Bennett blasts Kiwis
Apr 30, 2006
Furious Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett blasted New Zealand officials for telling Broncos winger Tame Tupou he had been selected for his maiden test against Australia before Saturday night's NRL game against Canberra.
Tupou, who had scored six tries prior to Saturday night's game, turned in an absolute shocker on the wing as Brisbane won a bizarre game 30-28 after being down 0-18 at half time.
Bennett unleashed a stinging attack on the Kiwis after the game claiming they had messed with Tupou's head by telling him he'd been picked.
New Zealand coach Brian "Bluey" McClennan told Tupou on Wednesday he was playing in the Anzac Test and Bennett knew the giant winger would struggle to keep his focus.
"That's irresponsible to be honest," steamed Bennett.
"If he's played 30 tests like Darren (Lockyer) they handle it a lot better.
"But when it's your first test match for your country, it's a huge occasion. I'd have played like he played tonight.
"I just can't believe they had to tell him.
"They could have rung him tonight after the game.
"I'm very supportive of all the rep football as you know, but that just gets up your nose.
"To tell someone in his position that he's about to play in his first test match just really plays with you head.
Bennett said he was confident Tupou would recover from the horror game and play well next Friday for the Kiwis.
The giant winger was embarrassed about his display, almost in a daze after the game.
"I just don't know what happened," said Tupou who made a mountain of errors.
"I was probably over confident with people watching me and expecting me to step up a bit.
"I probably tried to do some things that I shouldn't have done.
"Hopefully when I get into camp with the boys they'll get me back rolling again."
The Broncos piled on 24 points in ten minutes after half time to wipe the deficit.
When fullback Karmichael Hunt scored his second try in the 53rd minute they hit the front 24-18.
Canberra regained the lead 28-24 when fullback Clinton Schifcofske out-muscled four defenders in the 62nd minute before Broncos centre Justin Hodges capped another great game with the match-winning try in the 67th off a smart Shane Perry pass.
"It was just weird," said Bennett of the amazing 80 minutes.
His captain Darren Lockyer, who passed Michael DeVere as the club's all-time leading point scorer with he scored soon after half time to spark the comeback, agreed.
"It was a freakish game. I don't think I've ever been involved on one like that."
Canberra veteran Jason Croker almost celebrated his 300th game with a win.
He did his best, scoring a try in the 25th minute but his effort was in vain.
Raiders coach Matthew Elliott blew up about several contentious video referee calls, especially a stripping penalty late in the game on Tupou when his side was pressing Brisbane's try line.
Elliott described the stripping penalty as a "massive call"
Schifcofske questioned why the video referee had made some calls and not others saying the outcome of games affected people's lives and those who bet on games.
Apr 30, 2006
Furious Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett blasted New Zealand officials for telling Broncos winger Tame Tupou he had been selected for his maiden test against Australia before Saturday night's NRL game against Canberra.
Tupou, who had scored six tries prior to Saturday night's game, turned in an absolute shocker on the wing as Brisbane won a bizarre game 30-28 after being down 0-18 at half time.
Bennett unleashed a stinging attack on the Kiwis after the game claiming they had messed with Tupou's head by telling him he'd been picked.
New Zealand coach Brian "Bluey" McClennan told Tupou on Wednesday he was playing in the Anzac Test and Bennett knew the giant winger would struggle to keep his focus.
"That's irresponsible to be honest," steamed Bennett.
"If he's played 30 tests like Darren (Lockyer) they handle it a lot better.
"But when it's your first test match for your country, it's a huge occasion. I'd have played like he played tonight.
"I just can't believe they had to tell him.
"They could have rung him tonight after the game.
"I'm very supportive of all the rep football as you know, but that just gets up your nose.
"To tell someone in his position that he's about to play in his first test match just really plays with you head.
Bennett said he was confident Tupou would recover from the horror game and play well next Friday for the Kiwis.
The giant winger was embarrassed about his display, almost in a daze after the game.
"I just don't know what happened," said Tupou who made a mountain of errors.
"I was probably over confident with people watching me and expecting me to step up a bit.
"I probably tried to do some things that I shouldn't have done.
"Hopefully when I get into camp with the boys they'll get me back rolling again."
The Broncos piled on 24 points in ten minutes after half time to wipe the deficit.
When fullback Karmichael Hunt scored his second try in the 53rd minute they hit the front 24-18.
Canberra regained the lead 28-24 when fullback Clinton Schifcofske out-muscled four defenders in the 62nd minute before Broncos centre Justin Hodges capped another great game with the match-winning try in the 67th off a smart Shane Perry pass.
"It was just weird," said Bennett of the amazing 80 minutes.
His captain Darren Lockyer, who passed Michael DeVere as the club's all-time leading point scorer with he scored soon after half time to spark the comeback, agreed.
"It was a freakish game. I don't think I've ever been involved on one like that."
Canberra veteran Jason Croker almost celebrated his 300th game with a win.
He did his best, scoring a try in the 25th minute but his effort was in vain.
Raiders coach Matthew Elliott blew up about several contentious video referee calls, especially a stripping penalty late in the game on Tupou when his side was pressing Brisbane's try line.
Elliott described the stripping penalty as a "massive call"
Schifcofske questioned why the video referee had made some calls and not others saying the outcome of games affected people's lives and those who bet on games.
