Not even a yellow as Bray holds forth

[travelling_gerry]

Not even a yellow as Bray holds forth

GREG GROWDEN

April 30, 2010

Lyndon Bray, SANZAR referees' boss, has been slapped over the wrist for his comments before Matt Giteau was fined $5000 for criticising referee Steve Walsh this week. The Brumbies raised concerns over Bray's comments about Giteau to the Australian Rugby Union, and it was referred to SANZAR. Giteau had to front a SANZAR judiciary on Wednesday after commenting that if Walsh refereed tomorrow night's Brumbies-Reds match in Canberra: ''I don't know if we'll turn up. What's the point?'' Further inflaming the issue was that just before Giteau's hearing, Bray, on New Zealand radio, said that it would be ''nice'' if Giteau was suspended at least for the Reds match. There were numerous other inflammatory remarks. The Brumbies argued that Bray's comments were prejudicial towards the judicial outcome. SANZAR secretariat officials from the New Zealand Rugby Union spoke to Bray yesterday and cautioned him for his comments, but decided there was no code of conduct breach. Unlike Giteau, Bray is a lucky man.
THOUGHT POLICE SCORE
The peanut gallery emerged from their caves yesterday over the Walsh/Giteau issue and with it came the usual moronic comments. Nonetheless, the chief concern remains. At a time when administrators go on about how crucial it is for rugby to have players with personalities, they are doing all they can to gag them. From now on, if you see, hear and read players talking drivel, as they're scared to say anything of meaning because of the fear of being fined, don't blame the media, blame those in charge. The rugby thought police will ultimately get their way and kill off the message.

PALMER IMPRESSES
New Waratahs prop Dan Palmer has a solid fan base. Joe ''Son of Burt'' Barakat, the Junior Waratahs coach, said a month ago of the son of former Waratahs hooker, Peter Palmer: ''You could build a Super 14 scrum around this bloke … He came into the academy three years ago and even then he had done research on all his potential rivals. He had dossiers on all the props he was likely to scrum against. He's ready.'' And you have to say the back-up NSW prop Jeremy Tilse is, if nothing else, persistent. He has been with the Waratahs for five years and played two Super games as a replacement. Earlier this year Tilse was sighted larger than life on television having a jolly old time in the middle of the Waratahs sponsors group which went to Perth for the Force match. As he left for Invercargill on Thursday, Tilse was stopped at Sydney Airport by Waratahs chief executive Jim L'Estrange, who told him: ''This tour will be a lot different than the last one you were on.''

SMITH CONCERNS LINGER
Brumbies coach Andy Friend admitted many weeks ago to the Herald that his star breakaway, George Smith, might not appear again in the Super season because of his damaged shoulder. This story was pooh-poohed by some. Now with only three weeks to go before the finals, and Smith still sidelined, Friend's concerns might be proved right. Asked yesterday if Smith had played his last game for the Brumbies, Friend replied: ''It is a possibility. I'm not really a betting man. Let's make it a 50/50.''

SLICING FOR CHARITY
There will be some well known faces among the hackers struggling around the St Michaels course today for the Hearts in Union Classic Wallabies charity golf day. Among the superstars getting the putting yips will be Ray Price, Tom Lawton, Peter Grigg, Adam Freier, Phil Crowe, Simon Poidevin and Peter Carson. Even that Kiwi ring-in Robbie Deans is getting a start. They will all be playing for the Shawn Mackay perpetual trophy.

THE RUMOURS
- A fascinating blunt conversation between a NSW club president and a Waratahs official over whether the main priority should be funding club rugby or sightseeing tours. There's also something fishy about the Tahs official who does endless laps of the Sydney Football Stadium car park showing off a snappy car.

