Bailey fearing cost of Weyman advice
Gold Coast prop Luke Bailey believes his public shaming of St George Illawarra rival Michael Weyman could come back to haunt the Titans in Saturday night's NRL stoush at WIN Stadium.
The clash will be the first meeting between the lookalike bald eagles since Weyman's stunning brain snap at Skilled Park in April last year, when the then Canberra prop was given his marching orders for a vicious king hit on Titans backrower Daniel Conn.
Bailey labelled Weyman - who was banned for six matches as a result of the punch - a cheap shot merchant and a liability, saying "he has a brain-snap whenever he gets tired, which happens quite regularly."
But the former Test front-rower claims the former Raiders wild child has made him eat his words since his move to the Dragons, adding the influence of master coach Wayne Bennett was evident in Weyman's new approach to the game.
"Mick Weyman probably played his best footy against Melbourne, I thought he was a standout," Bailey told AAP.
"There's no bad blood between us, we've never had any run-ins, but when your mate gets flogged you always blow up.
"But he played some good footy last week and Wayne's made him look pretty fit too and disciplined.
"I think he made me eat my words last weekend.
"Full credit to him, he looks sharp, he looks fit and he's playing more game time, he's used those words as good advice, some blokes would have been filthy about it but he just took it on the chin."
A broken hand to prop Justin Poore has seen Weyman quickly assume the mantle of the Dragons No.1 metre man up the middle, the 24-year-old leading the way with 171 metres in a losing effort against the Storm.
Poore's injury plus the axing of Kiwi international Chase Stanley has caused a reshuffle in the Dragons pack, with Jarrod Saffy joining Weyman in the front row and backrower Beau Scott moving out to the centres.
The Dragons looked sharp as they completed their last session early Friday, but the tension that comes with a zero in the wins column was also evident with Bennett refusing to conduct his traditional pre-match press conference.
Bailey's homecoming will mark his 150th NRL game, but the Titans 0-4 win-loss record against the red and whites has cost the former Dragon at least one fan in the stands.
"The missus normally comes down but she's not coming this time because she says it's not worth it because we always lose," he said.
"She's at home watching it on telly.
"We had a good win last week, but coming down here and beating the Dragons, I know how much they love playing at WIN Stadium, it would be great to win down here."
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