Super League / Ralph Ellis / 25 September 2009 / Leave a comment

Ralph Ellis believes Huddersfield are far too short for tonight's play-off clash against in-form Catalan Dragons...

"Giants are a ridiculously short [1.42] to win tonight’s televised clash, and that has to be a lay, if only to back it and turn the market green at some time during the game. Walters began the season badly with Dragons, but they have improved week on week and are the team in form."

Sir Alex Ferguson, as Mark Hughes knows only too well, has got the business of influencing referees down to a fine art. When he's not talking about how they "need to be strong" to stop people kicking his players, insulting them on MUTV, or tapping his watch on the sidelines, he's saying nice things about what a tough job they've got. He's done it so well over the years that from this season other managers are no longer allowed to copy the tactics and talk about the ref before a game.

But the example has been picked up in other sports, and lo and behold it's being followed by Catalans Dragons coach Kevin Walters ahead of tonight's Super League play-off at Huddersfield. The Australian has accused the Giants of trying to slow the game up by wrestling players who have been tackled so they can't release the ball before defenders have got in position. "I just hope it's policed properly," he's said. "Steve Ganson's a very experienced referee. We don't want to see a WrestleMania, just a good open game."

Now that one is straight out of the Fergie text book, and it has inevitably provoked a reaction from his fellow Aussie Nathan Brown. "I'm surprised Kevin is trying to advise Steve on how to referee when his own team is the most heavily penalised in the competition," was his response.

That's a good effort at a comeback, but too late. Once Walters has started the debate, it means the ref will inevitably be looking harder at such incidents. That's just human nature.

Curiously St Helens coach Mick Potter made the same accusation against Giants a week ago, and he couldn't be accused of sour grapes. His team had just beaten Huddersfield 15-2 in the qualifying play-off.

Giants are a ridiculously short [1.42] to win tonight's televised clash, and that has to be a lay, if only to back it and turn the market green at some time during the game. Walters began the season badly with Dragons, but they have improved week on week and are the team in form at the minute. Wins over St Helens and Wakefield in the last fortnight suggest they deserve far more respect.

Brown has also suggested that travelling from Perpignan every week must take a toll on the Dragons, but that sounds like a man clutching at straws after knowing his lost the "wrestle" debate.

Just as Walters has taken time to grow into his role in Super League, some of his players have blossomed late in the season too - especially full-back Clint Greenshields who has emerged as arguably the best in his position.

Five things you might not know about Nathan Brown

1. Born in 1973 in Maclean in New South Wales, he only started playing rugby league seriously when he moved to Illawarra because he wanted to spend his time surfing

2. He played hooker for St George Dragons and reached three Grand Finals, but lost them all. This year's Challenge Cup final was his first major final as a coach. He lost that too!

3. His playing career was ended when scans on a neck injury he picked up in a pre-season friendly revealed a serious spinal weakness

4. He was the youngest non playing coach in the NRL when St George Dragons put him in charge age 29

5. Think Phil Brown was out of order for that half time team talk on the pitch at Manchester City last year? Nathan Brown slapped his skipper on the cheek in the middle of a match when he was coaching St George Dragons. It was 12-12 at the time, and they lost 38-12!

Tags: Catalan Dragons, Huddersfield Giants, Kevin Walters, Mick Potter, Nathan Brown, Rugby League betting, Sir Alex Ferguson, Super League betting