistant Kevin Walters also rumoured to be in contention.
AAP
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, concord-2137 First posted September 25, 2012 10:40:45Harrigan admits to Slater try error
Video referee Sean Hampstead could be relieved of his duties for the third time this year after NRL referees' boss Bill Harrigan admitted to yet another botched call from his officials.
Hampstead's hopes of taking part in Sunday's grand final between Canterbury and Melbourne appear over, Harrigan claiming the decision to award Billy Slater's first try in Melbourne's 40-12 thumping of Manly in Friday night's preliminary final was incorrect.
"Yes, Slater drops the ball and this try should not have been awarded," Harrigan said in his weekly debrief on the NRL website.
It is the second time in as many weeks during the finals series that Harrigan has had to admit to a video referee error following the call to award a crucial try in Manly's semi-final win over North Queensland.
That decision cost Steve Clark and Paul Simpkins any chance of refereeing again during the finals, and it appears Hampstead and Russell Smith could face the same fate.
Hampstead was rested for a week after his controversial decision to award Greg Inglis' match-sealing try in State of Origin I earlier this year.
He was then dropped after incorrectly giving the okay to an obstruction play in a try to Canterbury winger Johnathan Wright in their round 23 win over Wests Tigers.
It could be a case of last men standing for Chris Ward and Bernard Sutton, who are now in line to be in the video review box for Sunday's decider at the Olympic stadium.
The officials for the grand final will be announced on Tuesday.
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, sydney-2000, nsw, melbourne-3000, vic, australia First posted September 24, 2012 21:49:57Monday, September 24, 2012
Dogs need to overcome GF wobbles
They are the minor premiers and may even start favourites on Sunday, but the Bulldogs will need to overcome a horror grand final record among their playing group to cap the year with a premiership.
With the vast majority of its line-up preparing for their first NRL grand final, Canterbury has just one legitimate title winner on the books - bench forward David Stagg, who won with Brisbane in 2006.
Starting prop Aiden Tolman triumphed in 2009 but had that title stripped, the same as the bulk of his opponents this weekend, for salary cap breaches at Melbourne.
England international James Graham won a Super League title with St Helens in 2006 - before starting a staggering streak that saw him involved in five losing grand finals.
The same goes for mid-season buys Krisnan Inu, who has only lost one match since arriving at Belmore in May, and Sam Perrett.
Inu featured in deciders in 2009 at Parramatta and last year at the Warriors, finishing the loser on both occasions, while Perrett's Sydney Roosters were blown off the park by St George Illawarra in 2010 in his only grand final.
"It's a funny experience (playing in grand finals). It's hard to put it into words," Graham explained.
"Unfortunately I've been on the wrong end of the last five when I played for St Helens.
"It's a different team and it's hard to say (what my advice is), but I'll probably just let them get on with it and deal with it in their own way.
"I'm sure (coach) Des (Hasler) and the rest of the staff will have them well prepared on how they need to act this week.
"I'm sure they'll try to play it as low key as possible."
By contrast, Melbourne's big guns Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Ryan Hoffman and Billy Slater have all experienced success on the biggest stage - even if their premierships were rescinded after the salary cap scandal was exposed in 2010.
The Storm playing group have 19 grand finals between them, and 13 victories.
It's a feature that concerns Bulldogs' strike centre Josh Morris, who is one of 12 grand final debutants for the blue-and-whites.
"They've got grand final experience right across the board there," Morris said.
"I thought they were very clinical the other night (in their 40-12 win over Manly)."
Inu, who lost to the Storm in '09, believes Sunday is his best chance of winning a competition.
"No disrespect to the last two teams and two games I played in grand finals, but I think we've shown we have the team to be in the grand final," Inu said.
"But we'll see how things pan out. We've got Melbourne.
"You always have to be 100 per cent against them or you'll get your pants pulled down."
Working in Canterbury's favour is the miracle work of coach Des Hasler, who has a strong record in big games.
At Manly Hasler reached three grand finals, finishing with two premiership rings - with the one loss against Melbourne in 2007.
