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Brad back in top form after betting scandal
BRAD MURRAY, the young Parramatta half cast as a key witness in the betting case involving his agent Sam Ayoub, said last night he was enjoying his football again and eyeing a shot at first grade after initially being rattled by having his name linked to the scandal.
As the Eels were being hammered 38-0 in Melbourne, the 21-year-old stamped himself as a genuine halves option for Stephen Kearney, playing a key role for feeder side Wentworthville as they streaked away to beat Manly 20-4 in the NSW Cup at Ringrose Park.
Speaking for the first time since last December when police released CCTV footage of him placing a bet on the suspicious Cowboys-Bulldogs game, Murray told the Herald he was trying to keep Eels halves Daniel Mortimer and Jeff Robson on their toes and was hopeful of an NRL call-up this year.
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He said his football was affected in the aftermath of being associated with the alleged betting sting but, with police saying he was not a person of interest in their investigation, he has bounced back. ''I just … got myself in a rut. I wasn't enjoying my football,'' Murray said. ''I just tried to sort of put that on the backburner and enjoy my footy so I can live my dream. I'm trying to put some pressure on the halves in first grade.''
The result is the kind of composed performance he produced yesterday. Entering a rain-sodden western Sydney field at half-time, and with the Magpies enjoying a slender 6-4 lead, Murray orchestrated two tries with pinpoint kicks and led a team, including big-name Eels recruit Carl Webb, around the park with conviction.
Fewer than 100 people were on hand at Wentworthville on an afternoon not designed for suburban football and which ended with another off-season arrival, Chris Hicks, suffering a suspected serious ankle injury. Soon enough Murray may be playing before more fans - if he can get a couple of elements to his game right.
''I think a lot of work on defence and just … the toughness side of things,'' he said when asked what Kearney wanted to see more of before promoting him. ''As a half, you've got the ball skills obviously but you've got to defend well. If I can keep defending well, hopefully I can give myself a shot. I train full-time so [Kearney] is always there and I'm just trying to pick up little things off the boys, off Morts and Robbo.''
Murray said he could not comment on matters relating to the betting investigation or the case against Ayoub, who has been charged over his alleged involvement in the plunge on the August 21st match at Dairy Farmers Stadium along with former player John Elias.
A Sydney magistrate last Thursday refused Ayoub's request for his bail conditions to be varied to allow him unrestricted contact with Murray, who used to live with the player-manager and is a witness in the 49-year-old's case.
Ayoub's solicitor, Danny Eid, had told Downing Centre Local Court that Ayoub needed to contact Murray to discuss contractual issues but magistrate Carolyn Barkell refused the request, saying there was a ''strong likelihood that the accused may interfere with that witness'' or ''contaminate'' Murray's evidence. She ruled any discussions should be conducted through Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne.
For Murray the courtroom could not have been further away yesterday. It has been a dramatic six months for an ambitious young footballer from Scone.
He was still with the Roosters when he placed the bet that landed him in this mess but, with Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce and Braith Anasta in the way there, he chose Parramatta to take his career to the next level. ''I saw a good opportunity and hopefully [I'll] get a crack,'' Murray said.
