Dan the man but Eels cheer golden oldie
Brent Read | June 08, 2009
Article from: The Australian
A QUEUE was forming to speak to young five-eighth Daniel Mortimer in the Parramatta dressing rooms yesterday afternoon. Nathan Hindmarsh stood only metres away, a plastic container of salad in his hands and a look of self-satisfaction on his face.
Mortimer was named man of the match after guiding the Eels to a shock 20-18 win over Newcastle at EnergyAustralia Stadium, but it could have gone to Hindmarsh and no one would have complained. The former NSW and Australia forward has made a career out of being in the right place at the right time, and he did it again yesterday.
With 18 minutes remaining and the score locked at 12-12, Zeb Taia made a break and found Kurt Gidley in support. Hindmarsh had no right to be anywhere near Gidley.
But he was. With a try in the offing, Hindmarsh came from the clouds to drag down the flying Blues fullback. Try saved, match turned.
Nine minutes later Luke Burt took advantage of a contentious penalty to give the Eels a two-point lead and Mortimer made sure of the points with seven minutes remaining when he kicked, re-gathered and handed Fuifui Moimoi a saloon passage to the line.
It was no less than Parramatta deserved. In the commentary box, former NSW coach Phil Gould asked how a Blues side could be picked without Hindmarsh. Yet his last game was two years ago and he doesn't appear on the selectors' hit-list this year.
"I would pick him every time because I have seen what he can do and how committed he is," Newcastle coach Brian Smith said.
"That sort of unbelievable energy and discipline he can find. If you're looking for a good defender they don't come any better than him as far as I can tell.
"There's only one way you can get a reputation for doing that sort of stuff and that's by doing it over and over again. He's a champion in that department."
Hindmarsh has stopped worrying about his non-selection for NSW. He hasn't given up on representative football. He has just moved on.
Asked about the tackle on Gidley, Hindmarsh - one of the most uncomplicated players in the NRL - said simply: "I just tackled him."
As for a NSW recall, Hindmarsh is ambivalent.
"I'm just going to play hard footy," he said.
"I'm not expecting a call-up or anything like that. You never give up hope but I know it's going to be a long shot before I get back in there, if I do get back in there."
Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson isn't complaining. Every time the Blues snub Hindmarsh, it means he gets to spend more time with the Eels.
"He's a great club man and I don't mind if he doesn't get picked - selfishly - because he plays for us," Anderson said.
"He plays for 80 minutes. That attitude and commitment to the game will rub off on the young players in our club who are coming through."
The benefits were obvious yesterday. When Anderson talks about the impact of having Hindmarsh around, he need only point to Mortimer.
"He copped a few knocks today, had a few big hits put on him and he kept going," Hindmarsh said.
Anderson took his time blooding the teenager with the famous surname - his father and uncles remain legends at the Bulldogs - but his patience was rewarded in one movement, when the 19-year-old picked up a pass from around his toes, kicked for himself and sent Moimoi away.
"The last 10 minutes was the best feeling of my life so far," Mortimer said.
Newcastle 18 Parramatta 20
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