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, canterbury-2193, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic First posted September 23, 2012 16:55:31Papalii picks Maroons over Kiwis
Canberra Raiders forward Josh Papalii has become the latest New Zealand player to choose State of Origin over country by declaring for Queensland.
The 20-year-old was born in New Zealand before moving to Australia with his family when he was six.
He played junior football in Brisbane and then joined Canberra's under-20s side before making his senior debut in 2011.
He told Grandstand that he was happy to have made the switch.
"Definitely, Queensland all the way now,'' Papalii said.
"It was (hard) at first, but talking to my parents and to a lot of boys made it easier."
Asked why he had taken the decision, Papalii pointed to the fact he had played all his junior and senior football in Australia.
He denied suggestions his decision was prompted by approaches from Queensland saying he was a wanted player for State of Origin.
"No, it was all my decision (and) my family," he said.
Papalii said he had spoken with his friend, former Canberra and New Zealand player Ruben Wiki about his decision and said there had been no problem with his choice.
"I've been talking to Ruben a lot lately, I told him where I want go with my life, and where I want to play in the future and he was happy and supportive of my decision," he said.
Earlier this year, Cowboys prop James Tamou - who was born in Palmerston North in New Zealand - renounced his ties to Kiwi ties to declare for New South Wales and Australia.
He made his Australian debut in the Anzac Day Test in New Zealand, and then was selected for the Blues for all three games of the Origin series.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, brisbane-4000, qld, canberra-2600, act, australia, new-zealand First posted September 24, 2012 15:20:26PM's XIII scrape past PNG
Australia's Prime Minister's XIII needed a late try by Knights winger Akuila Uate to score a tight 24-18 victory over Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on Sunday.
The visitors looked in control of the annual fixture after tries from Feleti Mateo, Michael Jennings and Beau Ryan put them 18-4 ahead at the break.
But the Kumuls responded in front of a parochial home crowd to level the scores in the second half.
Uate saved the Australian side's blushes with a try in the 76th minute, while Scott Prince landed four goals.
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, australia, papua-new-guinea First posted September 23, 2012 17:32:10Smith says Storm peaking perfectly
Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith believes unlike last year, the Storm are peaking at the right time of the season.
Melbourne enters its fifth grand final in seven years confident its mid-season slump is a memory and its form has hit a timely upward curve.
Smith says the club coaching and medical staff should take a bow for their efforts, after the team swept aside Manly at the weekend to enter Sunday's grand final against Canterbury at the OIympic stadium.
"Last year we ran out of legs by the end, and we got steamrolled by the Warriors," Smith said on Monday.
"We were running on fumes, and that's why (we lost the preliminary final).
"This year, we went through a tough patch after State of Origin ... and after that the load of training was pulled back a bit to refresh physically and mentally.
"We knew it was going to be important to be right in the back half of the season.
"We're in a lot better shape than we were last year."
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, melbourne-3000, vic, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted September 24, 2012 13:53:04Tigers could have had Stuart over Sheens
With Tim Sheens' coaching career at Wests Tigers on life support, former board member Ben Elias revealed the club could have had Ricky Stuart take over for 2012.
Sheens survived the first board meeting over his future, but it appears increasingly unlikely that he will be in charge by Monday night.
He will face another board meeting where his performance and future will be discussed on Monday, and Elias suggested on Sunday it was time for Sheens to move on and called on the veteran mentor to step down "for his own credibility".
Elias revealed that when Sheens was deciding whether to re-sign with the Tigers last year or take up a lucrative offer from Penrith, the club had a contingency plan in place to recruit then-New South Wales coach Stuart, who will coach Parramatta in 2013, to replace him.
"At the time when we re-signed him it was very controversial," the Balmain legend told Grandstand.
"We had another coach in the shadows ready to go.
"Ricky Stuart was going to coach the Tigers if (Sheens) hadn't signed.
"He decided to coach and we came to an agreement of three years.
"That situation, obviously, we continued for the next 12 months and here we are today."
