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JIM TUCKER RUGBY UNION THE COURIER-MAIL APRIL 04, 2014 10:00PM
THE “Get Genia” hounding that the Reds’ champion halfback is expecting tonight is the perfect spur for his biggest showing of the season.
Will Genia is fired up by the perception that Western Force have patented methods to eliminate him as a factor from this enthralling grudge match at Suncorp Stadium.
It will be “Will Who?” as plenty of off-the-ball harassment, jersey grabbing from rucks and tackling missiles are directed his way to slow his impact at the next play.
Telling Genia he might as well not run on is waving a red rag at the always-bullish weapon who has started to snipe more over the past three games.
“It’s not as if teams don’t target me every week,” Genia said. “Credit to the Force, they did it really well last year and it worked with the late hits, the holding and the pretend rolling away when they were rolling into you.’’
Genia got fresh insight into the blatant tactics this week because Nick Stiles, the Force forwards coach who helped devised them, is now in the Reds camp.
“It’s gamesmanship to kill off our game by upsetting the rhythm of the halfback and Quade (Cooper) and they’ll attempt it again,” Genia said.
“We’ve got far more threats than that.’’
Force coach Michael Foley has stirred a revival of three straight wins with vastly improved try-power and dominant backrowers Matt Hodgson and Ben McCalman.
“Will and Quade are the best No.9 and No.10 in the competition and if you don’t shut them down then they’re obviously going to play well,’’ Foley said.
“I thought Stilesy’s tactic last year of trying to get to Will was a good one but he’s a complete passing, running, kicking halfback so we have to make sure our defensive system is right.’’
Knowing that abrasive Force flanker Hodgson is coming for him and doing something about it are two different things.
It niggled Genia into a brief scrap with Hodgson last year when the Force grabbed a history-making 19-12 upset at Suncorp Stadium and an 11-all draw in Perth.
“Mixing up my game so I’m not predictable is the biggest thing,” Genia said.
The surest way for Genia to click is for flanker Beau Robinson and his Reds pack to smash the harassers away at the breakdown.
“Quick ball and the game is moving before any pressure comes on,” Genia said.
Forward dominance would also limit pacy Force halfback Alby Mathewson, whose break from the back of a lineout set up the try that grabbed last year’s boilover.
Former All Black Mathewson is one of the best imports of the past 18 years.
“A lot of the ball-playing for the Force comes off him rather than No.10,” Genia said.
“He is always looking to spark something so if our forwards are playing well and forcing him to pass continually it is a win for us.’’
The Force defence restricted the Reds to a single try in 160 minutes of rugby last year so any line break from sharp-stepping wing rookie Jamie-Jerry Taulagi will be gold.
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"Former All Black Mathewson is one of the best imports of the past 18 years." (18 for Super era)
