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Wild west: where there's smoke, there's fire
Jacquelin Magnay (Rugby Heaven) | November 27, 2007
ALARM bells should be ringing when there are repeated stories that Western Force rugby union players are "alleged" to have done something. It is a legal term to emphasise that the charges, complaints or allegations have not been tested in court. But what is going on across the Nullarbor that the players or officials are alleged to have done something, or anything, so constantly that the alleged dramas are blurring into one big, embarrassing mess?
Yesterday, the alleged offences were ugly and spanned the continent. In the west, the local police were confirming that, yes, there had been complaints levelled against Western Force players for allegedly mistreating the cute marsupials native to Rottnest Island, the quokkas. Mistreatment of fellow players is one thing, but harming cute, defenceless marsupials, even allegedly, is another.
Stories have emerged of players allegedly swinging the quokkas by their tails. The players allegedly involved risk $10,000 fines, but their penalty in the court of public opinion will be much more severe.
Western Force club spokesman Tom Baddeley said Monday afternoon was the first opportunity the club had to speak with the players about the incident that allegedly occurred on Friday night and was reported to authorities on Saturday morning. Funny that Monday was the same time the story was picked up by the media. Obviously, time moves slowly across the Nullarbor.
On the same day as that nasty quokka allegation surfaced, the Herald reported that two players were being investigated by Western Australia and NSW police over an alleged assault of a former Western Force employee, who had the balls to tell the players to pay for their own bar tab following a 16-16 draw with the Waratahs in March. The players deny the allegation.
Yet around the same time another assault allegation against Force player Matt Henjak was being settled, with a $16,000 payment wired to South Africa to an alleged victim of an alleged Henjak hit outside of a nightclub who dropped civil charges and withdrew a complaint to the police.
I wonder what club sponsors - Emirates, Woodside, MBF, Tooheys New, Vodafone et al - think of their money possibly being spent on legal fees, secret payments, ARU fines and donations to wildlife societies?
Memo to Force officials: the bells are tolling louder than ever.
Memo to Jacqui/Jackie: Give me a friggin break!! Alleged simply means unsubstantiated. "Stories have emerged of players allegedly swinging the quokkas by their tails." Superb investigative journalism.
This is really some vendetta the SMH is running against The Force. The names are always the same Magnay and/or Ryle. I'd like to know who did what to whom to get this ball rolling? It sure musta hurt.
where there's smoke, there's fire
They can't even get that right. There doesn't need to be fire to make smoke, just a heat source. As an example, an old engine can smoke after you shut it down because all the oil and crap on the outside of it is hot.
Posted via space
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
You get the impression that perhaps Matt Henjak or someone wearing a Western Force Hat/shirt/Visor kicked Gerald Ryle's dog, or hit on his missus or something
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
I was wondering if he scored with Matt Caroll's wife/girlfriend/daughter ?
61 years between Grand SlamsWas the wait worth it - Ya betta baby
was the SMH against the 4th Faranchise being awarded to Perth, or against a 4th Australian francgise altogether???
I reckon Sydney was against any expansion as it has led to a dramatic decline with all those players leaving Sydney club rugby - the games is in melt down and the country is doomed.
Hell, even the PM doesn't want to live in Sydney any more.
i will also assume that the SMH is champion of the cause when it comes to Sydney Club Rugby??
most of the 'smoke' seems to come from fires they light quite deliberately
smoke is probably comming from rear end of SMH rugby correspondants........
No ..... that's another substance
C'mon the![]()
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probably smeels just as bad if not worse