Week one of the NRL finals is done and dusted, Jenna Brooks has all the big talking points, as John Bateman celebrities, Elliott Whitehead strikes back at Cameron Smith and Sam Burgess speaks his thoughts.
Bateman excels
It was no real surprise that it was John Bateman who saw the attempt that is late to hand Melbourne within their own qualifying on Saturday to Canberra a 12-10 win over premiers.
Bateman’s 76th-minute attempt ensured the Raiders second finals away win in almost 25 years.
“These are the games I wish to play in and we went out there now and got the work done and that’s what it is all about,” Bateman said.
“I felt at a closing once but we lost so that would have to be up there as one of the best tries I have ever scored. But full credit to your team. We have worked hard all year and it is exciting what is coming.”
Bateman’s exceptional performances this year have brought a great deal of praise.
“People have been amazed with how I have gone this year but I was always confident in my skills. I knew I can play with rugby at the standard I have played at this season .”
Once they secured their place in the final week, bateman and his team-mates may enjoy a week . Canberra will host the winners involving South and Manly Sydney.
Whitehead fires back
Elliott Whitehead has hit back at comments made by Cameron Smith win on the Storm.
While the Catalans and Bradford received therapy for a knee injury, prompting Cameron Smith to whine to the official play has been stopped.
The Melbourne captain had been overheard saying,”My kids have larger scratches compared to that. Fair dinkum, we are stopping a rugby league game?”
Whitehead has reacted by posting a grisly video on social networking of a gash to his kneecaptioning it’only a scrape ‘
‘Kangaroo court’
Sam Burgess has criticised the NRL judiciary system, calling it a’kangaroo court.’
Burgess, who was made to overlook South Sydney’s defeat on the Roosters on Billy Smith, has been summoned to a meeting with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg within the remarks.
2019 has never been.
Burgess didn’t qualify given his history, although the NRL introduced a method to allow players who’ve already been charged with a minor offence to pay a fine instead of spend time on the sidelines.
“Everybody says there needs to be an [overhaul] of the judicial system. Who is making calls ?” Burgess questioned.
“Can there be a discussion before these calls go out there? I really don’t understand what the process is. It is like kangaroo court there.”
“We are very reactive. We’re a multi-million dollar sport yet we’re ruling players out for games that are big over things that are [minor]. Just fine the player.”
On Friday, the Rabbitohs dropped 30-6 With no England international in a match which saw Jared Waerea-Hargreaves handed a one-game prohibit.
“Just fine this player. Was it bad? Did anyone get injured? Is anybody hurt? No, however. Is it silly? Can it be part of the game? Is it in the competition? Yeah.”
Where the Englishmen will clarify why his remarks should not result in a breach notice, while also having to the opportunity to convey his views, greenberg and Burgess will meet week.
Burgess returns for the Rabbitohs must-win match against Manly. That is following the Sea Eagles outplayed Cronulla 28-16 in their removal final.
Broncos behaviour
Brisbane were thrashed 58-0 from Parramatta on Sunday, their biggest defeat in the history of the club, however the talking point with that game was what occurred the night before.
On Saturday night, Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Corey Oates and Anthony Milford were spotted at a Sydney bar.
The club issued a statement saying there wasn’t a suggestion that the gamers had been drinking and reported at 7am the day for the group breakfast.
It has generated lots of discussion and criticism within the game.
Broncos legend Darren Lockyer admits that he was disappointed and did not know why players would be out the night.
“You’ve made the finals, you’re going to a stadium you know is going to be filled full of the opposition fans. You are in a hostile environment.
“If you are any possibility of winning this game you will need to be as ready as you can.
“Regardless if there’s any beverage involved, if you’re out until 11 o’clock the night prior to a match within an establishment like this it does not set a fantastic illustration of how much the game means to you. It is disappointing.”
Lockyer has also questioned the leadership within the club:”Obviously the trainer and the coaching team is a major catalyst [of leadership], but the older players are the men with a large influence over the culture.”
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