How it has unravelled so quickly is unclear, although an underwhelming performance in 2012 that resulted in the Tigers missing the finals for the seventh time under Sheens' reign seems the tipping point.
"Unfortunately at the moment we've missed out on the top eight and in our position as such a highly contended side to win the premiership this year we've not even made the top eight," Elias said.
"At the end of the day I think the coach is always going to be accountable for those results.
"... I think the present Wests Tigers board, the Balmain and the Wests contingent are very, very clearly of the opinion that results aren't good enough and it's time to move on."
Win-win situation
Sheens has consistently been linked with the Warriors coaching role vacated by Brian McClennan late this year, but there have been no concrete discussions between either party to date.
Elias said it would be a win-win situation to have Sheens link with the Warriors, ending his 10-year stay at the Tigers.
"There would be no better person ... to go to the Warriors and do a job over there they haven't done - that is to win a premiership," Elias said.
"He would be absolutely ideal.
"He continues his coaching (past) the age of 61 ... and (it is good for) the Tigers because we offset a lot of the dollars that would have been required to pay him on his exit of the Tigers coaching role for the next two years.
"... I think for his own credibility and his own self esteem he should amicably work (with) the Tigers (to) come to a position with him to leave with credibility."
Elias' comments capped off a dramatic day at camp Concord where it was also revealed that skipper Robbie Farah was being courted by rivals Parramatta, while star five-eighth Benji Marshall's future at the club is also far from settled.
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, leichhardt-2040, nsw, australia, campbelltown-2560 First posted September 23, 2012 19:05:55Sunday, September 23, 2012
Fittler fears controversy may dog NRL decider
Rugby league great Brad Fittler fears it is almost inevitable that another contentious video refereeing decision will decide Sunday's NRL grand final.
Fittler says the "benefit of the doubt" option available to video referees is a ridiculous blight on the game after it once again had fans scratching their heads on Friday night.
Continuing a season of controversy for the television match officials, video referees Russell Smith and Sean Hampstead awarded Billy Slater a try despite replays appearing to show the Melbourne fullback lost control of the ball over the line.
The Storm's 40-12 rout of Manly ultimately spared the NRL yet another major embarrassment - but the dubious decision didn't escape Fittler.
The former Sydney Roosters and Penrith premiership winner said the onus was on referees' bosses Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper to ensure the season decider between the Storm and Canterbury wasn't ruined by a ghastly mistake from officials.
"Everyone said all year one of these (video refereeing) results could decide a grand final and, you know what, you're thinking it will," Fittler said on Nine's Wide World of Sports program on Sunday.
"It just seems as though (there is) so many parts of our game where those words "benefit if the doubt" can affect it.
"So hopefully Bill and Stuart Raper can sort the situation out before the weekend."
Fittler admitted video referees were under immense pressure, but said the benefit-of-the-doubt ruling needed to go.
"To their defence, there is so much going on with our video replays and how good our televisions are, our cameras and all that, it is tough for them," Fittler said.
"So to compare them to the past is a bit crazy, but the fact that `benefit of the doubt' sits in our game is ridiculous."
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, sydney-2000, canterbury-2193, melbourne-3000 First posted September 23, 2012 13:28:24Players all clear for NRL grand final
Melbourne and Canterbury can breathe easier knowing none of their players will have to face the judiciary after the weekend's two preliminary finals.
The Storm's Sika Manu had been placed on report for dangerous contact with Manly's Jamie Buhrer, but the Melbourne interchange player was not charged and will be available for Sunday's grand final.
The Bulldogs also escaped any penalties, leaving all their players available for Sunday, injury concerns aside.
Two players were charged by the judiciary, both from the defeated South Sydney side.
Michael Crocker was charged with a grade one dangerous contact/contact with kicker offence from the second minute of play against the Bulldogs, when Crocker crashed into Canterbury's Kris Keating.
Crocker faces a base 100 point penalty, plus a 50-point premium for having similar offences in the last two years.
