Finals Week 3: St George Illawarra Dragons vs Wests Tigers

[Steelers]

St George Illawarra Dragons vs. Wests Tigers
Saturday September 25, 2010 - ANZ Stadium

St George Illawarra Dragons
Team yet to be named

Wests Tigers
Team yet to be named

[Steelers]

This game in 2005 was the most painful sporting experience I have ever experienced. That was our best chance, and we fell at one of the final hurdles. Time to erase those demons and earn our spot in this years GF.

[TITAN PETE]

Dwyer free to take on Dragons

AAP Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:27:07
Boom Wests Tigers forward Simon Dwyer is free to play in Saturday night's blockbuster NRL preliminary final against St George Illawarra despite being charged for a high tackle.

Dwyer was placed on report for a 76th minute shot on Canberra forward Joe Picker last Friday night, also drawing a penalty which almost sent the semi-final into extra time.

Raiders centre Jarrod Croker missed the relatively-simple penalty goal attempt and the Tigers went on to win 26-24 at Canberra Stadium.

Dwyer has received a grade one careless high tackle charge and will avoid a ban regardless of whether he enters the early guilty plea or unsuccessfully defends himself at the NRL judiciary.

The charge comes a week after he avoided any action over a shot which left Sydney Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves concussed.

The Tigers play the Dragons at ANZ Stadium for a place in the October 3 grand final.

The news isn't as good for Raiders prop Scott Logan, who has been handed a grade four careless high tackle charge for a 46th minute hit that left Tigers lock Chris Heighington groggy.

Logan will miss one match with the early plea and two if he loses a case at the judiciary.

[TITAN PETE]

Dragons 'tight defence' can repel Tigers

By Ben Horne AAP Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:24:24
St George Illawarra admit they can't prepare for exactly what Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall will throw at them in Saturday night's blockbuster NRL preliminary final.

However Marshall's New Zealand team-mate Jason Nightingale is confident the Dragons' renowned defence can repel the Tigers and their attacking ace.

Marshall was the chief destroyer back in 2005 when Wests upset the Dragons under similar circumstances in a preliminary final for the ages at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Like this year, the Dragons enjoyed the week's break in '05 and started as huge favourites, only for Marshall and the confident Tigers to spoil their party.

However, St George Illawarra shut out Wests 34-10 in round 16 this season, and Nightingale said that's what his team will look back to, not the nightmares of '05.

"We hope to do what we did to them last time and work for each other," Nightingale said.

"You're going to miss tackles and last time we didn't have our best defensive effort but we were there for each other covering up when they did make their line breaks.

"Obviously everyone has seen what Benji can do but that doesn't mean you know how to defend (against) it.

"You never know exactly what he's going to come up with, he obviously sticks to the game plan but sometimes that can go a bit off course and damage can be done. So obviously we'll just have to be on our toes, there's nothing you can really do to plan for exactly what Benji Marshall's going to do."

Pressure and expectation got the better of St George Illawarra so many times before, but Nightingale said they are coping and know exactly what's at stake when they run out on Saturday night in front of an anticipated crowd of more than 65,000.

"Everyone knows the result of winning this game but until we get there it's in our own hands and this week we have to turn up otherwise we don't need to even think any further ahead of that," he said.

"Obviously all the fans have been waiting a long time and they try and get in your ear a little bit but you've got to not worry too much about the questions they pose to you.

"I just say it's all good in due time, we'll worry about this week first."

[TITAN PETE]

Water Cooler: The last men standing

Ben Blaschke NRL.com Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:47:00

It has proved to be the bane of many a minor premier but St George Illawarra forward Ben Creagh is adamant that the week off will benefit the Dragons in 2010 as injuries continue to play their part in the premiership race.

A week after Creagh helped send a bruised and battered Manly outfit on an early holiday, Penrith became the latest victim of another long season last Saturday night when they lost three players to injury in the first half alone, before being sent packing 34-12 by the Sydney Roosters.

But while their opponents in this week’s grand final qualifier, Wests Tigers, have also had their injury woes of late, Creagh believes the Dragons have never felt better as they look to claim their maiden premiership.

“It’s been a long year but I actually feel quite fresh,” Creagh told NRL.com. “I think the week off came at a really good time for us this year.

“It’s always good to give the legs a rest and a few of our guys welcomed the extra break.

“I think we’ve had our fair share of injuries during the year and have only started to get some of those guys back the last eight weeks or so, so things seem to be working out well and we’re feeling good.”

The Dragons were the great disappointments of last year’s finals series, crashing out in straight sets after finishing the regular season at the top of the table, but Creagh said both the players and coaching staff had learnt their lessons from those failures.

