The Bandit
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Warhorses will prove their worth
Source: The Australian
By Darren Lockyer
Brisbane and Australia captain
August 18, 2006
THERE is always plenty at stake when Brisbane plays the Bulldogs, but tonight's game promises to be something special for all rugby league fans.
Over the years there have been many great forward packs and it's tough to compare eras, but I don't think there have been too many better packs than the two that will meet at Telstra Stadium.
I am glad I will have a No.6 on my back in the opening 20 minutes or so, when Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva, Sam Thaiday, Tonie Carroll and Brad Thorn take on the Bulldogs' Roy Asotasi, Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Reni Maitua and Andrew Ryan.
It is a case of the champion warhorses we have up here against the young bucks keen to take there crown.
They are two international-class packs going head to head, and it will be brutal.
The Bulldogs don't throw many surprises at you.
They hit you hard and hit you often. In recent weeks, they have simply battered teams into submission.
They don't give teams any respite. When Mason and O'Meley take a breather, they bring on Sonny Bill Williams and Nate Myles from the bench.
After being off their game for a couple of weeks, I thought our forwards were back to their dominant best last Sunday against the Storm.
They are keen to prove they still have plenty of good football left in them. I have every confidence our blokes can match the Bulldogs in the middle of the park, and then it comes down to the backline picking up its game.
Last weekend, some poor options, particularly on the last tackle, cost us. We can't afford to make the same mistakes this week or we will find ourselves on the end of another loss.
Halfback Shane Perry's knee looks back to 100 per cent. He has moved much better on the training track this week and the confidence he has taken from that has shown in the way his talk has improved.
Shane isn't the flashiest player in the competition, but he is important for us and our structure and will play a big role in our chances this season.
The other bloke who will help with correcting some of those last-tackle plays is Shaun Berrigan, who played his best game at hooker last week and was one of the better players on the field.
He was timing his runs out of dummy-half much better and given the confrontations and any extra metres he can get us out of there will be crucial.
As he gets more comfortable in the role, I think we will start to see him draw on his skills as a former halfback and really be a creative presence for us.
He knows how to spot a gap and has a deceptively good kicking game.
That will be especially important, because with halfback Brent Sherwin in their side, we know the Bulldogs' kicking game will be spot on.
This match will be won and lost by the team able to absorb the most pressure.
With the Telstra Stadium surface and the football likely to be slippery, you probably won't see many long, sweeping backline movements.
It will be an old-fashioned slog, and repeat sets, either through good kicks or opposition errors, will play an enormous role.
This sort of games and challenge is the reason we play.
I can't wait.
Source: The Australian
By Darren Lockyer
Brisbane and Australia captain
August 18, 2006
THERE is always plenty at stake when Brisbane plays the Bulldogs, but tonight's game promises to be something special for all rugby league fans.
Over the years there have been many great forward packs and it's tough to compare eras, but I don't think there have been too many better packs than the two that will meet at Telstra Stadium.
I am glad I will have a No.6 on my back in the opening 20 minutes or so, when Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva, Sam Thaiday, Tonie Carroll and Brad Thorn take on the Bulldogs' Roy Asotasi, Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Reni Maitua and Andrew Ryan.
It is a case of the champion warhorses we have up here against the young bucks keen to take there crown.
They are two international-class packs going head to head, and it will be brutal.
The Bulldogs don't throw many surprises at you.
They hit you hard and hit you often. In recent weeks, they have simply battered teams into submission.
They don't give teams any respite. When Mason and O'Meley take a breather, they bring on Sonny Bill Williams and Nate Myles from the bench.
After being off their game for a couple of weeks, I thought our forwards were back to their dominant best last Sunday against the Storm.
They are keen to prove they still have plenty of good football left in them. I have every confidence our blokes can match the Bulldogs in the middle of the park, and then it comes down to the backline picking up its game.
Last weekend, some poor options, particularly on the last tackle, cost us. We can't afford to make the same mistakes this week or we will find ourselves on the end of another loss.
Halfback Shane Perry's knee looks back to 100 per cent. He has moved much better on the training track this week and the confidence he has taken from that has shown in the way his talk has improved.
Shane isn't the flashiest player in the competition, but he is important for us and our structure and will play a big role in our chances this season.
The other bloke who will help with correcting some of those last-tackle plays is Shaun Berrigan, who played his best game at hooker last week and was one of the better players on the field.
He was timing his runs out of dummy-half much better and given the confrontations and any extra metres he can get us out of there will be crucial.
As he gets more comfortable in the role, I think we will start to see him draw on his skills as a former halfback and really be a creative presence for us.
He knows how to spot a gap and has a deceptively good kicking game.
That will be especially important, because with halfback Brent Sherwin in their side, we know the Bulldogs' kicking game will be spot on.
This match will be won and lost by the team able to absorb the most pressure.
With the Telstra Stadium surface and the football likely to be slippery, you probably won't see many long, sweeping backline movements.
It will be an old-fashioned slog, and repeat sets, either through good kicks or opposition errors, will play an enormous role.
This sort of games and challenge is the reason we play.
I can't wait.