Round 12
New Zealand Warriors 20 l. Bulldogs 40

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Warriors reluctantly decide not to appeal Crockett charge
Tue June 5, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah today said the club had reluctantly decided not to appeal against a reckless high tackle charge laid against winger Michael Crockett.

Crockett (24) was ordered off just five minutes into Sunday's NRL clash against the Bulldogs for a tackle which resulted in Bulldogs winger Cameron Phelps being carried from the field.

The NRL's match review committee handed Crockett a grade two reckless high tackle charge yesterday.

The charge carried 262 points (a two-match suspension) for an early guilty plea or 350 points (a three-match suspension) if Crockett fought the charge and lost.

Scurrah said it was decided to take the lesser penalty but only after careful consideration.

"After taking advice and looking at the judiciary rules relating to the charge, we decided not to take the risk of appealing and losing another week," said Scurrah.

"We do not believe Michael should have been sent off.

"There was no intent on Michael's part. At best we believe the tackle should have been placed on report and then put through the judicial process.

"The sending off had a very serious impact on the game. The effect of it was to take us out of the contest with 75 minutes to play.

"We would wonder whether the sending off, given that it happened so early in the match and that there was no intent involved, was a sufficient penalty."

Scurrah said no one wanted to see a player hurt. There was much concern for Cameron Phelps' condition and he noted Crockett had texted the Bulldogs winger to pass on his thoughts.

"Michael has had an unblemished record and he, like the club, is very disappointed with the outcome."

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz


Crockett replaces Vatuvei for Bulldogs clash
Tue May 29, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Winger Michael Crockett replaces Manu Vatuvei in the Vodafone Warriors' line-up for their NRL clash against the Bulldogs at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Crockett made his comeback from a seven-week injury break when he played for the Vodafone Auckland Lions in their New South Wales Premier League match against Parramatta last night.

Vatuvei (21) will play premier league football for the first time in Sunday's curtain raiser against the Bulldogs but head coach Ivan Cleary said it wouldn't be long before he was back in the NRL side.

"While Manu had a difficult time last night we have tremendous faith in him as a player," he said.

"Everyone knows what he's capable of and we expect to see him back in first grade very soon.

"He has a few things to work on so he'll play premier league this weekend.

"At the same time, we have good options in our squad on the wing. Michael was one of our first-choice wingers before getting injured and deserves the chance to have a shot again."

Crockett started his career with the Vodafone Warriors by scoring four tries in the season-opening rounds of the season against Parramatta and Brisbane before dislocating his left elbow in the fourth-round 10-13 loss to competition leader Manly.

In his first match since then, he scored a try for the Vodafone Auckland Lions in their 22-30 defeat by the Eels last night.

The Crockett-Vatuvei swap is the only change Cleary has made to the Vodafone Warriors side beaten 30-6 by the Eels last night. Crockett has 11 tries in his first 12 NRL matches.

The Vodafone Warriors again endured an extraordinary defensive workload last night when they were forced to make 417 tackles, topping the 413 they made against Cronulla earlier this month. Micheal Luck again topped the individual tackle count with 49, and didn't miss one. Second rower Logan Swann scored his side's only try, his first for the club since 2003.

The Vodafone Warriors and the Bulldogs will both be desperate for success on Sunday. The home side will be seeking to halt a run of four successive defeats while the Bulldogs have lost their last three matches.

VODAFONE WARRIORS v BULLDOGS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
4.00pm, Sunday, June 3

Vodafone Warriors

1 Wade McKinnon
2 Patrick Ah Van
3 Tony Martin
4 Simon Mannering
5 Michael Crockett
6 Jerome Ropati
7 Michael Witt
8 Ruben Wiki (vc)
9 Nathan Fien
10 Steve Price (c)
11 Louis Anderson
12 Logan Swann
13 Micheal Luck

Interchange:
14 Lance Hohaia
15 Evarn Tuimavave
16 Sam Rapira
17 Wairangi Koopu

Coach: Ivan Cleary

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz

Tue May 29, 2007
• Maitua on bench, Phelps wins recall
  

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