Round 17
Canberra Raiders 34 d. Gold Coast Titans 28

2009 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

DISCORD #13: Salary Cap Rorts, Two Referees, NSW Selection Policy, Nate Myles & My Dream Team
Wed July 8, 2009
EXACTLY what is a salary cap rort and what isn't?.

As a private citizen who is in the Thoroughbreds but not a Brisbane sponsor, can Ken Talbot just hand cash to a player? Perhaps!

As someone who is a supporter but not a sponsor of Parramatta at the time, can Roy Spagnolo tell a couple of players that no matter what happens in a property deal he introduces them to, they will not lose money. That may sound like going to the casino and being told your losses will be reimbursed but in any case the answer seems to be: yes.

A manager was quoted the other day as saying his client has been offered a job when he retires during negotiations for a new contract. Again, apparently that's OK too.

All in all, it seems pretty hard to commit a genuine salary cap rort. The Dogs showed great ingenuity indeed!

Clearly, clubs would be well advised to have "phantom'' sponsors. Let them come into the rooms, let them hang out with the players, go to functions, have a few freebie tickets and take them to the odd out-of-town game.

And let them set up property deals, hand over cash and give bogus jobs to players ? because unless they have a binding agreement with the club there is nothing the NRL can do.

I hope I am proven wrong.

Clearly, we still have a culture of haves and have-nots in the NRL and the league is nowhere near the level playing field they have led us to believe.

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ARE we going to see referees try to outdo each other - while in control of the same match at the same time - during the run home to the finals as they jostle for appointments?

That was certainly a fear expressed by some following two of the games I covered at the weekend, Melbourne v Newcastle and Canberra v Gold Coast.

For the first time in our game's 114-year history, two referees who are competing for a decreasing number of games will be on the field at the same time in matches over the next two months.

Knights captain Kurt Gidley was fuming the other night when I grabbed him at fulltime for the ABC. He said Newcastle should have received a penalty at a crucial late stage when the game hung in the balance.

"Matt Cecchin's called a penalty ... I thought that pocket ref is supposed to be that other bloke's eyes but obviously his opinion doesn't count,'' Gidley said.

"Shayne Hayne awarded a scrum. Matt Cecchin was calling a penalty ... what's the point of him being there if he's not going to listen to him?"

Melbourne and NSW coach Craig Bellamy was concerned with Hayne's failure to consult video referee Paul Simpkins when he awarded a dropout against the Storm in the first half - leading directly to a try - and when Ryan Hoffman claimed a touchdown in the second.

"You don't like to complain about those things if you lose. It's a good time now,'' Bellamy said.

"At the end of the day, they were costly rulings. We'll have a look at it and hopefully, rather than complain too much, we'll put our point forward to the referees and they'll make the decisions in the future.''

Canberra coach David Furner and five-eighth Terry Campese did not dispute that youngster Chris James was harsher than the more experienced Gavin Badger. They believed their forward, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs who was booked on James' report for lifting his forearm while taking up the ball, didn't even deserve to be penalised.

"The only thing that worries me a little bit - and I have pretty good feedback from Finchy and the refs and that ? is when they ask what the penalty counts are,'' he said.

"We've given none away in the first half ... I thought Tommy's and another when we were caught laying on the man ... Have a look at the game, both teams were doing it.''

Discord chased Robert Finch about the issue and he told us from now on he would be experimenting with referees teams which could stay together for the finals.

Asked if the whistlers could end up working against each other, he said: "That won't happen.

"Sure, they are competitive people but they are charged with officiating a match. The senior referee is the one in charge. In Origin that is Tony Archer - I think you'll see that continue.''

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WELL we got the policy statement from NSW selectors that we called for last week: Coach Craig Bellamy went on the ABC at the weekend and said that, since he may not be there next year, he was playing for the here-and-now at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.

Perhaps the Blues could adopt a revolutionary new tactic from now on when selecting teams - pick them purely on form.

Instead of pre-judging the likes of Preston Campbell, Jamie Soward and Nathan Blacklock as "not Origin-type players", give them a chance to prove they are if they are the best in their position at a given time.

If they stuff up, drop them.

Plenty of "Origin-type players" have failed for NSW this year.

