Brissy Bulldog
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Bulldogs bemoan turns for the worse
By Steve Mascord
April 16, 2005
Bulldogs players identified two turning points which caused them to toss a 16-0 lead over Sydney Roosters into the sewer last night - and neither of them featured Adrian Morley.
The Great Britain enforcer was the name on everyone's lips after the Sydney Roosters beat the Bulldogs 29-16 at Telstra Stadium. His sending-off predated the Bondi Junction side hitting the front for the first time by all of two minutes.
But while Morley's name is up in lights this morning, it didn't rate much of a mention in the premiers' dressing rooms an hour after full-time.
Instead, second-rower Nate Myles being held up in the 25th minute and prop Roy Asotasi being denied a try by the video referee in the 65th were causing the most shaking of heads.
"I think Nate's was the biggest turning point," said five-eighth Braith Anasta. "If Nate scores that try, it's a massive turnaround."
With the Belmore boys ahead 16-0, rookie Myles threw a dummy and ambled over the line for what looked like the latest try in a procession.
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AdvertisementBut Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello showed why he is the Australian custodian by getting underneath Myles and holding him up.
Two minutes later, Roosters centre Ryan Cross scored at the other end. "It could have been 22-0, instead it was 16-6," lamented Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes.
Then there was Asotasi's "try", disallowed by fourth official Graeme West, with 15 minutes left and Ricky Stuart's men ahead by six.
Halfback Brent Sherwin kicked ahead, opposite number Brett Finch fumbled, Anasta dived for it and the big Kiwi claimed his four points under the posts.
Referee Paul Simpkins and West were not made available to the Herald last night when we called at their change rooms, but an NRL spokesman said the try was disallowed because Anasta was offside from the original kick.
Anasta said: "I didn't know why it was disallowed, to tell you the truth. I thought it was a try but they didn't, so that's the main thing.
"I think the ball might have ricocheted off my shoulder but I certainly didn't play at the ball or touch it with my hands. I didn't even see 'em look at it."
When Folkes was asked about the ruling at the post match media conference, he conducted a straw poll of reporters to see if anyone had thought his pivot was offside. None did.
Asotasi said: "All I saw was the ball over the try line and I tried to jump all over it.
"We were a bit unlucky but I guess the Roosters did do pretty good one man short."
But the Bulldogs did admit Morley's dismissal had a positive effect on their opponents.
"They fired up, played a lot smarter football," said Anasta. "We played dumb football.
"There were a number of turning points. Unfortunately, we let them get back into the game. That's our problem, no one else's."
By Steve Mascord
April 16, 2005
Bulldogs players identified two turning points which caused them to toss a 16-0 lead over Sydney Roosters into the sewer last night - and neither of them featured Adrian Morley.
The Great Britain enforcer was the name on everyone's lips after the Sydney Roosters beat the Bulldogs 29-16 at Telstra Stadium. His sending-off predated the Bondi Junction side hitting the front for the first time by all of two minutes.
But while Morley's name is up in lights this morning, it didn't rate much of a mention in the premiers' dressing rooms an hour after full-time.
Instead, second-rower Nate Myles being held up in the 25th minute and prop Roy Asotasi being denied a try by the video referee in the 65th were causing the most shaking of heads.
"I think Nate's was the biggest turning point," said five-eighth Braith Anasta. "If Nate scores that try, it's a massive turnaround."
With the Belmore boys ahead 16-0, rookie Myles threw a dummy and ambled over the line for what looked like the latest try in a procession.
Advertisement
AdvertisementBut Roosters fullback Anthony Minichiello showed why he is the Australian custodian by getting underneath Myles and holding him up.
Two minutes later, Roosters centre Ryan Cross scored at the other end. "It could have been 22-0, instead it was 16-6," lamented Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes.
Then there was Asotasi's "try", disallowed by fourth official Graeme West, with 15 minutes left and Ricky Stuart's men ahead by six.
Halfback Brent Sherwin kicked ahead, opposite number Brett Finch fumbled, Anasta dived for it and the big Kiwi claimed his four points under the posts.
Referee Paul Simpkins and West were not made available to the Herald last night when we called at their change rooms, but an NRL spokesman said the try was disallowed because Anasta was offside from the original kick.
Anasta said: "I didn't know why it was disallowed, to tell you the truth. I thought it was a try but they didn't, so that's the main thing.
"I think the ball might have ricocheted off my shoulder but I certainly didn't play at the ball or touch it with my hands. I didn't even see 'em look at it."
When Folkes was asked about the ruling at the post match media conference, he conducted a straw poll of reporters to see if anyone had thought his pivot was offside. None did.
Asotasi said: "All I saw was the ball over the try line and I tried to jump all over it.
"We were a bit unlucky but I guess the Roosters did do pretty good one man short."
But the Bulldogs did admit Morley's dismissal had a positive effect on their opponents.
"They fired up, played a lot smarter football," said Anasta. "We played dumb football.
"There were a number of turning points. Unfortunately, we let them get back into the game. That's our problem, no one else's."
