Timmins Takes It On Chin

Illawarra Mercury

Tuesday October 5, 2004

By Paul Suttor and AAP

MISSING two Kangaroo tours with knee injuries was painful, being snubbed by the selectors yesterday was devastating for St George Illawarra lock Shaun Timmins.

The 28-year-old Dragon, the hero of NSW's State of Origin game one victory, was astonishingly left out of Australia's 25-man squad for the upcoming Tri-Nations series against New Zealand and Great Britain.

Team-mates Jason Ryles and Matt Cooper received call-ups but the mood around the Dragons lair yesterday was sombre in the wake of Timmins' shock snub.

Timmins was set to retire from representative football after consulting club officials at the end of the tour but it looks like the selectors have ended his rep days earlier than expected.

"We were going to sit down and talk about it later. It will be a bit sooner now. It was going to be my last (tour)," he said.

"I was keen as mustard because I missed all the others.

"But the blokes who have been playing in (the finals series) have been playing well. I didn't play that well at the end of the season."

Newcastle centre Matt Gidley and Penrith duo Joel Clinton and Trent Waterhouse were also surprise omissions while Broncos lock Tonie Carroll's inclusion raised more than a few eyebrows.

Timmins was Australia's lock in the Anzac Test against the Kiwis in April and played strongly for the Blues at Origin level, highlighted by his memorable field goal to win the opening match.

Ryles said he thought Timmins was the only selection certainty out of the three Dragons in the train-on squad.

"I spoke to Timmo and he's pretty disappointed. (Kangaroos coach) Wayne Bennett rang him and told him what they were going to do," he said.

"Over the years he would've missed four or five Tests and about six Origins due to injuries."

St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust was amazed by the decision to overlook the incumbent NSW and Australia representative.

Despite a niggling elbow injury and an ongoing need to manage his troublesome knee problems, Timmins had been declared fit for duty if selected.

"I'm very surprised. We were expecting his inclusion, we are dumbfounded," Doust said.

"Timmo has certainly discussed the issues of touring with me and the coach (Nathan Brown) on the basis that we were concerned to ensure that our player was fit to tour. Timmo's long experience with his legs was concerning given the heavy fields overseas but our doctor had given him the green light to go."

The selectors indicated Dragons skipper Trent Barrett would have toured if he hadn't been ruled out with knee and shoulder injuries.

© 2004 Illawarra Mercury

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