Saints v Tigers Rnd 19 (2000)

Round 19
Friday
9th June
7.30pm
Saints v
Wests Tigers
Venue:
Campbelltown Stadium
Saints on TV 2000

Match Preview
& Team

Match
Report & Results

TV / Video Capture

This Weeks

Sound File

Scrapbook

Referee Rating

PREVIEW: The last time these two teams met was back in round 6. The Tigers won 15 - 9 in a close encounter. It was a disappointing loss and one of those games where we should have taken the 2 points.
Saints have to be on the look out for John Hopoate who is always dangerous wide of the ruck. As well, Craig Field and Darren Senter will no doubt bore us all to tears with their constant intimidation of the ref.
Last week, we saw Saints put in their best game of the year. The question is , can they keep it up? Too often this year we have seen Saints 'get back on track' only to fall down on their duties one or two weeks later.
Although we would love to see another big win, none of us are getting our expectations too high. However, as Barrett gets better and better every week and with the forwards growing in confidence, I can't see anything other than a solid victory for the Dragons.
SAINTS BY 14

FOOTY TAB:
Saints: 2 .5 start

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS TEAMS WESTS
TIGERS

Referee: Tim Mander

Amos Roberts Nathan Blacklock Lee Hookey Jamie Ainscough* Lee Murphy Trent Barrett Luke Branighan Luke Bailey* Nathan Brown(c) Craig Smith(c) Darren Treacy* Andrew Hart Wayne Bartrim Res:

Chris Leikvoll Jason Hooper Jamie Fitzgerald Terry Lamey

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Res: 14 15 16 17

Matt Seers Joel Caine Kevin McGuinness John Carlaw John Hopoate Ben Duckworth Craig Field Shane Walker Darren Senter(c) John Skandalis Mark O'Neill Luke O'Donnell Tyran Smith Res: C. Mescia S. Georgallis J. Doyle M. Gillett

*Saints team changes
OUT: Ainscough, Bailey, Treacy;
IN: Wes Patten, Cooper, Ward

TEAMS AT KICK OFF:

Match Conditions: Friday Night match. Light breeze favours Tigers 1st half. Rain late in 2nd half

