Smith out for 6 Weeks

[imported_Mailman]

St George have received a devastating blow, losing inspirational skipper Crag Smith to suspension, effectively ending his season.

This is a terrible call by the judiciary. 6 weeks for a nothing incident. It is a joke. One has to wonder what this game is coming to when players get suspended for minor offences like this.

It is disappointing to say the least. I like St George when they play confidently like last weekend, and Smith was a big part of their success. Without him, I fear the Saints will really struggle.

 

[Willow]

What?

 

[Bomber]

Done like a dinner

 

[legend]

I am no Saints fan as many will agree but that decision is a joke. Saints still have the right to appeal don't they. I'd fight this one tooth and nail. The judiciary has sunk to new depths previously thought unimaginable. A complete farce.

 

[Willow]

Smith is now finished in Australia and he has played only 15 matches this year so he no longer qualifies as an import for Wigan, 16 matches being the minimum requirement.
This means that he has to re-negotiate his contract in the UK and the buyers are now holding all the cards.

Jim Hall won.

 

[KFC]

I think you'll find that Smith as a current International qualifies.

 

[Willow]

Are you sure KFC? I'm hearing that his contract with Wigan is finsished. He is no longer considered an import.
Happy to be proven wrong...

 

[KFC]

Willow, I just got this from Sportal; "Because he is a current international, Smith is eligible to play in England regardless of the fact he will not have met the required quota of 16 NRL games in a season. "

 

[Willow]

Nothing like conflicting reports. I prefer to believe Sportal but there have been a few snippets that he is unlikely to be signed with Wigan now.
Hope you're right.

 

[imported_Lord Ted]

Are you blokes off your trolleys?
Who gives a flying f**k whether or not he is eligble to play for Wigan.
The point here is the way that Saints players get treated compared to players in other teams.
Bennett is laughing.The Tallis incident was definitely deliberate and he got 3 weeks.
Fletcher got off and then suspended after another crack.
Bennett,protected species.Bad sports,liars,corrupt,but it is fair to say they are good at it.
No wonder I hate the Broncettes and shit league.
Iam prepared to admit and believe that the Dragons were also railroaded by the NSWRL and the ARL,but f**k me the NRL has got it down pat.
P.S. the Smith issue comes later.

 

[Willow]

Rightio Ted, you've made your point. Excuse me for considering the individual.

Smith was shafted in an effort to put away any remote chance St George might have had this year.
In fact, I reckon Smith has been targeted all year.
Apart from one slippery head high, I can't see why Smith has been on the whipping post this year.
In about 10 days time Mr Chris Beattie (a 6 timesoffender) will be free again to shove another forearm into someone's face while Smith has to contemplate the shit hole.
Make no mistake, Saints are getting the ol' arse whup from the Judiciary this year.
You seemed to be concerned about this as much as anyone.
What do you suggest we do?

 

[El Duque]

I aint a Saints fan but Jim Hall and the 3 stooges that gave him 6 weeks are f**king kidding!
If it wasn't for that f**kwit Bennett he'd of gotten off.Ban all these rodents from the game and anyrthing to do with it!

 

[imported_Lord Ted]

Willow,
The truth is as Dragons supporters we have been down this path so many times it ain't funny.
What to do?
Mate, if I had the answer to that,I'd be coaching the team.
And I think therein lies the answer.If it is at all possible double our support.
What I really reckon is that the administration stop this concern about what others will think,develop some guts and start seriously,publicly stating what will benefit the Dragons.
Polite language is o.k.for teletubbies,but about time these useless bastards started (administrators) actually started sticking up for the Dragons
I have had an absolute gutful of pissweak and anaemic comments from these turds.
They expect the forwards to take it up hard,but they sook in the background.
I reckon the Dragons will respond in a mighty fashion on the field,if Farrar can get into their heads that they are being unfairly treated.
You know the siege mentality,with reality.
As opposed to the Bennet made up shit.
By the way,now that Smith is "guilty" does that mean that sooko Bennettis not guilty of bringing the game into disrepute for commenting about refereeing.Amazes me how this has slipped by with so little comment.It also pisses me off that no matter how many times I raise the subject there is no reply.I can only assume that folk agree.
If that is the case then league is f**ked,we are now ioperating on corruption.

A

 

[Willow]

Ted, to say the League is corrupt is like saying Jockeys fix races. It's just too hard to reel these guys in. It's been happening now for decades.
One day mate, lets say in the year 2010, there'll be an government inquiry (won't bea Royal Commission because we'll be a Republic by then) and we'll be sipping on our tea watching high profile league men going down for corruption.
Most will be outraged but a few won't even raise an eye lid.

In the meantime... lets focus on taking all our frustrations out on those Knights... yet another must win game...

 

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[Johnsy]

I fund it terribly amusing that nothing was said about the 4 hight tackles that Ashley Harrison made and was subsequently penalised for. I watched the game for the 3rd time and I counted no less than 12 tackles by the broncos where the first point of contact was the head. What is the difference here, a key player was not inuured, and the club did not parade hime on the sidelines, so the camaras went into injured kevvie overload. Hypocritical yes, I thought Wayne Bennett and Mr Edwards had publicly stated that it was not their go to whinge in the media about the citing of players. But then again we are talking about the Bronco's, they could show Johnny Howard a thing or 2 about backflips.

Johnsy

 

[imported_Beast]

The members of the judiciary are paid and advised by the News/NRL.
News ltd have a majority stake in the Broncos, News ltd own and dictate stories to their multiple media interests. Bennett and Edwards are aware of that and are also confident they cannot and will not be brought to account by their own owners and paymasters.
The best way to ensure that the Broncos continue to make money, for themselves and not their shareholders, is to have them make the semis and gf on a regular basis.
Saints were percieved as a threat and that threat has been blunted somewhat by the dubious removal of your skipper.
It is called a "conflict of interest" and on this occasion it is being used against the former ARLclubs and now franchise the StG/ill.
This conflict of interest has existed since the creation of the News/NRL and continues to exist, Broncos and Storm premierships dominate the News/NRL reign!
The sooner a stop is put to it the better

 

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[roostergirl]

I was actually pleased to see that Phil Gould actually stood up for Smith & pleaded with the panel saying that all the evidence pointing to it being accidental. Surprised at why Gould's opinion didn't have an influence on the decision.
The Dragons are appealing the decision, what do you think will happen now??