An early guilty plea would still leave the Rabbitohs hitman with enough points for a one-match ban, which would be served in next year's pre-season trials.
His team-mate Sam Burgess has been charged with a grade one dangerous contact offence for leading with his legs and feet against the Bulldogs' Sam Perrett near half-time in Saturday night's final.
Burgess will escape suspension with an early guilty plea.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, melbourne-3000, canterbury-2193 First posted September 23, 2012 13:18:20Bulldogs down Souths to send Storm warning
Des Hasler became the first coach to reach back-to-back NRL grand finals with different clubs after Canterbury ended South Sydney's bid for a first premiership in 41 years with a 32-8 preliminary final win on Saturday night.
Before 70,354 fans at the Olympic stadium, the Bulldogs set up a decider against Melbourne in a match which swung their way when the Rabbitohs lost rookie of the year Adam Reynolds to a hamstring injury midway through the first half.
The Rabbitohs, with the longest active streak between premierships in first grade, were leading 8-4 and in control when Reynolds hobbled from the field.
From there it was all the Bulldogs as they scored 28 unanswered points, two tries in the four minutes before half-time breaking the back of the Rabbitohs before their spirit was destroyed with two tries in the space of five minutes before the hour.
The win means Hasler - who quit Manly just days after guiding the Sea Eagles to the 2011 crown - becomes the first man to make it back to a grand final with a new side the following season.
It was a stunning opening to the match, the Rabbitohs with skipper Michael Crocker on report and down 4-0 thanks to a Krisnan Inu try before they had even touched the ball.
Souths returned serve thanks to back-to-back penalties, as Issac Luke dived over from dummy half and then their lead extended when Reynolds added a penalty for what appeared an innocuous bump on Dylan Farrell.
Luke had been the Rabbitohs' most influential player but his impact was minimised when he was moved out to half-back to cover for Reynolds, and the Bulldogs now had a sniff their enemy was vulnerable.
"[It was] really disappointing for [Reynolds] and really disappointing for us," Souths captain Michael Crocker said.
"He's had such a great season and to do an injury like that in a game like this was very disappointing.
"It was close. I don't know if it was the turning point or not. It hurts losing a playmaker like that.
"It hurts but we were beaten by a better team tonight."
Despite the injury blow, and Greg Inglis being held up over the line thanks to a brilliant try-saving tackle from Josh Reynolds, it seemed Souths would hold on for a deserved lead at the interval.
But two moments of inspiration from Ben Barba ensured the Bulldogs went into the break in front.
The Dally M Medal winner's charge to a 23rd try for 2012 was stopped by team-mate Frank Pritchard getting in his way four minutes before the break, but it proved only a minor delay as Sam Perrett scored his first on the next play off a precise Josh Reynolds kick.
The Bulldogs added a penalty from in front with Sam Burgess ruled to have kneed Perrett as he scored, but it was his penalty for a high tackle from the restart which proved pivotal as Johnathan Wright touched down from Barba's grubber kick with seven seconds to go before half-time.
From there it was always going to a mountain for the Rabbitohs to climb.
Perrett brilliantly tip-toed the sideline off a Greg Eastwood pass to score before Eastwood set up countryman Pritchard on 59 minutes before and finished the job himself with a try on the stroke of full-time.
"We knew what Souths were going to throw at us," Barba said.
"All year we worked hard and its paying off for us.
"This is why we're going to [the final] next week.
"Our forwards have been the mainstay all year, they've taken us through the middle all year and put us on the front foot.
"It was everyone doing their job and really focusing on the little things."
Canterbury 32: (S Perrett 2, K Inu, J Wright, F Pritchard, G Eastwood tries. K Inu 3/6 cons, 1/1 pen)
South Sydney 8: (I Luke try; A Reynolds 1/1 con, 1/1 pen)
AAP/ABC
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, canterbury-2193, sydney-south-2000 First posted September 22, 2012 21:43:57Hasler wants new review system
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler has called on the ARL Commission to adopt an NFL-style video review where the on-field officials are responsible for all decisions.
