gong_eagle
First Grade
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Storm lash out at rival clubs
15/08/2007 5:25:10 PM
John Clark
Sportal
http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/league-news-display/storm-lash-out-at-rival-clubs-33410
Melbourne heavyweights have lashed out at critics of the Storm and vowed to come out swinging at those who pot the competition front runner.
Coach Craig Bellamy and chief executive Brian Waldron launched a scathing attack on those condemning the club in the latest grapple tackle controversy.
A number of rival coaches - including Brisbane boss Wayne Bennett and his Parramatta counterpart Michael Hagan - claim the Storm use the outlawed technique more than any other club.
At the club's Melbourne headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, the furious Storm pairing declared war on those out to disrupt the top-place club's run to the finals.
Bellamy claimed opponents were using the issue as an attempt to heighten the awareness of officials overseeing Storm games.
"My problem is our referees and match officials live in the same world as us. They see newspapers, they see the news on TV and it's hard for them not to be affected by that," he said.
"I think there has been some evidence in the last few games where the match officials' focus has been on us and not the opposition. We don't want any favours, we don't need any favours, we're a good enough footy team to play without any favours."
"We're just looking for an even playing field here."
"If you want to go through Brisbane's games, if you want to go through Parramatta's games, I am sure they're as guilty of being around the head and neck as we are. We don't want to start pointing the finger at other clubs, but if you're going to live in a glass house you shouldn't be throwing stones."
Bellamy said the rise in 'gang tackling' across the league had led to more players being caught around the head and neck.
However, he said his players were not directed to 'twist, turn or jerk back anyone's neck'.
And the coach said his players would not be instructed to change their ways.
A clearly riled Waldron said he was fed up with challengers to the premiership favourite trying to destabilise the southern club.
"When players came out and point the bone at us they better be very damn careful moving forward. And if coaches come out and do it they want to be very careful, too.
"Let us play, let us play fairly. If we play unfairly we will cop our whack. But I am sick and tired of it. We've got a premiership to win, we've got games to win.
"If they want to try and derail us let them try and do it on their own terms. But we will punch them back just as hard off the field moving forward if we need to."
Waldron showed signs of the aggression at the press conference that his players have done on the field in 2007.
"It's about time people shut up, it's about time they look after their own backyard and we'll look after ours. We will continue to play football as fiercely and with as much determination that has given us success in our recent years," Waldron said.
"We look forward in the ensuing weeks doing exactly the same."