Alan Shore
First Grade
- Messages
- 9,390
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
Dumped ref 'assumed' Peachey had sworn
By Brad Walter and Steve Mascord
August 27, 2003
Dumped referee Shayne Hayne will tell the NRL judiciary tonight that he "assumed" David Peachey had abused him before he sent off the Cronulla captain during Saturday's controversial match against Parramatta.
Five players will front the tribunal tonight against a backdrop of rancour and discord just two weeks from the finals, with officials, referees and players bickering among themselves after a tumultuous round 24. With the season entering its most important phase:
Sharks coach Chris Anderson says in today's Rugby League Week he considered ordering a walk-off at Parramatta Stadium;
Judiciary commissioner Jim Hall took exception to being publically criticised by NRL chief executive David Gallop;
Australian captain elect Gorden Tallis took issue with Gallop's crackdown on violence.
Three Sharks are among those before the disciplinary committee tonight, with fullback Peachey facing the possibility of spending the last two rounds of the season on the sidelines if found guilty of contrary conduct.
Prop Dale Newton and 17-year-old teammate Reece Williams will appear on high-tackle charges, along with Sydney Roosters utility Chris Flannery and Warriors hooker Tavita Latu, who will each defend grade-one dangerous throw allegations.
And Hayne, reviled by Cronulla players and officials since he reduced them to 10 men on Saturday and they were subsequently humbled 74-4, is likely to be on hand to face his accusers as a witness.
In a copy of his report, obtained by the Herald, Hayne says of the Peachey incident: "When he was walking off the field, he turned around to me and started pointing, and while he was pointing he started using abusive language at me, I assumed, as he was 15 or 20 metres away.
"He said, 'you are f---ing crap', or something like that, so I asked him to come back several times but he ignored the calls."
Hayne and touch judges Paul Holland and Michael Jones were dropped down to premier league yesterday.
Cronulla officials argue that Peachey did not hear Hayne and will submit video footage showing that neither he nor the trainer turned around at any time while being called back, first by the referee and then by Sharks centre Phil Bailey.
While tonight's hearing could be uncomfortable for NRL officials, Anderson's comments suggest things could have been much worse had he ordered his charges to quit the game. In 1995, Roosters coach Phil Gould ordered his players to walk off in a match against Manly but they declined.
"Yeah, I considered it," Anderson told League Week. "It seemed ridiculous playing on and we had a bunch of kids out there, three men short.
"There would have been dreadful drama if I yanked them off, so I thought better of it. I've had enough drama this year - I don't need any more."
Hall last night rejected speculation he was considering his future after being criticised by Gallop for his decision to charge just one player - Latu - from Sunday's Warriors-Brisbane match. "I haven't said that to anyone," Hall said.
But he said it was "unfortunate" Gallop had chosen to put out a media release criticising him rather than issuing a policy directive on the issue. Gallop said last night there would be no such directive. "I spoke to David yesterday and told him how I felt," said Hall. "It's frustrating."
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said he had "a lot of thoughts" on the league's stance but added: "I don't want to share them."
Tallis told reporters: "I think we should be trying to stamp out head-high tackles and things like that before we worry about punches that don't hurt anyone."
The NRL partnership committee will next month discuss Gold Coast's application for a 2006 franchise.
Dumped ref 'assumed' Peachey had sworn
By Brad Walter and Steve Mascord
August 27, 2003
Dumped referee Shayne Hayne will tell the NRL judiciary tonight that he "assumed" David Peachey had abused him before he sent off the Cronulla captain during Saturday's controversial match against Parramatta.
Five players will front the tribunal tonight against a backdrop of rancour and discord just two weeks from the finals, with officials, referees and players bickering among themselves after a tumultuous round 24. With the season entering its most important phase:
Sharks coach Chris Anderson says in today's Rugby League Week he considered ordering a walk-off at Parramatta Stadium;
Judiciary commissioner Jim Hall took exception to being publically criticised by NRL chief executive David Gallop;
Australian captain elect Gorden Tallis took issue with Gallop's crackdown on violence.
Three Sharks are among those before the disciplinary committee tonight, with fullback Peachey facing the possibility of spending the last two rounds of the season on the sidelines if found guilty of contrary conduct.
Prop Dale Newton and 17-year-old teammate Reece Williams will appear on high-tackle charges, along with Sydney Roosters utility Chris Flannery and Warriors hooker Tavita Latu, who will each defend grade-one dangerous throw allegations.
And Hayne, reviled by Cronulla players and officials since he reduced them to 10 men on Saturday and they were subsequently humbled 74-4, is likely to be on hand to face his accusers as a witness.
In a copy of his report, obtained by the Herald, Hayne says of the Peachey incident: "When he was walking off the field, he turned around to me and started pointing, and while he was pointing he started using abusive language at me, I assumed, as he was 15 or 20 metres away.
"He said, 'you are f---ing crap', or something like that, so I asked him to come back several times but he ignored the calls."
Hayne and touch judges Paul Holland and Michael Jones were dropped down to premier league yesterday.
Cronulla officials argue that Peachey did not hear Hayne and will submit video footage showing that neither he nor the trainer turned around at any time while being called back, first by the referee and then by Sharks centre Phil Bailey.
While tonight's hearing could be uncomfortable for NRL officials, Anderson's comments suggest things could have been much worse had he ordered his charges to quit the game. In 1995, Roosters coach Phil Gould ordered his players to walk off in a match against Manly but they declined.
"Yeah, I considered it," Anderson told League Week. "It seemed ridiculous playing on and we had a bunch of kids out there, three men short.
"There would have been dreadful drama if I yanked them off, so I thought better of it. I've had enough drama this year - I don't need any more."
Hall last night rejected speculation he was considering his future after being criticised by Gallop for his decision to charge just one player - Latu - from Sunday's Warriors-Brisbane match. "I haven't said that to anyone," Hall said.
But he said it was "unfortunate" Gallop had chosen to put out a media release criticising him rather than issuing a policy directive on the issue. Gallop said last night there would be no such directive. "I spoke to David yesterday and told him how I felt," said Hall. "It's frustrating."
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said he had "a lot of thoughts" on the league's stance but added: "I don't want to share them."
Tallis told reporters: "I think we should be trying to stamp out head-high tackles and things like that before we worry about punches that don't hurt anyone."
The NRL partnership committee will next month discuss Gold Coast's application for a 2006 franchise.
