Media Reports

[Guest]

HEART BREAKING LOSS FOR WESTS TIGERS
By Wayne Cousins, ANZ Stadium
7/08/2010 11:08:29 PM

Wests Tigers suffered a 90th minute heart breaking 34-30 loss to South Sydney at ANZ Stadium tonight in round 22 of the Telstra Premiership.

In an amazing game of rugby league in front of a crowd of 23, 298, South Sydney, playing for their season, kept digging away at the Wests Tigers lead in the second half to then draw level at 30-30 in the 77th minute to send the game into golden point.

Both sides had plenty of field goal attempts in the extra 10 minutes but it was a try inside the final seconds that saw the Rabbitohs escape with victory.

Wests Tigers lost full-back Wade McKinnon (hamstring) and prop Todd Payten (back) to injury.

Prop Bryce Gibbs came off the bench for Payten. Beau Ryan moved from the wing to full-back for McKinnon, allowing Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers winger Sam Latu to make his club debut for Wests Tigers.

He had previously played two NRL games for South Sydney in 2008 under the name of Sam Huihahua but changed it for family reasons.

Wests Tigers got a penalty from the kick-off when Souths put the ball over the sideline on the full.

The early possession paid off in the second minute when hooker and captain Robbie Farah put centre Blake Ayshford into a gap to score out wide.

Five-eighth Benji Marshall failed to convert from out wide for a 4-0 lead.
Wests Tigers prop Keith Galloway was lifted in a tackle and slammed to the ground in the 7th minute in a strong driving tackle. Souths got the scrum feed as Galloway left the field and was replaced by Simon Dwyer.

South Sydney drew level in the 14th minute when debutant centre Dylan Farrell showed the ball and then used his strength to beat Chris Lawrence from five metres out to score in the corner.

Half-back Chris Sandow converted the try for a 6-4 lead.
Wests Tigers regained the lead when Farah used his strength and leg drive to push through the attempted tackles of second-rower Eddy Pettybourne and Isaac Luke to plant the ball down.

Marshall converted the try for a 10-6 lead after 25 minutes.

The sheer brute strength of powerful winger Lote Tuqiri was clear to see when he pushed his way through to score from five metres out from dummy half. Marshall converted the try for a 16-6 lead after 35 minutes.

The score remained 16-6 at half-time. Farah and Marshall created plenty of havoc for Souths in the first half with their clever passing and kicking game.

2nd Half

A minute into the first half, South Sydney supporters were celebrating a try to winger Fetuli Talanoa after a clearing kick on the last tackle by five-eighth John Sutton saw Ryan, fearing a 40/20, knock the ball back in the field of play only for it to roll in goal for Talanoa to dive on to score.

Sandow converted the try to leave the Rabbitohs trailing 16-12 after 43 minutes.

From the re-start, Souths forward Gareth Crossman attempted to offload the ball only for it to find the hands of Wests Tigers half-back Robert Lui.

Two tackles later, Farah turned a ball inside for Lawrence to score near the posts. Marshall converted the try to give Wests Tigers a 22-12 lead.

A crossfield kick by Farah resulted in Marshall leaping for the ball on the last tackle. The ball bounced back off Marshall’s hand before prop Keith Galloway toed it through with his right foot to plant his hands down on the ball to score under the posts.

Marshall converted the try for a 28-12 lead after 49 minutes.

South Sydney hit back when a short kick in behind Tuqiri by Sandow saw Farrell take a perfect bounce to score his second try out wide. Sandow converted the try for a 28-18 scoreline after 54 minutes.

South Sydney winger Nathan Merritt was penalised for a high shot in making a crunching tackle on Lawrence five metres from the tryline to prevent a try in the 59th minute.

Merritt was placed on report. Marshall converted the penalty goal from 18 metres out to give Wests Tigers a 30-18 lead after 60 minutes.

Marshall produced some individual brilliance when he chip kicked and regathered before turning a one handed flick pass back inside in the 63rd minute only for Mitch Brown to knock the ball on in trying to take the low pass.

South Sydney got a scrum feed 10 metres out from the Wests Tigers tryline in the 64th minute after Tuqiri knocked the ball on from a clearing kick.