Attendance: 15,263
POST MATCH SUMMARY:
SAINTS 36 v TIGERS 24
(Half time: Saints 22-6)
2 players sent off: Lamey (Saints), Hopoate (Tigers)
MAN OF THE MATCH: Nathan Blacklock scores a hat trick of tries ! The scoreline ultimately flattered Wests Tigers. Tigers scored 2 late tries against a Dragons forward line who had already done the job on a defiant Tigers team.
If not for some tired Saints defence, we could have seen a much higher score going our way. Regardless of this, the Dragons have shown that the crisis has passed the point of being an epidemic.
Nathan Blacklock is still unsigned for 2001. If any of you jokers at The Club are reading this, SIGN BLACKLOCK !!!! and do it soon !
Fantastic win ... fantastic to watch... FULL MATCH REPORT: The first 20 minutes, a summary:
Saints began the match full of pep. In the opening minutes, Tigers' Matt Seers knocked on in front of his own line and the Dragons rallied around each other...the indication seemed to be that they were going turn the error into points. Their confidence was rewarded with a try, and then another before the Tigers got hold of the ball. After 7 minutes, Saints were leading 10 nil and the Tigers were in all sorts of strife.
True to their nature, the Tigers resorted to gutter tactics and Hopoate started an all-in brawl. Talk about a set up! The melee almost spilled into the crowd and the ref, keen to keep his job, sent both Hopoate and Lamey to the sheds for the rest of the match. This seemed like an over reaction and the 2 players sent off couldn't believe it. As they left the field, they appeared to be discussing the ref's decision. Also sent off were Senter and Murphy, both sin binned for 10 minutes for their part in the punch up. The action of the ref served only to frustrate as less than a minute later, another dust up began.
This gave the Tigers an opportunity to get back in the match and they scored. I guess you could say that Hopoate's tactics worked. Unfortunately for everyone, he managed to get himself and Lamey sent off. Saints' forward pack, already down on personnel, was now seriously depleted.
With both teams down to 11 men each, the nature of the game changed dramatically as players struggled to mark their opposites and close up the gaps which were appearing everywhere. 10 minutes later, Senter and Murphy returned. By now the dust had settled and both teams were feeling the pinch. The momentum of the match had levelled out.
2 min: Leikvoll bursts through from 10 m out and should have scored next to the uprights. Fullback, Seers pulls off a try saving tackle. In the next movement, Barrett kicks into the in-goal, the fullback is not at home and Blacklock pounces. The relatively easy conversion from Bartrim misses. Score: Saints 4 - 0
4 min: From the kick-off, Saints go on the attack. Hookey flicks the ball to Barrett who makes a fine run down the right flank, crossing the half way line. With the cover converging and still 45 metres out, he puts in an excellent running kick which bounces perfectly into the Tigers' in-goal. A good chase from Murphy is rewarded as Seers is trapped behind his own try line. Seers, who looks like a bloke having a bad day, argues with the ref that Barrett went into touch. The replay shows nothing of the sort but already, the Tigers are moaning.
6 min: It's Barrett again. Saints have had all the ball and are capitalising. Barrett puts in a cross field kick to Hookey's wing. Unable to catch the ball without going into to touch, Hookey leaps high and bats the ball back in field. The ball lands in the arms of Roberts who runs towards the tryline unopposed, scoring near the posts. Barto kicks this one. Score: Saints 10 - 0
8 min: Saints' first tackle. Tackle count after 8 minutes: Saints 1 - Tigers 30.
10 min: Plenty of niggling cheap shots happening in the tackles as players are being held down. Crowd booing loudly. Both teams holding down and both teams not getting back the 10 metres. The niggle, however, is coming from the Tigers. The ref penalises the Tigers twice in the space of 3 minutes. Things are heating up.
12, 13, 14 min: Brawling begins. For a full fight report, see ref report below. Lamey sent off. Hopoate sent off. Murphy sin binned. Senter sin binned.
17 min: Matt Seers scores for the Tigers out wide. Joel Caine conversion attempt misses. Score: Saints 10 - 4
23 min: Murphy and Senter return.
28, 29, 30 min: Senter held up over Saints line as Tigers put on a series of raids. The Dragons' defence looks to be under stress and the possession rate is now going the way of the Tigers. Exciting stuff follows from the scrum base as Tigers almost score out wide. An intercept attempt from Murphy hits the deck. The attack continues and Tigers get a penalty right in front as Saints are offside. The Tigers practically give themselves up when they go for the goal rather than taking the tap. After having the weight of possession against them, the Dragons line looked set to be breached. Instead they get a rest and only concede 2 points. This was as close as the Tigers will get and they take the wimp option. When Senter points to the posts, a large section of the Tiger's home crowd sigh and put out a collective moan, something which they have obviously picked up from their team. Caine kicks the goal. Score: Saints 10 - 6
33 min: Although the Dragons are still in front, they are clearly losing the match with most of the team looking dead on their feet. They were on the wrong end of the tackle count during the '11 men each' period and it's starting to show. In open space, Chris Leikvoll can barely walk, let alone run and the back up seems to be thinning out. The G & D which they displayed soon after shows just how deep this team is willing to dig when their backs are to the wall. In the final minutes of the 1st half, they did their jumpers proud.
It was Barrett once again who set things up. Inside in his own half, a Barrett pass puts Colin Ward into a gap. Wardy looked great in full flight but was never going to go all the way. Backing up was none other than the comp's top try scorer and Ward didn't need to look any further. The pass was good and Blacklock scores under the sticks. We sense that this is the turning point of the match. Tingha coverts his own try and there's no looking back. After this, Saints go from strength to strength. Score: 16 - 6
37 min: Saints are now keen as ever and are playing the same footy that earned them 10 points in the opening minutes. Barrett perfectly places a kick into the Tigers corner forcing Seers to play at it. A good chase sees the Tigers fullback lose the ball behind his tryline and into touch. Its a line drop out and once again Saints rally and are determined to score. From the re-start, Smith and Ward hit it up to get within 25 metres. Barrett makes a half break and gets within 20 metres. In the next play, Saints put on a simple move with Roberts from dummy half sending the ball to Brown who sees a gap and Luke Branighan running through it. Branighan scores his first try in first grade. Many more to come. Bartrim converts. Score: Saints 22 - 6
44 min: Luke O'Donnell, the Tigers' best player makes a break up the middle. The ball is kicked into the in-goal and recovered by Amos Roberts who turns it around and gets back into play. Good footy all round.
45 min: It's hard to work out who is the biggest rat bag in this Tigers' outfit. Darren Senter, Mark O'Neill, Craig Field or Luke O'Donnell (I take back what I said about him being the best Tigers' player). In the space of 30 seconds, Senter and O'Neill combine to thump up a tackled Bartrim shortly followed by O'Donnell going in with a raised elbow into Branighan's chin. This brought the Saints' half back to his knees. Branighan put in a good kick and was knocked out by a late and high elbow by O'Donnell who proceeded to yell and pull at Branighan to get up and insisted that he was playing possum. It was a disgrace to see an unconscious player being pulled about like this. With O'Donnell yelling abuse at a dazed Branighan, the Saints trainer had to intervene to tell O'Donnell to f**k off. The penalty was awarded and O'Donnell is on report. Sorry to go on about this but it was a shameful act. Here's hoping the judiciary feels the same. The penalty goal is successful from Bartrim.
Score: Saints 24 - 6
50 min: Craig Field puts in an ordinary grubber and Matt Cooper fumbles it. Field scores. Joel Caine converts.
Score: Saints 24 - 12
53 min: The Tigers are trying start fights at every opportunity. The more I watch the replay, the more apparent it is. I suppose it's a question of discipline. Nathan Brown gets kicked in the head after falling on a loose ball and although he glares at the Tigers player, he just decides to get on with the match and play the ball. Moments later, at the other end of the field, Mescia is tackled ball and all by Hart. Mescia gets up, delivers a light punch and wants to fight...Hart just pushes off and does more defensive work. Its interesting to see how Saints know that they are winning and the Tigers are grasping at any tactic they can think of to unsettle their opponents. Amos Roberts makes a fine break during this section of play, running a good 40 m out from his 10 metre area after fielding a bomb.
57 min: Field doesn't find touch after Tigers get penalty.
60 min: Saints gets an offside penalty in the set that follows. Barto kicks the goal. Score: Saints 26 - 12
62 min: Good lead up work from Colin Ward, Jason Hooper and Lee Hookey puts Wes Patten down the right flank at the Saints 40 metre line. Wes runs it for its worth and then puts in an excellent in-field kick. The chaser is none other than Nathan Blacklock who was never going to do anything other than catch the bouncing football and put it down under the sticks for another hat trick. Great try! Conversion Barto OK. Score: Saints 32 - 12
67 min: 10 metres out from Tigers' line, Saints have a 2 man overlap on the right flank: Wes Patten-> Barrett -> Lee Hookey who scores a soft try out wide. Kick from Barto across the face of goal. Rain is falling at a drizzle. Score: Saints 36 -12
74 min: Saints look tired and Tigers are standing in tackles. A defender (Branighan) slips over. McGuinness scores for Tigers and Caine converts. Score: Saints: 36 - 18
79 min: Mescia scores after getting through the ordinary defence of Ward and Brown. Caine converts. Score: Saints 36 - 24

