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Steve Ricketts
The Courier-Mail
June 18, 2012
LISTEN TO ADVICE: Dave Taylor looks on during Origin II at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Cameron Spencer Source: The Daily Telegraph
IS THERE a bigger insult for a rugby league forward than to be described as looking like Tarzan and playing like Jane?
Probably not. Former Broncos forward Dane Carlaw copped it some years back after playing in a losing Queensland team and now Dave Taylor is on the receiving end after his inept display in Origin II in Sydney.
Carlaw had to take his medicine to some extent because the criticism came from a former Origin star, Greg Dowling, a noted hard man.
But Carlaw has proved himself a true warrior in a long career with the Broncos, Catalans in France and now Wynnum-Manly, where he is a workhorse, not a shiner.
Taylor was targeted by the Sydney media and made it clear after Saturday's win over Parramatta that they didn't matter.
"Most of them haven't even played reserve grade," Taylor told Fox Sports.
My late father-in-law never rode a horse in a race, but he knew the turf game backwards and his opinion was widely respected in circles in which he mixed.
Big Dave would become an even bigger man if he accepted that maybe he did let down the Queensland jumper last Wednesday, especially as he was given the honour of starting for the first time and coach Mal Meninga and captain Cameron Smith predicted big things from him.
One man who looks like Tarzan and plays like Tarzan and King Kong combined is Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano, all 133kg of him.
Kasiano reminds me of former Great Britain prop Dennis Hartley who terrorised Australian packs in the early 1970s, his bulk proving a handful for defenders, while his ball skills created space for support players.
An Aspley junior, Kasiano was in the sights of the Broncos but the Bulldogs beat them to the punch.
Kasiano is in the sights of Queensland selectors as a replacement for Taylor in Origin III on July 4, although the last I heard he was leaning towards playing for New Zealand.
Origin III will bring down the curtain on the representative part of the season - almost - with a trans-Tasman Test in Townsville in October the last event.
Thank God for Origin now that the days of big international tours are gone.
To have a decider in such a quality representative competition is something AFL can only dream about.
I recalled some of the great league Tests as Wales looked certain to take their series against the Wallabies to a decider, only to be denied by a last-minute penalty goal.
In 1992 Mal Meninga captained Australia to a 16-10 win over Britain in the decider at Lang Park. It was a torrid affair and no one shirked their duty. I am sure the same will apply on July 4. The "cauldron" is no place for Jane.
Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...-1226398036300
The Courier-Mail
June 18, 2012
LISTEN TO ADVICE: Dave Taylor looks on during Origin II at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Cameron Spencer Source: The Daily Telegraph
IS THERE a bigger insult for a rugby league forward than to be described as looking like Tarzan and playing like Jane?
Probably not. Former Broncos forward Dane Carlaw copped it some years back after playing in a losing Queensland team and now Dave Taylor is on the receiving end after his inept display in Origin II in Sydney.
Carlaw had to take his medicine to some extent because the criticism came from a former Origin star, Greg Dowling, a noted hard man.
But Carlaw has proved himself a true warrior in a long career with the Broncos, Catalans in France and now Wynnum-Manly, where he is a workhorse, not a shiner.
Taylor was targeted by the Sydney media and made it clear after Saturday's win over Parramatta that they didn't matter.
"Most of them haven't even played reserve grade," Taylor told Fox Sports.
My late father-in-law never rode a horse in a race, but he knew the turf game backwards and his opinion was widely respected in circles in which he mixed.
Big Dave would become an even bigger man if he accepted that maybe he did let down the Queensland jumper last Wednesday, especially as he was given the honour of starting for the first time and coach Mal Meninga and captain Cameron Smith predicted big things from him.
One man who looks like Tarzan and plays like Tarzan and King Kong combined is Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano, all 133kg of him.
Kasiano reminds me of former Great Britain prop Dennis Hartley who terrorised Australian packs in the early 1970s, his bulk proving a handful for defenders, while his ball skills created space for support players.
An Aspley junior, Kasiano was in the sights of the Broncos but the Bulldogs beat them to the punch.
Kasiano is in the sights of Queensland selectors as a replacement for Taylor in Origin III on July 4, although the last I heard he was leaning towards playing for New Zealand.
Origin III will bring down the curtain on the representative part of the season - almost - with a trans-Tasman Test in Townsville in October the last event.
Thank God for Origin now that the days of big international tours are gone.
To have a decider in such a quality representative competition is something AFL can only dream about.
I recalled some of the great league Tests as Wales looked certain to take their series against the Wallabies to a decider, only to be denied by a last-minute penalty goal.
In 1992 Mal Meninga captained Australia to a 16-10 win over Britain in the decider at Lang Park. It was a torrid affair and no one shirked their duty. I am sure the same will apply on July 4. The "cauldron" is no place for Jane.
Source: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...-1226398036300