It resulted in a try three plays later when Sandow gave a short pass for full-back Rhys Wesser to score near the posts. Sandow converted the try for a 30-24 scoreline after 66 minutes.

Video referee Steve Clarke was again called on to rule whether Brown had grounded the ball from a Marshall grubber kick in the 70th minute. It was ruled no try.

Marshall then missed a field goal attempt in the 72nd minute from 20 metres out just right of the posts.

Clarke was called on to rule whether Sutton had scored a try in the 77th minute in grounding the ball in a tackle by Marshall and Ryan. It was ruled a try.

Sandow converted the try for a 30-30 scoreline after 78 minutes.

Souths got a penalty not long after the re-start to take play deep down in Wests Tigers half. Sandow had a field goal shot inside the final minute from 25 metres out almost in front of the posts but the ball went wide.

It remained 30-30 all at full-time to send the game into golden point extra time.

Golden Point Extra Time
1st Half
Sutton went off with a right arm injury after two minutes. Sandow had a long range shot but to no avail.

Wests Tigers first long range shot came from Marshall from 50 metres out but the ball fell just short of the crossbar in-goal to give Souths a 20 metre tap.

Wests Tigers had one last play from 45 metres out but Marshall elected to pass the ball before a grubber kick downfield by Heighington saw Wesser take the ball in-goal and run over the sideline after the half-time siren had sounded.

2nd Half Golden Point

Souths had the first possession in the second half of golden point extra time. On the last play, 45 metres out from the Wests Tigers tryline, Merritt put up a high bomb which Ryan defused 25 metres out from his tryline.

Marshall elected to have a field goal attempt from 45 metres out but the ball rolled 10 metres acrossfield to give Souths possession.

Sandow then had another long range field goal attempt from 50 metres out but the ball went wide to give Wests Tigers possession from a tap on their 20 metre line.

Wests Tigers were 35 metres out after a strong run by Gareth Ellis before a high pass to Farah above his head forced him to pass the ball to Ayshford who kicked the ball into the arms of Sandow.

Ryan was penalised for a high tackle on Sandow which gave South Sydney possession inside the Wests Tigers half from a kick.

On the last tackle and from 25 metres out, Sandow’s field goal attempt was charged down by prop Bryce Gibbs with the ball travelling over half-way and into the arms of prop Roy Asotasi.

With less than 15 seconds remaining, Wesser made a break out wide with the ball going to Shaune Corrigan before a final pass found Farrell who dived over on the full-time siren to score the match winning try in the 90th minute.

It sent Souths fans into a frenzy . Wests Tigers supporters hearts were broken once again by the Rabbitohs at the very death.

Coach Tim Sheens was very disappoinmted with his side's defence and said the team made enough breaks and had done enough to win the game.

“I think the room is just as disappointed as we were when we played them with a 50 point loss, just for different reasons,'' Sheens said afterwards.

"They scored some soft tries. I’m pretty disappointed with our defence."

Wests Tigers have injury concerns over Lawrence (concussion) and Latu (ankle) from the match.

 

[Guest]

Rabbitohs pull off golden point miracle
Updated August 7, 2010 22:43:00
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Debutant centre Dylan Farrell scored a try on the extra-time siren to hand South Sydney a sensational 34-30 come-from-behind victory over Wests Tigers on Saturday evening.

The Rabbitohs, ravaged by injury going into the much-win clash, trailed 28-12 with 30 minutes remaining before storming home to level the scores with three minutes left.

With the game destined to finish in a draw following eight missed field goal attempts, an inspired break by veteran full-back Rhys Wesser helped put Farrell into the corner to score the match-winner and his third try in a dream start to his NRL career.

Nineteen-year-old South Coast product Farrell will not easily forget his stunning debut, which Souths needed to win to realistically stay in the finals race.

"I just chased and it paid off," he said of the match-winning try.

"I scored then all the boys tackled me so I was underneath all them.

"It was just screaming, it was unbelievable."

The vital triumph keeps ninth-placed Souths within striking range of the top eight, just two points off Manly, Brisbane and New Zealand all on 26 points.