Final assessment:
As the match progressed it was obvious that Craig Smith is a tremendously valuable player. He was never far from the front line and had a near faultless match. By night's end, the Dragons showed their opponents how to play the game. With more attacking options, Saints were just too hot for a Tigers team running out of ideas.
I know Saints let in two late tries and this is supposed to be a bad sign. But after a few hours of video capture, I have to say that this was no ordinary game. Tigers' tactics were appalling. If they think they have a chance in this comp, forget it. This is not 1969 and no one wins comps anymore by acting like rabble. It seems that the Tigers are still living in the shadow of prehistoric times when thuggery was seen as prerequisite to man-hood. I started looking at this replay with an open mind but the further I got into the slo-mo action, the more I saw of the Tigers style of play - and most of it was disgraceful. My final analysis is that the Tigers are possibly the most ill disciplined team in the NRL and full credit goes to the Dragons for keeping things on the straight and narrow against an avalanche of foul and cowardly play. Every time a Dragons player made a break or put on a good tackle, it seemed that there was someone in the opposition ready to settle the score. The Tigers felt it appropriate to intimidate the good players and bash up the injured. I don't know what the Tigers were on or what they were comimg down from but it didn't work and Saints ran away with the match simply because they came to play football.
The Dragons were without key players today and they had to put up with an opponent who is a lower grade of footballer. For these reasons, I'm willing to overlook the last 10 minutes and praise the players to the hilt. It was a great win!

