CAPITAL PUNISHMENT ON THE QUINS
At last I feel we gave the supporters something to cheer about with our performance in London. It's been a long time coming and we all know it should have happened a long time ago. We spoke before the game about going out and enjoying ourselves and getting the job done and we had managed that by half time. It was very hot there and I think we switched off after the break because we knew we had the game won. There was a whole lot of confidence flowing through the side and I think that's what we have needed. We stuck to the plan, threw the ball around a bit and now we have to build on that.
I think for the first time this season we had a bit of luck on our side. The bounce of the ball favoured us when it seems that most time this year it hasn't. We had a kick across that went through all their defence and myself and Sam picked it up and went over and then just on the stroke of half time a penalty kick rebounded from the posts and Sam was on hand to catch it and we had another try right at the side of the posts. It's about time we had some luck as it certainly hasn't gone our way this year.
In amongst the good luck was a bit of the bad with the injury to Terry Newton. He has had some stick and we have been calling him a ‘grub' for being third man in at the tackle!! We actually clashed heads and I have a big lump on the side of mine but he certainly came off worse with a fractured cheekbone. We are all gutted for Terry because it looks like he won't get to put a Bulls jersey on again and he was playing well at the time. His demise in the game certainly gave Wagga a chance and he took it well. He struggled at times because it was so hot out there but he played for seventy minutes and got over for his first try of the season, so he's off the naked run now!!
Dave Halley got a hat trick in the first eighteen minutes just by doing what every good full back should do; back up in the middle of the field. It's a great feat to achieve a hat trick in such a short period of time and hopefully he can get a couple more this year.
We have Huddersfield this week at their place and I said a couple of weeks ago that they could be a team that upset the likes of Leeds and Saints and make the Grand Final and low and behold they go and beat Saints and make it to the Challenge Cup Final. I am sure they will be there as well at the end of Super League. Hopefully they have been celebrating this week and they will be a little bit dusty because they have certainly been the form team of the past few weeks. I didn't see the game on Sunday but caught some of the highlights and I thought they had the game's outstanding player in Brett Hodgson. He played State of Origin back home and when he came over here people were asking what he was like because he is so small. Well he has a great football brain, gets in the right spot, directs them round the park and he has been a great buy for them. His leadership abilities and his experience have helped them immensely and have no doubt he is the main reason why they are where they are this season. I also tipped Warrington in the Tipping Comp and I think they have the squad to do well now. They are virtually back at full strength and playing well to, so it's going to be a good final.
I didn't see the game on Sunday because a few of the boys went to Headingley to watch the Test match. We had a box and it was a good occasion. We were all shouting for England for a while so it wouldn't end too early but we still had a good day. The Aussies are going to the game at the Oval knowing a draw would retain the Ashes for us but I think we will be looking for the win. We certainly have the better batsmen, of that there's no doubt and we'll have to see with the bowling. I thought Australia were better in every department at Headingley and we will certainly be going into the final game full of confidence.
Just a word for the supporters who travelled down to the Capital last week to see the game. I thought, as they have been all season away from home, magnificent and really got behind us. I understand some were caught in the horrendous traffic jams on the motorway and didn't get in till after the kick off. That must have been disappointing but I hope our performance went some way to making up for it.
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