Stadium Australia
Fri Mar 14, 7:30pm
LOSS 20-34
Craig Wing's homecoming to South Sydney is in tatters with scans revealing the worst: that he will require surgery on his left shoulder and his season could be over. Wing will consult two specialists today to learn precisely how long he will be sidelined, he had been advised "it will be three to five months". "I'm shattered," he said. "The best case scenario was that I wouldn't require surgery and I'd be back in six to eight weeks. Now I know that I do, it's three to five months. I'll know more tomorrow but I'm gutted." Wing left the field with a dislocated shoulder in the eighth minute of his side's 34-20 loss to the Roosters on Friday night and debate continues to rage about whether the Riley Brown tackle that caused it was illegal. The NRL's match review committee will today scrutinise the incident to determine whether a charge should be laid against the Roosters hooker. No charges were layed.
Souths director of athletic performance Errol Alcott said Wing had suffered labral, ligament and muscle tearing around the shoulder joint. "It's not your garden variety dislocation," he said. "We're not going to speculate on how long it's going to be ? but the outcome from the scans today is that surgery is imminent."
Wing revealed he did not believe the tackle that has cruelled his first season back at Redfern in eight years should be outlawed. Broncos coach Wayne Bennett demanded the NRL end the practice of players being held up in tackles before a third "prowling" player comes charging in.
AS Craig Wing was lying on the operating table yesterday having his right shoulder rebuilt, NRL bosses put clubs on notice that a repeat of the vicious shoulder charge will not be tolerated. The NRL acted after 72 hours of public backlash over the sickening tackle - announcing it will monitor "prowler" hits this season and consider banning them from the game. Souths star Wing is out of football for a minimum three months after being held up by two Sydney Roosters players before a rampaging third crashed into his unprotected back with a shoulder charge. Concerned South Sydney coach Jason Taylor wants shoulder charges to be one-on-one contests - and the NRL is ready to agree. "I don't mind one-on-one shoulder charges, particularly if the bloke can see it coming," Taylor said. "But you don't go and hit someone when they're not looking - that's been the case forever and a day. I think it (the NRL's promise to act) is a step in the right direction - I thought the league would act." NRL management will now consider a new rule that would outlaw shoulder charges if more than one player is involved in the tackle. "Certainly if we see any trend developing that is against the interests of the game we will act on that trend,'' said Graham Annesley, the NRL's chief operating officer. "The process the NRL will undertake from next week will form part of an ongoing review but it is certainly important that players, clubs and coaches know that it is an issue that will remain under close scrutiny.'' Roosters hooker Riley Brown used his shoulder to perform a "prowler'' tackle on Wing last Friday night. North Queensland and former NSW coach Graham Murray agreed with Taylor. "If two players are holding a tackled player, the third man in should go for the legs," Murray said. "They shouldn't be allowed to come in randomly and use their shoulder to hurt someone."
HT Merritt 2, Y.Gordon, Paulson tries Luke 2 goals Crowd Referee Final Line Up Other FG Matches
Judiciary News
No one was charged out of the match.
Reserve Grade - NSW Cup - Round 1
v Western Suburbs, Concord Oval, Sat Mar 15 3:00pm
WIN 44-36
The North Sydney Bears have pushed through a 30-16 half time deficit to beat the Western Suburbs Magpies at Concord Oval on Saturday. "As a team we started off pretty poorly" claimed Bears captain/fullback Beau Champion. "Our defense just wasn't up to standard, that's why we trailed at half time with the margin that we did. In the second half we fixed our defense up, won a lot more sets and finished over the top of them and we're ready for next week". Showing a lack of discipline and rattled by the Magpies old school target approach in the first half, the relatively young Bears side was faced with a dilemma, do they give in to the old adage "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" or does the new breed of Bear create their own destiny by working even harder to secure a victory. Wests were held up over the line before scoring the first try of the match and while the Bears began to string some passes