FULL TIME SCORE: SAINTS 36 - TIGERS 24
Saints Best
3- Blacklock , 2- Smith, 1- Barrett

Stats:

Chris Leikvoll goes close to scoring
	In the next play, Nathan Blacklock scores

The Roberts' try. Coming from a Barrett cross field kick...onto Hookey and next stop, Amos Roberts.

THE BRAWL

Hopoate doing all the swinging	The fans are getting in on the act.
Players running in from all over.	It could be a Conga Line, you never know...
At least the boys behind the fence like it.	Hopoate and Lamey on their way to an early shower

Barrett on the receiving end from Mad Dog Doyle.

Colin Ward into space and Blacklock backs up to score...

Luke Branighan scores the first of many...

HALF TIME

Wayne looking like he needs a 2nd drink.

THE ELBOW
This was perhaps the most disturbing incident in the match

O'Donnell comes in late & high on Branighan	Branighan is concussed
O'Donnell pulls at the lifeless Branighan and yells abuse.	He goes on with it and is unrepentant.

Captain Darren Senter (check out the neck veins!) is reported to chastise O'Donnell for the late tackle. But our lip reader clearly sees Senter's anger being directed at O'Donnells' inability to properly cover up his thuggery. 'What were you thinkimg? Wipe the guy and just get out of there! Why did you hang around?'
The penalty cost Tigers 2 points. The action stuffed up Branighan's head.
I'm beginning to wonder what these guys have put in their coffee.

Wes Patten sets up the next Blacklock try with a beaut in-field kick.

Lee Hookey scores Saints' final try in the 67th minute

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Nathan Blacklock -Man of the match

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SCRAP BOOK
From Daily Telegraph (Syd) Saturday, June 10

Tempers fray...Wests Tigers' Justin Doyle throws a punch at Trent Barrett last night.

