Mathew HEAD [
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Fri May 1, 2009
by Steve Kaless
Source: The RoarIf 2009 was meant to herald the return to dominance of the little man in rugby league, then to borrow a phrase from our tourism board, "Where the bloody hell are they?"
The game was meant to be faster, meaning we were going to see more players like Matt Bowen carving up tiring forwards.
However, what coaches have found is that, while it might be easy to find someone the same size as the North Queensland speedster, finding someone with the same level of skill is an entirely different proposition.
Which means that as you look down the team sheets for this weekend's matches, you'll find that most coaches are still going for the tried and true formula of three forwards and a hooker.
Furthermore, when they have a hooker that can go for eighty minutes, like the Bulldogs' Michael Ennis, they are opting for a extra forward rather than diminutive game-breaker such as Ben Barba in the 'Dogs case.
Even the big units aren't looking to trim down.
Penrith's Trent Waterhouse, who is playing his best football since 2003, is doing so with an enlarged physique. The Panthers coaching staff admitted earlier this season they got it wrong when they thought forwards would get smaller and they felt that stripping down Waterhouse had probably lead to his drop in form.
So the past off-season was all about adding the bulk.
The same can be said for Greg Inglis. For all the Storm's science, if the game was for the elf this season, why turn Inglis into the biggest ever five eighth?
I'd argue that the big boppers are the ones enjoying the game in its current form. Just look at how many are scoring tries.
Barely a game goes by without a prop forward crashing over (or, in the Knights Danny Wicks case, sailing over) and it is due to the speed at which the game is played, which makes it is so hard for the defence to get set on the line.
Particularly the little man.
Chris Sandow and Preston Campbell are just the sort of players that attacks will focus on, and so often the big forward will be hurtling at them just as they have got back the ten.
There is nowhere to hide.
Not only will opposition coaches look to target the weaker defenders, they are even breaking it down to which shoulder they should run at. So player A might be suspect but if his inside shoulder is even worse than his outside, they'll go that way.
The big players are also playing more minutes, allowing coaches to be more judicious with their bench.
Remember when Glenn Lazarus was a freak in the modern game for playing 80 minutes? Now every club has a few forwards that can play without a break.
Coaches also used to bemoan having their bench reduced to, say, fifteen players. Yet, some, like the Dragons' Wayne Bennett, are choosing only to use fifteen for large parts of the game.
Bennett has twice this season kept an unused substitute - Matthew Head both times - on his bench for the entire match.
Small players with freakish skills have always had a place in rugby league. And that will always be the case.
But with all other things being equal, a big frame will still catch the eye of recruitment managers and coaches.
The key word is agility. So long as you can pick that bulk up and turn it around, you'll still enjoy a good career.
Steve Kaless is an expert columnist with www.theroar.com.au.
Fri April 11, 2008
by Matthew O'Neill
Outstanding Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah has pulled out of Sunday's important clash against Canberra and is expected to be missing for the next 2-3 weeks.
Farah missed last Monday's loss against Penrith and was due to play halfback as Tigers travel to the Nations Capital on Sunday.
Unfortunately Farah didn't pull up well from a tough training session at Concord Oval yesterday and scans revealed that he's going be required to sit on the sidelines due to a back injury.
It's a huge blow for the Tigers as Farah has taken over from Benji Marshall as being their team and his form over the last two years has warranted suggestions that he should be used as the option to fill the troubled halfback position for New South Wales allowing both he and Danny Buderus to be in the same representative side.
Former Dragons halfback Mathew Head is expected to replace Farah for the clash against Canberra. Head hasn't played in the NRL since being released by the Dragons last year to play for English Super League side Hull FC. Head by all reports is still passing and kicking well, but isn't taking on the line in attack.
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 2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
St George Illawarra Dragons
12 games; [View] Round 3 [29 Mar 09] W 10-6 v Sharks (H). [BE]
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 09] W 25-12 v Broncos (A). [BE]
[View] Round 5 [10 Apr 09] W 22-8 v Eels (A). [BE]
[View] Round 7 [25 Apr 09] W 29-0 v Roosters (A). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [03 May 09] W 12-11 v Warriors (H). [BE]
[View] Round 9 [09 May 09] L 20-24 v Cowboys (A). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [23 May 09] W 26-4 v Sharks (A). [BE]
[View] Round 12 [29 May 09] W 38-10 v Panthers (H). [BE]
[View] Round 13 [08 Jun 09] L 24-28 v Titans (A). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [14 Jun 09] W 32-18 v Cowboys (H). [BE]
[View] Round 16 [26 Jun 09] W 21-10 v Tigers (A). [BE]
[View] Round 17 [03 Jul 09] W 34-12 v Roosters (H). [BE]
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2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
11 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 5 [13 Apr 08] L 24-30 v Raiders (A). [HB]
[View] Round 6 [20 Apr 08] W 30-10 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB]
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] W 20-16 v Sharks (A). [HB]
[View] Round 8 [03 May 08] L 22-34 v Broncos (H). [HB]
[View] Round 10 [18 May 08] W 38-26 v Knights (A). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [25 May 08] W 20-18 v Gold Coast (H). [HB]
[View] Round 12 [02 Jun 08] L 10-19 v Roosters (A). [HB]
[View] Round 13 [07 Jun 08] W 40-16 v Cowboys (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [15 Jun 08] L 6-44 v Eels (H). [HB]
[View] Round 15 [20 Jun 08] L 18-19 v Broncos (A). [HB]
[View] Round 16 [29 Jun 08] L 26-28 v Warriors (H). [HB]
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2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
St George Illawarra Dragons
6 games; 6/7 goals, 12 points.
