Defiant Roosters coach Trent Robinson said he stood by what he said in the aftermath of Friday’s fractious showdown with South Sydney, and would say it all over again, even though it cost the club $30,000.
And just to show the Roosters haven’t been cowed by being whacked by the NRL in fines, their chairman Nick Politis has launched a stinging attack on the competition organisers.
The Roosters were fined for their reaction to Latrell Mitchell’s hit on Joseph Manu that ended both players’ seasons.
Robinson was fined $20,000 for his comments plus a suspended fine of $10,000 was activated.
The Roosters copped a further $10,000 fine for what the NRL found was abuse of sideline officials.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is still be investigated after an alleged altercation with a TV cameraman.
“Obviously I accepted the breach for myself and the club the other day, so I understand that,” Robinson told a media conference on Wednesday.
“The stuff that I said in the game, I stand by what I said in that game post-match and my views on that.
“I also understand the NRL has to act on some things that I said and that’s the balance of our game, I’m going to give my opinion on that.”
He asked if he was upset that the NRL later stood down video referee Henry Perenara and announced he should have recommended Mitchell had been sent off.
“No, I don’t think so,” said Robinson, but added: “We felt there was an injustice and we reacted towards that. I understand we need to be better as well. I don’t feel slighted, opinions are always going to be mixed. There were a lot of things I was proud of in the way we handled things, and there’s also some lessons there.
“It’s happened but let’s go, let’s keep moving forward. Naturally, people want to swing it a certain way but nobody wins in these situations.
“I fully understand where the fine comes from, I know there was language you can’t use.
“But I would sit in there and deliver the same post-match press conference that I delivered and that doesn’t mean any disrespect to the NRL. I understand their decision, but they also have to understand my position. And I stand behind that.”
Politis, meanwhile, criticised the NRL over the state of the competition and warned fans would desert the sport if rules aren’t wound back, reports AAP.
The first full year of set restarts has resulted in the highest-scoring season in 20 years, with average margins also at the highest level since the Super League war.
The Roosters remain one of the clubs largely benefiting from the faster game, with the likes of James Tedesco keeping them in the hunt despite a multitude of injuries.
But Politis remains unimpressed.
The long-time Roosters chairman said the game was nothing like it was in decades gone by, and claimed fans of many teams would lose hope next season if set restart rules didn’t go away.
“I think (the product) is worse,” Politis told Roosters Radio.
“If you’re a fan of one of those eight teams at the bottom without attacking players, I think their fans are going to get really pissed off and turn off the TV.
“You can’t keep watching your team keep losing by 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 points week after week.
“That’s the thing I am always arguing with the NRL, we need to go back to the game we’ve had, and had for over 100 years.”
In a record-breaking season of rugby league, Melbourne are on the verge of the greatest points-scoring year of all time while also becoming the first team to pass 40 at least 10 times.
Manly’s back three have also set try-scoring records, while South Sydney became the first team in history to score 30 points in eight straight games.
But there has been another side to those figures.
For the first time in history, two sides will qualify for the finals with a negative for-and-against.
Average margins have this year have blown out to beyond three converted tries for the first time in the NRL-era, surpassing the mark of 16.8 from 2002.
Round 16 was the most lopsided in two decades, prompting ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys to launch an impassioned defence of the game’s rules.
At the time, V’landys claimed it was on struggling clubs to adapt to the rules given the game had merely taken away their chance to slow down the ruck and create a stop-start game.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo also said over the weekend that the game was in a consolidation phase with rules, after a fan survey showed 65 per cent of respondents thought the speed was “just right”.
But Politis isn’t convinced battling teams will adapt.
“If we don’t go back to where we were and change some of those rules back, right now we can all predict next year’s outcome,” he said.
“The same three or four or five clubs will be at the top. There won’t be a change.
“Most the clubs don’t have those attacking players, there’s not enough of those players to go around for all 16 clubs competitive with the new rules.”
