Former England forward James Graham has raised suspicions over Queensland having a rat in their ranks who leaked information about captain Daly Cherry-Evans getting dumped before the team’s official announcement on Monday.
During this week’s episode of The Bye Round Podcast, the former Bulldogs and Dragons prop said it was “un-Queensland like” for word to get out about a sensitive issue like Cherry-Evans becoming the first captain dropped mid-series by either state this century.
“What’s noticeable about this is pretty much straight after Origin I it was being widely reported that DCE was gone,” he said.
“The fact this was coming out of Queensland camp raises alarm bells. The fact it’s leaked out, it’s not something you naturally associate with Queensland rugby league.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“The coach has confided in some people what he’s going to do and that has filtered through.”
Cherry-Evans will play his first game on Friday night since being dropped as Queensland No.7, leading a near full-strength Sea Eagles side against Gold Coast.
Graham’s podcast co-host, Rabbitohs forward Brandon Smith, was emphatic that there is “a rat in the house”.
“If there is inside information coming out of the Queensland camp it’s quite sad, especially under Billy’s watch. I know he runs a tight ship.
“It’s sad but it is what it is. What can you do about it? There is a rat.”
Manly’s No.7 has not spoken publicly, but played one of his best games of the year a fortnight ago against Brisbane when talk first emerged around his selection.
Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold did not want to delve into the debate around Queensland’s decision to drop Cherry-Evans, but said the halfback had responded well.
“He hasn’t got anything to prove,” the Manly coach said.
“He’s coming up somewhere around 340 games in the NRL, plus all the representative footy, so he doesn’t have a point to prove to anybody.
“There’s obvious disappointment there, but there’s also a great deal of pride.
“(He’s captained) his state 20 times and he’s played 26 games for Queensland, so there’s a lot to reflect on and look back and be proud about.”
Flano fuming at ref over crucial call
Shane Flanagan has questioned a crucial call in St George Illawarra’s 30-18 loss to Cronulla, saying he was amazed his side were penalised over a kick-off breach.
Down 24-18 with eight minutes to go on Thursday, the Dragons went for a short kick-off as their only chance to turn around a torrid second half.
Standing beyond the 40-metre line, Dragons centre Moses Suli jumped up and batted the ball back for St George Illawarra to regain possession.
But Suli was penalised, with referee Grant Atkins ruling the ball did not break the 10-metre plane in the air to pass the 40-metre line before he contacted it.
The resulting penalty ensured the Sharks were never threatened as they ran out 30-18 winners over the Dragons to extend their derby winning streak to 10.
“There were some decisions I was amazed at,” Flanagan said.
He suggested the evidence of the ball crossing the 10 metre threshold was irrefutable when summing up the moment that condemned his side to their second straight loss.
“There’s a red line there that’s called the 40-metre line and Moses Suli was on the other side of the 40-metre line,” Flanagan said.
While the decision to deny his side the ball in attacking field position was frustrating, Flanagan conceded it was the inability to deal with Braydon Trindall’s kicking game that ultimately cost the Dragons.
The Dragons conceded three tries in 10 minutes to give up an 18-12 halftime lead with winger Tyrell Sloan particularly susceptible to Trindall’s towering kicks.
Flanagan said the winger was down on confidence, after he was dropped last week but left without a game with the Dragons’ reserve-grade side having a bye.
Nicho Hynes is tackled by Damien Cook and Luciano Leilua. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Sloan was recalled for the match against the Sharks with fellow winger Christian Tuipulotu injured and Mat Feagai also out.
Flanagan suggested one option could be to give Sloan time in reserve grade next week while the Dragons’ NRL side have a bye to help rebuild his confidence.
“Confidence is probably something that he is down on a little bit at the moment,” Flanagan said.
“We’ve got to find it, he’s got to find it.
“(The Sharks) ran a little bit harder in the second half and got good field position, and then all their kicks were contestable kicks.
“You’ve got to be better defensively and make them kick long and they didn’t kick long, they were all contested kicks and we didn’t handle the contested kicks.”
with AAP
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/vgQlnz0 News: ‘There is a rat’ – Maroons’ solidarity questioned over DCE leak, Flanagan fumes over plane wrong call
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