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Holbrook: Bulldogs must not seek revenge for Fa'asuamaleaui's Origin attack on Burton
Justin Holbrook has warned his Gold Coast players not to become involved in a tit-for-tat battle with Canterbury rivals seeking retribution on Tino Fa’asuamaleaui for Matt Burton.
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The issue of Fa’asuamaleaui and Burton’s State of Origin scuffle has been thrown into the headlines again this week, with Tevita Pangai vowing to protect his Bulldogs halfback.
Canterbury and NSW players had been angered when Fa’asuamaleaui held Burton in a headlock in Origin III, as Queensland star Dane Gagai landed a flurry of punches to Burton’s head.
But Holbrook claimed on Saturday he was disappointed the issue had come up in the lead-up to the round 19 clash, adamant there should be no flow-on effect from Origin into club football.
“We’ve just got to make sure we keep our discipline,” Holbrook said.
“It has been blown out of proportion. It was an incident in an Origin game, he was breaking up a fight.
“And all of a sudden it has turned into a Bulldogs v Titans battle.
“I am a bit disappointed, I know we are looking at different ways to promote games, but I don’t think that is the right answer.
“I don’t know how you get one back on them the way the game is played these days, that can’t happen. They can try whatever they like, we’ll just play footy.”
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Burton at least received good news on Saturday, with his main attacking weapon Josh Addo-Carr on track to recover from an ankle injury and play at Accor Stadium.
Declan Casey will play fullback with Jake Averillo sidelined by COVID-19, denting his return to form in the No.1 jersey for the Bulldogs.
Gold Coast are a team desperately in needing to find some form.
A loss on Sunday would leave them at risk of being last on the ladder, while Holbrook’s defensive coach Jim Dymock was axed earlier this month.
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Holbrook again pointed to his team’s inexperience as part of their issues, after letting the likes of Jamal Fogarty, Ash Taylor and Mitch Rein go at the end of last year.
The under-pressure Titans coach has identified hooker as the area the club need to boost for next year, with Aaron Booth set to start there again on Sunday and Erin Clark to feature at lock off the bench.
“We’ve got to keep looking hard in that area,” Holbrook said.
“We have said for a few weeks now we want Erin back in that modern-day lock role.
“We have Boothy who is old in age but young in experience.
“We need to strengthen that in the long-term, and it will help Toby (Sexton), Jayden (Campbell) and AJ (Brimson).
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
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