Leon PRYCE [
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Wed April 29, 2009
by Steve Mascord
WE are all fascinated by a moral dilemma - particularly one that doesn't involve us - and there is certainly one such poser that has come into sharp focus with the Greg Bird verdict.
On one hand, Bird was punted by Cronulla as soon as he was charged earlier this year. As everyone who reads this site knows (unless you meant to type in relief.com), Brett Stewart was banned for four weeks after he was charged with sexual assault.
But in the UK, we have this week seen Leon Pryce and Stuart Reardon each convicted of assault and so far all we have seen is a "formal warning'' from St Helens to Pryce.
It's easy to accuse the Brits of being soft.
But Stewart was stood down for hurting the image of the game. Neither Pryce nor Reardon would have featured anywhere near the front or back pages of the nationals in the UK because rugby league is a relatively obscure northern sport. People who don't follow the game would not have heard of their offences nor maybe even of their names.
So what damage did they cause to the image of the game? They hurt their clubs in the eyes of other rugby league fans, yes ... but surely the damage they caused the sport is far smaller than that inflicted by Bird or Stewart.
I'm being the Devil's (or maybe I should say devils') advocate here and let me say this: my opinion is that both of them should have been heavily fined and stood down.
But when we start justifying action based on intangibles like "harming the image of the game'', we are pushing off at the top of a very slippery slope. What do you think?
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IF THERE is one debate in rugby league that is so boring it could put you to sleep in a scrum, it's whether or not City-Country should be scrapped.
And no debate is more indicative of the ideological malaise that is endemic in our sport. That is, that we never learn from our mistakes and end up arguing over the same old things every ten years or so, thereby preventing us from ever really entering new territory.
We even got rid of City-Country because we decided it had outlasted its usefulness, only to bring it back when the strategy to win back alienated Super League-era fans was deemed to be "back-to-basics''.
How embarrassing, then, to arrive at the exact same decision a few years later, for exactly the same reasons!
No, the final call on whether City-Country should be scrapped forever deserves to be taken by the people who brought about its resurrection: Country football fans.
Do you care who wins City-Country? Do you get excited to see the maroon and gold go around? Would you go out of your way to see one of these games live?
Recently, the crowds at City-Country have been awfully quiet. If even the bushies don't care anymore, it's time to scrap the game and this time remember why we scrapped it and keep it scrapped.
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HOW much you are interested in the Parramatta imbroglio probably depends on whether you follow Parramatta.
Certainly, Denis Fitzgerald's fall from grace has been spectacular.
But one thing you learn working in the media is that if sex sells best, fame comes a close second. Put them both together ... but I digress.
Parramatta are losing, the Leagues Club is bleeding money, and a bunch of familiar names from the glory days pops up promising salvation. The result was as predictable as someone somewhere saying something unkind about a referee this weekend.
But let's hope these familiar faces, elected based on public familiarity rather than business acumen, actually do make a difference.
Remember, Fitzy was just a retired player once too.
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WHAT an elegant piece of logic from Sydney magistrate Roger Clisdell in the Bird case this week.
If the whole thing was really just an accident, why try and pin an accident on someone else? As they say, commonsense is not really all that common.
But there was one thing in the evidence that seemed a bit curious to us here at Discord HQ. Katie Milligan was reported to have told a nurse: "My flatmate put glass in my eye, I don't know why he's lying."
Americans do not say 'flatmate'. They say 'room-mate'.
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AS far as chestnuts go, it's sizzling and inviting.
Should Jason Croker and Clint Greenshields be chosen for France in this year's Four Nations? On one hand, they are not French but then neither is Justin Murphy.
Would including them all be an insult to the proud traditions of international rugby league, particularly considering 'Toots' was an accomplished representative player in Oz.
On the other, France look like being - in the words of Ricky Stuart - "legless'' in said tournament so as long as supercoach Bobbie Goulding makes it clear the selections are only short-term, what's the harm?
Tell us what you think.
