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Final will swing on halves battle |
Final will swing on halves battle | 1.10.2008 | |
PREMIERSHIP-winning halfback Craig Wing believes the battle between rival No.7s Cooper Cronk and Matt Orford will decide the NRL grand final.Better known throughout most of his career as a hooker, Wing piloted the Sydney Roosters from halfback when they won the 2002 decider against the New Zealand Warriors.
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“They`re both fantastic players and I think Matty Orford didn`t get player of the year for no reason,” the South Sydney utility told reporters.
“I think there`ll be a lot of pressure on him. He was a little bit quiet in last year`s grand final so I`m sure he won`t let that happen again.
“For my mind (Cronk`s) the one that drives the Melbourne Storm. He`s behind most of their attacking plays and their field position and their direction.
“He`s the key man for them and he`s a very consistent, clinical player so I think that`s where it`s going to be won, between those two.”
Wing, one of Cameron Smith`s predecessors as Australia`s Test hooker, said the suspension of the Melbourne skipper would not have a major bearing on the Storm`s game.
“I thought it would have more of an impact than it has but they`re a great team and obviously coached very, very well and it seemed to have lifted them in the last game,” Wing said.
“So if they can repeat that performance then I don`t think it will have much impact at all.
“They`ve got so many players who can step up and if everyone does their job and a few of those players have brilliant games, they`re almost impossible to beat.”
Wing said Manly were clearly overawed in last year`s decider, but that would not be the case on Sunday.
“Last year they were certainly shell-shocked and it`s a kind of game where it can really get away from you and before you know it`s all over,” he said.
“I remember my first grand final against the Broncos ... We just weren`t ready for it and the next time you`re there you certainly are.
“I`m sure Manly won`t let the experience get away from them and I`m sure they won`t let the clock get away from this time because they`ll be ready for it.”
But Wing said the outcome at ANZ Stadium was tough to predict.
“A few weeks ago I would have said Melbourne but as of now I think it`s honestly 50-50,” he said.
“Grand finals are all about doing the little things right and field position and it only takes one little thing like a 40-20 kick or a dropped ball (that) can turn the entire game.
“That kind of a game I think suits Melbourne because they`re very clinical.
“But Manly`s been playing really, really well so obviously I think it`s 50-50.”
Meanwhile, Wing played down media reports of a near riot after Sunday`s Prime Minister`s XIII clash with Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.
“I guess if you look at old footage of when the Beatles rocked up at a place, there`s just thousands of people there and they just want to be a part of it ... that`s what it was like,” he said.
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