Foran gone!!

`HE is rugby league's most elusive man and it is the bitter rivalry between the Eels and the Bulldogs that sent him into hiding.

MainGame yesterday tracked down former Eels fullback Paul Carige and, nine years after a series of blunders cost him his career, we still couldn't get a word.

Carige fled Sydney and then Australia in the wake of the Eels' dramatic 32-20 loss to the Bulldogs in the 1998 grand final qualifier.

Fans blamed the then 25-year-old for ruining the Eels' chance of making their first grand final in 12 years.

The Illawarra junior will forever be remembered for kicking the ball to the Bulldogs in the dying seconds of the match with the scores locked at 18-18.

It was just the first tackle.

Bulldog Rod Silva pounced on the ball and positioned halfback Craig Polla-Mounter for a dramatic 49m field goal attempt which dropped just short.

Carige's mistake was the most spectacular of a series of errors that helped the Bulldogs storm back and win one of the most memorable semi-finals in recent history.

While the ill-timed kick is etched in folklore, it was an earlier blunder that proved more costly.

With just 10 minutes left, Eels coach Brian Smith walked down to the edge of the field and readied himself for post-match celebrations with the game in the bag at 16-2.

With the Dogs closing the gap to 16-12, Carige waited for a kick with his foot over the dead-ball line in an attempt to gain his side a 20m tap.

Instead, the Eels were forced to kick the ball back to the Bulldogs, with the ball coming to a stop by the time Carige picked it up.

The Bulldogs scored soon after and went on to win the match in extra-time. After the match Carige described his mistakes as brain explosions.

"I don't know, I guess it was a bit of a brain explosion," he said. "Look, I was just trying my best for the team, sometimes those things come off and you come up with a win. We gave it our best shot, I suppose it was an exciting game, good for the fans."

Unfortunately the passionate Parramatta fans disagreed. Carige was forced to flee to Coffs Harbour after copping verbal abuse wherever he went.

He was also the target of vicious comments on the internet from disgruntled Eels fans and also Bulldogs fans, quick to put the boot in.

Before the match, Carige's future seemed assured.

He had played more than 40 first-grade games for the Eels in just two years and had another year left to run on his deal.

But in the wake of his horror five minutes, Carige was cut from the Eels and left Australia looking for a start in the UK.`