Picture: MARK EVANS

REFEREE & TOUCH JUDGES & VID REF

REFEREE: TIM MANDER

Total Referee or Touch Judge errors = 5
Errors in favour of Saints = 2
Errors in favour of Tigers = 3
Penalty Count: Saints 6 - Tigers 7
Comments:
FIGHT REPORT
For most of the match, the ref let go a number of infringements. Apart from the numerous forward passes and at least 2 little knock ons, the players were getting away with 2nd tackles, holding down, offside play, high tackles and laying in the ruck. Also, I saw a bit of gouging activity (30th minute: a distressed looking Hooper having to leave the field after getting a 'facial' from Mark O'Niell). It was a tough and often spiteful match. For this reason, it was almost impossible to list all errors made by the ref and just like Mander, we have decided to let most of them go without notice.
However, the ref could have done more to quell the growing resentment which was resonating across Campbelltown Stadium in the opening 10 minutes. Instead he just let things roll on in the hope that sanity would prevail. To make matters worse, he gave Saints 2 penalties which were warranted but not consistent as both teams were playing offside and infringing in the play the ball area. Its possible that he was trying to crack down on the Tigers who were guilty of a number of cheap shots on the tackled player. Wayne Bartrim was being tempted to react but to his credit, he kept his cool. In the 12th minute, he copped a coat hanger around the face and there was no reaction from the ref or the touchies. It was a nasty head high which kept Barto down for a good minute.
The growing frustration amongst the players culminated in the 12th minute with a huge brawl. There is no doubt that John Hopoate threw the first punch at Terry Lamey who instigated the first shove. Then it was on for young and old.
The decision of the ref to send both players off, and sin bin two others (Murphy and Senter) may have seemed like an over reaction at the time but the replay shows a number of small ball boys nearby who were actually in danger of being trampled. I firmly believe that a sin binning only would have been enough punishment, but I can't blame the ref for sending them off. We should consider the events in Nth Qld a number weeks back when some cheer girls were injured by players brawling over the side line (who was the ref for that match? - seems to have disappeared). It should be clear to all players that while we accept the occasional punch up as part and parcel of the game, the second they leave the field of play they deserve whatever the ref dishes up to them. While the players may find that a send off is punishment enough, it wouldn't surprise me to see the judiciary make examples of Lamey and Hopoate and suspend them both.
Having said that, it was a set up and Lamey initially just stood his ground as Hopoate let loose with his fists. Lamey may have caught a cold considering the number of air swings that were breezing past his nose. Ultimately, they were going toe to toe and others were getting stuck in as well. Things got real ugly when they hit the advertising sign and at least one fan was leaning over and lashing out with a punch. Players were running in from everywhere and although some seem to be trying to break it up, they were also adding to the confusion. All in all it was real beaut dust up! Not that we approve of that sort of thing.
If the ref thought sending players off would settle things down, he was wrong. In the next play, Barrett simply ran into Doyle who responded with a brain explosion, thumping into Barrett who was on the ground and really copping it. These were no air swings and Doyle's fists were landing well and truly on Barrett's head. The ref really stuffed it up this time, calling out an innocent Andrew Hart and castigating him for being the instigator. The replay shows that Doyle acted like a drongo and gave a defenceless Barrett a real thumping. Incredibly, the ref penalised Hart who had nothing to do with the incident.
By this stage, the ref had lost control and the match was only 14 minutes old. He had made a number of minor errors but the Hart penalty was his first blatant error.
LIST OF BLATANT ERRORS
14 min: Penalty to Tigers (see previous paragraph). Error favours Tigers.
24 min: Ref penalises Tigers for 2nd tackle on one of the rare occasions that there wasn't a 2nd tackle. Error favours Saints.
39 min: Just before half time, one of the game's biggest whingers, Darren Senter, belts Lee Murphy in the jaw while Murphy is on his back. The touchie reports it to the ref after the half time is sounded. The ref gives Senter a warning and threatens to send him off if he does something similar again. Although Senter acted like a thug for the rest of the match, he never got more than another warning. Remember, this guy is the team captain. The main error here is with the touch judge who saw the incident but waited until half time to tell the ref. If he saw an illegal act, he should report it immediately. Goodness know, they are usually on the pitch at a drop of a hat. Touch judge error favours Tigers.
41 min: O'Donnell makes a break and is close to the Dragons line. He is tripped up by Ward when trying to quickly play the ball. The ref penalises O'Donnell for incorrect play the ball. Error favours Saints.
47 min: Hookey has ball stripped and it's called as a one on one tackle but blow me down if there wasn't two in the tackle. Error favours Tigers.

Considering the volatile nature of the match, it appears that ref Mander did a fair job. He was often left with no choice but to let things flow. The match was full of incidents and these were generally dealt with in a professional manner.
Overall rating: 7 / 10

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