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[SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial,Helvetica]SOTV match report [/FONT][/SIZE]3rd June 2001: [/FONT] John Simon (Wests Tigers) attempts 40 metre field goal and it drops short. Jamie Ainscough picks it up and soon Saints are on their 30 metre line. In the backline movement which follows, Lance Thompson shoots a cut out pass across to find Nathan Blacklock on his wing. Tingha accelerates and the crowd is on it's feet. He races downfield before he is met by two, make that three cover defenders at the Tigers' 30 metre line. Nathan then chips over their heads and is immediately winning the race for the ball. What happens next is a miraculous bounce which Blacklock plucks from the air and the competition's leading try scorer completes his 70 metre run to score the match winning try - without a hand ever being laid on him. This is truly one of the great Rugby League tries and one which elevates Nathan Blacklock into greatness within the Dragons' ranks. Sections of the crowd begin to chant, 'Blacklock...Blacklock...' as it becomes apparent that we have witnessed a wonderful Rugby League moment and one which will be talked about for years to come.
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Video link of that try
More ridiculous when you think of some of the wingers that have been selected for NSW over the years, Steve Turner springs to mind. The NSW selectors in 2001 were Wayne Pearce (coach & selector), Bob McCarthy (chairman & selector), Bob Fulton (selector), Frank Fish (selector) and Geoff Gerard (selector). NSW got belted 40-14 in the series decider.
However, Tingha did go on to play for Australia, went on tour with the Kangaroos. There was an interesting thread in the forums when his Aust selection was announced. It was just along the lines of 'he has been selected for Australia'. No name needed to be mentioned.
And FTR, he did play for NSW, but it was in the other rugby football code.
His record speaks for itself.
Most tries in a premiership season, 1999, 2000 and 2001
Equaled record for top try scorer for three consecutive premiership seasons.
Only player to ever score twenty or more tries in four consecutive seasons.
St George Club record: 27 tries in one season (2001) surpassing Tom Ryan's record of 26 tries set in 1957
Most tries in first grade for the Dragons: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003
Specifically they thought he wasn't tough enough, they obviously didn't watch him up the middle carrying the occasional second row forward over the line. And yeah, there was a belief that he couldn't defend. But imo this is a myth. Blacklock wasn't a bad defender.
Notwithstanding the fact that wingers aren't selected to defend, if there are tries being scored down one side, it is more often due to something happening closer to the ruck.
But even with this in mind, Tingha often stopped tries. I lost count of the amount of intercepts took when he was outnumbered in the backline. He also became very good at stripping the ball in the in-goal.
IMO the myth was started by Fox commentators during a game against Newcastle, for some reason Brent Kite was playing in the centres for us. Andrews Johns took full advantage, spreading the ball wide and finding overlaps. Tingha repeatedly found himself defending against 2 or 3 players. But never let the facts get in the way of good story. After that game, the opposition's hoi polloi followed Fox's suit, repeating it over and over in parrot fashion.
