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Dragons burn off Hornby cloud after Sheens jibe
August 11, 2012
Sam Hall
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ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA officials have doused speculation Ben Hornby will miss tonight's important clash with Wests Tigers because of injury, declaring the veteran halfback a definite starter.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens ignited uncertainty over Hornby's fitness at a press conference in Sydney yesterday, telling reporters in an unprovoked response: ''I've heard a number of things that Hornby is possibly injured and that [Jamie] Soward may be used [instead].''
But Dragons officials said the captain was unhindered at training this week, including yesterday's closed session at Wollongong, and would be fit to play. The Hornby speculation has added another dimension of uncertainty over who will form the Dragons' halves pairing tonight.
Nathan Fien has been named as starting No.6 alongside Hornby while Soward returns from his one-week foray in NSW Cup to make up a four-man bench following confirmation Josh Miller would miss the game with concussion.
However, given Soward's lack of utility value, it's expected the former NSW pivot will start at five-eighth.
''I can't predict what they are going to do to any great degree,'' Sheens said. ''We will just adjust to that if and when he starts or when he comes on. Our main effort at the moment is to focus on our game. I'm not worrying about what happens. Jamie is a key player with their kicking game.''
The Tigers will rely on makeshift No.6 Liam Fulton to stick to defensive strengths for the match, while counting on the proven formula of Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen in attack. A horror injury list forced Sheens to opt for Fulton at five-eighth against Parramatta last Monday - the eighth playmaking option for the Tigers this season.
''Liam did a good job as a running 13-type six. That's all we expect this week,'' Sheens said. ''Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen, who is a ball-playing [number] one, becomes a very important factor in our spine.
''Liam is a runner, and that's the best part of his game, so I won't take that away. Our game plan will hopefully work a little better this week with him playing his second game there for us.
''I was pretty happy with his efforts last week. He did his job but the main stars were Farah and Marshall, and Tim Moltzen contributed to that as well.''
Miller, meanwhile, is expected to return next week. The 29-year-old reignited debate over the game's clouded concussion laws when trainers attempted to return him to the field during last week's 26-10 loss to the Roosters.
The NRL has not enforced a sanction on when concussed players can return to the field, leaving it to the discretion of club doctors and in-house cognitive assessments.
In sports such as boxing, however, a concussed fighter must wait 28 days before undertaking their next bout.
''Josh Miller has failed to progress through our structured clinical cognitive assessment, and will not be fit to play this week against Wests Tigers,'' Dragons performance director Andrew Gray said.
''He will undergo further neuropsychological testing in the lead-up to next week's game against the North Queensland Cowboys.''
August 11, 2012
Sam Hall
\
\
\
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA officials have doused speculation Ben Hornby will miss tonight's important clash with Wests Tigers because of injury, declaring the veteran halfback a definite starter.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens ignited uncertainty over Hornby's fitness at a press conference in Sydney yesterday, telling reporters in an unprovoked response: ''I've heard a number of things that Hornby is possibly injured and that [Jamie] Soward may be used [instead].''
But Dragons officials said the captain was unhindered at training this week, including yesterday's closed session at Wollongong, and would be fit to play. The Hornby speculation has added another dimension of uncertainty over who will form the Dragons' halves pairing tonight.
Nathan Fien has been named as starting No.6 alongside Hornby while Soward returns from his one-week foray in NSW Cup to make up a four-man bench following confirmation Josh Miller would miss the game with concussion.
However, given Soward's lack of utility value, it's expected the former NSW pivot will start at five-eighth.
''I can't predict what they are going to do to any great degree,'' Sheens said. ''We will just adjust to that if and when he starts or when he comes on. Our main effort at the moment is to focus on our game. I'm not worrying about what happens. Jamie is a key player with their kicking game.''
The Tigers will rely on makeshift No.6 Liam Fulton to stick to defensive strengths for the match, while counting on the proven formula of Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen in attack. A horror injury list forced Sheens to opt for Fulton at five-eighth against Parramatta last Monday - the eighth playmaking option for the Tigers this season.
''Liam did a good job as a running 13-type six. That's all we expect this week,'' Sheens said. ''Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen, who is a ball-playing [number] one, becomes a very important factor in our spine.
''Liam is a runner, and that's the best part of his game, so I won't take that away. Our game plan will hopefully work a little better this week with him playing his second game there for us.
''I was pretty happy with his efforts last week. He did his job but the main stars were Farah and Marshall, and Tim Moltzen contributed to that as well.''
Miller, meanwhile, is expected to return next week. The 29-year-old reignited debate over the game's clouded concussion laws when trainers attempted to return him to the field during last week's 26-10 loss to the Roosters.
The NRL has not enforced a sanction on when concussed players can return to the field, leaving it to the discretion of club doctors and in-house cognitive assessments.
In sports such as boxing, however, a concussed fighter must wait 28 days before undertaking their next bout.
''Josh Miller has failed to progress through our structured clinical cognitive assessment, and will not be fit to play this week against Wests Tigers,'' Dragons performance director Andrew Gray said.
''He will undergo further neuropsychological testing in the lead-up to next week's game against the North Queensland Cowboys.''
