gong_eagle
First Grade
- Messages
- 7,655
Hayne is lucky charm for Manly
By Josh Massoud | September 11,
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24326863-5006066,00.html
FORGET Steve Menzies. Forget redemption. Forget the old lose-one-to-win-one adage.
The best thing Manly have going for them on the eve of the finals is referee Shayne Hayne.
Statistics obtained by The Daily Telegraph last night reveal the Sea Eagles have not tasted defeat under Hayne for the past two seasons.
Over that time, they've won 11 straight games with the man most believe is the next Bill Harrigan.
It's enough to make former coach and club great Bozo Fulton cancel the cement truck for Saturday night's semi-final against St George Illawarra, which Hayne has been booked to control. When contacted about his side's record under Hayne, current coach Des Hasler said he was too busy to talk.
"I'm in a meeting, call me back later," Hasler said.
We called back, but Hasler didn't answer. Given his questioning of match officials has become a ritual hallmark of Manly's post-match press conferences this season, Hasler's silence on this one is not exactly surprising. In their seven victories under Hayne this season, Manly have also lost just two penalty counts. The most lopsided was a 7-1 canning at Parramatta in the heritage round when Hayne and his touch judges donned 1908-style baggy shorts. Afterwards Hasler quipped: "I thought the refereeing was a little bit loose - a little like the clothing."
The Dragons, on the other hand, have less reason to celebrate Hayne's appointment. He controlled three of their final five matches, two of which resulted in defeat.
But coach Nathan Brown went out of his way to publicly praise Hayne's performance after last Friday night's loss to the Roosters, a game where the Dragons also ended up on the wrong end of a 6-5 penalty count.
"I'd just like to say what a good job the referee did tonight in tough conditions," Brown said without prompting afterwards. Maybe he knew something we didn't.
Aside from Manly, the Roosters and Sharks also appear to have benefited from the first week of refereeing appointments. Both sides have won all four matches under respective whistleblowers Tony Archer and Jared Maxwell. Archer, however, has blown two more penalties against the Roosters while Sharks officials have privately questioned some of Maxwell's calls against them on home turf this season.
The remaining match is good news for the unfancied Warriors, who would be pleased to hear the all-conquering Melbourne Storm have lost their past three games under finals tyro Jason Robinson.
But NRL referees boss Robert Finch last night said no coaches had rang to discuss individual appointments this week.
By Josh Massoud | September 11,
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24326863-5006066,00.html
FORGET Steve Menzies. Forget redemption. Forget the old lose-one-to-win-one adage.
The best thing Manly have going for them on the eve of the finals is referee Shayne Hayne.
Statistics obtained by The Daily Telegraph last night reveal the Sea Eagles have not tasted defeat under Hayne for the past two seasons.
Over that time, they've won 11 straight games with the man most believe is the next Bill Harrigan.
It's enough to make former coach and club great Bozo Fulton cancel the cement truck for Saturday night's semi-final against St George Illawarra, which Hayne has been booked to control. When contacted about his side's record under Hayne, current coach Des Hasler said he was too busy to talk.
"I'm in a meeting, call me back later," Hasler said.
We called back, but Hasler didn't answer. Given his questioning of match officials has become a ritual hallmark of Manly's post-match press conferences this season, Hasler's silence on this one is not exactly surprising. In their seven victories under Hayne this season, Manly have also lost just two penalty counts. The most lopsided was a 7-1 canning at Parramatta in the heritage round when Hayne and his touch judges donned 1908-style baggy shorts. Afterwards Hasler quipped: "I thought the refereeing was a little bit loose - a little like the clothing."
The Dragons, on the other hand, have less reason to celebrate Hayne's appointment. He controlled three of their final five matches, two of which resulted in defeat.
But coach Nathan Brown went out of his way to publicly praise Hayne's performance after last Friday night's loss to the Roosters, a game where the Dragons also ended up on the wrong end of a 6-5 penalty count.
"I'd just like to say what a good job the referee did tonight in tough conditions," Brown said without prompting afterwards. Maybe he knew something we didn't.
Aside from Manly, the Roosters and Sharks also appear to have benefited from the first week of refereeing appointments. Both sides have won all four matches under respective whistleblowers Tony Archer and Jared Maxwell. Archer, however, has blown two more penalties against the Roosters while Sharks officials have privately questioned some of Maxwell's calls against them on home turf this season.
The remaining match is good news for the unfancied Warriors, who would be pleased to hear the all-conquering Melbourne Storm have lost their past three games under finals tyro Jason Robinson.
But NRL referees boss Robert Finch last night said no coaches had rang to discuss individual appointments this week.