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT ... AND THAT'S NOTThe 16 teams ranked in order of entertainment value
1. Canberra: Throw it around like there's no tomorrow.
2. Wests Tigers: Benji did them no harm on Sunday.
3. Penrith: Can you remember two better individual tries than Jarrod Sammut's and Michael Jennings'
4. South Sydney: Are concentrating on their defence right now but still try enough to make JT go bald.
5. Gold Coast: Preston and Princey make the compulsory viewing
6. Newcastle: Constructive and creative
7. North Queensland: Great to watch - but only when they're winning.
8. Warriors: Not quite as spectacular as in the Ali Lauitiiti days, but still..
9. Brisbane: Have the players to be far more entertaining than they are.
10. Bulldogs: Getting results without being completely boring.
11. St George Illawarra: See Brisbane above.
12. Melbourne: Inglis, Slater et all put the tangy icing on a dense, dull cake
13. Manly: Depends on whether one B Stewart is present.
14. Sydney Roosters: Not throwing much at their opponents.
15. Parramatta: Playing badly is rarely entertaining.
16. Cronulla: Look at the "points for" column.
Fri November 3, 2006
by Matthew O'Neill
Great Britain stand-off has withdrawn from tomorrow's nights crunch Tri Nations clash against Australia with Leon Pryce moving to the halves and Hull FC's Gareth Raynor coming onto the wing.
Pryce originally started his career as a winger and played in that opening for the Lions opening Tri Nations loss against New Zealand, which the Kiwis have since been docked the victory points due to fielding an ineligble player. Pryce moved to St Helens last year and has since formed a successful halves combination with Sean Long and both will be united again at the scrumbase as Great Britain search for a miracle to somehow defeat the all too powerful Australians.
McGuire had a mixed match against the Kiwis last Saturday where he setup their first try for Paul Wellens, but on the whole was disappointing throughout and is yet to live up to the hype placed upon him. A thigh injury has forced him out of tomorrow night's showdown against Australian captain Darren Lockyer.
Raynor was originally unlucky to miss out on selection for this clash as both Keith Senior and Brian Carney weren't up to scratch last week with Senior failing to get involved and Carney's defence and positional play exposed.
It's been an interesting week for Pryce who said on the BBC Website that he would rather England to Australia and Blackpool Beach to Bondi Beach. The comments from Pryce in his BBC article has created a furore for someone daring to criticise Australia and dare suggest England is the better country to be in.
Pryce more or less is only suggesting his opinion and is proud of where he comes from. Australians are the masters of giving it out to other countries, notably England, but have shown on this occasion they can't handle it in return.
By his comments, Pryce has made himself a well-known entity in Australia and has added further spice to the Tri Nations that has already been rocked by the Nathan Fien "grannygate" fiasco.
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 2009 engage English Super League
St Helens
7 games; 11 tries, 44 points.
[View] Round 1 [13 Feb 09] W 26-14 v Warrington (H). [F8]
[View] Round 2 [22 Feb 09] W 23-6 v Huddersfield (A). [F8]
[View] Round 4 [07 Mar 09] W 4-0 v Celtic (A). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [13 Mar 09] W 38-12 v Salford City (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [20 Mar 09] W 26-18 v Leeds (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 13 [16 May 09] W 32-28 v Les Catalans (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 17 [21 Jun 09] W 44-18 v Bradford (A). [HB]
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2008 World Cup
England
3 games; [View] Pool A [25 Oct 08] W 32-22 v PNG. [F8]
[View] Pool A [02 Nov 08] L 4-52 v Australia. [F8]
[View] Semi Finals [15 Nov 08] L 22-32 v New Zealand. [BE]
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2008 International Test Matches
England
1 tries, 4 points.
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2008 engage English Super League
St Helens
24 games; 12 tries, 48 points.
