As a Kiwi, I can honestly say

[sox]

I have to agree with you - Steve Matai is reminding me of Justin Hodges in a Roosters jersey - such a great talent but too much rubbish. I wish someone would sit him down quietly and let him know that he can expect to get tackled in a game and that it's not personal - the guy acts as though he should never be touched on a footy field!!!! If he doesn't curb it soon he won't be hanging round for too long. As for the video refs last night - is it any wonder that one G. West was involved - I mean come on this guy is getting paid for a job that a blind man could've done better!!!! Get rid of him completely ....

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Matai is the man, yes there was a knee to the face by McGuire everyone who's saying Matai was chasing him around is exegerrating it. Then you see Senior run in with a blind shot on him.

Like I said in the other thread its good to see a lil fiesty kid like Matai in the Kiwis.

lol. Just watched the replay again this morning. Blindingly obvious that McGuire did nothing whatsoever.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

raynor lost the ball!!! ffs, whoever thinks any different, watch the replay again. then if you still think it`s a try, go to your local eye doctor & get a pair of coke bottle glasses, cause you sure need them.

:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

 

[salivor]

Sure there was air for a split second between Raynor's hand and the ball but that's the problem with super slo-mo's, they're unrealistic in that it's virtually impossible to keep your hand attached to the ball the whole way when grounding the ball in that fashion. I can bet you could super slo-mo most of the run of the mill try's that are given week in week out and see that the hand is not on the ball the whole time. Should've been a try, Raynor clearly had control of the ball.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Sure there was air for a split second between Raynor's hand and the ball but that's the problem with super slo-mo's, they're unrealistic in that it's virtually impossible to keep your hand attached to the ball the whole way when grounding the ball in that fashion. I can bet you could super slo-mo most of the run of the mill try's that are given week in week out and see that the hand is not on the ball the whole time. Should've been a try, Raynor clearly had control of the ball.

They showed the Raynor try at slightly slower than normal speed and it was a run of the mill put-down. Super slow-mos on groundings are rugby league's equivalent of cricket's "everyone chucks" controversy.

 

[Micistm]

...except for the balls upward motion just before the downward pressure IMO showing the ball was knocked on first. And as for the 'Kidwell run into' crap in regard to the shepherd...WHAT???!!! It's an obvious shepherd! Nice try (excuse the pun), but that was so blatent it was embarrassing. If you're gonna try it on, at least be a bit more subtle about it. That was hysterical, the only thing funnier was the 'psuedo shocked faces' as if there was nothing wrong with it.
Bottom line is the Kiwis won, and they won well as they needed to. Well done to them. It won't shut the critics and whiners up as sadly nothing ever does.

 

[borntoride]

was that a whine about critics and whiners? ;-)

 

[CharlieF]

Considering Matai was a playing QLD cup in a couple of years ago, he's not doing to bad. He is a firey customer and I haven't seen him backdown from anyone yet. He runs hard, and hits harder. He has worked hard to get to where he is now as he is a completely different player to when I first saw him play for Manly in 2005.

 

[NZ Warrior]

lol. Just watched the replay again this morning. Blindingly obvious that McGuire did nothing whatsoever.

Oh TH. Go down to your local optometrist, tell them NZ Warrior sent ya. They'll charge you $55 more (my overdue account). Then you can see the knee in there. I'm not saying it was deliberate, it just happened.

 

[CharlieF]

Indeed.

And like those blokes, despite his obvious talent, if he doesn't sort himself out he'll end up costing teams more games than he wins.

It really is a bit sad seeing a good young footballer act like such a tosser. 95% of them carry themselves so well on and off the field - look at blokes like Halatau who play the same aggressive little man game without the unnecessary agro.

He never threw a punch first in the whole game. If anything, he came out of the game with more cheapshots put on him than what he dished out. Matai is not a cheapshot merchant anyway. He will always confront anyone face to face. And for all those people who think that he should be nicer to opposition players.... get a life and stop hating Manly so much.

That is all.