Coach Plays Down Watmough Sleeping Pill Confession Bottom of the Ladder
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Toovey tips a tight tussle MANLY coach Geoff Toovey expects tonight’s prelimi- Luke Bunnies’ key nary final with Melbourne to buck recent history and actually be a tightly-con- tested game. Despite building up the NRL’s fiercest rivalry as the two strongest modern sides, finals clashes between the to speed up tempo two teams have been un- characteristically one-sided. When the two teams split BULLDOGS V RABBITOHS grand final victories in 2007 and 2008, both games were SOUTH Sydney say they will decided long before the final need their forwards to stand whistle, with Melbourne up and Issac Luke to domi- winning 34-8 for a premier- nate so they can nullify Can- ship that was later stripped terbury’s wrestling tactics in for salary cap rorts, while tomorrow night’s prelimi- Manly returned serve with a nary final. 40-0 rout the following year. The Bulldogs, under new In 2009, Manly travelled to coach Des Hasler, have made Melbourne intent on keep- wrestling and slowing down ing their premiership de- the ruck into an artform. fence alive, only to be cru- But in Luke the Rabbitohs shed 40-12. have a secret weapon that can ‘‘The points might be single-handedly speed up the there (but) it doesn’t seem tempo of a match. that way to the players,’’ Relegated to reserve grade Toovey said. for poor on and off-field per- ‘‘It’s always a very physi- formances a month ago, Luke cal, very close encounter de- returned off the bench play- spite the scoreline. It just ing limited minutes. goes to show you if you’re a But proving he is back in bit off your game that’s what favour with coach Michael will happen to you. Maguire, the New Zealand in- ‘‘We are expecting a close ternational was promoted to game. We know that they’ll the starting lineup and had a bring their best game and starring role in last week’s I’m sure that we’ll bring our 38-16 victory over Canberra. best game. He again looms as a key ‘‘There’s been some great weapon with the Rabbitohs encounters over the last few just 80 minutes away from a years against Melbourne fairytale grand final appear- around this time of the year ance — but Maguire argues and no doubt this will be an- he can’t counteract Canter- other one.’’ bury’s wrestling on his own. ‘‘We’re two big packs and it’s about building that mo- mentum. And when we’ve got Merritt bleeds that momentum Issac can do a lot of magical things from red and green dummy-half,’’ Maguire said. ‘‘To have him doing what AS MICHAEL Maguire he’s doing and (Nathan Peats) says, Nathan Merritt is coming on and adding what South Sydney. he can do as well, it’s a big For the local junior who part for us.’’ grew up on the Block and While the Bulldogs are re- whose earliest childhood garded as the competition’s memories involve jumping top wrestlers, Maguire said the fence at Redfern Oval he was unconcerned about and kicking the footy what they might be planning around with his cousins, for the ANZ Stadium clash. seeing the red and green ‘‘I think every team prac- competing deep into the fin- tices that area of the game als means as much as it does (wrestling) and it’s no differ- to every Rabbitohs fan who ent each week,’’ he said. has waited 41 years for that Maguire played down any 21st premiership. talk that it was a big decision Two weeks ago Merritt to bring Luke back into the played in his first finals starting role, but says he has match of a distinguished been impressed with how the 11-year career — an honour, 25-year-old has bounced back he says, and a gift for his from his late-season slip-up. three kids. ‘‘We’re always making sure ‘‘It took me 199 games to we’re doing the right things get there,’’ Merritt laughs. for the team,’’ Maguire said. ‘‘It’s a good opportunity ‘‘He’s bounced back and for my kids to watch Souths he’s performed the way he play and compete in semi- South Sydney will be banking on Issac Luke to keep things moving forward against Canterbury tomorrow Picture: SAM RUTTYN should have.’’ finals. When I was a kid like that, I didn’t have the oppor- tunity to see Souths con- tending in any finals series. ‘‘We were always at the Coach plays down Watmough sleeping pill confession bottom of the ladder. ‘‘They don’t know how By PETER BADEL the most ill-disciplined Australian Test cricket pressure games so I’m expect- ledge of what happened back good they’ve got it.’’ player in the NRL. legend Shane Warne was re- ing him to step up. The then, but I can tell you it Merritt missed last week’s MANLY coach Geoff Toovey Watmough stunned the nowned for producing his players accept Anthony said doesn’t happen here and now win over Canberra, just as says the furore sparked by code on the eve of tonight’s best under fire and Toovey it but in terms of our prepar- at Manly. he missed South Sydney’s Anthony Watmough ’s Stil- Storm-Manly grand-final said the Stilnox controversy ation, it’s business as usual.’’ ‘‘There is no issue with previous foray into finals nox confession will only mo- qualifier when he told a Syd- would have Watmough Toovey said he felt no need Choc at our club. He’s been PUB: football in 2007, through in- tivate the under-fire forward ney radio station he was primed to hit back with a to confront Watmough and no trouble in the past and we NTNE-WS-21-S31KGE:MDA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: jury and he’s never played to produce the game of his life kicked out of the 2005 NSW dominant performance. insisted there was not a drug have never had any problems in a winning finals team. against Melbourne tonight. Origin side for using the con- ‘‘I know what Anthony is culture at Manly. with prescription drugs, so I ‘‘Everyone had that tough Toovey’s stance came as troversial prescription drug. like,’’ Toovey said last night. ‘‘I think this has been don’t have an issue. journey through their child- premiership-winning lock The revelation comes at an ‘‘He is a motivated bloke, blown out of proportion. It ‘‘I haven’t spoken to Choc hood following Souths,’’ he Owen Cunningham said Wat- awkward time for the Sea anyway, but all this will have was said in a jovial manner about it, if it was happening explained. ‘‘No one really mough owed his teammates a Eagles, who arrived in Mel- him fired up for a big game. by Anthony and it was at a now I would, but not some- had much to cheer about but match-winning performance bourne yesterday with the ‘‘He enjoys the contest and different time in his career,’’ thing that happened so long it was always good to go out at AAMI Park, with statistics daunting assignment of keep- he loves the conflict of rugby he said. ‘‘It was years and ago. It’s become a storm in and support the team.’’ showing the back-rower is ing their title defence alive. league, he enjoys the high- years ago. I have no know- a teacup.’’ www.ntnews.com.au Friday, September 21, 2012. NT NEWS. 31.