[View] Round 1 [10 Feb 08] L 22-24 v Hull KR (A). [F8]
[View] Round 2 [15 Feb 08] W 30-22 v Warrington (H). [F8]
[View] Round 3 [22 Feb 08] W 22-16 v Bradford (A). [F8]
[View] Round 4 [02 Mar 08] W 34-30 v Wakefield (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 5 [07 Mar 08] W 30-29 v Hull FC (H). [F8]
[View] Round 6 [15 Mar 08] L 10-24 v Les Catalans (A). [F8]
[View] Round 7 [21 Mar 08] W 46-10 v Wigan (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 8 [24 Mar 08] L 26-28 v Huddersfield (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 9 [28 Mar 08] L 10-14 v Leeds (H). [F8]
[View] Round 10 [06 Apr 08] L 24-30 v Castleford (A). [F8]
[View] Round 11 [11 Apr 08] W 58-12 v Harlequins (H). [F8] 12 Pts; 3t
[View] Round 13 [04 May 08] W 57-16 v Wigan. [F8]
[View] Round 14 [17 May 08] W 28-10 v Les Catalans (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 15 [25 May 08] W 16-8 v Hull FC (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 16 [06 Jun 08] W 52-10 v Hull KR (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 17 [13 Jun 08] W 58-20 v Bradford (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 18 [20 Jun 08] W 26-12 v Leeds (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 20 [05 Jul 08] W 54-0 v Harlequins (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 21 [11 Jul 08] W 68-12 v Castleford (H). [F8]
[View] Round 22 [18 Jul 08] W 46-12 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 23 [03 Aug 08] W 42-10 v Wakefield (A). [F8]
[View] Round 24 [09 Aug 08] W 17-16 v Warrington (H). [F8]
[View] Round 25 [17 Aug 08] W 32-16 v Harlequins (A). [F8]
[View] Grand Final [04 Oct 08] L 16-24 v Leeds. [F8]
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2007 World Club Challenge
St Helens
1 games; [View] WCC [23 Feb 07] W 18-14 v Broncos (H). [F8]
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2007 engage English Super League
St Helens
15 games; 10 tries, 40 points.
[View] Round 1 [09 Feb 07] L 6-14 v Harlequins (H). [F8]
[View] Round 2 [18 Feb 07] L 22-29 v Wakefield (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [04 Feb 07] W 18-10 v Huddersfield (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 4 [02 Mar 07] W 34-22 v Bradford (H). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [09 Mar 07] W 48-12 v Warrington (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 6 [17 Mar 07] L 12-24 v Hull FC (A). [F8]
[View] Round 7 [23 Mar 07] W 42-14 v Hull KR (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 8 [06 Apr 07] W 32-14 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 11 [21 Apr 07] L 19-38 v Leeds (A). [F8]
[View] Round 12 [29 Apr 07] W 44-6 v Harlequins (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [18 May 07] W 34-14 v Wakefield (H). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 17 [17 Jun 07] W 40-0 v Hull KR (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 21 [20 Jul 07] W 19-12 v Wigan (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 27 [14 Sep 07] L 12-20 v Wigan (A). [HB]
[View] Finals Week 2 [28 Sep 07] W 10-8 v Leeds (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
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2006 Tri-Nations Test Series
Great Britain Lions
3 games; [View] Tri-Nations Match 3 [28 Oct 06] L 14-18 v New Zealand (A). [WG]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 4 [04 Nov 06] W 23-12 v Australia (A). [F8]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 6 [18 Nov 06] L 10-33 v Australia (A). [WG]
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2006 International Test Matches
Great Britain Lions
1 games; [View] XXXX Test [27 Jun 06] W 46-14 v New Zealand (H). [WG]
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2006 engage English Super League
St Helens
27 games; 11 tries, 44 points.
