Dylan Cleaver: Big hit on Willie a rare high

Human headline Willie Mason, so the story goes, suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

It was announced at the height of his infamy, when he had spent the past two years making a pariah out of himself, his club and his sport.

ADHD is no laughing matter but unfortunately Mason is.

As a caller to a popular Sydney radio show said, in Mason's case ADHD must stand for A D***-Head in Denial.

Which would be a fairly accurate summation of his pre-match antics last night. Facing up to the Kiwis' haka, Mason was caught on camera, as if he didn't know, making use of the particular Anglo-Saxon phraseology that no doubt provides the bedrock of his vocabulary.

It was childish but vaguely amusing, pretty much in character. Certainly it was not especially offensive. But having mouthed off with impunity, Auckland-born Mason scuttled off to the bench while his team-mates sucked the sting out of the Kiwis for the first quarter.

That's real hard, like the boy who challenges his enemy to fight after school then leaves early because he's got a 'doctor's appointment'. Mason was listed as starting prop but clearly Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart felt Mark O'Meley was a better option.

Mason eventually slunk on to the field after 20 minutes and distinguished himself by being the last person to join a potentially tasty little stoush sparked when big Matt King met the advertising hoardings after a little shove from Manu Vatuvei.

Then came, apart from a short-lived 6-0 lead, New Zealand's only moment to savour in an otherwise ordinary night - David Kidwell flattened the Bulldogs forward with an exquisitely timed shoulder charge. Hard Mason became a flaccid Willie.

In truth, it was the smallest of minor victories. Australia won because, as is the case 70 per cent of the time these teams meet, the Kangaroos were superior man for man, better organised on defence and more disciplined when it mattered... in spite of Mason.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY