Appeal Successful!
by
Friday May 21, 2004

Relief swept over the Broncos camp this morning, with the news that the Independent Appeals Tribunal, headed by Sir Laurence Street, decided to reinstate the Broncos their two points from the Round 3 victory over the Wests Tigers.

The controversial event occurred in the 58th minute of the match, when substitute prop Corey Parker entered the field before an injured Shane Webcke was totally clear of the field, allbeit 40 metres behind the play.

He scored a crucial try just seconds later.

The punishment handed down by the committee in the place of the two points was a $75,000 fine for the club to pay.

Broncos Managing Director Bruno Cullen praised both the running of the Appeals system and the final decision made, although still felt the fine was harsh.

"I stress that I am very pleased with the process, particularly the opportunity presented to us to put our case to the NRL's Independent Appeals committee. This hearing was very professionally conducted and gave us every opportunity to present all of the facts associated with our appeal," Mr Cullen wrote in a press release issued this morning.

"While I am happy we have retained our two premiership points, I am somewhat surprised at the amount of the fine."

"However in saying that I recgnise and accept that this is the end of the matter and all at the Broncos will now get on with the business of going as far as we can in the 2004 Premiership."

The NRL accepted the decision made by the committee, but is now pushing for a much stricter approach to be taken by interchange officials in the future.

NRL CEO David Gallop, who was public about his negative stance on the issue, today conceded the issue was always going to be a difficult one to penalise.

"Clearly it was a very serious breach of the games rules and the size of the penalty reflects that," he said.

"The important thing out of the Broncos interchange issue is to ensure the same problems do not re-occur."