Souths coach John Lang praised his side's sheer guts.

"That's one of the best wins I've been associated with," he said.

"We said before the game we didn't want to just put up a token good effort and come away with everybody patting us on the back and saying, 'Well, you tried hard'.

"We were out there to win the game. That was the best thing, the boys just never gave in."

The Tigers looked to have outright second wrapped up, but took their foot off the pedal in a horror end to the match with full-back Beau Ryan making a handful of costly mistakes.

The devastated Tigers, who had won eight of 10 since a 50-10 mauling by the Rabbitohs in round 10, missed a chance to joining St George Illawarra at the top of the table.

"The room's just as disappointed as we were when we played them with the 50-point loss," coach Tim Sheens said.

"We had control of that game, should have won it."

Already without the likes of the suspended Sam Burgess, Dave Taylor and Luke Stuart, Souths lost lock Ben Lowe and centres Colin Best and Beau Champion before the game to take their tally of first-graders on the sidelines to 12.

In a further blow, they also lost Sutton to a shoulder injury in the first period of extra time after the five-eighth scored the match-levelling try in the 77th minute.

Freakish contest

In a game that started with Chris Sandow's kick-off sailing out on the full, three bizarre tries after half-time summed up a strange night for the 23,298 fans.

Leading 16-6 at the break, the Tigers were stunned a minute after half-time when Ryan batted back a ball destined to cross for a 40-20 into the path of Souths winger Fetuli Talanoa to score.

Sandow's sideline conversion made it 16-12 but two stranger tries in the next eight minutes were to come for the Tigers.

First half-back Robert Lui momentarily appeared to swap teams to intercept a one-arm Garret Crossman off-load, leading to a four-pointer for centre Chris Lawrence.

Then prop Keith Galloway demonstrated some silky soccer skills to volley a Farah bomb towards the line and score.

But tries to Farrell and Wesser kept the gallant Rabbitohs in what became a six-point game at 30-24 before Sutton's late effort locked it up.

Farrell's impressive first game one also included a classy first half try as well and his one-armed scoop-up of a a Sandow kick for his second.

But winger Nathan Merritt could be in strife after being reported for a leaping high shot on Lawrence.

 

[Guest]

Souths miracle downs Tigers
August 7, 2010 - 9:57PM

Injury-ravaged South Sydney pulled off a miracle 34-30 golden point extra time win over the Wests Tigers on Saturday night to keep their NRL season alive.

Debutant centre Dylan Farrell completed a hat-trick in the final seconds of the extra period after veteran fullback Rhys Wesser had made a bust and at least eight field goal attempts from both sides had failed to secure a result.

In one of the season’s wackiest games, the scores were locked at 30-30 after Souths five-eighth John Sutton scored in the 77th minute and Chris Sandow coolly converted.The Tigers had led virtually all night and were up 28-12 after 50 minutes before the gutsy Rabbitohs scored the last three tries of regular time to stay in the match.

Already without the likes of the suspended Sam Burgess, Dave Taylor and Luke Stuart, Souths lost lock Ben Lowe and centres Colin Best and Beau Champion before the game to take their tally of first-graders on the sidelines to 12.

In a further blow, they also lost Sutton to a shoulder injury in the first period of extra time.In a game that started with Chris Sandow’s kick-off sailing out on the full, three bizarre tries after halftime summed up a strange night for the 23,298 fans.

Leading 16-6 at the break, the Tigers were stunned a minute after halftime when Souths winger Fetuli Talanoa ironically took advantage of Beau Ryan brilliantly batting a kick destined to be a 40-20 back into the field of play.

Sandow’s sideline conversion made it 16-12 but two stranger tries in the next eight minutes were to come for the Tigers.First halfback Robert Lui momentarily appeared to swap teams to intercept a one-arm Garret Crossman offload, leading to a four-pointer for centre Chris Lawrence.

Then prop Keith Galloway demonstrated some silky soccer skills to volley a Farah bomb towards the line and score.But tries to debutant Farrell and Wesser kept the gallant Rabbitohs in what became a six-point game at 30-24 before Sutton’s 77th minute effort locked it up.

