Bronco Sam Thaiday will miss Friday’s clash against the Storm after he was suspended by the judiciary BRONCOS forward Matt Gillett has backed teenager Corey Oates to fill the gaping void left by Origin star Sam Thaiday against the Storm on Friday after he was suspended by the NRL judiciary. Eighth-placed Brisbane need to win the AAMI Park match to be assured of a finals berth but will now have to do so without one of their premier forwards. Thaiday was found guilty of a grade one dangerous contact charge arising from last Friday’s win over the Dragons, but will miss the clash due to loading from a prior similar offence. Thaiday’s defence counsel argued that teammate Josh McGuire’s actions in the 50th minute tackle on Dragon Will Matthews contributed to it becoming a “crusher” tackle, and as such Thaiday could not be found guilty. But the judiciary panel of Paul Whatuira, Michael Vella and Mal Cochrane rejected that argument. Thaiday said he was still confident the Broncos could force their way into the playoffs against the sixth-placed Storm. “You never want to sit on the sideline but I head down to Melbourne as a supporter and wish the boys all the best,” he said. “I have every confidence we will win the game and be in that eight, and really cement a spot. “I was glad I came down here and disappointed with the result but I have to cop it on the chin. “I was confident, that is why it is hard to be found not guilty.” Oates is set to replace Thaiday in the Broncos backrow in what will be the biggest game in the 19 year-old’s career. Oates has been an interchange forward for the majority of the season after taking the NRL by storm as a winger in his rookie year. Gillett, the man Oates is set to partner in the backrow, said the youngster would stand up to the pressure. “Corey has been around enough and he has been playing quality football when he gets on the field,’’ Gillett said. “He’s still young so this would be a good experience for him and we hope to make it a good experience on Friday night. ” Josh Hoffman did not train for the Broncos on Tuesday and has not been named in their 18-man squad, suggesting he is unlikely to return from injury to face Melbourne. Meanwhile, referee Ben Cummins— the man who cost the Broncos significant for and against points through a sin-bin shocker against the Dragons — has been demoted from the prime time NRL games. Cummins will referee the Gold Coast Titans’ clash with Canterbury on Sunday. Cummins’ decision to erroneously sin bin Gillett for being offside after a Brett Morris quick tap has been widely branded the one of the worst refereeing decisions in history. On Tuesday NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said Cummins did not deserve the sack on that mistake alone. “We had a big error on the weekend. Ben Cummins made a big error, he knows it,” Greenberg said. “I think we have been pretty consistently clear this year that we have tried not to drop referees on one bad performance.” Brisbane-based referee Belinda Sleeman has been named to make her NRL debut, as a touch judge for the Tigers clash with the Sharks at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 19:31:01 +0000
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