Coach Wayne Bennett even warmed up for the finals by resting halves Jamie Soward and Ben Hornby for the Round 26 win over South Sydney, but the week off has proved invaluable after prop Michael Weyman was restricted to just 37 minutes against the Sea Eagles two weeks ago because of a chronic groin problem.

“Personally I felt a lot worse by finals time last year,” he said. “For a few of us it was our first year playing State of Origin and just learning how to cope with that and backing up with games.

“I didn’t have a week off at all last year because our bye weeks coincided with Origin, so by the end of the year I was pretty tired.

“But I think the club and the coaching staff have managed it a lot better this year – giving us days off from training when we’ve needed it and really tapering everything back.

“It’s been short, sharp and intense when you’re there but we haven’t been on the field too long – we’ve been saving that for the weekend.

“But as I said, any time you get a break these days you take it so I think we’ll head into this week’s game feeling pretty good.”

The Dragons are the fittest of the four remaining sides heading into this week’s semi-finals with Dan Hunt the only remaining casualty from an early season injury crisis.

Nathan Fien returned to the field six weeks ago from a broken leg suffered in Round 1, while Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith and Ben Hornby have all overcome injury concerns.

Star centre Mark Gasnier is also starting to find some form after returning to the NRL mid-season.

The Roosters are also looking fit but will be sweating on the availability of winger Phil Graham who tore a pectoral muscle in Saturday’s win over Penrith.

The Gold Coast are hoping fullback Preston Campbell returns from a hamstring injury in time to take on the Roosters this Friday and some doubts still remain over a number of key players including Scott Prince, Luke Bailey, Mat Rogers, Brad Meyers, Ashley Harrison and Steve Michaels.

And although the Tigers welcomed back Chris Lawrence against Canberra last week, they still have injury concerns surrounding half a dozen players – including Benji Marshall and Gareth Ellis.

When the four remaining coaches in this year’s title race prepare for battle this weekend, it’s not only victory that they’ll be hoping for – it’s also that the likes of Jamie Soward, Benji Marshall, Todd Carney and Scott Prince make it through unscathed.

As Penrith coach Matthew Elliott said after watching his side limp into an early Christmas on Saturday night: “Our continuity was slightly compromised coming into the game through changes… and was then probably completely thrown out of whack.

“We had a side where if we had everyone available we would have been a handful but when you lose your two key strike players early in the game and then a back-rower, it makes it difficult.”

[Adelaide Titan]

If the titans win i'd rather play the Tigers in the final but i think the Dragons will be too good here

[TITAN PETE]

Dragons v Wests Tigers Preview

NRL.com Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:47:00
Dragons v Wests Tigers
ANZ Stadium
Saturday 7.45pm

Sorry Dragons fans, but the eerily familiar, d?j?-vu like circumstances of this preliminary final are too blatant to overlook: in 2005 the week-rested Dragons trotted out as firm favourites to advance to the NRL grand final, but were ripped to shreds by the underdog Tigers – who went on to win the title the following week. Gulp.

So what’s changed to suggest that won’t happen again?

Plenty.

The Dragons have two years of grinding consistency behind them under the best coach in the business, including two minor premierships. Yes they were bundled out in ‘straight sets’ in last year’s finals race but their ruthless 28-0 demolition of the Sea Eagles a fortnight ago showed they have the mental focus required to take the title in 2010. For 60 minutes the Dragons strangled the Sea Eagles, repelled their best attacking efforts, then unleashed a barrage of tries in the final 20 minutes. It showed they are a disciplined, measured unit who can still turn on the strike-power when they need to.

Meanwhile the Tigers are riding a wave of enthusiasm and good form. They’ve won four of their past six, the two defeats narrow ones to the Titans (21-18) in Round 26 and Roosters (19-15) in Week One of the finals, when a try to Shaun Kenny-Dowall against the run of play in the 100th minute sealed the result.

Supposedly busted and riddled with injuries, they were given no chance against the Raiders in Canberra last week, but took that game by the scruff of the neck early and repelled a brave Raiders comeback.

Benji Marshall showed no signs of a knee injury that many feared would sideline him for the rest of the season, and all their troops left the nation’s capital fairly healthy.

Which brings us to this week.

The Dragons have had a fortnight to drill their squad, which is unchanged from the Sea Eagles win. Meanwhile the Tigers have made the odd shuffle on paper – Todd Payten moves from the back row to start at prop, with Liam Fulton elevated from the bench to start in the second row. Bryce Gibbs will enter the game off the bench, which also boasts Ben Murdoch-Masila, Sean Dwyer and Daniel Fitzhenry. Mark Flanagan is in jersey no.18 with the promising Andrew Fifita – who has only seen 23 minutes of game time in the Tigers’ past two matches – in no.19. (We doubt he’ll get a run.)

Some random points of interest: the Dragons have won 14 of the 16 times they’ve led at halftime in 2010; Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith and Michael Weyman have each lost to the Tigers just once in their careers – but the Dragons have won only five of 13 games when playing in front of crowds in excess of 40,000.

