Sunday, July 25, 2004
Smith blows up
Brian Smith labelled the decision that cost Parramatta any chance of victory "disgusting".
Media reports following last night's clash against the Storm mostly focused on Smith's post-match tirade against officials.
"I think all the Melbourne players were lined up for a play-the-ball, I think they knew what had happened. All of our players knew what had happened. Certainly the bloke who made the tackle and had his arm under the ball and held him up knew," said a Sunday Herald Sun.
"It appeared as if the video ref was the only one who didn't realise what had happened - it was one of many tonight. They were the difference in the winning and losing of the game, it wasn't decided by the players."
Meanwhile, The Sun Herald quoted Smith as saying: "To come here playing under pressure to stay in the race for the finals, and to lose the way we did, on the back of decisions not made by players from either team, is just not good enough.
"If we keep playing like we did tonight and we're on the end of some crap calls, it will make it very difficult [to make the finals].
"[The Orford decision] was one of many tonight - some made in the box, some made on the field - that were the difference in the winning and losing of the game."
Meanwhile, other media reports focused on the performance by Melbourne half-back Matt Orford, who appeared likely to be Parramatta bound at one stage this year.
"He might have been the smallest player on the field, but Melbourne half-back Matt Orford last night won the Storm a last-minute victory over Parramatta at Olympic Park through sheer physical strength," said a report in The Age.
"He is only 172 centimetres and 78 kilograms, but none of the Storm's massive forwards or powerful backs bench-presses more in the Melbourne gym than the dynamo in the No. 7 guernsey."
Media reports following last night's clash against the Storm mostly focused on Smith's post-match tirade against officials.
"I think all the Melbourne players were lined up for a play-the-ball, I think they knew what had happened. All of our players knew what had happened. Certainly the bloke who made the tackle and had his arm under the ball and held him up knew," said a Sunday Herald Sun.
"It appeared as if the video ref was the only one who didn't realise what had happened - it was one of many tonight. They were the difference in the winning and losing of the game, it wasn't decided by the players."
Meanwhile, The Sun Herald quoted Smith as saying: "To come here playing under pressure to stay in the race for the finals, and to lose the way we did, on the back of decisions not made by players from either team, is just not good enough.
"If we keep playing like we did tonight and we're on the end of some crap calls, it will make it very difficult [to make the finals].
"[The Orford decision] was one of many tonight - some made in the box, some made on the field - that were the difference in the winning and losing of the game."
Meanwhile, other media reports focused on the performance by Melbourne half-back Matt Orford, who appeared likely to be Parramatta bound at one stage this year.
"He might have been the smallest player on the field, but Melbourne half-back Matt Orford last night won the Storm a last-minute victory over Parramatta at Olympic Park through sheer physical strength," said a report in The Age.
"He is only 172 centimetres and 78 kilograms, but none of the Storm's massive forwards or powerful backs bench-presses more in the Melbourne gym than the dynamo in the No. 7 guernsey."
