Dragons throw down challenge to NBL refs

South Dragons captain Mark Worthington has challenged NBL referees to prevent a
physical grand final series against the Melbourne Tigers from boiling over.
Worthington has vowed to keep his emotions in check when the best-of-five series
starts on Wednesday night, and admitted his clash with Tigers skipper Chris Anstey
in last year's season decider cost the Sydney Kings the title.
But the star forward also urged referees to lift their performances, as he claimed
whistle-blowers had shown a lack of consistency this season.
"I do expect it to be physical. What the refs do, who knows?" Worthington said on
Tuesday.
"Let's be honest, we don't know which way they're going to call it. But the team
that adjusts the quickest and gets its groove (will succeed).
"For all five games obviously they're not going to be the same throughout the series
because we haven't seen them being consistent once this year.
"We'll have to make a judgement up on the night and that's the way it'll have to go."
Having challenged the referees, Worthington also promised to retain his composure.
In game five of last season's grand final series, the then-Sydney star elbowed
Anstey, and a separate tangle with David Barlow led to an foul for unsportsmanlike
behaviour, which helped the Tigers gain a vital break.
The Tigers won the game and title, and although Worthington avoided suspension -
thanks partly to evidence provided by his friend Anstey at the tribunal - he still
lives with regret.
"I know I made a mistake last year," he said.
"I probably lost the team the grand final in the end because of that.
"A year down the track I'd like to think I'm a bit more mature and all the emotion's
in check a bit more, and I'm more focused on what the team does."
Anstey expected he and his counterpart to keep things cool despite the growing
rivalry between the teams, who play just the fifth NBL grand final series featuring
clubs from the same city.
"I'm sure we'll run into each other a couple of times," Anstey said.
"Whether it's emotional or not, we'll probably try to take that side of the game out
of it ... the series is much bigger than that."
Although the Dragons were the minor premiers and can complete a remarkable
turnaround by going from last to championship winner in successive seasons, the
Tigers enter the series chasing a third championship in four seasons.
"They (the Dragons) haven't really been challenged for that top position and once
again it's similar to last year, when we came in against a team (the Kings) we
hadn't beaten all year and we struggled against," Anstey said.
"But finals are a different game.
"We're very confident in our own ability and we know what we can do, and we think
that a team is going to have to play very well to beat us in a five-game series."
Dragons coach Brian Goorjian on Tuesday reiterated his belief that taking a side
from wooden spoon to champion in the space of a year would be the greatest
achievement of his illustrious coaching career.
His friend and opponent Al Westover is also chasing greatness, as his third
championship win as coach would edge him ahead of his predecessor, the legendary
Lindsay Gaze.
The Dragons host game one of the best of five series at Hicense Arena.