Ok so finally my comments on the game
I had arrived at the ticket gate to purchase a ticket for the southern GA section (not far from where the gronks were) but for whatever reason the guy accidentally gave me a ticket to the northern concourse in seated area. This would prove a faithful event as it was a kick ass seat so I decided to stay and it was right behind the posts where Fifi would later score a very special Sharks try.
I was around a sprinkling of Dragons and Sharks fans. The NE stand near me was filled with Sharks fans only so maybe that was the away bay.
There were no real standouts for me during the game as everyone was generally poor with moments of being terrible. Poms looked better than usual though and Lewis and Gal ran hard. Gordon was safe as usual and made some nice tackle busts running the ball back. Defense in second half was strong and the Dragons started to run out of puff, make errors and stopped attacking hoping to hold onto a lead unfamiliar with how to close out a game (sound familiar?). Even some Dragons fans around me mentioned how nervous they were and how many leads they have blown this year. The work of Degois and Robbo in our second try was very good and then we had a real sniff.
While Carney had a poor game by his standards even so you can see how invaluable he is to our attack when he is running the ball and the defense has eyes for him unsure what play he is going to put on. So even when he plays bad we are better for him being out there.
Carney missing a rare conversion goal towards the end was a blessing in disguise as it prevented the game turning into a field goal-a-thon and could have led to golden point and a very different result.
I'm glad only a few people have got stuck into Feki. He had a bad one under the high ball but has usually been quite good under it. Youngsters need time to develop and patience. I'm happy for him to play again next week. Keep your head up Feki. A trainer ran out after his 3rd or so drop and whispered something in his ear and after that he no longer contested any bombs instead leaving them for Wright and Gordon so can hazard a guess what was said, I doubt it was encouragement.
The soft and inconsistent reffing angered me all game.
Fifi's try was a try, watch the replay in slow motion and Andrews hand looks slightly ahead of Nighto just before grounding and is simultaneous at worse. It's funny cause once Andrew toed that ball forward he got this big determined grin on his face, my heart skipped a beat in disbelief and excitement but I always felt "He is going to get there!" and he did and a **** night turned into a brilliant one in the blink of an eye. The Sharks players were in rapture hugging each other and fist pumping at the small contingent of fans behind the posts while the Dragons players lay on the grass, hands on hips shattered and in disbelief. What a sight. The Dragons fans could hardly move, numb from the heartbreak and shock. They couldn't even muster the energy to sledge the Sharks supporters around them.
I was actually crapping myself when they reviewed that try considering how many had be turn down through the game and when Dragons players started slapping Nighto and Creagh on the back I thought it was being overturned. I did not expect the green light (despite it being a fair try) and when it came I jumped up and down for the second time where I stood! A small chant of "Up Up" begun behind me and soon faded out but it didn't matter cause we were indeed up and the opposition were down. Carney took his time with the conversion and the result was confirmed.
Wendell Sailor came up to the northern fence after the game. He said to me that he reckons the Sharks actually deserved that win. I told him we had planned it like that all along lol.
Sorry for the elaboration and long post but that was a strange night (a sober one as well) that can always be looked back on by player, coach and fan alike the next time it seems impossible.
The fluke would not have happened had we not kept trying, we decide our own fate, who deserves a win is up to us, not anyone else. The 2 points went where they belong.
You hear the saying that good teams can play bad and still win.
Well we are an average team than played bad and still won and that never really happens to us.
If you can't celebrate that win and put away the thoughts of criticism and the reality of future challenges then you have forgotten the joys of what being a Sharks & League supporter is all about.
