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Courtesy of NRL.COM
Tallis comes out swinging - after the game
18 July 2004
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The man known as "The Raging Bull" again worked up a head of steam at EnergyAustralia Stadium today - off
the field.
After helping steer the Broncos to a 16-12 win at Newcastle, Brisbane hardman Gorden Tallis came out swinging
over the treatment of their gun fullback Karmichael Hunt after the teenager copped several head knocks.
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Tallis said the league needed
to do more to protect youngsters such as Hunt before taking a a thinly veiled swipe at Sydney Roosters coach Ricky Stuart
and his hardman Adrian Morley who was again placed on report this weekend, this time for a tackle on Dragons youngster Aaron
Wheatley.
Tallis was clearly bristling after the 17-year-old Hunt was hit hard in tackles several times today and
"had headaches at halftime".
"He gets them (high tackles) every time. You get one coach who complains about his players
getting targeted for giving head highs but this young bloke he's 17 and every week he gets hit around the head and no one
seems to take any action," Tallis said.
"You talk about protecting the players. You got one bloke who runs a thin
red line and his coach knows he is very aggressive and you've got a 17-year- old, new to the game, getting bashed every week
- I know who the game has got to protect."
Hunt still bounced back to finish off a remarkable 80m effort that involved
seven pairs of hands in the 48th minute today and was always dangerous with the ball in his hands.
Brisbane coach
Wayne Bennett dipped his hat to the youngster who was king hit in backplay last weekend by St George Illawarra player David
Howell, earning the Dragon a three week suspension.
"I just can't believe his toughness. I think most of you missed
it last week, we certainly did, when he got hit from behind and the guy got three weeks for it," he said.
"He got
up from that, after I saw it I couldn't believe we didn't notice it, but he just got up - he's so tough, it's a rare quality
... at that age."
Tallis said the Broncos had found a cure to their annual State of Origin hangover thanks to Hunt
and his young brigade.
It was the corresponding game at Newcastle last year that a weary Brisbane began an eight game
losing streak to be bundled out of the finals as Origin duty caught up with them.
However, this year Brisbane won
every game following an Origin match.
"The young blokes are standing up. Each week when we pick one of them they always
seem to play well," Tallis said.
"I mean David Stagg two weeks ago no one had really heard of him but he's come on
and played outstanding.
"As long as our young blokes don't get brain explosions, we should be there at the end of
the year."
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