By Liam FitzGibbon
September 5th 2008 @ 1:13am
Big Dell tipping big performance from Mason
He’s been labelled the NRL’s most overrated player and his recent form has been questionable but that’s even more reason to fear Willie Mason, according to Wendell Sailor.
Test star Mason was awarded the game’s most unwanted gong in a July player poll and he has since failed to produce his best form as the Sydney Roosters hit a late-season slump.
But St George Illawarra winger Sailor today tipped a big performance from his good mate when the side’s meet in tomorrow night’s blockbuster at the Sydney Football Stadium.
“One thing I know about Willie is when you bag someone of his calibre, there’s only one way to respond and that’s having a big game,” Sailor said today.
“I just don’t think that Willie’s playing as bad as everyone thinks he is and I certainly don’t think he’s overrated.
“There’s not too many overrated players who win Clive Churchills (medal for player of NRL grand final), who win Origin matches and who win man of the matches in Test matches.
“I’m certainly fearful of Willie.”
Sailor also identified Anthony Minichiello as a danger, despite the veteran fullback making his long-awaited return from a back injury in the match.
“I think Minichiello is the X-factor that they need at the moment,” Sailor said.
“I think that could really spring them back into the Roosters that they were at the start of the season.”
The match will have huge bearing on the make-up on the finals, with both sides vying for a top-four finish.
The Roosters can assure themselves fourth spot with victory, while the Dragons must win and hope Newcastle upset Brisbane.
Regardless of where they finish, the Dragons have completed a remarkable turnaround after winning just two of their opening eight matches.
They have also had to endure challenges off the field, with the announcements that coach Nathan Brown will be replaced by Wayne Bennett next year and that stars Mark Gasnier and Jason Ryles are also leaving the club.
Brown said it was a credit to his side’s character that they had still gone on to be top-four contenders.
“Sometimes those things help you come together,” Brown said.
“At the start of the year, (reaching the top four) is what we set out to do and I suppose a few people gave up on us after our start.
“But the good thing was our effort was always pretty good.
“What’s happened has happened and thankfully the players are a terrific bunch.”
POSSIBLE FINALS SCENARIOS FROM ROUND 26 OF THE NRL
1. Manly (36 points, +272) - Will claim minor premiership by beating Penrith, provided they maintain their eight-point differential lead over Melbourne. Can drop to third if they lose and the Storm and Cronulla both win.2. Melbourne (36pts, +264) - Reigning premiers need Manly to lose or have to beat Souths by eight points more than the Sea Eagles beat Penrith to claim first spot. Could drop to third if they lose and Cronulla win.
3. Cronulla (36pts, +61) - Can only improve their position if Manly or Melbourne lose and they beat North Queensland, due to their for and against. Cannot drop below third.
4. Sydney Roosters (32pts, +55) - Will secure fourth spot and home final by beating St George Illawarra. But lose and Brisbane beat Newcastle and they could drop to sixth.
5. Brisbane (31pts, +86) - Can claim fourth if they beat Newcastle and St George Illawarra beat the Roosters. Can drop to sixth only if they lose and the Dragons win.
6. St George Illawarra (30pts, +121) - Can reach fourth spot by beating the Roosters, but only if Newcastle upset Brisbane. Could drop to seventh if they lose and Canberra have a big win over the Bulldogs.
7. Canberra (28pts, +95) - Can improve to sixth, but need to beat the Bulldogs by big margin and hope the Dragons lose. A win will secure a top-eight spot but they can drop out if they lose and both Newcastle and the New Zealand Warriors win.
8. Newcastle (28pts, +52) - A win will be enough to secure a finals birth but a loss opens the door for the Warriors or Parramatta. Could jump as high as sixth if Dragons suffer a heavy loss, the Raiders lose and they post a big win over Brisbane.
9. NZ Warriors (28pts, -87) - Their poor for and against means they need to beat Parramatta and hope Canberra or Newcastle lose to sneak into the eight.
10. Parramatta (26pts, -24) - Still a feint hope of making finals but they need to thrash the Warriors and hope the Knights go down heavily to Brisbane to turn around a 76-point for-and-against deficit.
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