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Where is NRL boss Dave Smith?

7th April, 2015
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Dave Smith achieved a lot in a short time as NRL CEO, but is still lacking on player welfare. (Photo: AAP)
Expert
7th April, 2015
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Last Friday night at ANZ Stadium was the worst possible advertisement for rugby league, demanding an up-front appearance from NRL boss Dave Smith.

Far more than a response on Twitter and a belated media release.

Here we are five days later and even Smith’s early-season demand that referees be shown more respect and support has fallen short.

Bulldogs skipper James Graham and his benchman forward David Klemmer were charged with abusing referee Gerard Sutton and didn’t defend the charge.

It was indefensible.

Graham was also charged with a dangerous tackle on Souths half Adam Reynolds to cop four weeks all up – probably two weeks for each charge.

Klemmer was the more serious abuse charge and he copped three weeks, while Michael Lichaa got off scot free for his abuse of referee Sutton, thanks to an early guilty plea.

Is Smith serious?

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If he wants to discourage players from abusing referees, don’t bash them with a feather when they step over the line.

Klemmer should have copped at least six weeks, Graham at least six with the double charge, and Lichaa three for just being plain stupid as the third man in.

And both Graham and Lichaa should have joined Klemmer in the bin.

It’s a well known fact refs genuinely want to keep 26 men on the paddock for a level playing field.

But if the refs are going to stand up for themselves, they must bin, or red card and have no regrets about either.

And when the culprits appear before the judiciary, they know there’s a long holiday awaiting them because Dave Smith decreed it.

It appears he’s decreed nothing, giving the judiciary the flimsy feather instead.

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As for the unruly and potentially dangerous crowd reaction last Friday night, hurling full bottles of drink and other rubbish at match officials is not good enough and never acceptable. What’s happened to the life-long bans promised for the guilty?

Not a peep.

Could it be that some of the culprits are respected Bulldog members?

The whole affair has been unsavoury, and just as badly handled. Rugby league is a great game and deserves better than that.

And the code needs a CEO who stands up to be counted in public when the muck hits the fan, just as John Quayle and David Gallop always did before him.

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