Not sure if its been mentioned but there are some interesting Fitzy thoughts at the bottom of this article
PATTEN OUT AS BULLDOGS AND EELS PREPARE FOR WET & WILD BLOCKBUSTER
Friday 3 Aug 2007 11:32
by Matthew O'Neill
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Bulldogs fullback Luke Patten has been ruled out of tonight's blockbuster clash against Parramatta with Trent Cutler again his replacement.
Cutler came in for Patten last week when he missed the Dragons clash due to a shoulder injury and the injury hasn't healed in time with Cutler again being called up into the first grade squad for one of the most important clashes of the season.
Long serving Bulldogs doctor Hugh Hazard last night said, "Luke was going okay earlier in the week but then he started doing some resistance exercises and he pulled up sore. So we pulled him out."</I>
Patten sustained a knock to his shoulder during the Bulldogs 36-12 victory against the Gold Coast Titans two weeks ago where he scored two tries and he has been out of action since.
Joining Patten on the sidelines through injury will be Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Matt Utai, Kane Cleal, Lee Te Maari and Aaron Wheatley.
The Bulldogs have been boosted with captain Andrew Ryan being cleared to play and he'll take his position in the second-row alongside Sonny Bill Williams and the key for the Bulldogs is their backrow as Parramatta appears to have their number in the outside backs, front row, the interchange and of course at dummy half.
Last week the Bulldogs got out of jail against the Dragons scoring two late tries to secure an unlikely victory after being dominated for most of the match. Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes said of the performance,
"We were fairly ordinary. I think the problem was with overall intensity and enthusiasm. We lacked a bit of bite in defence, they kept poking through our line.
"And there was a lack of ball control in the first half. There's certainly plenty to work on."
In regards to Parramatta, Folkes said,
"Their go-forward and kicking game are going to be major issues for us."
The wet weather has struck Sydney this morning after a few weeks of consistent dry weather following the mayhem that struck Sydney during June and early July. The weather bureau is predicting that it will clear in the afternoon, but unfortunately it's likely to have an effect on the attendance as the fair weather folk will not turn up the clash.
There will be extra security at the match tonight following the disgraceful coin throwing incident where Manly player Luke Williamson and trainer Greg Alexander were pelted with coins by a hostile Eels crowd baying for Jamie Lyon's blood.
Bulldogs officials are hoping for a ground record tonight and also pass South Sydney's Telstra Stadium record crowd of 34,315 in which they set earlier this season when they played 'host' to the Bulldogs.
Bulldogs Chief Executive Malcolm Noad said,
"With great respect to the other teams, we have the best fans in the NRL because they actually travel to away games.
"That's part of the reason why Souths were able to break the record.
"When our players ran out they actually thought it was a Bulldogs home game."
The Bulldogs have had a very ordinary record at home this season, which should give the Eels confidence that they can topple the Bulldogs, with whom they haven't defeated at Telstra Stadium in five previous clashes.
It's ironic the Bulldogs best performance at Telstra Stadium this season has been in an 'away' game.
Parramatta's stand-in captain Nathan Hindmarsh said of tonight's clash,
"We want a massive crowd. All the boys last week got a buzz playing in front of more than 20,000 and with it being Telstra, they can fit a lot more in. Hopefully it will be 30,00 to 40,000 - something like that."
Hindmarsh also weighed into the Grand Final debate, but stopped just short of preferring a day-time Grand Final with
Eels Chief Executive Denis Fitzgerald warning that a return to day-time Grand Final increases the risk of skin cancer and that there's no control of the weather during the day time.
The star Eels and Australian forward did suggest a twlight Grand Final and said,
"I would like it around 5.30 in the arvo. Twilight would be nice.
"It's a grand final, it's a big day, you want to take your kids there. You don't want them getting too tired or cranky.
"I prefer it in the evening. I just don't like the heat of the day. It knocks me around a bit."
Tonight's game should be a cracker with the betting markets pretty even at this point in time. However, with Patten out, Sydney's relentless rain likely to keep some fair weather 'fans' away and the Bulldogs poor record at home this year - the Eels will shortly be backed heavily into favourites for the grudge match that owned and dominated the 1980's era.
Both sides won four Premierships each in the 1980's and faced off in two classic Grand Finals with Canterbury winning the 1984 decider 6-4 and Parramatta bouncing back two years later winning a tense nail biter 4-2. Michael Cronin had the chance to send the 1984 decider into extra time and Terry Lamb the same in 1986 with both champion players narrowly missing penalty goal attempts from wide angles.
Canterbury won four of their eight titles in the 1980's in 1980, 1984, 1985 and 1988 with only Steve Mortimer and Steve Folkes featuring in all four Premiership successes. The Bulldogs won two Premierships before the 1980's and have won two Premierships since. The Dogs of War era in the middle part of the 1980's saw the rules changed due to the Bulldogs concentrated and intimidating defence. Leading players of that era included the three Mortimer brothers (Steve, Peter & Chris), Lamb, Folkes, Andrew Farrar, Paul Langmack, David Gillespie, Peter Kelly and Peter Tunks. Current Bulldogs Chairman Dr George Peponis was captain of the Bulldogs and Australia when they won the title in 1980 with Stebe Mortimer in charge during the Dogs of War period from 1984 to 1986 and Tunks was captain for their Grand Final success in 1988.
Parramatta will more than likely be the last side to win three Premierships in succession and they won all four of their titles in the 1980's decade. The Eels stamped their mark with a hat-trick of titles in 1981, 1982 and 1983 rising for the biggest day in September and came back in 1986 defeating Canterbury at their own game. Parramatta's side during that remarkable six year period remained pretty much in tact with Ray Price, Cronin, Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Steve Ella, Eric Grothe and Paul Taylor playing in all four Premiership successes. Steve Edge led the Eels brilliantly from 1981 to 1984 and Price was in charge when they won in 1986. The Eels dazzling attacking football during the early 1980's helped keep the game on the front foot despite some ugly incidents resulting in some players (not Eels players) getting very long suspensions.
The Eels and the Bulldogs were at the forefront of Rugby League's incredible growth during the 1980's and tonight they shape up as another chapter to this remarkable rivalry will be added. The famous battles between Mortimer and Sterling has now been replaced by Williams up against Hindmarsh. Mortimer and Sterling were two different styles of halfback's, but both extraordinary talents and wonderful servants to our great game. Sterling had the ability to control the game and what was around him ahead of the play where he had remarkable sense and vision whereas Mortimer was instinctive, wore his heart on his sleeve, could adapt to being a brilliant invidual or fine team player and one of the all-time great captains. Williams and Hindmarsh are different styles of footballers, but the value they are to their sides is much more than their contract value and the most valuable players at their clubs today.