Watch out Dragons: They need to watch Lote Tuqiri, Benji Marshall, Robbie Farah and the back-rowers Liam Fulton and Gareth Ellis… although not necessarily in that order.

Farah and Marshall are masters of the lateral drift, where they inflict pain on oppositions one of three ways: they’ll dummy outside before picking up Ellis, Fulton or Chris Heighington on the inside… or they’ll dummy to inside runners and shift wide to the flanks… or they may even run themselves.

The biggest worry for the Dragons is reading Marshall – the Tigers have thrown more dummies at the line than any other team (462). But the double whammy is Marshall is likely to throw four dummies in two seconds – then put on a sprint of his own. He doesn’t need to score points from such moves – he just needs to get the Dragons in two minds and start to break up their rigid defensive structure. If he can achieve this, the points will come.

On their side of the weakness ledger, Jamie Soward needs to have his best goal-kicking boots on. Over the past few weeks even the most accurate kickers in Michael Gordon and Jarrod Croker have missed ‘gimme’ shots at goal that have consigned their sides to defeat and an NRL exit. Soward is ranked 13th in the comp for goalkicking with a worrying 72 per cent.

The Dragons need to improve on their pressure-building down the other end too – they have forced their opponents into the fewest line drop-out restarts all year (just 24).

Watch out Wests Tigers: The Tigers need to unsettle the Dragons and not allow them to get into their rhythm. The Red V have completed more sets than any side all year (78.5 per cent), missed the least tackles (659) and conceded the fewest line-breaks (3.2 per game).

Also, they need to somehow find a way to limit Mark Gasnier’ impact – he’s scored 20 tries from his past 13 games against the Tigers, to become the most prolific tryscorer against them.

While they are the masters of razzle-dazzle within their own half (see below) the Tigers need to make sure they don’t surrender possession down their end of the field – something they’ve done far too often in 2010 (78 handling errors in their own half – second most in the NRL). They can’t afford to do that in a grand final qualifier.

Where it will be won: Defence. That might sound strange given the Wests Tigers are arguably the biggest entertainers in the NRL, but hear us out.

Tim Sheens’ boys are the masters of innovative attack – they’ve thrown the most passes within their own half (2480). They also lead the comp for tries scored from long range, with 23 originating from within their own half – the latest to Lote Tuqiri off a beautiful set play from a scrum last week. But here they come up against the most disciplined side in the competition, one that has given up a miserly 299 points all year (just 11.9 a game!) and let in just four tries from long range – the fewest by any side.

Neither team really has a weak side of the field – the Dragons have conceded an even spread of 20 tries on their left side and 19 on their right, while the Tigers have conceded 31 tries on each of their left and right sides. So, good defensive reads will be crucial for both teams.

But the Dragons’ scramble defence might hold the key – they led the comp with 121 try saves through Round 26, while the Tigers had a middle-of-the-road 88.

The history: Played 19; Dragons 10, Wests Tigers 9. The Wests Tigers have won five of the past eight clashes and hold a 3-2 advantage in games played at ANZ Stadium. But the Dragons have won the past two encounters, including a 34-10 win at Kogarah in Round 16.

The last time the sides met at ANZ Stadium, in 2007, the Wests Tigers scored their biggest ever win over the Dragons (27-8).

Conclusion: The pace of play in the first 20 minutes will provide a great guide as to how this game will pan out.

The Tigers are the masters of getting a roll on, having recorded the smallest percentage of slow play-the-balls all year (7.8 per cent). Meanwhile opposition sides have tried to negate the Dragons by slowing them down, restricting them to the highest number of slow play-the-balls (11.8 per cent). That suggests the Tigers are in with a show of dictating terms – although it should be remembered that despite all the muzzling efforts of other sides all year, the Dragons still won the minor premiership.

It should be a close game for a while, although logic suggests leg weariness from a hard past few weeks should affect the Tigers at some stage. When it does, the Dragons have the firepower to rip their opponents apart. Look for that to happen in the final 20 minutes. Dragons to win.

Match officials: Referees – Shayne Hayne & Ben Cummins; Sideline Officials – David Abood & Russell Turner; Video Ref – Steve Clark.

Televised: Channel Nine – Live from 7.30pm; Fox Sports – Delayed 10.30pm.

[TITAN PETE]

Payten's injury a blow for Tigers

By Steve Jancetic AAP Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:44:28
Wests Tigers are sweating on the results of scans on prop Todd Payten's right ankle after the ball-playing forward went down in the club's penultimate training session ahead of Saturday night's NRL preliminary final.

Payten was rushed to hospital for scans on Wednesday night in what could be a devastating blow ahead of their clash against minor premiers St George Illawarra at ANZ Stadium.

