Eagle holds off Storm superstars
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
By Josh Massoud
September 09, 2008 12:00am
FINALLY, little Matt Orford got the last laugh.
After enduring a string of luckless near-misses throughout his NRL career, Orford last night survived a thrilling vote to be crowned 2008 Dally M Player of the Year.
Since debuting for the Northern Eagles nine seasons ago, the tiny No.7 has toiled in the shadows of modern-day giants Andrew Johns and Johnathan Thurston.
And while he has been denied their representative jerseys and premiership rings, Orford can now count himself among an elite roll-call of halfback medallists that includes Peter Sterling, Allan Langer and Ricky Stuart.
Not bad for a kid who was once told he was too small to play rugby league and still gets told every year that he can't stand up to the pressure. This year's Dally M count was Orford's turn to prove them wrong.
In the past, Orford has been cruelly robbed of Origin jerseys and grand final glory at the 11th-hour.
A housing commission product who once sorted mail to fund his football, he swallowed each disappointment and the smug barbs that inevitably followed.
He backed himself and last night - after all these years - fate finally delivered the former postie an irrevocable accolade.
"It might silence (the critics) a little bit, but I doubt it very much,'' an emotional Orford said afterwards. "At the end of the day I'm always going to have my critics.
"I seriously didn't give myself any chance ... seriously I didn't expect to get up and win that award. It will take a while to sink in.''
Had Melbourne's Billy Slater not been deducted three points for a one-week suspension for punching in round 19, Orford would again be the bridesmaid.
Along with Storm skipper Cameron Smith, Slater finished on 22 votes - two behind Orford. The Australian fullback now understands the pain of true loss, something Orford felt when injury ruined his one and only chance to represent NSW in 2006.
Rusted-on detractors will highlight the default, but after all the near-misses and oh-so-close finishes Orford deserves a moment like this.
The 30-year-old quickly assumed control of the leaderboard as theSea Eagles soared in the first half of season 2008.
When polling went undercover after round 16, Orford was sitting pretty on 19 votes - clear of Smith (17) and Slater (15).
All three increased their totals the next week, but when Slater grabbed the only two points on the leaderboard in round 18, the prize was at his mercy.
Then came his brain snap against St George Illawarra. Slater's flurry of punches on Dragons winger Jason Nightingale incurred a one-match suspension, a double-whammy that cost him an appearance in round 20 as well as three valuable points.
It was too big a handicap for Slater, despite the fact he recovered to again be within striking distance prior to last weekend's final round.
After Orford failed to collect against Penrith, a man-of-the-match performance against Souths would have produced joint winners for the first time in Dally M history.
Panthers great Greg Alexander judged both games and Slater, who was sin-binned during the first half, earned just a single point for his two-try effort. Halfback Cooper Cronk was instead awarded best-on-ground.
"These things are always a matter of opinion, but I thought (Slater) had a quietish first half, which cost him points,'' Alexander said.
link
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24322518-5001023,00.html