together the Magpies managed to back up with a second try to make the score 12-0. Luke Grant and Ben Lowe answered replied with tries of their own, and with Norths Hooker George Nadaira converting both tries the score became 12 all. But then came the dark moments of the first half as penalties, lack of possession and some effective off loading by the Maggies big number 13, Rocky Trimarchi allowed Wests to score three unanswered ties to shoot away 30-12. Dave Wynyard got to within an inch of the line. George Ndaira then combed with Beau Champion to score and put an up tempo finish to the half 30-16 to Wests. The second half saw a succession of great individual efforts come together to produce five Bears tries to one Magpies try. George Ndaira showed good judgment to link with Beau Champion who sped through a gap at a million miles an hour handing the ball to Scott Geddes to score. George Ndaira converted 30-22 to Wests. The Magpies scored next from a kick in play 36-22 to Wests. Scott Geddes showing a truck load of determination was again heavily involved getting close to the line and sending Beau Champion over for his second try of the day. George continued his great day with the boot, 36-28 to the Maggies. Shannan McPherson, George Ndaira and Ryan Verlinden made another attack down the middle to get back out of their half for another young Bear, Beau Falloon to combine with ever ready Scott Geddes to score. George converted, 36-34 to the Maggies. Norths received a penalty in front of the posts but now hungry for the win went for a try. After a number of successive runs to the line Beau Falloon broke the drought to dive over from dummy half. George Ndaira was successful with an important conversion and the Bears were now in front for the first time, 40-36 to the Bears. In a nail bitter Nathanael Barnes finally cut through the line to score for Norths. The final score 44-36. "In the first half we would break down at the end of our sets with a push pass or we lost the ball" said Coach Wayne Lambkin. "Ever since I've been coaching against Wests they have always thrived on that kind of footy. They love working off other teams mistakes and we made enough mistakes in the first half to allow them to have a good lead." "In the second half we controlled the ball, took it up the middle and broke their back. Simple play, wasn't too fancy we just wore them down." "The guys who played tight in the forwards, Scott Geddes, Shannon McPherson, Luke Grant and throw in Ryan Verlinden really set a platform for us. George Ndaira showed some class, Beau Champion played well at fullback". Fullback Beau Champion saw the game as a great opportunity. "As a full time rugby league player it's great to come back and play for the Bears. You take it upon yourself to try to help the younger guys along by playing hard, making breaks. It really lifts the guys around you. For a lot of these guys it's there first game of rugby league at this level and a lot of them are still really young." Jamie Simpson injured his thumb early in the match.
0-6
0-12
6-12
12-12
12-18
12-24
12-30
HT 16-30
22-30
22-36
28-36
34-36
40-36
44-36
Champion 2, Geddes 2, Barnes, Grant, B.Lowe, Falloon tries
Ndaira 6 from 8 goals
Final Line Up
T G/A FG
Flbk - Champion, Beau 2 - - (c)
Wing - Barnes, Nathaniel 1 - -
Cntr - Simpson, Jamie - - -
Cntr - Nichols, Greg - - -
Wing - Hegarty, Shannon - - -
5/8 - Herekotukutuku, Charlie - - -
Half - Russell, Marc - - -
Prop - Grant, Luke 1 - -
Hook - Ndaira, George - 6/8 -
Prop - Geddes, Scott 2 - -
SRow - Lowe, Ben 1 - -
SRow - Wynyard, Dave - - -
Lock - McPherson, Shannon - - -
Int - Verlinden, Ryan - - -
Int - Tamanika, John - - -
Int - Sayegh, Daniel - - -
Int - Falloon, Beau 1 - -
8 6/8 -
Other Reserve Grade Matches
NYC Toyota Cup - Under 20's - Round 1
v Sydney Roosters, 5:20pm
LOSS 10-14
Pettybourne tries Sandow 3 from 3 goals Other U20 Matches
NSWRL U18 SG Ball Cup - Round 5
v West Sydney Academy, Erskenville Oval, Sat Mar 15 11:30am
WIN 76-12
tries goals Other U18 Matches 24-22 Leic Balmain b Syd Roosters 32-18 Woll Bulldogs b Illawarra 40-28 Brok Canberra b Manly 48-24 Cabr Parramatta b Wests 18-12 Koga St George b Cronulla 54-8 Lyle Newcastle b Norths 38-20 Penr Penrith b Gold Coast BYE C Coast
NSWRL U16 Harold Mathews - Round 5
v West Sydney Academy, 10:00am
WIN 52-6
tries goals Other U16 Matches 24-20 Leic Balmain b Syd Roosters 30-4 Woll Bulldogs b Illawarra 58-14 Brok Manly b Canberra 46-0 Cabr Parramatta b Wests 12-6 Koga Cronulla b St George 44-4 Lyle Newcastle b Norths 72-8 Penr Penrith b SW Syd Academy BYE C Coast