ADELAIDE 10
HUNTER 8
By STEVE MASCORD
Adelaide Oval
A CROWD of 27,435 for Super League’s Adelaide debut last night dwarfed everything else about the Rams’ win – including the quality of the football.
The attendance figure, the biggest since 28,834 saw the first top-flight game at Adelaide Oval six years ago, marked the new competition’s biggest triumph since it kicked off in Australia.
With News Ltd chief executive Ken Cowley watching, the team some believe was named in honour of Rupert Murdoch’s pastoral holdings just outside Adelaide withstood a late Hunter rally to win its maiden game.
Unfortunately, the glitzy pre-match entertainment provided a better spectacle than the arm-wrestling between two winless sides that was to follow.
“To me, winning is entertaining,” said Rams coach Rod Reddy, unhappy with the error count in last weekend’s more adventurous play in Brisbane.
“You should play whichever way you need to to win.”
The Mariners’ unhappy relationship with referee Brian Grant seems certain to continue, with three penalty goals to Rams centre Kurt Wrigley providing the difference between the teams.
Hunter coach Graham Murray met with Grant during the week to discuss a number of decisions in last week’s loss to Auckland. Last night Grant came up with more calls that disappointed Murray.
“There is no animosity between us but there are a few decisions we just don’t agree with,” Murray said. “He penalised Nick Zisti in the first half for running after he was tackled. Well, he wasn’t tackled.”
Adelaide led 10-2 at half-time, but a try by Hunter winger Gavin Thompson nine minutes from the finish, converted by Zisti, provided fans with a grandstand finish.
With Hunter on the attack, hooker Robbie McCormack kicked for touch and thought he had regathered possession when the ball bounced off a defender.
But Grant awarded the Rams possession in a significant let-off for the home side.
Adelaide’s try came just before half-time as second-rower Cameron Blair took an inside pass from captain Kerrod Walters, moments after replacement Bruce Mamando had a try disallowed by the video referee.
Winger Jack Elsegood will start today’s game against Western Suburbs at the Sydney Football Stadium after signing with the Roosters for one year.
Elsegood, a Super League recruit, was directed back to the ARL by the Supreme Court.
And North Sydney coach Peter Louis has extended his contract with the Bears until the end of next year.
In today’s other ARL match, Balmain host Illawarra at Leichhardt Oval, while Penrith travel to Stockland Stadium for their Super League game against North Queensland.
