Rugby League: Halligan closing in on milestone

By PETER JESSUP

The Canterbury Bulldogs mined pure point-scoring gold when they signed Daryl Halligan, the former Waikato rugby fullback who threatens to be the game-breaker against the Auckland Warriors today.

Halligan has broken the back of many a side - his kicking beat the Warriors in this game at Stadium Australia last year, four tries apiece and two kicks the difference at 28-24.

At 33 going on 34, he may be slower across the ground but he pays his way with a kicking average never lower than the mid-80 per cent.

Halligan is in range of the Australian league competition's points record of 1971 held by Eels fullback Mick Cronin.

He started this season needing 141 and has already kicked 24 from 29, leaving him 93 away.

"Obviously, I can get there this season if I'm lucky but I've put that on the backburner," Halligan said yesterday.

"I'll just try and play well and if the Dogs do well, we'll score plenty. It'll take care of itself."

Consistency has been his hallmark. He missed only four games last year and one in 1998.

Today's game will be his 150th since signing for the Dogs in 1994 after then-new Norths coach Peter Louis cut him despite competition kicking records in his first three seasons at his new game.

Halligan said the Bulldogs were certainly not taking Auckland lightly.

He conceded that both sides were in similar situations, with slow starts to the season and some losses where they should have won.

"We haven't scored first in too many games this year and it's something we've been looking to rectify."

He would not detail any plans they had to attack the Warriors - Ricky Stuart bombing the fragile back three, for example - but said the Auckland side seemed to like playing the Dogs, with confrontational forward clashes a feature of past matches.

With Cowboys' Kiwi Brian Jellick out with a broken ankle, and the national side without a star goalkicker going into the Anzac test, some believe Halligan might again be asked by coach Frank Endacott to return from the retirement he announced at the end of the 1998 international season.

"I don't think Frank will call me unless he's in trouble and he's not yet, the way some of the young guys are going," Halligan said, mentioning Newcastle's Timana Tahu and Melbourne's Tasesa Lavea.

"I'd never say no. The missus would hate me again, but I believe the young guys should get that buildup for the future."

The Kiwis had gone up a step since the 1998 tour to England, he said, to just about a 50-50 bet against Australia.

He rated them a fair chance of taking the Anzac game and a better chance of lifting the season-ending World Cup.

Centre team-mate Willie Talau is one certain to be named when Endacott announces his team on Monday.

Talau said he was over the persistent leg injury problems he had last year and was happy with his form, with Halligan adding that there was nothing wrong with Talau's play except that "he needs to pass to me more."

Their captain, Darren Britt, said they would not be counting on the Vodafone-sponsored Warriors flagging in the last quarter.

The standard and toughness of the competition had gone up with the cut to 14 teams, he said. There were no second-rate sides, no easy wins.

"A lot of teams are struggling to lift themselves on the day and the team that turn up with the most enthusiasm are winning.

"We've suffered from that - it's hard for teams to maintain enthusiasm."

The Warriors, one win from the last five, had an early flight to Sydney yesterday and a light run in the afternoon at the Olympic venue.

Canterbury Bulldogs: Rod Silva, Hazem El Masri, Darren Smith, Willie Talau, Daryl Halligan, Brent Sherwin, Ricky Stuart, Travis Norton, Brad Clyde, Steve Reardon, Dennis Scott, Jason Hetherington, Darren Britt (captain).

Reserves: Craig Polla-Mounter, Steve Price, Glen Hughes, Nathan Solonginkin.

Auckland Warriors: Scott Pethybridge, Lee Oudenryn, David Myles, Nigel Vagana, Henry Fa'afili, John Simon (captain), Stacey Jones, Jason Death, Ali Lauiti'iti, Logan Swann, Talite Liavaa, Robert Mears, Joe Vagana.

Reserves: Shontayne Hape, Tony Tuimavave, Matt Spence, Mark Tookey.