http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=394571
Faiumu happy Cowboys didn't lose points
25th June 2007, 17:00 WST
North Queensland hooker David Faiumu was relieved not to have cost his side two competition points after the club was instead slapped with a $25,000 fine from the NRL for an interchange breach.The Cowboys had 14 players on the field for about 20 seconds during the 60th minute of their 28-24 win over Canberra on Saturday after Faiumu came on to replace Justin Smith.
North Queensland were leading 22-20 and in possession of the ball at the time 14 players were on the field for three tackles.
Smith was dragged from the field by a trainer after the Cowboys realised their mistake.
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said the Cowboys would have lost points had either player been involved in the play or if they were defending with 14 players.
Faiumu told AAP it was an innocent mishap he was "shocked" to be involved in and was relieved the club had not lost the two points for victory.
"It would have been pretty shattering if we lost those two points," said Faiumu.
"We worked very hard for it and to lose those would have been pretty awful for the club.
"It was just a mix up I suppose. I don't want to speak too much on it.
"It was a bit of a mishap but I'm glad we keep the two points and only copped a fine.
"Guilty is probably not the word, but I was shocked that it was me involved at the time. It could have been anybody else but it just happened to be when I was getting subbed on.
"It's not like we scored a try off it or anything like that or made an advantage out of it."
Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr said the club would accept the NRL's decision to fine them, although he couldn't hide his disappointment at the punishment.
"Whilst $25,000 for 20 seconds is pretty hefty, we have to acknowledge the part we played in that and as a result we have to accept the fine," he told reporters.
Annesley said the Cowboys narrowly escaped losing their competition points because of a range of "mitigating circumstances", including a mistake by the sideline official to accept the interchange card from Faiumu before a player had left the field of play.
"There were some mitigating factors that we considered," said Annesley.
"One was that the players concerned didn't take any part in the game.
"The fact the Cowboys were attacking rather than defending, it was not as if they had 14 players in the defensive line.
"The fact the interchange official took the card off the player and he went on because he was of the belief there were only 12 players on the field.
"All of those things together saved them from losing competition points.
"But they were extremely fortunate because had the circumstances been any different and the players taken any part of the game or had they been defending with 14 players in all likelihood they would have lost competition points."
The NRL issued a warning to both clubs and sideline officials about the expectations surrounding interchange rules, reminding clubs the responsibility ultimately lies on their shoulders to ensure they field only 13 men.
"Clubs must remain vigilant in ensuring the guidelines are strictly adhered to at all times," said Annesley.
"This incident should place all clubs on notice that we will not permit breaches in this area of the game to go unpunished.
"Clubs should not think that having 14 players on the field will only result in a fine because if the circumstances warrant it, competition points are definitely at stake."
Meanwhile the Bulldogs are confused as to why Manly captain Matt Orford wasn't charged with striking Kane Cleal for throwing a punch many consider to be an attempted king hit.
Orford ran a couple of metres to punch Cleal after copping a late high tackle, the Dogs claiming he attacked Cleal from behind.
