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Do not blame Slater – Stuart
AUSTRALIA coach Ricky Stuart launched a vehement defence of Billy Slater after the full-back's fatal error in the second half at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday helped swing the World Cup final New Zealand's way.
Slater, who was named international player of the year on Monday, gifted a try to Benji Marshall with a wild pass after he had almost run himself into touch in the 61st minute.
However Stuart refused to blame the Melbourne and Queensland full-back, who had earlier been a thorn in New Zealand's side during a free-flowing first half.
"When you get the ball as many times in a match as Billy does there are going to be mistakes. If I asked Billy Slater to take that out of his game he wouldn't be the Billy Slater we all love," said Stuart.
"I could never be critical of him. Some things he does come off; some don't. If he eliminated that part of his game we'd be losing a great footballer."
Stuart also refused to play ball when the Australian media attempted to goad him into criticising Super League match officials Ashley Klein and Steve Ganson. Klein caned Australia
8-4 in the penalty count while Ganson awarded a rare penalty try to Lance Hohaia.
"That's not for me to judge, I just have to cop the result," he said. "Please don't make this all about Australia, show some journalistic ability and promote New Zealand.
"They were better than us and won it accordingly."
Australia's captain Darren Lockyer conceded that Ganson's decision to disallow his claims for a try in the 20th minute, when he was adjudged not to have grounded the ball properly as he threw himself at a low kick by Cameron Smith, had been the turning point.
"Had I scored that try then it would have been a whole different ball game but hindsight is a wonderful thing," said Lockyer, who will be 36 by the time the next World Cup comes around in 2013.
"That went through my mind: with 10 minutes remaining I was thinking 'This is my only chance'. Unfortunately it wasn't to be."
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
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Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
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