Reacting to the botched calls made by video referees Steve Clark and Paul Simpkins which cost North Queensland dearly Friday night's semi-final loss to Manly, Hasler said the extra referees had to be abolished.
Clark and Simpkins incorrectly awarded a match-sealing try to Sea Eagles winger Michael Oldfield, when five-eighth Kieran Foran appeared to knock-on in the lead-up.
That duo has been stood down from this week's preliminary finals and replaced by Chris Ward and Bernard Sutton.
In the NFL, the on-field referees gather to watch replays in a sideline booth before explaining their decisions to the crowd.
"If we keep the video referee, then the only ones judging the video referee should be the (on-field) referees," Hasler said.
"Somehow we've got to set up the vision on the sideline for the two referees to go and look at the vision themselves. Let them make the call.
"They're exposed to it the most, they're there in the moment, they do all the work during the week.
"That also removes all benefit of the doubt and it's up to them.
"If they get it wrong, they get it wrong and we move on.
"You see it happening in the NFL and it works really well, we won't waste any more time than what we're doing at the moment with the normal video referee and they've got a better feel for it."
Foran accepts the decision by referees boss Bill Harrigan that he did knock the ball forward in the build-up to Oldfield's controversial try.
But the Manly playmaker said in the heat of the moment he did not think he touched the ball.
"In the heat of the moment I didn't think I touched it, and that is what I said after the game," Foran explained.
"But they've obviously reviewed it and it's turned out differently."
Foran said he understood the furore the situation has created, but said it should not overshadow a very strong performance that saw the premiers move one step away from a second successive grand final appearance.
"It was a fairly big decision, it's finals footy and you want to see referees get those decisions right, so I am not really surprised it has dragged on," he said.
"There were a couple of decisions that were funny like the Oldfield try and the strip that led to their second try.
"But I do think it has overshadowed the win a bit. We played our best 80 minutes in about six weeks.
"We put in a good performance, we really felt we ground the Cowboys down and deserved to win."
Meanwhile, Sea Eagles centre Steve Matai says he owes his team-mates a good performance after missing last weekend's win over the Cowboys.
The 28-year-old returns from a one-week suspension and says he feels a responsibility to do all he can to help Manly reach the grand final.
"I'm going to be out there doing everything I can to help the team get across the line," he said.
AAP/ABC
Tags: rugby-league, sport, manly-2095, nsw, australia, townsville-4810, qld First posted September 18, 2012 12:17:48We must hold Manly early: Smith
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith says the way his team stands up to Manly's physical presence early on will dictate whether it reaches the grand final.
Manly dominated North Queensland early in last Friday's semi-final, before requiring dubious officiating to withstand the Cowboys' comeback, and Smith insists his team cannot afford to let the Sea Eagles grab the initiative in the preliminary final at AAMI Park.
"Manly enjoy the physicality of the game, they like the contact early on and they like trying to get on top of their opposition and really getting momentum and rolling from there," he said.
"We know what we have to do, we have to start well and try to withstand that punishment that Manly brings and if we do that well, we put ourselves in a good spot to go further."
An undermanned Storm outfit won their last clash 26-22 in round 15 in June at Brookvale, when the teams were backing up after Origin.
While it was an important victory at the time, Smith said it counted for little now.
"Billy (Slater) was out injured, I was playing five-eighth and Gareth (Widdop) was at full-back and we'd just come off Origin, so it was a tough one for us to win and it was a great performance by everyone," he said.
"It's a totally different game for us, we're not looking back at the match.
"They're playing really well at the moment, they probably weren't playing their best football at that time. "
Much has been made of the hostilities between the two most dominant NRL teams of the past 10 years, with emotions coming to a head in 2011 in the Battle of Brookvale, but Smith says the prospect of a grand final berth is enough motivation.
"It's a big game, we're playing for a spot in the grand final, so I don't think there's too much time for anyone to think about doing too much else except playing footy on the field," Smith said.
"Manly are a great side and they know how to win at this time of year.
"We need to put all the emotion aside, it's about going out and making sure we perform well as a team."
