Denman Set To Play Devils' Advocate Over Refereeing

Newcastle Herald

Friday April 15, 2005

Craig Kerry - Up the Valley

DENMAN are likely to lodge a formal complaint to the Group 21 rugby league board about a referee's decision which they say cost them victory in Saturday's 16-11 Scanlon Shield loss to Aberdeen.

Club president Al Murphy said the Devils believe the referee incorrectly restarted play before two sin-binned Denman players had left the field.

Murphy said that due to the decision Denman were unable to replace the players, which is allowed in the final 10 minutes of matches under competition rules.

Aberdeen scored from the next play to move to within a point of Denman before scoring again to take the win.

Group 21 president Tony Goldman threw cold water on the potential complaint, saying he believed the Devils were wrong and that Denman had not filed a complaint within 48 hours after the match, as is required.

In the other game on Saturday at Aberdeen, Singleton defeated Scone 20-10.

Muswellbrook lead the pre-season competition on points difference, and the round-robin will be completed at Scone on Sunday before the top two finishers play off for the shield at Muswellbrook the following week.

The Rams, Denman and Aberdeen have six points, ahead of Singleton (4) and Scone (0).

On Sunday, the Devils will play Muswellbrook, and Scone are to take on Aberdeen.

? Muswellbrook beat Newcastle Welsh in both grades on Saturday at Allan Davis Field, Gateshead, to make a winning start to their 2005 rugby union campaign.

The Heelers won first grade 18-17, despite scoring two tries to three, and seconds were victorious 10-0.

Captain-coach Mick Hickling, who crashed over for Muswellbrook's second try, said the side would be boosted by the return of five-eighth Rob Munroe when they host Medowie tomorrow.

? Last season's Group 21 under-18 joint players of the year, Blake Dureau and Luke Gardiner, will lead a side at the Northern Division trials at Tamworth tomorrow.

Dureau, Liam Dunn and Gardiner made the Northern Division starting side last year.

The Group 21 side is: 1 Josh Adams (Scone), 2 Liam Dunn (Mus), 3 Luke Ayre (Den), 4 Daniel Ritter (Scone), 5 David Murnane (Aber), 6 Shane Givney (Mus), 7 Blake Dureau (Den), 8 James Standing (Mus), 9 Josh Bell (Aber), 10 Ben Kirkland (Merr), 11 Thomas Hagen (Aber), 12 Rodney Bailey (Merr), 13 Luke Gardiner (Sing). Reserves: 14 Matthew Carroll (Sing), 15 Brendan Hunt (Mus), 16 Matthew Carter (Sing), 17 Aaron Perry (Sing), 18 Kerrod Sullivan (Aber), 19 Matthew Gallagher (Mus).

? Singleton lost 1-0 to reigning Northern NSW first-division soccer champions Phoenix on Sunday at Howe Park. They host Belmont-Swansea on Sunday.

© 2005 Newcastle Herald

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