Doggies fans give it to Mason

parragirl · Doggies fans give it to Mason

Bulldogs bite ... Mason cops it from former fans. Sam Ruttyn

Dog and Rooster ... Mason copped it from Bulldogs fans. Amos Aikman

February 02, 2008

WILLIE Mason and rugby league's fan day were always going to be a volatile mix. Bulldogs supporters had been waiting for an opportunity to sledge the Test forward who controversially walked out on the Belmore club last year to link with the Sydney Roosters.

They got their first chance, on the Bulldogs home ground, as the NRL threw a meet-the-players party at ANZ Stadium as part of the centenary of rugby league.

So how did Mason enjoy mingling with the fans?

"It depends which ones they are," the forthright forward said.

"I got a fair few boos when I was walking out but I'll cop it, you can't please everybody."

Mason had walked onto the Olympic stadium's turf among the NRL's entire 400 players, who gathered for a historic photo-shoot.

"If they want to support me or boo me that's their right," he said.

"Mostly the feeling walking out there is half-and-half I suppose. Young kids are always fans but I think the older ones are a little bit dirty on me wearing these colours."

Mason earned the ire of Dogs fans for leaving the club in the lurch, but even some Roosters fans turned off by his maverick approach opposed his signing.

But he said the Bondi faithful were warming to him.

"There's a bit of a buzz out east ... The fans have got a bit of a positive to go through this year and they think that we're in with a genuine chance to win the title," he said.

And rubbing shoulders with his ex-teammates had not been a problem either.

"I'm sweet with all the Dogs players," he said.

"You have mates in rugby league teams that you call outside of playing rugby league and then there's some that you just wouldn't call.

"So once I left the Bulldogs there were blokes that I wouldn't call anyway and there were blokes I'll always be friends with and that's just with life."

Meanwhile, Parramatta forward leader Nathan Hindmarsh has called on the league to play more trial games in country areas.

"I think the trial games should be played out in country areas, just give them a taste of some sort of football," he said.

"I think we've fallen away a bit at that.

"If we could try and spread them out to a few more rural country areas it would be great for the game."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23149326-23214,00.html