Round 1
Melbourne Storm 32 d. New Zealand Warriors 18

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Warriors unimpressed with Storm's claims of unfairness
Thu March 20, 2008
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah has taken exception to Melbourne accusing the Vodafone Warriors of unfairness over the club's decision not to be involved in helping Storm captain Cameron Smith defend a grapple tackle charge from Monday night's NRL clash.

"Considering events on Monday night, it's a bit rich for the Storm to start complaining about a lack of fairness," he said.

"Out of respect to the Storm and their position as the defending premiers, we took the view that we should stay away from making any comments about some of the things that happened before and during the two games (NYC and NRL) on Monday night.

"But if anyone should be accused of a lack of fairness it's Melbourne. Their handling of aspects of the event certainly did not appear to be in the interest of either fair play or player welfare.

"Before both the NYC and NRL games, Melbourne refused to agree to allow 20-minute water breaks and 15-minute halftime breaks in both matches as permitted in extreme conditions within the NRL's operations manual."

Scurrah said the Vodafone Warriors had been forced to take the matter to the NRL's match manager to have it resolved.

"The conditions were extreme. It was incredibly hot but Melbourne wouldn't support our request to have the special provisions invoked," he said.

"Where was their sense of responsibility to their and our players' welfare?

"We then had the matter of them delaying the start to the NRL game by more than three minutes, leaving our players out on the field waiting in the extreme heat. And then our players had to wait more than three minutes again for the Melbourne players to reappear for the second half."

Regarding the grapple tackle charge against Smith, the Melbourne club today chose not to defend the charge resulting from a tackle by Smith on Vodafone Warriors centre Brent Tate.

Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron said the Vodafone Warriors' decision not to become involved had "interfered with our ability to defend the charge."

Scurrah said: "We have the greatest admiration for Cameron Smith as a player and a person but the whole area surrounding grapple tackle charges is new and difficult," he said.

"Given the emphasis the NRL and all clubs have placed on eradicating the grapple tackle we took the view that in this instance the judicial process should deal with the matter."

Melbourne has since been fined $A10,000 by the NRL for delaying the start to the match and the resumption after halftime.

News sent by: www.warriors.co.nz


Smith enters an early guilty plea
Wed March 19, 2008
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Melbourne Storm captain Cam Smith has decided to enter an early guilty plea for the charge of contrary conduct - unnecessary head/neck contact, stemming from the clash against the Warriors on Monday night.

The early guilty plea means Smith will carry 93 points into any charge he receives in the next two years.

While the early guilty plea will mean Smith can play this Sunday against the Sharks at Olympic Park, the club is far from happy with being impeded from contesting the charge.

"We begrudgingly accepted the charge on the basis we were unable to get the opposition player (Brent Tate) to make a statement, or be available for the hearing," said Storm CEO Brian Waldron.

"Despite the player's willingness to cooperate, the club refused to make him available.

"We will be addressing this issue with the NRL as we think it's a ridiculous situation. We will be seeking clarification from the NRL as to why, in the interest of fairness, they do not have the power to enforce the player to make himself available for questioning. This has clearly interfered with our ability to defend the charge. That cannot be in the best interests of the clubs or the NRL."

Smith believes his tackle was fair, and if the review panel are going to charge every player for that sort of tackle every week, many players will find themselves under review.

"I'm disappointed to have been charged considering there were many tackles similar to mine in every game over the weekend," said Smith.

"I find it hard to accept that I was singled out. If you look at the vision closely, it shows I haven't applied any pressure to the neck, my arm is wrapped around his chest.

"I have been a vocal supporter of outlawing any tackles that place unnecessary pressure on the head and neck and I applaud the NRL for trying to stamp it out, but that is not the case in this situation.

"However, it was too great a risk contesting the charge, so I have to accept the early guilty plea."

News sent by: www.melbournestorm.com.au

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Mon March 17, 2008
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