AuckMel
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At least the Dogs haven't stopped players who no longer play for them from competing.
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3815037a1823,00.html
01 October 2006
By STEVE KILGALLON
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Bulldogs star Sonny Bill Williams, who needs urgent knee surgery, is out of the New Zealand team for the defence of its Tri-Nations league title.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Williams withdrew from the Kiwis squad yesterday morning after being told by his club he needs an immediate operation on his troublesome knee. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Kiwis coach Brian McClennan told the Sunday Star-Times the news had came as a "real blow". [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm really disappointed for Sonny," he said. "It's the second Tri-Nations he has had to miss and I know he was really devastated about missing being part of the Kiwis last year." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]After conducting Williams' post-season medical, Bulldogs doctor Hugh Hazard recommended he withdraw, and the Kiwis - through their medic Simon Mayhew - conceded to the Bulldogs that he wouldn't be fit enough to play in the three-cornered series, which starts with New Zealand versus Australia in Auckland on October 14. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Bulldogs winger Matt Utai also withdrew yesterday - the third season in a row he has been unavailable for test football - after the Kiwis were advised he would only be able to train once a week due to an ankle injury that needs surgery. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But key prop forward Roy Asotasi was cleared after recovering from knee ligament damage. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"It's the nature of our game, at the end of the season there are going to be guys who need surgery and become unavailable. It is no use crying over spilt milk," McClennan said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"One person misses out, another gets an opportunity. Who's to say the new blokes who get their chance won't stand up and become great Kiwis? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"From where I stand, right now, I'd put my money on a few of these boys becoming household names in a Kiwi jersey. There is a bit more youth to this team and it is an exciting-looking team. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"They have a lot to live up to, but they are young and enthusiastic and they have every chance to go on and do great things together." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The New Zealand Rugby League engaged in angry exchanges with the Bulldogs last year over player releases, with chairman Selwyn Bennett ignoring a please-explain letter from the club's chairman Malcolm Noad over some inflammatory comments, then later declaring the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers were "playing us (the NZRL) for dummies". [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But Bennett said yesterday he had no complaints this time. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"We're not unhappy - it is his (Sonny Bill's) future and we would be irresponsible if we played him," Bennett said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]After Mayhew studied medical reports, McClennan said he had no complaint about the Bulldogs' approach, saying: "They knew his knee wasn't right. He was following a rehab programme to get through their games and by the end he was pretty much only running once a week and playing with a bit of pain." [/FONT]
http://stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3815037a1823,00.html
01 October 2006
By STEVE KILGALLON
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Bulldogs star Sonny Bill Williams, who needs urgent knee surgery, is out of the New Zealand team for the defence of its Tri-Nations league title.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Williams withdrew from the Kiwis squad yesterday morning after being told by his club he needs an immediate operation on his troublesome knee. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Kiwis coach Brian McClennan told the Sunday Star-Times the news had came as a "real blow". [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"I'm really disappointed for Sonny," he said. "It's the second Tri-Nations he has had to miss and I know he was really devastated about missing being part of the Kiwis last year." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]After conducting Williams' post-season medical, Bulldogs doctor Hugh Hazard recommended he withdraw, and the Kiwis - through their medic Simon Mayhew - conceded to the Bulldogs that he wouldn't be fit enough to play in the three-cornered series, which starts with New Zealand versus Australia in Auckland on October 14. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Bulldogs winger Matt Utai also withdrew yesterday - the third season in a row he has been unavailable for test football - after the Kiwis were advised he would only be able to train once a week due to an ankle injury that needs surgery. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But key prop forward Roy Asotasi was cleared after recovering from knee ligament damage. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"It's the nature of our game, at the end of the season there are going to be guys who need surgery and become unavailable. It is no use crying over spilt milk," McClennan said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"One person misses out, another gets an opportunity. Who's to say the new blokes who get their chance won't stand up and become great Kiwis? [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"From where I stand, right now, I'd put my money on a few of these boys becoming household names in a Kiwi jersey. There is a bit more youth to this team and it is an exciting-looking team. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"They have a lot to live up to, but they are young and enthusiastic and they have every chance to go on and do great things together." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The New Zealand Rugby League engaged in angry exchanges with the Bulldogs last year over player releases, with chairman Selwyn Bennett ignoring a please-explain letter from the club's chairman Malcolm Noad over some inflammatory comments, then later declaring the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers were "playing us (the NZRL) for dummies". [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]But Bennett said yesterday he had no complaints this time. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"We're not unhappy - it is his (Sonny Bill's) future and we would be irresponsible if we played him," Bennett said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]After Mayhew studied medical reports, McClennan said he had no complaint about the Bulldogs' approach, saying: "They knew his knee wasn't right. He was following a rehab programme to get through their games and by the end he was pretty much only running once a week and playing with a bit of pain." [/FONT]