Collateral
Coach
- Messages
- 13,792
Blacklock, Bailey head of the class
By PAUL SUTTOR
September 8, 2004
Ting's back on the wing: Nathan Blacklock has won the contentious No2 jersey ahead of Nick Youngquest for Friday's play-off against Penrith. Picture: GETTY IMAGES
NATHAN Brown hasn't had a tougher selection meeting in his two years as St George Illawarra coach but ultimately he couldn't deny the class of Nathan Blacklock and the power of Luke Bailey.
Blacklock and Bailey have squeezed younger counterparts Nick Youngquest and Michael Henderson out of the squad for Friday's play-off against the Panthers at Penrith Stadium.
Journeyman centre John Carlaw has also been dropped to 18th man duties after Brown opted to shift Shaun Timmins out wide and choose teenage utility Ben Creagh at lock.
Brown said the demoted trio had done nothing wrong in the lead-up to the finals.
"John Carlaw and Michael Henderson in particular, for the last 15 weeks have been real mainstays for us and they've done a great job. Nick Youngquest did a terrific job for us in the last six weeks too. It wasn't easy to do," he said.
"The hardest thing for Nick is - and it's only my opinion - but him coming up and playing so well made Tingha (Blacklock) pull his finger out and play well. Some of his form should be credited to Nick, even though it's probably no consolation to him.
"Unfortunately for him and the other two, it's the biggest game of the year and they won't be there."
Brown expects Bailey, who has been named on the interchange bench, to know what his body could stand in his first game back since tearing his pectoral muscle four months ago.
"Bull (Bailey) has been doing contact work at training for the last three weeks. He hasn't given any reason to suggest he isn't going to be any good," he said.
"When a player has got the respect that Bull has as an Origin and and Australian player, those players are better judges of themselves than what we (the coaches) are."
NSW centre Mark Gasnier (shoulder) is likely to be back next week and Brown has chosen Timmins in his place to help Blacklock in defence and shut down Penrith strike weapon Ryan Girdler.
"Gaz is not 100 per cent and it's one of those things where he could easily bust it again. Against Manly, especially in the later half of the second half, Timmo really came back to playing some really good footy. He was one of the blokes that stood up for us and got us home," he said in reference to the team's improbable victory after trailing by 24.
"To put him out wide was a tough call but if we'd kept Carlaw there and put Creagh on the bench, then either Justin Poore or Ashton Sims would have missed out.
"Ben Creagh's got a long way to go in the game, he's got a bright future and I'm confident he can go out there and do the job for us this week."
http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2004/09/08/1094530646924.html
By PAUL SUTTOR
September 8, 2004
Ting's back on the wing: Nathan Blacklock has won the contentious No2 jersey ahead of Nick Youngquest for Friday's play-off against Penrith. Picture: GETTY IMAGES
NATHAN Brown hasn't had a tougher selection meeting in his two years as St George Illawarra coach but ultimately he couldn't deny the class of Nathan Blacklock and the power of Luke Bailey.
Blacklock and Bailey have squeezed younger counterparts Nick Youngquest and Michael Henderson out of the squad for Friday's play-off against the Panthers at Penrith Stadium.
Journeyman centre John Carlaw has also been dropped to 18th man duties after Brown opted to shift Shaun Timmins out wide and choose teenage utility Ben Creagh at lock.
Brown said the demoted trio had done nothing wrong in the lead-up to the finals.
"John Carlaw and Michael Henderson in particular, for the last 15 weeks have been real mainstays for us and they've done a great job. Nick Youngquest did a terrific job for us in the last six weeks too. It wasn't easy to do," he said.
"The hardest thing for Nick is - and it's only my opinion - but him coming up and playing so well made Tingha (Blacklock) pull his finger out and play well. Some of his form should be credited to Nick, even though it's probably no consolation to him.
"Unfortunately for him and the other two, it's the biggest game of the year and they won't be there."
Brown expects Bailey, who has been named on the interchange bench, to know what his body could stand in his first game back since tearing his pectoral muscle four months ago.
"Bull (Bailey) has been doing contact work at training for the last three weeks. He hasn't given any reason to suggest he isn't going to be any good," he said.
"When a player has got the respect that Bull has as an Origin and and Australian player, those players are better judges of themselves than what we (the coaches) are."
NSW centre Mark Gasnier (shoulder) is likely to be back next week and Brown has chosen Timmins in his place to help Blacklock in defence and shut down Penrith strike weapon Ryan Girdler.
"Gaz is not 100 per cent and it's one of those things where he could easily bust it again. Against Manly, especially in the later half of the second half, Timmo really came back to playing some really good footy. He was one of the blokes that stood up for us and got us home," he said in reference to the team's improbable victory after trailing by 24.
"To put him out wide was a tough call but if we'd kept Carlaw there and put Creagh on the bench, then either Justin Poore or Ashton Sims would have missed out.
"Ben Creagh's got a long way to go in the game, he's got a bright future and I'm confident he can go out there and do the job for us this week."
http://illawarramercury.com.au/articles/2004/09/08/1094530646924.html
