Thaiday gets early shower
BY NEIL GOFFET
CENTRAL Charlestown officials are confident Milton Thaiday will escape suspension after being sent off for a high tackle in yesterday's 32-24 Newcastle Rugby League win over Lakes United at Cahill Oval.
The former NSW Waratahs and Knights flyer was sent to the dressing sheds in the 71st minute after he hung out an arm and collected Seagulls fullback Tom Ryan high.
Ryan finished the match and was later cleared of injury.
"We'll have a look at the video before making any decisions, but at first glance it looked OK to me," Central co-coach Wayne Richards said after the game. "Milton hasn't got that in his nature, and it was just a reflex thing."
The NRL judiciary will make a decision on Thaiday on Wednesday night, but the one thing Central were guilty of yesterday was overexcitement.
They looked good and scored some sensational tries but overplayed their hand on several occasions and were fancy rather than forceful with the ball.
Left centre Mat Cooper, who was voted players' player after his best game of the season, scored the first of his two tries in the second minute.
Thaiday made it 8-0 after eight minutes then took it to 12-0 after 15 minutes with a sensational chip and regather from 20 metres out.
Lakes five-eighth Jade Porter reduced the deficit to 12-6.
Central dominated field position, but it was not until the 38th minute they were rewarded with another try as Nathan Curry crossed for an 18-6 lead at the break.
Central skipped away to 28-6 inside the first 10 minutes of the second half when Cooper created a try for back-rower Brett Eccleston then scored his second, courtesy of halfback Chad Solman.
Lakes centre Brodie Delaney scored a double and hard-working second-rower Blake Mueller was rewarded with a try.
"That was only Blake's fifth game for the season, and he was terrific. And that was Bourkey's [Ian Bourke] first game back in 10 weeks, so that made a big difference," Lakes coach Adam Brown said.
Competition leaders Cessnock completed a Coalfields derby double, defeating the Bulldogs 48-22 at Kurri Kurri on Saturday.
Second-placed Western Suburbs were also big winners, handing cross-town rivals South Newcastle a 70-20 hiding at Townson Oval.
West fullback Sam Wooden and halfback Nathan Hinton crossed for four tries apiece in the rout.
Nelson Bay won the battle for Port Stephens supremacy with a 34-0 win over Raymond Terrace and Wyong beat Macquarie 26-16.