Farrell’s impressive first game one also included a classy first half try as well and his one-armed scoop-up of a a Sandow kick for his second.

But winger Nathan Merritt could be in strife after being reported for a leaping high shot on Lawrence.

 

[Guest]

Rookie the last-gasp hero as Souths keep fans hanging on for the full 90
DANIEL LANE
August 7, 2010

JUST before his patched-up Rabbitohs took on Wests Tigers in a game few thought they could win, coach John Lang told his players that after a weak four-week run it was time Souths developed a dose of old-fashioned self-belief.

Among those listening was Craig Stapleton, a coalminer, Jaiman Lowe, who was playing A grade in Cairns until a few weeks ago, Jamie Simpson, who had twice battled cancer, and 19-year-old debutant Dylan Farrell, who had been called up a few hours before. And in the ensuing 90 minutes - 10 of them golden-point time - Farrell scored three tries, including the one that sealed the most remarkable victory of 2010.

With the full-time siren sounding, and the scores locked at 30-all after at least eight field goals missed or were fluffed, fullback Rhys Wesser seized on a pass from winger Nathan Merritt and sliced through the defence. He passed to winger Shaune Corrigan, who somehow got the ball to Farrell, who thought he was in heaven.

''I don't know how he [Corrigan] got it [the ball] to me but I just chased him and it paid off,'' the Rabbitohs' latest wunderkind said. ''I can't explain it, it gave me goosebumps.''

Wests Tigers needed just 90 seconds to open their account via centre Chris Lawrence when the Tigers capitalised on the penalty when Chris Sandow kicked the ball out on the full from the opening kickoff.

The next highlight came in the 12th minute, when Farrell picked up lock Chris Heighington and slammed him into the turf. It was a display of self-belief, followed by others.

'' 'Langy' said he wanted to see more belief in this club and more belief in each other,'' said Farrell of the words that spurred him. ''He didn't want to hear about who [of the Rabbitohs] was out, he wanted us to step up.''

It was a tough win. The Tigers led 28-12 in the 49th minute and seemed set to redeem themselves for the round 10, 50-10 massacre Souths dished out. However, the Rabbitohs clawed their way back.

Farrell beat Lote Tuqiri to a loose ball to score, the Tigers again extended their lead by 12 when Marshall kicked a penalty goal after Merritt was placed on report for a high shot on Lawrence that left him concussed, but Souths did what many considered the impossible by drawing level through tries to Wesser and then, in the 77th minute, to Sutton.

It set the stage for a dramatic 10 minutes of golden-point time. In between field goal attempts players threw themselves into the opposition line. The clincher came at the death, and Wesser, the man who set it up, helping to extend Lang's winning record over Sheens to 17 straight wins, hoped it might help press his claims for a new contract.

''I guess it can't hurt,'' Wesser said of his moment. ''I'm hoping we can get into the finals. It was memorable. A lot of people thought we were dead and gone. But we got the win.''

Lang said the match was a defining moment for the Rabbitohs.

''We said before the game we didn't just want to put up a token effort and come away with everyone patting us on the back and saying you tried hard, we were out to win the game and that was the best thing - the boys never gave in."

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens and his skipper, Robbie Farah, reflected the shattered feeling in their dressing room after the Tigers lost a game they should have bagged.

''The room is just as disappointed as we were when we played them for a [40-point loss], just for a different reasons,'' Sheens said. ''We led virtually all the way, and [to] lose it that way in the dying seconds …''

Sheens and Farah agreed they paid for allowing some soft tries and rued they did not do enough against a Souths team that had $1 million in forward muscle and sinew sidelined.

 

[Guest]

Thriller of a finish masks worrying lack of professionalism
PHIL GOULD
August 8, 2010

I'm sure this match entertained the kids, all those in the pubs and clubs sharing a drink with one eye on the big screen; not to mention every South Sydney fan who ever lived.

The emotion of the South Sydney golden-point extra-time victory with a try after the siren in the 91st minute was special; this I cannot deny. But to anyone who actually has a clue about what constitutes a quality game of rugby league, this match fell a long way short.

I had expected something completely different.

