Canterbury veteran Josh Reynolds has apologised for swearing at referee Grant Atkins in the round-nine win over St George Illawarra but general manager Phil Gould claims it was an overreaction by the whistleblower.
Reynolds lashed out at Atkins at halftime of Sunday’s game, claiming it was “bullshit” he had been penalised for illegally applying pressure to Tyrell Sloan’s neck as he tackled the fullback minutes earlier.
Known for his dim view of referee abuse, Atkins pulled Reynolds to one side for a stern lecture and warned Bulldogs captain Reed Mahoney the utility would be ordered from the field if he misspoke again.
“It was an overreaction,” Gould said on 100% Footy. “You can’t swear to the referee, it’s simple. He didn’t abuse the referee, he didn’t call the referee a name, he didn’t question his integrity or anything like that.
“What he was referring to was what the referee had accused him of, which he didn’t do, that’s what he said. But we’ll counsel Josh on the way he speaks to the referees.
“The other reaction was very emotional (from Atkins) and as a referee he needs to be helped in that regard as well.”
The match review committee had originally intended to let the incident slide but at the urging of NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, proposed a grade-one contrary conduct charge and a $1000 fine.
A contrite Reynolds regretted setting a poor example for young fans.
“I am really sorry for all the kids that had to hear that,” Reynolds told The Big Sports Breakfast. “It’s obviously not a great look. I love being a role-model for the young kids.”
Reynolds claimed he had lashed out in self-admonishment for conceding the penalty and had not intended to disrespect the referee.
“Costing my team a penalty like that kills me. Hopefully people can understand that I was fairly riled up,” he said. “I’ll be honest and say that I wish I chose my wording a bit better. I really do mean that. One hundred per cent.
“To clear everything up, it wasn’t an actual personal attack on the ref. It wasn’t about him at all. It was more about the situation.
“I’m sure people can understand that, in the heat of battle, as a player, I’m allowed to ask a question and I’m allowed to have an opinion on that call.”
Abdo’s decision to step in marks the first time he or any member of the ARL Commission have used their power to refer matters for further inspection after it was introduced last March.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
The rule was used by Newcastle earlier this year when they wanted an Isaiah Papali’i hit on Jack Johns sent for further review.
“There is a process under the judiciary rules that allows the board and CEO of a club or game to ask for the match review committee to further review an incident,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said.
“That is a normal part of our process and has been used in the past. It comes down to making sure things don’t fall through the cracks.”
with AAP
V’landys defends betting links in Vegas plan
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has defended the NRL’s controversial plan to stage two matches in Las Vegas to kick off next season by claiming it will be a financial winner due to the influx of sports betting it could attract.
V’landys is adamant the US sports betting market is “looking for wagering content outside the time zones” in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
The NRL is hoping to stage a double-header in Vegas to start the 2024 season with Manly, South Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Roosters the frontrunners for the four slots and as part of the ambitious plan, the league wants to coincide it with a boxing world title fight or UFC event.
“Rugby league is the perfect one for that. What hit me with our overseas broadcast is that we don’t promote it,” he told the SMH.
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“We get money for it, but we can get a lot more for it. There are two strands in my eyes we can get extra revenue from: the broadcast subscription but, if we can put that with a wagering operator, you can get two times the revenue. If you’re betting on the product, you’ll subscribe to the broadcast.
Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“Rugby league is a tribal entertainment product. What wagering does is add a little bit more entertainment onto the already fantastic product. I’m in a tipping contest at work, so I watch every game. If I have a bet on a first try-scorer, it gives you a little more enjoyment.”
He then tried to claim Australia’s infatuation with betting on the NBA could be replicated but when it was pointed out that basketball is a global sport, he countered with: “That’s why this has to be a long-term plan. You see, this can be a massive event in Vegas. Someone told me the other day this has the potential to take over from G’day USA as the No.1 event in America each year to promote Australia.”
In trying to justify his argument, he said “anything we do goes back to the clubs, players, and participation. Let’s say our revenue is $100. The clubs get $21, the players get $41, and participation gets $40. The rest is left for us to buy assets.”
The only problem is that those numbers don’t up. When told that totalled $102, he joked: “I’ve never been a good accountant. Look, there’s a cake and we split up the cake.”
V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo will travel to the US in the next couple of weeks to hopefully seal a deal.
“I’m confident, but every piece of Lego must join up. I’m not doing it to fail. The next two weeks will be telling,” he said.
Storm switch home games to Marvel
Melbourne will host 2022 NRL grand finalists Penrith and Parramatta at Marvel Stadium after being forced out of their usual home ground due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The Storm’s round-18 clash with champions Penrith on June 30 will be played under the closed roof at the 55,000-seat stadium along with the round-22 meeting with Parramatta on July 28.
With AAMI Park out of action during both months due to the soccer tournament, the Storm considered shifting their scheduled home games interstate.
But club boss Justin Rodski said Melbourne were reluctant to do so after spending so much time out of Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When it was clear that AAMI Park would not be available and we would have to take our home games elsewhere, a key factor for us was looking after our members and fans,” Rodski said in a statement on Tuesday.
