G
Guest
Guest
Fans sure to enjoy the Todd Carney v Benji Marshall show on Sunday
Christian Nicolussi
The Daily Telegraph
March 02, 2012 12:00AM
WAYNE Bennett versus the Dragons. Des Hasler meets Ivan Cleary. Manly and the New Zealand Warriors.
But what about the forgotten opening-round match-up between superstar halves Benji Marshall and Todd Carney?
Two of the most exciting players in rugby league will go head to head at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday when Marshall's Tigers host Carney and his new Cronulla teammates.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens said Carney had just as many tricks as Marshall and had to be shut down. "Todd has always played well against us and we'll have to work hard to contain him," Sheens said.
"He's only had the two trials with Cronulla but he's got plenty of speed, he'll chip at some stage, and he likes to play cross field, the same way Benji does, so we'll be virtually playing a mirror image of Marshall in that respect. "Good players make you pay at some stage, it's just a matter of limiting the amount of times they do."
Tigers skipper Robbie Farah even saw the attacking similarities between Marshall and Carney and said: "He's quick, has a good kicking game, he just brings that unpredictability like Benji.
"They're players who can pull your pants down with one play and do things you don't expect them to do."
Marshall and Carney, who are $9 and $13 respectively to win the Dally M in 2012, have met eight times with Carney guiding his side to victory on five of the past six occasions, including an international for Australia. Carney will be keen to make an immediate impression with Cronulla, who threw him a lifeline after a messy exit from the Roosters.
The arrival of Carney has breathed fresh hope into the Shire club, so much so there is genuine belief there could be an upset at Leichhardt.
Sheens said no team could be taken lightly and there would be no complacency from his side, who have already been rated early premiership favourites.
The coach expects rookie fullback James Tedesco to be tested by Carney and the high ball, but the teenager had survived a similar aerial raid from Roosters and NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce in the trials, so was more than ready.
"There will be plenty of trading with the high ball, there's no doubt about that," Sheens said. "But that's one of Teddy's strengths. There wouldn't be a better high game than the Roosters' high (ball) game, and he handled everything thrown at him that night. That was one of the biggest tests that convinced me he would handle it."
Christian Nicolussi
The Daily Telegraph
March 02, 2012 12:00AM
WAYNE Bennett versus the Dragons. Des Hasler meets Ivan Cleary. Manly and the New Zealand Warriors.
But what about the forgotten opening-round match-up between superstar halves Benji Marshall and Todd Carney?
Two of the most exciting players in rugby league will go head to head at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday when Marshall's Tigers host Carney and his new Cronulla teammates.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens said Carney had just as many tricks as Marshall and had to be shut down. "Todd has always played well against us and we'll have to work hard to contain him," Sheens said.
"He's only had the two trials with Cronulla but he's got plenty of speed, he'll chip at some stage, and he likes to play cross field, the same way Benji does, so we'll be virtually playing a mirror image of Marshall in that respect. "Good players make you pay at some stage, it's just a matter of limiting the amount of times they do."
Tigers skipper Robbie Farah even saw the attacking similarities between Marshall and Carney and said: "He's quick, has a good kicking game, he just brings that unpredictability like Benji.
"They're players who can pull your pants down with one play and do things you don't expect them to do."
Marshall and Carney, who are $9 and $13 respectively to win the Dally M in 2012, have met eight times with Carney guiding his side to victory on five of the past six occasions, including an international for Australia. Carney will be keen to make an immediate impression with Cronulla, who threw him a lifeline after a messy exit from the Roosters.
The arrival of Carney has breathed fresh hope into the Shire club, so much so there is genuine belief there could be an upset at Leichhardt.
Sheens said no team could be taken lightly and there would be no complacency from his side, who have already been rated early premiership favourites.
The coach expects rookie fullback James Tedesco to be tested by Carney and the high ball, but the teenager had survived a similar aerial raid from Roosters and NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce in the trials, so was more than ready.
"There will be plenty of trading with the high ball, there's no doubt about that," Sheens said. "But that's one of Teddy's strengths. There wouldn't be a better high game than the Roosters' high (ball) game, and he handled everything thrown at him that night. That was one of the biggest tests that convinced me he would handle it."
