SPORT Sending-off stings Titans By GREGOR MACTAGGART At that stage, the Titans had trip, not an intentional one as the Outside backs Peter Hassall and ‘‘I think we can get them (Vic- TERRITORY Titans experienced momentum having crossed for two referee thought,’’ Mikaelian said. Brad Norris were standouts, each toria),’’ he said. tries to level proceedings at 18-all. scoring two tries, while second- a losing start to their Australian ‘‘We’ve just found out that ‘‘The boys know that we have to But Western took full rower Lee Wallace and halfback Affiliated States Tommy’s let off for the next game, win both halves of our last two toll of their one-man advantage, but his send-off came at a critical Jason Criddle also impressed. games if we are any chance of campaign with a 38-18 defeat especially in the last quarter of time for us because we had them on The Titans play Victoria in a winning the championship.’’ against Western Australia in an hour where they ran away with the back foot. They regrouped with must-win game today, after the Vics Mikaelian is expected to tinker Adelaide yesterday. the points. us having 12 players and missing a proved too strong for hosts South with his starting pack considering Second-rower Tommy Gunn’s Titans coach Merg Mikaelian ad- forward — to our boys credit they Australia on day one. the 24-hour back-up between games, controversial send-off for a deliber- mitted Gunn’s send-off shaped the hung in there, but ran out of fuel late Even so, Mikaelian is confident but hooker Steve Stamp is expected ate bump just 10 minutes into the final result. in the game and WA capitalised the NT will get their campaign back to miss the game through an injury second-half proved decisive. ‘‘I thought it was an accidental with a few tries.’’ on track. suffered against WA. Maroons to Gold Coast finally defend Izzy ends losing streak By WAYNE HEMING with his knees as the Manly have made it By LAINE CLARK custodian grounded the ball. very clear to NSW they’ll TITANS fans finally had After booted vigorously fight for Israel something to cheer about as the conversion — and result- Folau’s right to play in the Gold Coast ran out 28-14 win- ners over Manly at Skilled ing penalty kick right in front third game in to make it an eight point try next month if they Park last night — their first NRL victory in a month. — the Titans’ lead had been go ahead with threats to get cut to 22-14 with 10 minutes him banned. But it wasn’t without a few left on the clock. nervous moments thanks to a Hostilities between the two But the Titans fans controversial penalty against camps deepened on Wed- breathed easy when prop the Coast’s Mark Minichiello. nesday when senior NSW Luke Bailey pounced on a K and ARL official Geoff Carr There had been more jeers kick that had Y revealed plans to gather sup- than cheers from the Titans ricocheted off the uprights to port for a rule change so faithful of late due to the Gold seal a welcome win. M Folau, who will switch to Coast’s worrying slide from After taking a 14-6 halftime C AFL next year with Greater joint leaders to sixth since lead, Gold Coast looked in con- Western Sydney, could not their last victory on May 9. trol as centre turn out for Queensland in However, the majority of capped a fine game by crashing the third game in Sydney on the Skilled Park crowd had over in the 62nd minute. July 7. screamed themselves hoarse Despite being without the by fulltime as ’s Armed with legal advice, likes of the injured Jamie COLOR: furious Queensland officials double helped the hosts break Lyon and Anthony were supremely confident a three-game losing run. Watmough, and the sus- they could convince an ARL The Titans fans still had pended , Manly 91 board meeting — scheduled plenty to complain about after were far from disgraced. the day after Folau plays in Minichiello found himself in Wednesday night’s second hot water as Manly GOLD COAST 28 (K Gordon 2, L Bailey, M

Origin game in — to Ben Farrar scored a 69th Minichiello, S Tagataese tries; S Prince 4 PAGE: drop any such moves. minute try. Minichiello was goals) d MANLY 14 (M Ballin, B Farrar tries; S Rodney 3 goals) at Skilled Park. While the QRL may not be placed on report and penal- Referees: Gavin Badger, Ben Cummins. opposed to making changes to ised for sliding into Farrar Crowd: 17,508. prevent a similar scenario in future where a player known to be jumping to a rival code Warning for Storm players is banned from representat- Storm owners News Limited have warned there ive football, they believe it’s

will be consequences for any player proven to have known 12-JUN-2010 unfair to change the rules in their NRL contract breached salary cap rules. the middle of this year’s Orig- in series. Stopping short of saying players aware of irregularities in their contracts would be the first to be shown the door in any ‘‘We haven’t delivered any News clean-out, spokesman Greg Baxter said the company DATE: message to Geoff Carr but would take a dim view we’ll be having a very de- tailed discussion about it next It had been assumed the Storm’s stable of superstars had no Thursday (at the ARL board knowledge of the club’s massive salary cap rort, a position meeting),’’ said QRL chair- News is no longer prepared to take. man and ARL board member CRUNCH: Titans forward Michael Henderson is cornered by Manly pair (left) Reports have suggested captain had three John McDonald. and at Skilled Park last night. Picture: ADAM HEAD different contracts with the club. NT NEWS Kids no more set for Rabbitohs reunion

Fullback out for Raiders PUB: THEY have been robbed of a who was injured during the SOUTH Darwin junior is organising the reunion Cronulla as a curtain-raiser mouth-watering fullbacks duel, Raiders last start win against the rugby league players from and looking forward to meet- to a test match.’’ but Cowboys fans will care little if Titans, has ruled out the prospect the early 1970s will hold a ing up with the past players. Among the players to re- the absence of star Raiders custod- of a showdown between him and reunion at Richardson Park ‘‘I can’t want to catch up present South Darwin during ian tonight helps Cowboys dynamo . on July 31. with some of the best players that time were Ronald Lami their misfiring team breath some But for a North Queensland side Players from Rabbitohs I have had the pleasure of Lami, Nigel Gella, Allan life into their season. looking to kick-start their season teams between 1971 and 1974 working with as coach,’’ Maratja, Jimmy Maralung While Dugan was passed fit at a without Origin representatives are invited, as too players Annesley said. ‘‘A number and Sammy Cooper. NSW Origin medical on Tuesday, , Luke from clubs they played of the boys were in NT For more information or he failed a fitness test yesterday O’Donnell, Matt Scott and Willie against during that era. representative teams that to express your desire to and was replaced by David Milne. Tonga, it is a major bonus. Terry Annesley, who went to PNG and Sydney, attend the reunion, contact The absence of the star No. 1, — KARL DEKROO Josh Dugan coached most of these teams, where one year they played Terry on 0416 366 805. NZ hosts Anzac Test FOOTROT FLATS NEW Zealand has been fully restored as an internat- ional rugby league destination with Christchurch’s AMI Stadium confirmed to stage the Anzac Test on May 6 next year. It will be the first time in 13 years that the early- season international against Australia has been played in New Zealand. Meanwhile, former Penrith, Balmain and NSW firebrand Mark Geyer has launched a scathing attack on the NRL judiciary, declaring suspended pair Isaac Luke and have been made ‘‘fall guys’’. An angry Geyer insists Souths hooker Luke and Penrith and NSW utility Lewis were victims of profile following the exonerations of star trio Johnathan Thurston, and . www.ntnews.com.au Northern Territory News, Saturday, June 12, 2010 — 91