Kevin Gordon launches website!
I'd have had Hayne at fullback for sure.
Uate facing Origin ban over tackle
By Ian McCullough AAP Mon, Jun 06, 2011 - 10:35 PM
Newcastle's NSW flyer Akuila Uate was too distraught to talk after his State of Origin hopes were placed in doubt after he was put on report for a dangerous tackle in the Knights' 17-16 golden point NRL defeat to Wests Tigers.
Blues coach Ricky Stuart, who has already lost Michael Jennings, Josh Dugan, Kade Snowden and Brett Morris to injury, must now consider calling up another winger.
Uate, who snubbed reporters after the game, unlikely to escape sanction after lifting Tigers centre Tim Simona between the legs and dumping him on his back, seven minutes from time.
Penrith's Luke Lewis was charged with a similar offence, ironically against Newcastle, last year and was ruled out of the second Origin clash in Brisbane by the NRL's match review committee, and Uate will find out on Tuesday if he will face a similar punishment.
Knights coach Rick Stone believed Uate should have been penalised but said he felt a decision to ban the Fijian-born star would be harsh.
"I don't think there was anything too malicious in that," Stone said.
"The judiciary will have a close look and we'll understand what that means.
"He might have put his hands between his legs but where the player landed, he definitely landed more on his back.
"Any time you put your hand between the legs it's a grey area and they crack down pretty hard on that.
"I don't think there was much in the tackle. It deserved a penalty and that's sufficient I'd suggest.
"It's probably an amateurish error from Aku. Sometimes things go wrong."
Tigers coach Tim Sheens was unconcerned about the prospect of Uate missing next Wednesday's Origin clash and claimed Simona, who was impressive on debut, was lucky to avoid serious injury.
"He picked him up in the wrong place and dumped the kid on his shoulder, he has now got icing on his shoulder and there is no doubt that it was not a good look," Sheens said.
"(Missing Origin) is not my problem, the judiciary will take care of that but the match review committee will have to look at the tackle tomorrow."
Sheens said the injury news about Lote Tuqiri was better than first expected, and the dual international winger may only miss one week after limping off with an ankle injury just six minutes into his comeback from a broken arm that had sidelined him since round three.
"It is an ankle injury that isn't too bad, I don't think it will require a moon boot or anything, it improved as the night went on," Sheens said.
"Maybe, with the short week and us going to New Zealand he may miss out, but the week after he should be OK.
"Having Beau (Ryan) there was fortunate for us, you don't count on losing a winger in the game that early, so we were down to 16 from the start, so it was a good effort from the boys considering we had to play more than 80 minutes."
Robbie Farah's field-goal with three minutes of extra time remaining sealed the win for the Tigers, their first in this manner since round five in 2007.
The victory moves Sheens' side to seventh spot on the ladder with defeat for the Knights keeping them in ninth position.
NSW Origin recall surprises Minichiello
By Ian McCullough AAP Tue, Jun 07, 2011 - 8:16 PM
Less than three years after being told to consider retiring, Anthony Minichiello describes his shock recall to the NSW side as one of the highlights of his career.
The former golden boot winner was a Blues mainstay from 2003-05 before being struck down by serious neck and back injuries that sidelined him for almost three seasons.
His last appearance in a NSW shirt was in the opening game of the 2007 series and the Sydney Roosters veteran was as surprised as anyone when coach Ricky Stuart named him in the side after Josh Dugan was ruled out with an ankle injury.
"It's real exciting for myself and everyone around me to get back and play at the top level and a privilege to pull on the Blues jumper again," Minichiello said.
"I woke up yesterday and there was a lot of speculation and phone calls, and then Ricky was saying if Dugan does pull out then I would be picked.
"I spoke to him later in the afternoon and he said that was the case and then Dugan pulled out a couple of hours later and I was in camp."
During his darkest times, spending hours in the gym trying to rehabilitate his battered body, the 31-year-old said the thought of getting back to the form that made him the best player in the world in 2005 kept him going - and made his recall mean so much.
"When you are young and you play three series in a row you think it will be forever and I just thought it would keep coming, but it doesn't and you find out the hard way sometimes," he said.
"This time is much sweeter, you savour these moments being in camp and being part of this experience."
Minichiello admits there were plenty of low points in his bid to get back on the field but quitting was never on the agenda, despite medical advice to the contrary.
"I was cut down at the height of my career but the lowest point was my neck injury, I had two back operations and ... when I came back, my back was feeling pretty good, so when I damaged my neck it was hard to take," he said.
"Retiring was never an option for me but other people were hinting at it.
"I just worked hard and built my body from the ground up again and it has paid off."
Manly coach Des Hasler revealed Stuart asked him for advice on whether Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart was ready for an Origin recall before calling up Minichiello.
However, the Sea Eagles boss told the Blues coach picking Stewart was too big a risk after a series of hamstring problems that have dogged him all season.
"I think they just have to go with the fittest and the healthiest," Hasler said.
"They made that call with young (Michael) Jennings, they made that call with Josh Dugan.
"Brett is getting back there but is still a bit away so I can understand them going back to someone who is fully fit.
"In that particular arena you can't afford to be losing a player early in the game."