“They gave us such great support over the disrupted 2020 and 2021 seasons when we had to relocate interstate, and then backed up by helping us to set new records in membership last year.”
The Storm played out of the Docklands Stadium for a season in 2001 and have since returned for a number of other games, while the venue has also hosted two State of Origin matches.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Had to read this article a few times, Mushi. Am I missing something here, last time I looked $21 + $41 + $40 = $102 so how does that leave any “rest” if the income is $100.
langparker
Roar Rookie
Aah gus, so Reynolds never did anything & was innocent but that referee, he got emotional and needs help. Gus is just banking that one in case Reynolds loses it or gets binned by Atkins down the track so he’s got ammunition. As far back as I can remember in Reynolds career he’s sailed close to the wind with offsides, niggles etc and is a serial pest, just up to his old tricks because he’s older & slower now so is struggling to keep up in a faster game than when he left the NRL.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Gould should be sanctioned for that comment about Atkins. His attitudes and thoughts on the direction of the game haven’t been worth the paper they’ve been printed on for years now, but that BS shouldn’t be permitted.
mushi
Roar Guru
Figured it was :stoked: more just that's not a widely held view in Aus. It's got a soccer-esque appeal for the masses in that once you have a ball and access to a hoop it's easy to engage in even by yourself (why it thrives in cities, which have more population, ergo rapid fan expansion). On betting the sheer quantum of games can't be under sold. A game in the states won't solve that for the NRL which has ~200 games on the weekends played in the wee hours of the morning.
mushi
Roar Guru
Just wondering if the CEO of nsw racing gets performance based incentives? Then wondering if I'm a betting agency if I'd give favourable terms or accommodations to nsw racing if the ceo of nsw racing could say influence the revenue from a popular main stream sport by, I don't know, becoming chairman?
Nick
Roar Rookie
He let a lot of forward passes go "for the flow"
mushi
Roar Guru
Did he scream no. No. No. No. No. When someone stepped out?
mushi
Roar Guru
I think it was an "accounting" issue again 5 or 5000 being culled what's the difference, numbers don't mean anything!
Nick
Roar Rookie
Oh,no one is signing up to an NRL subscription. Agree there. But if people are prepared to have a random punt on challenger series tennis (and not watch it) or Jai Alai or Squash (and not watch either) then people will do the same for the NRL.
astro
Roar Rookie
I just don't believe a whole heap of gambling addicted Americans will line up to lose money on a niche sport like rugby league, which they know nothing about, and/or subscribe to NRL coverage, because there are 2 games being played in Vegas. It's more likely V'Landy's and his friend who told him this would be a "massive event", are just looking for a free trip to Vegas next year.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
This week the Tigers finally won a game. A week to celebrate. A week where the pressure on all could be reduced, even just a little. A week which would provide hope because they are also playing a winnable game this week. ..... And also a week where the Board made the incomprehensible decision to employ someone in the football department without consulting anyone in said football department with the Chairman's justification being "if we had been removing someone as well, we would have talked to them, but this is an addition". Dumb beyond words, but so on brand. Bravo to Lee and the Board of the Wests Tigers.
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
Personally, I think both PVL and Abdo should bite their tongues and purse their lips and leave NRL statements relating on-field matters to Graham Annersley – the Head Of Football – the one who actually knows what he is talking about. It is embarrassing to hear Mr Abdo ranting on that “It’s not good enough” when an NRL employee at the game to police the interchange fails to prevent an accident leading to 14 players on the field for 15 seconds – and Abdo holds the club solely responsible.
Albo
Roar Rookie
That was a personal rating I used there . I find the NBA boring as ! Each to their own.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Well one of those sports is also full of neigh-sayers, so he’s probably used to it Nat.
Tony
Roar Guru
And needs a new calculator
Tony
Roar Guru
Worth it at 5 times the price
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
The thing with PVL is he does get results. The NRL is going great atm and is better for him being chairman. I wish he'd quit the media though because he drops clangers everytime. I'm actually quite impressed by Andrew Abdo when he speaks. He's not overly charismatic but he's confident, composed and keeps it nice and simple. He should do a swap on media interviews with PVL. I wish Phil Gould would leave his media work. He still knows how to run a club and build junior pathways but as a pundit he's either boring or has an obvious conflict of interest. Nice to see the Storm play at marvel and that they're building events, when theyve essentially been displaced for some matches. It shows great ambition. It's also good for them how they cultivate a genuine positive relationship with the AFL down there. It's win-win for them and theyve genuinely benefitted from it.
mushi
Roar Guru
We do have a chairman who (somehow this isn't collusion or a conflict of interest) also runs a "sport" that exists for gambling and who didn't blink an eye when a club was owned by a guy who had committed governance and money laundering breaches. I think broken moral compass was listed under relevant skills on his CV.
mushi
Roar Guru
And high school football. It took US soccer decades, with a large grass roots, global media support and an immigrant population, to get commercial traction
mushi
Roar Guru
On the “boring NBA” there’s a high level of basketball participation and following in Australia. There’s more kids registered for basketball than league at my kids school in Rabbitohs heartland. For gambling it also has the added benefit of high scoring, easily understood core stats and, most importantly, more than 1,200 games in a season played all week long