Matai looks to KO Gasnier and Dragons

Written by Steve Gee The Daily Telegraph

Monday, 16 August 2010 07:21

IT'S a rivalry etched more in controversy than in blood and the next chapter in their trans-Tasman battle will be written tonight.

After almost two years playing in different codes and hemispheres, Mark Gasnier and Steve Matai face off again in tonight's blockbuster clash between St George Illawarra and Manly at WIN Jubilee.

The pair last met when Matai and the Sea Eagles ended Gasnier's NRL career with a 38-6 finals thumping in 2008.

And while the fury from the Kiwi enforcer's infamous knockout tackle on Gasnier in the 2007 Australia-New Zealand Test has long subsided, Dragons veteran Matt Cooper can't wait for the next round.

"It will be a good battle between those two," Cooper said. "They're both good players.

"Matai's an aggressive player and Gaz has all the flair, so it's going to be a good match-up."

The pair have been facing off since Matai burst into first grade in 2005.

Although honours are even in the win column, Dragons fans will be praying for a change in fortune for their returned star.

Dragons legend John Raper famously labelled Matai a "dog" for the tackle on Gasnier in the trans-Tasman Test.

The hit was so vicious that the Kangaroos star had no memory of the incident or the fact Matai apologised afterwards.

And although Matai will be desperate to stay on the right side of the referee this time, the Dragons know he will be looking to again make his mark.

Now in the fifth week of his NRL comeback, the Dragons' prodigal son Gasnier is slowly showing signs he is slipping back into the grove after two years playing rugby union in France.

The match pits the two teams many believe could meet in the grand final.

And the result might have a significant bearing on the top four.

The Dragons can take a giant step towards wrapping up a second successive minor premiership if they win tonight.

The sixth-placed Sea Eagles can close in on a top-four finish if they replicate their 24-6 win over the Dragons at Brookvale Oval in round nine.

A virtually full-strength St George Illawarra enter tonight's match as firm favourites, while Manly have been disrupted by injury concerns to Anthony Watmough (knee) and Matt Ballin (concussion), and the loss of fill-in fullback William Hopoate (hamstring).

Manly coach Des Hasler has been forced to give Toyota Cup winger Michael Oldfield his first-grade debut.

Oldfield will partner Matai on the left side, with Michael Robertson shifting to fullback.

Cooper and Brett Morris will face Jamie Lyon and Tony Williams on the right - and Cooper is relishing the match-up with the Manly captain.

"I've sort of been doing that my whole career," Cooper said of facing Lyon. "I love the challenge. He's been playing really good football, so it's going to give me a bit more of a boost to try and have a good game.

"They are a great attacking side, especially down their right side with Lyon and [Glenn] Stewart and the big fella [Tony Williams] on the wing.

"The last couple of weeks we have let some easy tries in, so we want to fix that."

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