South Sydney were playing for a place in the top eight. They were missing several key players, but fielded a useful line-up and certainly looked primed for the challenge. They always respond to the underdog status.

A win for the Wests Tigers would see them back into the top four.

They were close to full strength and had plenty in their favour. Their recent form hasn't been that great so they, too, looked inspired by the point-to-prove motivation.

I have to say the energy levels from all players could not be faulted. They all tried so hard. They were keen to impress and make a contribution for their respective teams.

There was tremendous physical commitment from the big men in the collisions. They ran hard, tackled hard; they belted each other.

There were some brilliant examples of skill from players in both teams. The Tigers' Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah sparked the crowd on several occasions. For South Sydney, their playmakers were a bit hit-and-miss, but they were constantly exploring the opportunities. They have some fearless ball runners.

Nothing gets the crowd on its feet like the unexpected. The miracle pass, the speculative flick-pass, the impossible kick, the adventurous offload; it's all great entertainment.

This match had more than its fair share of these wonderful moments.

There was even the odd confrontation as tempers flared over the tough tackle or marginal hit. The players obviously cared about the result.

We witnessed 11 tries and level scores at full-time sending us into a spine-tingling golden-point extra time. The winner came after the final siren of the night.

But despite all these positives, intermittently delivered I must add, the game never really rose to what I would call professional standards.

I'm sorry, but a lot of it was absolute rubbish. This match was played with a park-football mentality.

Maybe I'm getting old, but where I come from a ''must-win'' situation requires a ''must-win'' attitude.

Being brutally honest, it was painful to watch. Careless passing, B-grade handling and poor attention to detail on the basics belied the importance of the occasion.

Some of the carelessness, laziness and miscommunication in defence from both sides defied belief. Both teams gifted incredibly soft tries to their opponents. These teams did little to convince their fans that they were fighting for their season.

The lack of discipline from both teams meant the referees had to interfere far too often. Players over-running the pass, running into each other, running behind each other - there was very little quality control.

Running into touch, being bundled into touch, fumbling balls into touch, kicking out on the full, dropping the kick-offs; we saw it all.

Some of the plays attempted by these teams bordered on the carefree, careless and even unnecessary.

I cannot believe that the two experienced coaches, John Lang of South Sydney and Tim Sheens of the Wests Tigers, can possibly sit and watch their teams and feel any sense of control. I don't know how they cope.

The Tigers entertained the kids; but they played so dumb. They also got what they deserved.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Once again Gould is spot on.

 

[Guest]

Once again Gould is spot on.

I hope some of the players were watching him on WWOS this morning. He said the Tigers have been in denial for about 3 months now, playing ugly and winning and saying they are not getting the credit they deserve. He said they are kidding themselves and got what they deserved last night.

 

[Cysquatch]

i try not to listen to gould too much but he was spot on on ch.9 just now-"i can't work out the mentality of this tigers team, they have been travelling poorly for three months now and have been in denial, been saying they aren't getting the credit they deserve, well last night they did".

YES YES YES YES YES!!!!

 

[Guest]

Check out the post-match press conference:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27521148-5018866,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That had to be the most solemn I've ever seen Sheens and Farah after a loss. Farah looked like he'd been crying. How the team moves forward from last night's loss will show a lot about the character of this year's side IMO. They can capitulate like they have done for the past 4 years, or they can learn from it and knuckle down and play the sort of football they know, and we know they are capable of.

 

[Cysquatch]

Check out the post-match press conference:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27521148-5018866,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That had to be the most solemn I've ever seen Sheens and Farah after a loss. Farah looked like he'd been crying. How the team moves forward from last night's loss will show a lot about the character of this year's side IMO. They can capitulate like they have done for the past 4 years, or they can learn from it and knuckle down and play the sort of football they know, and we know they are capable of.

cheers for posting that mate, i been searching all morning for the press conference. your right they both look shattered. i never seen sheens like that before could tell he was ropeable, and farah looked like all of us did. not good to hear that they dont sort of know what went wrong and so on. at least they put their hands up and said not good enough, should have won it. looks like they are stinging as much as we are. having said that its all about responding and doing something about it now…......