While the Tigers have plenty of muscle up front with the likes of Keith Galloway and Bryce Gibbs, Payten offers coach Tim Sheens some variety with his deft passing game while he is also far and away the side's most experienced forward with John Skandalis still sidelined with injury.

They are likely to learn the results of scan on Thursday, but Tigers officials claimed he was in "extreme doubt" to take part in the grand final qualifier.

Meanwhile centre Blake Ayshford has credited a mid-season reality check delivered by Sheens as the catalyst for his improved defensive displays in the run-in to the NRL finals.

"The coach pulled me aside halfway through the year after a couple of crucial misses and said there are people chasing me like Geoff Daniela and Mitch Brown who want my spot," Ayshford said.

"He said to pick my act up.

"After I played about 10 games I probably felt a little too comfortable but getting the kick up the butt helped me."

So too did the switch of Marshall to his side of the field.

"Benji's come over to my side in defence and attack and that's helped me in both areas," Ayshford said.

"He's the ultimate player. He talks non-stop and tells me what we're doing in defence, whether we're rushing or holding back."

While Ayshford appreciates Marshall's verbal encouragement on the field, the 22-year-old says he hopes a win will go some way to quietening him off it.

Marshall is amongst the eight remaining holdovers from the club's 2005 premiership triumph, with a win over the Dragons to leave the current batch one victory away from joining them.

"We weren't there (in 05) and they were so the young guys have no comeback when they start talking about it," Ayshford said.

"A couple of boys have been bringing their rings to the grand final lunches the last couple of years and letting us know about.

"I just want one of my own.

"Not many people can say they got this close. To win and get to the grand final would be awesome."

[TITAN PETE]

Skandalis likely to come in for Payten

By Ben Horne AAP Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:49:18
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens says he's leaning towards bringing back veteran John Skandalis to replace injured forward Todd Payten in Saturday's NRL preliminary final against St George Illawarra.

The 34-year-old Skandalis retired from professional football two years ago but, despite not being part of the Tigers top 25 over the past two seasons, has still kept fit and made 19 appearances in the top grade.

Skandalis injured his buttocks in the round-25 win over Melbourne and was expected to miss the rest of the season, but it seems the evergreen prop will receive yet another call-up and a chance at a second premiership.

However his fortune comes at the expense of the experienced and in-form Payten, who badly rolled his ankle in a training mishap on Wednesday.

Payten has suffered serious ligament damage which will end his season.

Sheens is slightly concerned that Skandalis hasn't played for three weeks, but is favouring the Magpies junior over younger candidates like Ben Murdoch-Masila.

"Whether we activate Johnny Skandalis we'll wait and see," Sheens said on Thursday.

"John hasn't played for three weeks so that's a bit of an issue. I'm just looking at him, he trained strongly yesterday so that may be another option for us.

"I was relying more on the experienced forwards to carry us and do more time on the park rather than the younger ones.

"But if we have to push their time out a little bit more this week we will.

"He's a pretty fit boy John, having worked as the (under) 20s fitness coordinator this year so he's very fit, and his experience would have a major part in my decision."

[TITAN PETE]

Dragons lose Saffy for NRL finals

By Steve Jancetic AAP Fri, 24 Sep 2010 12:17:42
St George Illawarra have lost prop Jarrod Saffy to a quad injury for Saturday night's NRL preliminary final against Wests Tigers.

Saffy failed to take part in Friday's final training session at Redfern Oval, the injury he suffered in the qualifying final win over Manly almost two weeks ago failing to respond to treatment.

John Green, who was named in an extended squad earlier in the week, will take Saffy's place on the bench alongside Nathan Fien, Matt Prior and Trent Merrin.

Utility Nick Emmett will be 18th man with rookie Kyle Stanley, prop Ricky Thorby and hooker Luke Priddis the others to miss out.

"It's a big blow for us, he's been playing well off the bench," captain Ben Hornby said of Saffy's injury.

"I'm sure whoever comes in will play well."

The Dragons have bunkered down in camp at a secret location in Sydney ahead of the preliminary final, which could be watched by a full house with over 60,000 tickets already sold.

Hornby denied there was extra pressure on the minor premiers to win the game, claiming the opportunity is there for both sides to secure a grand final berth.

"There's pressure on everyone, if you lose you're out - I don't think the pressure's any more on us than anyone else," Hornby said.

"It's do or die now so you've got to put in a good performance or you're out."

[Steelers]

WE DID IT! I am overwhelmed with excitement. Can't believe we actually made it. At half time I thought it was '05 all over again, but the boys dug deep and the Tigers fell away towards full time. The final 20 minutes was the most nervous I have felt in a long time, and the final minute, I was praying that we kept them out. Still got 1 game to go though, and a loss could very well kill me