The Storm are set to include some big bodies in props Jason Ryles and Sika Manu as well as second rower Todd Lowrie, who are all returning from injury after missing the impressive qualifying win over Souths.
Size was an area Melbourne identified as a deficiency when they were bundled out by the Warriors at the same point last year.
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, melbourne-3000, manly-2095 First posted September 18, 2012 16:52:13Stop pack or Dogs will run riot: Asotasi
Roy Asotasi has warned his South Sydney team-mates that if they do not stop Canterbury's forward pack then they risk letting Ben Barba run riot in Saturday night's preliminary final.
Bulldogs coach Des Hasler cultivated his minor premiership-winning squad this season around a bruising pack boasting international pair Frank Pritchard and James Graham, and young stars Aiden Tolman and Sam Kasiano.
It is rounded out by former State of Origin representatives Michael Ennis and David Stagg, and it is the best pack the Bulldogs have offered up since Asotasi was lining up alongside Willie Mason and Sonny Bill Williams.
As a result the Rabbitohs co-captain is adamant about firing up his own impressive engine room of Dave Taylor, Michael Crocker and Sam Burgess, saying they will need to lift from last week's 38-16 thumping of Canberra.
"If you're not focusing on those players and if you can't stop them, then you're going to let guys like Ben Barba have a lot of room to do what he needs to do best," Asotasi said.
"We do [need to step up]. Bulldogs have always had that perception of being mentally tough and we understand that.
"We'll go into this game a lot different than we did against Canberra because we understand the Bulldogs have been the benchmark side all year.
"That's the reason why they're here. They have a lot of good players.
"If we don't do our work and preparation, and focus you'll find the Bulldogs pretty much running riot over us."
Meanwhile, 51,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday but Asotasi argues the Rabbitohs w ill not be spooked by the huge crowd, which is expected to top 70,000.
The players admitted they were caught up in the hype of the Rabbitohs' first finals quest since 2007 when they were belted 24-6 by Melbourne in their qualifying final a fortnight ago.
But Asotasi vowed that the same will not happen this week, despite the enormous crowd expected to fill the Olympic stadium to watch them face the Bulldogs.
Asotasi argues they got the butterflies out of their system in the victory over the Raiders.
"The pressure won't get to us this week," Asotasi said.
"In the first week of the finals I think a few of us got caught up in that, and we learned that lesson and took it into the second week [against the Raiders].
"As much as you're going to have such a great crowd out there making noise, we'll be going in with the same game plan.
"That's why I'm glad we got that second week to fix that problem up.
"The first week was about finals football and how different it is.
"A lot of boys hadn't played finals football and got caught up in it.
"To be able to refocus and even though we had 40,000 the following week the boys didn't let that get to them."
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, redfern-2016 First posted September 19, 2012 19:47:15Saturday, September 22, 2012
Watmough says sleeping pill behind Origin snub
Manly star Anthony Watmough has admitted to using Stilnox and claims an incident involving the controversial sleeping pill led to his four-year exile from the New South Wales Origin team.
The Sea Eagles back rower represented the Blues in the 2005 series but wasn't picked again until 2009.
He believes the reason behind his omission was a drug-induced episode during his debut Origin series in 2005 where he was found wandering the team hotel after taking the sleeping pill.
"I had a couple (of pills) and didn't know what they were doing and went sleepwalking," he told Triple M on Wednesday night.
"The rest is history...I had a (four) year exile."
Asked his recollections of the night in question, Watmough said: "I don't know. I have no idea. I remember, vaguely, bits.
"I was out near the pool and had locked myself out (of my room) and couldn't get in.
"No-one said anything (about being exiled). I only knew what I read in the papers so someone was obviously saying something.
"I'm just lucky that I got a second chance and I'm back in there and hopefully win it for the Blues next year."
Watmough's admission is sure to bring the use of Stilnox back into the spotlight.