 

[Snake]

Gould was spot on Professionalism is our biggest down fall and Marshall is one that has to learn how to be a total professional on the field he plays like he is in the park and to be frank this is not good enough .From last night Lote/Ryan rubbish park footy again I keep harping this professional attitude has to come from the top because our main man obviously is not teaching these traits.

 

[Fraze23]

Once again Gould is spot on.

I wish he'd coach us

 

[Guest]

SOFT TRIES A BITTER PILLOW TO SWALLOW
By Wayne Cousins
8/08/2010 9:34:34 AM

Wests Tigers Coach Tim Sheens says his side should have never allowed Souths to come back into the game following the heart breaking loss at ANZ Stadium.

The loss sees Wests Tigers slip to fifth position on 28 points on a very congested Telstra Premiership ladder.

Fronting the media after the match, Sheens said it was hard to describe the feeling that saw his team let a 30-12 lead slip away only to lose the match as the siren sounded in golden point extra time.

“The room is just as disappointed as we were when they put 50 on us earlier this year, just for different reasons,’’ he said.

“We led virtually all the way. To lose in the dying seconds is heart breaking.

“Souths came up with some soft tries. I’m pretty disappointed with our defence.

“The young debutant (Dylan Farrell) scored three, that’s pretty ordinary from our people.

“We did enough to win that game, we made enough breaks, they had half their normal side.

“We had control of that game and should have won it.”

Sitting next to him and equally as shattered, Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah said it was game they should have never had lost.

“Just the softness of their tries. You are not suppose to lose those games,’’ Farah said.

“We’re better than that. We controlled the game, made numerous breaks we didn’t capitalise on and they shouldn’t have got close.

“But we gave them a sniff and when you do that, they start to throw the ball around.

“(Isaac) Luke and (Chris) Sandow get excited. We brought it on ourselves.”

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Bitter PILLOW to swallow?

Glad to see our media officer is as effective as our football was last night.

 

[Snake]

Professionalism is rife at the Weststigers.

 

[softlaw]

Gould completely correct. We got exactly what we deserved.

 

[Tiger_heart]

Check out the post-match press conference:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27521148-5018866,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That had to be the most solemn I've ever seen Sheens and Farah after a loss. Farah looked like he'd been crying. How the team moves forward from last night's loss will show a lot about the character of this year's side IMO. They can capitulate like they have done for the past 4 years, or they can learn from it and knuckle down and play the sort of football they know, and we know they are capable of.

Agree - but surely, having identified the lack of defense on that side of the field, it is up to the coach to change something. No good dishing up the same 13 next week and hoping that they will redeem themselves, they have had a chance to do that in the last 4-6 weeks now…

 

[Guest]

Wests Tigers captain blasts referee

By David Beniuk AAP Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:03:24

West Tigers captain Robbie Farah has unloaded on referee Jared Maxwell, accusing the whistle-blower of applying different standards in golden point extra time.

Maxwell was in charge as the Tigers lost their match 34-30 against injury-ravaged South Sydney in the final seconds of the extra period at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

"I definitely think there's a different set of rules in extra time than in general time," Farah told the Austereo network.

"I thought I had a penalty right on fulltime, actually, and Jared Maxwell had the whistle in his mouth but then I think he didn't have the kahunas to blow the whistle.

"He knew it would have decided the game and the referees, I think, they're scared to come up with that big call in extra time to give a penalty that's going to decide the game." The game was decided when Souths debutant Dylan Farrell completed his hat-trick with a stunning try created by veteran Rhys Wesser.

The loss punted the Tigers from the top four as they struggle to find any fluency despite eight wins from their last 11 games.

They also have injury concerns over centre Chris Lawrence (concussion) and winger Sam Latu (hamstring), while fullback Wade McKinnon (hamstring) and forward Todd Payten (back) pulled out of the clash with the Rabbitohs.

"We've got to continue to work on simply retaining possession and being a bit more patient," Farah told BigPond Sports Weekend.

"When we make breaks we think we've got to score on that play and we try a kick or a pass when we're better off … trying to score on the next play.

"Sometimes we do get a bit excited and it does cost us on the night when it doesn't come off for us.