TO: NZRL Staff, Districts and Affiliates and Board FROM: Cushla Dawson DATE: 23 March 2009 RE: Media Summary Tuesday 17 March to Monday 23 March 2009 Jones saves Warriors in fairytale return: New Zealand Warriors prodigal son Stacey Jones turned back the clock and Manly's National Rugby League (NRL) title defence as he engineered a thrilling 26-24 win over the premiers at Brookvale Oval yesterday. With his team staring down the barrel of yet another road loss after the Sea Eagles had rallied to grab an eight-point lead with just 11 minutes remaining, Jones, in his first game back in the NRL since August, 2005, stepped up. Bennett calls for bad boy body: Wayne Bennett, one of the most respected figures in rugby league, has broken his silence over the recent spate of off-field incidents and called for the game to tackle the issue the same way it did with drugs and on-field violence, by appointing an independent body to sit in judgment of players. Bennett insisted alcohol abuse was not as bad among today's players as in the past, but said they were under more scrutiny now and the negative publicity was bad for the code. Meet our human wrecking ball: IF THIS was a film script, would you dismiss it as complete fantasy? Shy Tongan lad, newly arrived in the country and speaking only a little English, finds work at a south Auckland meat processing plant. The foreman talks him into trying out for his local rugby league team. The factory owner is good mates with the assistant coach of the local professional club and tips him into this raw talent. And 12 months later, the kid hits the big time. Waikato churning out more prodigies: The Waikato production line of young league talent for the Warriors continues to churn out prospective NRL stars. Lance Hohaia, Sam Rapira and Wairangi Koopu have been the region's top stars for the Warriors but there are a host of budding prodigies primed to make an impact in the next few years. Warriors age-group coaches Dean Bell and Tony Iro are delighted with the level of talent emerging from Waikato, led by Isaac John. Bulls charge across the ditch: The trans-Tasman rugby league exodus continues, with a clutch of Canterbury Bulls players now featuring for Queensland Cup sides. Former Kiwis coach Frank Endacott rates the Queensland Cup the third-strongest rugby league competition in the world behind the Australian National Rugby League and England's Super League. Canterbury Bulls coach Brent Stuart said yesterday he was not surprised to see so many of the Bulls stepping up in Australian competitions. Here's the good news: momentum builds for clubs to reclaim the game: NEWS LIMITED, the half-owner of the NRL, has revealed it keenly supports the league's bid for independence, stating that it does not intend to hinder reforms that include the establishment of an independent commission to run the game and ownership of the competition to be split among the 16 clubs. Binges threaten NRL funding pitch: THE drunken behaviour of rugby league players Brett Stewart, Brett Seymour and Jake Friend may have jeopardised the NRL's request for millions of dollars in Federal Government assistance. NRL chief executive David Gallop met Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and senior ministers including Simon Crean and Kate Ellis in Parliament House yesterday as headlines screamed about drunken footballers and the Senate debated the alcopops tax. Eastwood keen on move despite new deal: Kiwis international Greg Eastwood remains hopeful of securing a move to England despite signing a three-year National Rugby League deal with the Bulldogs. The former Brisbane forward joined the Bulldogs after a planned switch to English Super League team Leeds was scuppered when he was denied a work permit because he'd lost his driving licence for a series of speeding fines. Sheens backs winger for Kiwi jumper: Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens has backed burly winger Taniela Tuiaki to force his way back into contention for a New Zealand berth after a booming display against Canberra on Monday night. Tuiaki flaunted the form which earned him a Kiwis Test jumper in 2007 with two tries in the Tigers' 34-26 victory over the Raiders in their round one NRL clash at Campbelltown. Sheens says Tuiaki wants to prove a point to New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney, after failing to make the final World Cup squad last year. Warriors smarting at lockout - Reduced capacity alarms club: In the latest negative fall-out from the David Beckham football game at Mt Smart Stadium, the Warriors were forced to do their pre-season training on a park pitch without markings or goalposts; their kickers forced to aim at light towers for practice. And the stadium's capacity has been slashed, which could effect the Warriors chances of hosting a playoff match, should they qualify. Jones saves Warriors in fairytale return New Zealand Warriors prodigal son Stacey Jones turned back the clock and Manly's National Rugby League (NRL) title defence as he engineered a thrilling 26-24 win over the premiers at Brookvale Oval yesterday. With his team staring down the barrel of yet another road loss after the Sea Eagles had rallied to grab an eight- point lead with just 11 minutes remaining, Jones, in his first game back in the NRL since August, 2005, stepped up. Barely able to make it from one tackle to the next as his 32-year-old legs struggled to keep up with the hectic pace and stifling conditions, Jones manufactured a vintage chip and chase to drag the visitors back into the contest. Brent Tate finished off the move to close the gap to 24-20 before Kiwis legend Jones launched one final raid, a bomb to the corner eventually making its way to Jerome Ropati to score with winger Denan Kemp landing the pressure conversion from wide out. "I forgot what it was all about - I really struggled there, probably a lot of players did," Jones said. "The heat really got to everyone I think and there was a lot of mistakes, a lot of penalties ... I couldn't talk out there I was that tired. Wade McKinnon actually tipped me up on it (the chip kick) hence why he was there as soon as it came off. "We couldn't get out of our own half and we probably had to try something. I got a lucky bounce." Luck had little to do with it, though, with even Manly coach Des Hasler admitting his side was powerless to stop the veteran playmaker. "We knew exactly what he was going to do, we knew exactly the plays he was going to come up with, but we couldn't shut him down," Hasler said. Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said it wouldn't be long before the champion No 7 forced his way into the starting 13, after he came into yesterday's contest off the bench. Jones said he was happy to get a start anywhere in the 17. "I'll just play where I'm given a chance," he said. "I was given this opportunity because of Lance Hohaia, if Lance didn't get injured I wouldn't have been playing." Down 10-16 at halftime after the Warriors ran in three tries in a spectacular five-minute onslaught midway through the first half, the Sea Eagles reclaimed the lead within 9min of the restart via tries to rookie winger Andrew Suniula and rumbling prop Adam Cuthbertson. When Jamie Lyon crossed for his second just before the hour for a 24-16 lead, the momentum and the game appeared Manly's, Hasler ruing a lack of discipline which sees the reigning premiers in a share of last spot heading into the third round. "We're just an undisciplined footy team at the moment, simple as that ... today we paid the consequences," Hasler said. "Fair to say eight points up we had that game, we should have had that game. It's an attitude thing and we've got to adjust it real quick because that's two points today we should have had." Manly finished the match with only two players on the bench with Suniula (badly split webbing) and Shane Rodney (bleeding from the eye) both rushed to hospital for treatment. (Source: www.nzherald.co.nz 23 March 2009) Bennett calls for bad boy body Wayne Bennett, one of the most respected figures in rugby league, has broken his silence over the recent spate of off-field incidents and called for the game to tackle the issue the same way it did with drugs and on-field violence, by appointing an independent body to sit in judgment of players. Bennett insisted alcohol abuse was not as bad among today's players as in the past, but said they were under more scrutiny now and the negative publicity was bad for the code. "I don't think in terms of player education they can do much more," Bennett said yesterday on ABC radio. "If you've been brought up properly, you know what good behaviour is. It's always going to come back to the player and the individual. They're well enough educated." The St George Illawarra coach hit out at any misconception that player misbehaviour was an issue that affected only the NRL, and suggested a body similar to the Australian Sports Drugs Agency be set up to deal with off- field incidents. "I've been in the situation many times, and I don't have the perfect answer, so I'm not going to sit in condemnation of anyone else or any other club," Bennett said.