Stilnox created headlines earlier this year when the Australian Olympic Committee banned prescription sedatives such as Stilnox prior to the London Games following revelations by former swimmer Grant Hackett he had used it throughout his career and its use was rife among the Australian swim team.
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, manly-2095, nsw First posted September 20, 2012 08:56:48Stripped titles all in the past: Slater
Billy Slater says Melbourne is not using memories of being stripped of two premierships as motivation for Friday's preliminary final with Manly.
Slater refuses to acknowledge his side did not officially win the 2007 and 2009 deciders, which were relinquished after it emerged the club were cheating the salary cap.
But he insists his bitterness towards the NRL over the decision that fateful day in April 2010 has diluted and he says looking back could have a negative affect on the team.
"In my book I've won a couple of grand finals," Slater said.
"As a player I don't look at the past whether it's good or bad. If you hold yourself up in the past you're going to find it hard to compete in the future."
Victory over the reigning premiers at AAMI Park will take Craig Bellamy's side to a September 30 showdown against either South Sydney or Canterbury at the Olympic stadium.
But in their way stands a club who has not lost a preliminary final since 1975.
The two teams have developed a fierce rivalry in recent years, contesting two grand finals, with the Storm prevailing in 2007 and Manly gaining revenge 12 months later.
Both play in an aggressive style and a clash last year boiled over in the infamous 'Battle of Brookvale'.
A mass brawl involving players from either side ended with Glenn Stewart and Adam Blair being sent off, and Slater is expecting another bruising encounter.
Slater's opposite number Brett Stewart is in red-hot form for the Sea Eagles, scoring seven tries in his past five appearances.
"Brett Stewart is a great player and has been for about 10 years now," he said.
"He's a danger to us, has great speed, quick hands and offloads the ball very well.
"We're going to have to make sure our kick chase is on-song and we get down the field in numbers to make it hard for him."
AAP
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, melbourne-3000 First posted September 20, 2012 18:34:46Sizzling Storm through to GF
Melbourne advanced to its first season decider since 2009 after humbling defending premiers Manly 40-12 in their preliminary final at AAMI Park on Friday evening.
The Storm produced a clinical performance and capitalised on the Sea Eagles' mistakes, scoring seven tries to two to keep their title hopes alive.
After being stripped of premierships in 2007 and 2009 for cheating the salary cap the Storm will have a chance to win a legitimate title at the Olympic stadium on September 30 against either Canterbury or South Sydney.
Storm captain Cameron Smith highlighted that his troops were able to build on a positive start.
"We started really well and we knew we had to against Manly because that is what they build their game around, their starts," he told Grandstand.
"Our first 30 was really good. We fell away with our ball control towards the end of the first half but the second half was great.
"We knew we had to come out and play strong and they were going to throw a lot at us, but it was great to finish the way we did."
Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey admitted his side started off the pace.
"When you drop the ball off the kick-off and you complete one out of your next five it's very hard to beat a team like Melbourne," he said.
With the exception of their skipper Jamie Lyon, who scored a try in each half, the Sea Eagles could hardly have played worse, with the fierce rivalry between the sides falling flat.
The visitors started the match with an error on the second tackle and that set the tone for a miserable night, as they suffered their first grand final qualifier loss since 1975.
Storm superstars Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk showed how much they love the big stage, both scoring a double as their side thoroughly outplayed the visitors.
Such was their dominance, the Storm should have had the match wrapped up by half-time but only led 12-6 thanks to some uncharacteristically wayward kicking by Smith and Lyon's try in the 37th minute.
But Cronk's second, coming four minutes into the second half, saw Sea Eagles heads drop again.
The torrid semi-final win over North Queensland last Friday night looked to have taken its toll on the Sea Eagles, who let themselves down with a barrage of handling errors and some lazy marker defence.
After two controversial decisions by the video referee favoured the Sea Eagles against the Cowboys, they were on the receiving end at the nine-minute mark in Melbourne.
The Storm had already opened the scoring five minutes into the match through Cronk and they mounted another charge with centre Will Chambers tackled just short of the line.
