NRL legend Willie Mason has hit back at Newcastle five-eighth Tyson Gamble following the Knights’ exit from the finals at the hands of the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday afternoon.
Gamble had told Willie Mason to stay in his lane after the former Test prop claimed the Knights’ had “the worst spine in the game”.
Mason immediately took to Twitter after full time to lay into Gamble, posting: “There could not be a bigger hole that Tyson Gamble wants to crawl into right now. Pick ya battles boy. You are below average.”
The outspoken Mason, who played three seasons for Newcastle, said on a podcast last week that opposition sides would not be fearful of the Knights’ key playmaking threats.
Mason highlighted the brilliance of fullback Kalyn Ponga, but said no team would be doing video analysis on a spine containing halfback Jackson Hastings, hooker Phoenix Crossland and Gamble.
Hastings, Crossland and Gamble all confirmed they had seen the comments, with the latter telling Mason to focus on the issues at Canterbury where he is part of Cameron Ciraldo’s backroom staff.
Tyson Gamble with Bradman Best. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
“Me, Jacko and Phoenix definitely saw it,” Gamble told AAP.
“Everybody’s got an opinion. It’s alright, he should probably worry about his own backyard before he starts worrying about other people.
“He was a middle not a half, so tell him to get f***ed. We’re not a team of superstars, we’ve got Kalyn who is the biggest star in the game.
“We’re a team of blokes who do their job and that’s why we’re in the position we’re in.”
The Knights beat Mason’s Bulldogs 66-0 and 42-6 in their two meetings this season, for an aggregate scoreline of 108-6.
Across the two games against the Dogs, Crossland, Gamble and Hastings scored twice each.
Crossland, in particular, has impressed for the Knights this season.
While traditionally a five-eighth, the Wellington-born 23-year-old has done a commendable job filling in at hooker and is in the frame for a New Zealand call-up.
“I saw what he said and everyone’s entitled to their opinion, I’m not going to sit here and bag Willie,” Crossland said, adding that he respected Mason’s achievements on the field.
“He’s done a lot in the game and he’s entitled to express that opinion.”
Tyson Gamble shows referee Ashley Klein his arm after the biting incident. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Gamble was keen to draw a line under the Jack Wighton biting allegations he made on the field against Canberra when asked about the incident shortly after the game.
“I want to leave that on the field. That’s footy,” he said. “It’s done and dusted, we shook hands and (Wighton) said all the best for the rest of the finals series. We’ll put it to the side and move on.”
Hastings is desperate to play against the Warriors after failing to finish the win over Canberra with an ankle injury.
The Newcastle five-eighth said the plight of Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen made him realise how fortunate he is to be contemplating a swift return.
After only a few games back from a fractured kneecap, Papenhuyzen is set to be sidelined for weeks with a broken ankle suffered in Friday’s loss to Brisbane.
“You feel a little bit left out (when you’re injured). But that’s part of footy,” Hastings said. “It could be worse. I feel for Ryan Papenhuyzen and the inspirational story of him coming back.
“It was stressful to watch him go off, it made me feel proud of how tough he was.”
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Willie could’ve saved face by ‘touché-ing ‘ the deserved get fed comeback from Tyson. Now who’d want to listen to any podcasts/ commentary a downright dick would author.
Tony
Roar Guru
If you've got guys like Mason in your team's coaching/management structure, you can't have very high expectations
Tony
Roar Guru
I think they've been there all year
The Barry
Roar Guru
Mase has doubled down in the d-head stakes Cheap shots on a bloke who’s just played a semi final and had a break out season Regardless of how close to average he is, no one will deny he puts in every game he plays
Dutski
Roar Guru
It might come as news to Willie that exactly half of the players in the comp are below average. You know, cos that’s how averages work.
Noel
Roar Rookie
Of course, the overlooked feature of this little beat up is what the Bulldogs must be thinking. No objective observer could justify rating the Dog's season ahead of the Knights, and few, I would think, would be predicting a massive change in fortunes next year... So Mason having a huge crack at how ordinary Newcastle is can't be doing a lot for the confidence of his own team.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Must have Gould's week of from bagging other teams and players. I would have thought all Bulldogs coaches would still be hiding in cupboards
Rellum
Roar Guru
Mason should be having a go at Newcastle's forward's. That their half, but he is too classless for that.
tamaolevaoo
Roar Rookie
To be fair on big willie ‘styles’ mason he had a point theres levels to this pun intended …….the good players play well the great players can win you crunch games so i guess gamble will be just a average player exposed when big time plays were needed ……. In saying that gamble reminds me of the trajectory a warriors favourite james bbquing Maloney had when he came to the warriors he slotted in played well within his scope of skills he then improved out of sight went to a star studded team and won a comp or two and now is in the very good half conversations ….. this can happen to gamble too when hes hit the 30s hes in his prime as a half then a championship team will come a knocking who knows might just be the knights if they think hes got the juice …….
Redcap
Roar Guru
Not being au fait with social media, I'm not sure if this sort of feud is typical - it does seem a bit weird, though. For the record, and based on my modelling, Gamble's pretty much a bang-average NRL half (that's a good thing, BTW). He also compares well to the median half - where the median is 100 (Kieran Foran, essentially), Gamble's 99.3.
Stay-at-home-dad
Roar Rookie
Yep gotta agree, Big Willie was definitely a flop at Manly
Rellum
Roar Guru
I guess that is why the Knights smashed the Dogs twice, Willie thought it was not worth watching film. Willie’s big response is “Well I played for Australia”. Tyson telling Willie to get F’d is the second best thing this week in League.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Willie would have nothing but respect for that comeback, laugh as hard as anyone.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
If anything Mason was less effective than Sharon
The Barry
Roar Guru
I love Mase, but geez he could do with switching his brain on before his mouth occasionally It sorta shows that maybe he’s not watching footy that closely. Ponga is obviously their key player, but Hastings has been good all year as an organiser and Gamble is a legitimate ball player capable of big individual plays as well Crossland would appear on a lot of ‘most improved’ lists this year. A 9 that know his limitations, but knows his role even better. Gets the ball to who needs it at the right time and makes his tackles isn’t a bad thing
KenW
Roar Rookie
It's a brave comment though when you're on the coaching staff of a team that conceded over 100 points to them during the season.
Tony
Roar Guru
Will's a dill
Phil
Roar Rookie
It’s a bit rich for big Willie to be downplaying a team in the playoffs when the club he’s employed by fired blanks all season. Collectively, the spine for Newcastle would be a tad superior to what Canterbury had this year so maybe it’s a cover note for their failures. Willie is very loquacious at times and capricious as well so this is nothing new for him.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Not a fan of ex players who have roles with clubs plus work in the media then criticising other clubs and players. Even worse, based on the situation of the Bulldogs. Liked the comments from Jackson Hastings - put things into perspective.
Nat
Roar Guru
He might be right, maybe no other team has done their homework on the Knights 6, 7 & 9. If any of 8 of the 9 teams they have beaten in as many weeks did they wouldn’t be on holidays now. I’m guess Willie isn’t a big homework fan in any area of professional career otherwise he wouldn’t have finished his with a 40% win rate in his last 5years. How many teams done their homework for Mason the Sea Eagle in 2015? He was right up there with the impact of Woodsy in the same role.