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A COUPLE of weeks ago, I recounted how I found myself in a similar situation to Brad Fittler when he knocked on the wrong door it the Sugar Shaker In Townsville.

Well, believe it or not I have also found myself in a very similar position to Nate Myles on occasion.

Nate has the rare distinction of committing the first atrocity in rugby league history in which the explanation is more stomach-churning than the allegation.

With that in mind, I won't detail my own misadventure, except to say that I avoided the final disaster that befell Nate.

My incident involved jetlag, alcohol, and a shared bathroom in a San Francisco guesthouse.

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At Rugby League Week we do a thing called the Dream Team. No-one wants to publish a journo's Dream Team - except Rleague.com of course. Remember, these are my favourite players - not the best I've seen. You understand that concept, right? *

1. Steve Hampson
2. Ellery Hanley
3. John Dorahy
4. Brian Hetherington
5. Jacob Steemag
6. Terry Campese
7. Andrew Johns
13. Wally Lewis
12. Bob Brehl
11. Rod Reddy
10. Greg Cook
9. Dean Schifilliti
8. Robert Stone

(*I reserve the right to make changes when I look through some old autograph books).


Raiders extinguish Titans charge
Mon July 6, 2009
The Canberra Raiders have put a dent in the minor premiership hopes of the Gold Coast Titans in the Nations Capital winning their round 17 match 34-28.

The Titans had everything working against them, history showed that no Gold Coast team had ever won in the nations capital against the Raiders outfit, and the competition leaders heading into this weekends round were decimated by injuries to some key players.

Over the Titans previous two seasons in the National Rugby League competition it was around this point in which they have slipped into a poor losing streak resulting in the going from finals contenders to out of contention.

The Raiders on the other hand sat in 14th position heading into Sunday afternoon football in the ACT, their major flaw this season inconsistency, one week the Raiders would play as a team that could win the competition, while the following week would play as a team that could challenge for the wooden spoon.

Phil Graham opened the scoring for the home side after just six minutes crossing out wide, in the first of his two first half tries, with Josh Miller adding to the home sides score after 20 minutes to see them take an early 10-nil lead.

The former table topping Titans then hit back through State of Origin hopeful Anthony Laffranchi to bring the Raiders lead back to just four points just over halfway through the first half.

But that was all the joy the visitors were going to get for the remainder of the first half as the home side showed why they are so lethal at home with Graham and Miller both scoring their second tries of the half, while Tom Learoyd-Lahrs scored in the 40th minute for the home side to go into the break 28-6 ahead.

The second half saw the Titans hard on attack to fight their way back into the contest David Mead scored a quick fire double to have the Titans somewhat back into the contest at 28-16.

Before Bronson Harrison crossed in what looked like the match winning try in the 67th minute to have the Raiders up 34-16.

But the Titans refused to lay down, Chris Walker scored his seventh try of the season, and when Preston Campbell easily broke through the defense the Gold Coast based team were back to within six at 34-28.

It set it up for a thrilling final three minutes, as the Titans threw the ball around looking for the match equaling try, while the Raiders were struggling to hold onto their slim lead.

The final minute was exciting for fans of both sides with the Titans hard on attack and things went the Titans way when they received a penalty with fifty seconds to go in the match after Preston Campbell was taken out, when chasing a kick, by Joel Monaghan.

Alan Tongue showing all his experience then wasted forty five seconds as fans booed the referees' as they left the field after the Titans had only one tackle to win the match, when time wise it should have been at least three if not for Tongues' professional time wasting.

Once again the Gold Coast outfit was unable to pick up the victory in the Nations Capital however this time was an edge of the seat victory for the home side.

The Titans are still in a posed position with only eight rounds left in the 2009 competition, while the Raiders slim finals chances stay alive.

Brendon Meynell is webmaster for www.sports-force.net.au

NRL Stats: Raiders 34 v Titans 28
NYC Stats: Raiders 50 v Titans 32

Thu July 2, 2009
• Raiders clash a test of toughness: Cartwright (Incl Audio)
  
Tue June 30, 2009
• Raiders unchanged for Titans
  
Tue June 30, 2009
• Walker, Rogers named to take on Raiders
  

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