- It's been messy at some after-match functions at the Brumbies lately. Altercations between officials and family members have become common, and there will be ramifications. When one player was asked last week what the atmosphere was like in Brumbyland, he replied: ''Dreadful.''
- The Rebels coaching staff just gets bigger and bigger, with the addition of another skills coach. There's almost as many coaches as players.
- How did Nathan Sharpe, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson and Digby Ioane miss out on yesterday's list of the top 10 candidates for the Australian Super 14 Player of the Year?
- One high-profile coach has cleverly distanced himself from recent dramas at his province, but some in power have their doubts about his motives. And missing documents are causing concerns at another Australian province.


http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...0429-twhy.html

[James]

F-that. How the hell does Sharpie (or the other three for that matter) miss out on votes for Australian S14 player of the year? He has been far and away the best in his position (and generally one of the most consistent players) which usually comprises 3/22 spots in a side.

Didn't realise things were going so badly with the Brumbies. I wonder if its Friend who is doing the distancing. I also wonder if its the Rebels who have the concern with the missing documents. Hmm I hate rumours.

---------- Post added at 23:16 ---------- Previous post was at 23:06 ----------

The list thus far:

Heading into Round 12, the final contenders are (in alphabetical order): Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Daniel Braid (Reds), Quade Cooper (Reds), Rocky Elsom (Brumbies), Will Genia (Reds), Daniel Halangahu (Waratahs), Drew Mitchell (Waratahs), James O'Connor (Force), David Pocock (Force).

I reckon it would have to be Genia or Cooper to win it.

[AndyS]

Cooper or Genia will win it, but aside from Sharpe I can't believe Hodgson isn't on the list - do they even watch the games?

As for the distancing, I would suspect it is McQueen distancing himself from the recruiting/Waldron stuff. Missing documents could be anyone, but maybe the Reds as part of the ARU going through their documentation?

[James]

Cooper or Genia will win it, but aside from Sharpe I can't believe Hodgson isn't on the list - do they even watch the games?

As for the distancing, I would suspect it is McQueen distancing himself from the recruiting/Waldron stuff. Missing documents could be anyone, but maybe the Reds as part of the ARU going through their documentation?

Yeah Hodgson should be on the list. They'll all be Eastern states journos. Bogans.

You're probably right. McQueen and the Reds is a much better explanation of all that than what I came up with.

[zimeric]

or else its just Growden talking crap again

[robyn <3]

Pocock's been out with an injury for half the season - granted, now he's back he's been fabulous, but how does he crack the list with half as many games as Hodgo? Stupid.

Still, I'm voting for him

[James]

or else its just Growden talking crap again

Growden's articles are usually a load of crap but those rumours often have some truth in them.

[zimeric]

Growden's articles are usually a load of crap but those rumours often have some truth in them.

yeah some of the rumours.. but not all of them.

[shasta]

Growden's articles are usually a load of crap but those rumours often have some truth in them.

If you throw enough crap around, some of it sticks.

[GIGS20]

Still defending Giteaus brain explosion "I'm bigger than the game" comments whilst attacking Lyndon Bray for not breaching the code of conduct

Interesting!

(To be fair, Bray wasn't exactly super wise in what he said, but there was no rule to actually punish him under)

[tragic]

You can have personality without acting like a knob. However, I don't expect Grumbles to have a clue about that.

[Burgs]

Pocock's been out with an injury for half the season - granted, now he's back he's been fabulous, but how does he crack the list with half as many games as Hodgo? Stupid.

Still, I'm voting for him

Probably find that Hodgo was getting his votes diluted by individiual matches by Sharpey and O'Connor while Pocock has received "3's" each match that he has been in or something similar.

[James]

There is also the old expectancy effect. You know Pocock/O'Connor are great players and so you watch them and notice they play well. Hodgson is a quiet achiever and a lot of off-the-ball stuff he does like Friday's try by running in support isn't always noticed. He or perhaps Sharpie will pick up the team's player of the year award for sure.

[Swee_82]

(To be fair, Bray wasn't exactly super wise in what he said, but there was no rule to actually punish him under)

Perhaps realising the absence of the rule, he was wise indeed, and went for a spot of show-pony fishing

[hertryk]

For everything he has done for the game, team (Wallabies & Force), and fans, our Captain would be a very worthy winner of the prize of most Valued Player...He has been consistent in everying in everyway since his arrival in Perth.

NATHAN SHARPE you will ALWAYS get my vote...