[View] Round 3 [31 Mar 07] L 18-22 v Cowboys (H). [HB]
[View] Round 4 [09 Apr 07] L 4-40 v Sharks (A). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [04 May 07] W 28-16 v Panthers (H). [HB]
[View] Round 9 [13 May 07] L 8-27 v Tigers (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 10 [18 May 07] W 28-10 v Titans (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 11 [25 May 07] L 6-30 v Raiders (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/1g
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2007 engage English Super League
Hull Football Club
10 games; 1 tries, 1 field goals, 5 points.
[View] Round 18 [29 Jul 07] W 48-26 v Salford City (H). [HB]
[View] Round 19 [08 Jul 07] W 30-20 v Hull KR (A). [HB]
[View] Round 22 [03 Aug 07] L 20-31 v St Helens (A). [HB]
[View] Round 23 [12 Aug 07] W 46-14 v Warrington (H). [HB]
[View] Round 24 [17 Aug 07] W 42-24 v Wakefield (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [02 Sep 07] L 6-42 v Hull KR (H). [HB]
[View] Round 26 [07 Sep 07] W 17-6 v Leeds (A). [HB] 1 Pts; 1fg
[View] Round 27 [14 Sep 07] W 20-10 v Bradford (H). [HB]
[View] Finals Week 1 [22 Sep 07] W 22-16 v Huddersfield (H). [HB]
[View] Finals Week 2 [29 Sep 07] L 18-21 v Wigan (H). [BE]
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2006 VB NSWRL Premier League
St George Illawarra Dragons
1 tries, 4 points.
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2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
St George Illawarra Dragons
14 games; 15/26 goals, 30 points.
[View] Round 6 [15 Apr 06] W 26-24 v Sea Eagles (A). [HB] 10 Pts; 5/5g
[View] Round 7 [25 Apr 06] W 22-12 v Roosters (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/5g
[View] Round 8 [29 Apr 06] L 10-24 v Storm (A). [HB]
[View] Round 15 [16 Jun 06] W 18-16 v Broncos (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 16 [24 Jun 06] W 34-14 v Cowboys (H). [HB]
[View] Round 18 [09 Jul 06] W 38-28 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 19 [14 Jul 06] L 16-22 v Bulldogs (H). [HB]
[View] Round 20 [23 Jul 06] L 12-31 v Raiders (A). [HB]
[View] Round 21 [30 Jul 06] L 24-34 v Storm (H). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/1g
[View] Round 22 [04 Aug 06] L 6-28 v Eels (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 23 [13 Aug 06] L 10-26 v Bulldogs (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Finals Week One [09 Sep 06] W 20-4 v Broncos (A). [BE]
[View] Finals Week Two [15 Sep 06] W 28-0 v Sea Eagles. [BE]
[View] Finals Week Three [23 Sep 06] L 10-24 v Storm. [BE]
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2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
St George Illawarra Dragons
10 games; 2 tries, 25 goals, 58 points.
[View] Round 1 [11 Mar 05] L 28-46 v Bulldogs (A). [HB] 8 Pts; 2t (64th, 71st)
[View] Round 2 [19 Mar 05] L 12-46 v Storm (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 3 [26 Mar 05] L 8-18 v Panthers (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 4 [02 Apr 05] L 22-42 v Raiders (A). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 05] W 32-6 v Sea Eagles (H). [HB] 12 Pts; 6/7g
[View] Round 6 [17 Apr 05] L 24-34 v Broncos (H). [HB] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 7 [25 Apr 05] W 26-24 v Roosters (A). [HB] 10 Pts; 5/6g
[View] Round 8 [01 May 05] W 40-32 v Tigers (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 05] W 32-18 v Warriors (H). [HB]
[View] Round 14 [12 Jun 05] W 34-4 v Cowboys (H). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/1g
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2004 NRL Telstra Premiership
St George Illawarra Dragons
1 games; 1 tries, 0/1 goals, 4 points.
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 04] W 16-10 v Warriors (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
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Head, Mathew
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