Bulldogs talk down Sonny Bill role
Monday, August 13, 2007 - 5:42 PM
Reni Maitua says the Bulldogs have enough firepower to win the NRL premiership even if injury strikes down in-form Kiwi superstar Sonny Bill Williams.
Williams is undoubtedly enjoying career-best form at the moment, scoring his first NRL hat-trick in Sunday's 52-4 thrashing of Canberra.
The quietly-spoken 21-year-old has declined to talk about his outstanding recent performances, keen to not hog the spotlight from his team-mates and also upset at continued media attention on what he does away from the paddock.
But his team-mates remain in awe, Maitua amazed at the "freakish" ability of Williams.
Maitua admitted the star second-rower staying fit was "very important" but said it was not the be-all and end-all of the Bulldogs' charge for the NRL title.
"It's not a one-man team," said Maitua.
"Sonny has individual brilliance but we've just got class all over the park and especially when we've got a full team.
"We're not a Newcastle Knights without Andrew Johns. We've got a team who can win it.
"He is one of our game-breakers and a very important part of our team.
"I think coming into the finals he is going to be a big part of our side and we need him to keep doing what he is doing."
Maitua said he was pleased to see Williams finally enjoy the on-field success he had been threatening to unleash during an injury-marred past two years.
"I'm just really happy for him, especially over the last few years with injury and stuff like that, he just really deserves what he is getting now," said Maitua.
"He is pretty reserved and pretty humble, you know.
"He has that Kiwi shyness in him and is just really humble and that's what makes him a better bloke as well.
"He hasn't got a big head, he doesn't go out there acting like an idiot.
"What he did in 60 minutes of football is pretty freakish. I just can't imagine what it would have been like if he was out there for the whole 80 (minutes)."
The Bulldogs face a tough run to the finals, three Friday night clashes against Brisbane (away), Melbourne (home) and North Queensland (away).
They are just one win outside of a top four berth and Maitua said earning that home final was a definite goal.
"It is definitely in our sights, it would be nice to have a home semi-final," said Maitua.
"It's no time to be comfortable."
But Dogs captain Andrew Ryan warned his men not to get carried away with Sunday's one-sided result over the Raiders.
Ryan labelled Canberra's defence "very ordinary" and joked he was "filthy" that Williams kept getting the ball on the right flank when he was attacking down the left.
"I'm on the other side of the field and just want to get the ball to my side so I was filthy they kept going that way actually," said Ryan.
"We're happy with the performance and happy that we went out there and played for 80 minutes but, without being too disrespectful to Canberra, they were pretty ordinary yesterday and their defence was very ordinary.
"We need to go out and try to play for 80 (minutes) against quality sides and we've got two in the top four and one in the top eight over the next three weeks, so that's when the true test is going to come for us."
Source: AAP