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
Funny how Robbo is not so outspoken when it comes to the most penalised player, most reported player and most banned player in the modern game...oh, that's right JWH plays for Robbo so it's obviously different
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Well, I'm all for Uncle Nic here and Robo's rant. Good on them and good luck. We might actually have some change for the better. What ticks me off and the heart of my earlier rant is that they (Bunker backed by NRL) stuff up everywhere and cause more problems than it's worth but all their errors get swept unless they tick off the chooks, then they jump and the sackings start. Uncle Nic is on the money, go back and look at 2018, closets comp in ages and not the same since. Dump the bunker, back the refs and give them some sensible lattitude, get the touchies involved, apply simple rules fairly or we'll end up with lesser clubs in the cellar forever.
Ben Rodham
Guest
Roosters are bad losers. They would rather burn the house down than let the story be 'rabbits smash rooster. Politis is ridiculous. I will always support bulldogs and the rules of the game have changed many times.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
hypocritical maybe
London Panther
Roar Rookie
I miss the sprint competitions at half time.
matth
Roar Guru
If you watched a game from 25 years ago (so that's say 1996) and then went back another 30, they wouldn't be the same game either (unlimited tackle rule and contested scrums and rucking at the play the ball)
matth
Roar Guru
I tend to think we've gone too far, but I had to laugh at this: "we need to go back to the game we’ve had, and had for over 100 years". So, unlimited tackles? Just the 8 Sydney clubs? residential rules? fullbacks being allowed a free kick from a mark? 1 game of TV each week in a 60 minutes highlight package? A standalone top tier QLD competition? I'm confused. But if I had to say which parts of the 100 years of league I'd like back it would be: 1. Proper Kangaroo Tours 2. Pass the ball competitions 3. Redcliffe in the big leagues (fingers crossed) 4. Refs calling players by their number
no one in particular
Roar Guru
What Robinson said was correct. And what Bennett and Gould said about Robinsons players was also correct.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
standing up for their team mate, maybe
no one in particular
Roar Guru
The game used to evolve organically - attacking systems countered by new defensive systems countered again by the attack, by the increase in skills and fitness of players, by the introduction of players with new skills, by building on the foundations of what was done previously. in the last 20 years the game has evolved by committee - pointless rule introductons, rules no one asked for, ignoring rules, rule interpretations changing not only by the year, but by the month, instead of coaching countering others tactics rules were brought in to counter it If you watch a league game from 25 years ago it is not the same game. Tennis is, soccer is, cricket is, basketball is, baseball is, american football is, AFL is. League isn't Unwind every rule introduced in the last 20 years
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
And when Radley or JWH puts a cheap high shot in, it’ll be “that’s just how he plays the game. He has passion” Where was the outrage mob when they punched Arrow in the back of the head? Didn't hear Robbo or Politis put calls into Annesley or Vlandys.
Clint
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure. It's all speculation but doesn't it stand to reason that an intelligent (usually) calm guy like Trent Robinson would have tried the diplomatic approach first? He has been pretty pragmatic and diplomatic in his press interactions for 8 years but suddenly this season he's been letting the fur fly. It could well be that he feels like any discussions he's had with the NRL have been like talking to a brick wall. His obvious increasing frustration in the press conferences certainly indicates to me that could be the case.
Clint
Roar Rookie
Advocating for player welfare isn't whingeing. And where's the hypocrisy in his statements? His players are regularly sin-binned and charged for high contact.
Paul
Roar Guru
If he has, why didn't he say so at that press conference? I agree he's been diplomatic but that might have something to do with some of his guys doing similar things at regular times through the year. Remember that match where Radley completely lost the plot?
Clint
Roar Rookie
How do we know that he hasn't? He's been very diplomatic up until this year. Now he just seems exasperated, like he's out of ideas/avenues for solutions.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You mean like the use of the six again for mystery offences?
Tom G
Roar Rookie
In fairness that wouldn’t be hard. V’Landys thinks the game starts with a ‘giddy up’
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
I think Uncle Nick knows a bit more about "Rugba League " than old mate Pete .
Paul
Roar Guru
I hope Radley does get 12 weeks, Clint. I doubt it'll stop Robbo from trying to defend his bloke - "I love his aggression, I hope he keeps playing with that sort of passion", etc.
Paul
Roar Guru
He came across to me as trying to be holier than thou with his rant, hence my description. Again, I don't get why he doesn't front the powers that be and have a face to face if he's that concerned?