Slater picked up the ball from dummy half and dived across the line with video referees Russell Smith and Sean Hampstead ruling a "benefit of the doubt" try despite the star full-back appearing to knock the ball on.
After being bundled out of the competition at the same point last year, the Storm made no mistake with this opportunity, piling on the pressure as the Sea Eagles continued to implode.
Hard-working Storm forwards Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor were both rewarded with late tries to ice the triumph.
Smith says the Storm will enjoy a quiet build-up, in light of the media focus to be surrounding AFL grand final week in Melbourne.
"It's going to be pretty low key, the way it was this week, obviously with the AFL (finals) going on down here," he said.
"But that's the way we like it, we just go about our business."
Melbourne: 40 (C Cronk 2, B Slater 2, W Chambers, J Bromwich, K Proctor tries; C Smith 3 con, G Widdop con; C Smith 2 pen)
Manly: 12 (J Lyon 2 tries; J Lyon 2 con)
AAP/ABC
Tags: rugby-league, nrl, sport, melbourne-3000, brookvale-2100 First posted September 21, 2012 21:38:22Storm are favourites: Toovey
Manly coach Geoff Toovey believes Melbourne should be regarded as the favourite to win the NRL preliminary final given the experience returning to the Storm squad.
Manly boasts a phenomenal record of 11 straight wins in the grand final qualifier going back to 1975 and his side are coming off an impressive win over North Queensland last week.
However, Toovey is adamant the reigning premiers are the underdogs given the senior forwards returning from injury for Melbourne who blitzed South Sydney in week one of the finals.
Jason Ryles (hamstring) and Sika Manu (back) have been added to a 20-man Storm squad for Friday night's clash at AAMI Park.
Toovey believes the inclusion of the abrasive pair to a team with plenty of finals experience over the past five seasons means the Sea Eagles will need an upset victory to advance to next Sunday's premiership decider.
"Because they've been up there for so long at this time of year, I don't think they have too many weaknesses," said Toovey on Wednesday.
"They've got great depth which a lot of teams haven't got the luxury of.
"And with a lot of their senior players coming back from injury so they'll even bolster their side more.
"With that experience back into their team ... I think they probably deserve to be favourites."
In response to Canterbury coach Des Hasler's call to scrap the video referees, Toovey said the issue should be addressed but at the end of the season as a better system needs to be found.
AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, manly-2095 First posted September 19, 2012 11:54:41Bunnies not bothered by wrestling Dogs
South Sydney coach Michael Maguire says he is unconcerned about Canterbury's wrestling techniques ahead of Saturday night's grand final qualifier.
Under new coach Des Hasler the Bulldogs have become the game's premier side at slowing down the ruck and controlling the speed of the game through the wrestle.
But despite the threat it could pose to the Rabbitohs' attacking maestros Greg Inglis, Issac Luke and Adam Reynolds, Maguire said it had not factored into their preparations for the Olympic stadium clash.
"I think every team practises that area of the game (wrestling) and it's no different each week," Maguire said on Thursday.
"Everyone's doing their practice in various areas and I'm sure they're practising what they need to do and we're focused about what we need to do."
With a crowd in excess of 70,000 anticipated for the all-Sydney showdown, Maguire said his young stars were handling the expectation of the big week impressively.
"The boys in our group like Roy Asotasi, Michael Crocker, Matty King, Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess I could go on on a number of players," Maguire said.
"Even Luke Burgess has played in a number of finals overseas. We're lucky that we've got a lot of experience at this time of the year and the young boys are just thriving on the enthusiasm."
Maguire confirmed that winger Nathan Merritt was on track to return from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss last week's victory over Canberra.
"We're really hoping he's right to go. He's trained all this week so there's no reason why he shouldn't be playing," Maguire said.
"As a team we want Nathan in there. He's a massive part of what we've been doing here."
Should Merritt fail to pass a late fitness test however, the versatile Justin Hunt will come in and take his spot as he did against the Raiders.
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, redfern-2016, nsw, australia, canterbury-2193 First posted September 20, 2012 13:21:57