Mead recalls missed penalty

DAVID Mead has admitted that one of the biggest disappointments of his representative career so far was the missed penalty which would have earned the country a 2013 Rugby League World Cup quarterfinal berth.
The then 24-year-old fullback missed a golden opportunity to clinch the Group-B opener against France with 90 seconds to go at Craven Park in Hull.
The former Gold Coast and Brisbane winger hooked the penalty from 30m out and in front, leaving the French to hold out Papua New Guinea for 70 seconds before celebrating a hard-fought 9-8 win.
The then Adrian Lam-coached Kumuls bowed out in the group stage without a win, following defeats to Samoa (4-38) and New Zealand (10-58).
France, who finished third in the group, went on face hosts England in their last-eight match, which they lost 6-34. Australia beat New Zealand 34-2 in the final at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Speaking to Papua New Guinea Rugby League chairman Sandis Tsaka on Fulltime Reserve, the Catalans Dragons versatile back, who scored 70 tries in 159 NRL matches for the Titans (2009-2016) and Broncos (2017), said he had copped a lot of flak for the missed conversion.
Asked about what he would change if he could turn back time, the 31-year-old said: “There’s a few but the question is, would it change everything that has led up to now? Probably not.
“But I’d probably go back and do a bit more preparation before kicking the goal in Hull.
“I’ve copped a lot (of flak) for that but hopefully my efforts outside of that have been good enough to make up for it.”
Meanwhile, asked about his plans after next year’s World Cup in England, the father-of-two said: “With the coronavirus pandemic, all contract talks have been put on hold and my deal with the Catalans finishes at the end of this year.
“Hopefully, we can get back to playing some rugby league and I can get a deal somewhere. At which club or country, I’m not too sure yet. Only time will tell.
“But after the World Cup, I’d like to still play rugby league because I love it so much.”