Premiers turn up heat: we'll boycott Dally M
Adrian Proszenko | March 15, 2009
EXCLUSIVE
Furious Manly players are planning to boycott the Dally M Awards in protest of the NRL's punishment of the club in another dramatic twist to the Brett Stewart scandal.
In a shock move which will further inflame tensions between the premiers and the NRL, Manly players have discussed snubbing the traditional end-of-season presentation night.
The prospect of the defending premiers - including reigning Dally M medalist Matt Orford - skipping the gala event takes the stoush between the game's governing body and the world's best team to a new level.
The Sun-Herald has learned Sea Eagles players are furious that Stewart was banned for four weeks when players previously charged with sexual assault - Titans forward Anthony Laffranchi and former Warriors winger Michael Crockett - were allowed to continue playing until their matters were resolved in court. Both Laffranchi and Crockett maintained their innocence throughout and the charges were ultimately dismissed. Stewart has also denied the allegations.
Sea Eagles players are also livid the NRL fined the club $100,000 after a boozy season launch at Manly Wharf Hotel last week when countless other alcohol-fuelled functions and incidents have gone unpunished. There is a feeling among the team that the NRL has unfairly made an example of the club. The boycott was discussed as part of a stand against the NRL and a show of solidarity for Stewart at a meeting of players during the week.
"I've heard the same rumours," Manly chairman and co-owner Scott Penn told The Sun-Herald yesterday.
"I haven't spoken to anyone internally that's confirmed that. Obviously the players are entitled to their opinion, but my advice - and I'm sure my board's advice - will be to respect a ceremony such as that. With us having the player of the year last year, common sense will prevail."
Penn admitted that he was presiding over an emotional playing group.
"We're obviously in a very difficult situation at the moment and there are difficult decisions being made and not everyone's going to agree with them," Penn said.
"We need to abide by the referee's decision on these things and move forward."
The potential absence of Manly, firm premiership favourites and the first Australian side to win the World Club Challenge in six years, would be an unmitigated disaster for the Dally Ms. Not since the boycott of 2003 - when the NRL cancelled the event two days before the ceremony due to a dispute with the players' association - has the awards night faced a greater crisis.
Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince are the $9 favourites to take out the Dally M with TAB Sportsbet, while Orford is at $15 to defend his title. Brett Stewart has blown out from $26 to $67 following his suspension, while brother Glenn is at $41.
The RLPA has call for the establishment of an independent tribunal to ensure a uniform punishment of players involved in off-field incidents. In his exclusive Sun-Herald column, Manly legend Steve Menzies backed the call, while Penn also said the proposal had merit.
"If an independent tribunal can improve the off-field facets of the game in an independent way which means less incidents will occur, then maybe it is a good thing," Penn said.
"But the players still need to take individual responsibility for their actions.
"We as a club have done our best to give the players as responsible an environment as we can in terms of having a minder with them when they're out.
"Unfortunately, last Friday appears to be an aberration. We take full responsibility for what happened and we're very sorry for what happened.
"There's no doubt it wasn't a desirable outcome and now we have to put steps in place so that it doesn't happen again."
Those steps include banning alcohol from all club functions, although a blanket alcohol ban won't be enforced.
