Hill sent off as Manly race on

by Paul Kent

This article has been transcribed without permission from The Sun-Herald, Sunday, 2nd July, 1995, page 59.

Terry Hill was sent off for an elleged head-butt yesterday, putting his Australian spot for Friday's Test against New Zealand in jeopardy. Hill was sent off after an altercation with Illawarra centre Jonathan Britten in the 70th minute. Referee Graeme West, acting on a touch judge's report, sent Hill off on a striking charge. The Manly centre had left the dressing room before the press could question him on the incident.

Hill's absence triggered zipped lips across the board. ``I didn't see it and I haven't looked at the video yet,'' Sea Eagles coach Bob Fulton said. ``I didn't see it,'' Steelers coach Allan Fitzgibbon said. ``I was over the other side,'' said Illawarra winger Rod Wishart.

Hill's send-off had one positive result - it spureed the Sea Eagles into action. Until then they had been playing without passion. Except for a brief period late in the first half, the competition front-runners had been playing well below their best.

The Eagles eventually won 18-12, but the Hill case will worry Fulton, who is also the Australian coach, more than the lacklustre performance. Hill and Britten became involved in a shoving match that escalated into a full-scale fight after a Hill tackle.

The Steelers had climbed back from an 18-2 halftime deficit, inflicted during a costly 10 minutes midway through the first half. It came when Illawarra's John Simon was sin-binned for a professional foul as his side led 2-0. By the time Simon had returned, Manly had stacked on two quick tries to Hill and then Menzies. Another try to Manly a minute before halftime sent the Eagles to the break with and 18-2 lead and, as in days past, it appeared as if they would go on with the job in the second 40 minutes.

But the Steelers found grit in their defence after an early breakthrough to second-rower Neil Piccinelli. Piccinelli scored in the third minute of the second half, and when Glen Air crossed in the 55th minute, an upset was in the wind.

While Manly's defensive line was without its usual sting, it managed to frustrate the Steleers no end. The Manly line held solid and the Steelers were at times guilty of plenty of ball movement but little penetration.