[View] Round 1 [11 Feb 06] W 40-16 v Harlequins (A). [F8]
[View] Round 2 [17 Feb 06] W 44-8 v Castleford (H). [F8]
[View] Round 3 [24 Feb 06] W 13-4 v Leeds (H). [F8]
[View] Round 4 [03 Mar 06] W 18-10 v Warrington (A). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [12 Mar 06] W 18-16 v Huddersfield (A). [F8]
[View] Round 6 [17 Mar 06] W 38-16 v Bulls (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 7 [24 Mar 06] W 46-0 v Hull (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 8 [07 Apr 06] W 16-6 v Harlequins (H). [F8]
[View] Round 9 [14 Apr 06] W 48-10 v Wigan (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 10 [17 Apr 06] W 34-20 v Les Catalans (A). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [21 Apr 06] W 12-10 v Salford City (A). [F8]
[View] Round 12 [28 Apr 06] W 34-8 v Wakefield (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 13 [06 May 06] L 16-19 v Huddersfield (A). [BE]
[View] Round 14 [12 May 06] W 34-22 v Warrington (H). [FB]
[View] Round 15 [27 May 06] W 28-14 v Wigan (A). [F8]
[View] Round 16 [08 Jun 06] L 26-27 v Hull FC (H). [F8]
[View] Round 17 [16 Jun 06] L 18-20 v Bradford (A). [F8]
[View] Round 18 [24 Jun 06] W 28-6 v Salford City (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 19 [02 Jul 06] W 52-36 v Wakefield (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 20 [07 Jul 06] W 52-26 v Les Catalans (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 21 [14 Jul 06] W 30-24 v Harlequins (H). [F8]
[View] Round 22 [22 Jul 06] W 18-14 v Leeds (A). [HB]
[View] Round 23 [04 Aug 06] W 56-8 v Huddersfield (H). [HB]
[View] Round 24 [13 Aug 06] W 72-4 v Castleford (A). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [01 Sep 06] W 34-12 v Wakefield (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Finals Week Two [29 Sep 06] W 12-8 v Hull FC (H). [F8]
[View] Grand Final [14 Oct 06] W 26-4 v Hull FC (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
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2005 Tri-Nations Test Series
Great Britain Lions
4 games; [View] Tri-Nations Match 3 [29 Oct 05] L 26-42 v New Zealand (H). [WG]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 4 [05 Nov 05] L 6-20 v Australia (H). [WG]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 5 [12 Nov 05] W 38-12 v New Zealand (H). [WG]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 6 [19 Nov 05] L 14-26 v Australia (H). [FB]
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2005 English Super League
Bradford Bulls
29 games; 13 tries, 52 points.
[View] Round 1 [13 Feb 05] L 16-28 v Wildcats (H). [CT]
[View] Round 2 [20 Feb 05] L 22-31 v Widnes (A). [CT] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [25 Feb 05] W 28-27 v Wigan (A). [CT]
[View] Round 4 [06 Mar 05] W 48-22 v London (H). [CT]
[View] Round 5 [11 Mar 05] W 46-6 v Leigh (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [18 Mar 05] W 32-22 v Hull (H). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 7 [24 Mar 05] L 12-42 v Rhinos (H). [FB]
[View] Round 8 [28 Mar 05] L 27-34 v St Helens (A). [FB]
[View] Round 9 [10 Apr 05] L 32-35 v Warrington (A). [CT]
[View] Round 10 [17 Apr 05] W 54-10 v Huddersfield (H). [CT]
[View] Round 11 [22 Apr 05] W 40-8 v Wigan (H). [CT]
[View] Round 12 [01 May 05] W 41-26 v London (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 13 [13 May 05] W 58-0 v Salford (A). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [22 May 05] L 24-44 v Warrington (H). [BE]
[View] Round 15 [28 May 05] W 42-24 v Hull (A). [CT] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 16 [05 Jun 05] L 4-66 v St Helens (H). [CT]
[View] Round 20 [10 Jul 05] L 34-44 v Wildcats (A). [BE]
[View] Round 21 [17 Jul 05] W 58-12 v Leigh (H). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [22 Jul 05] W 24-18 v Salford (A). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 23 [07 Aug 05] W 74-24 v Widnes (H). [BE] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 24 [14 Aug 05] W 58-12 v Salford (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [19 Aug 05] W 42-10 v Rhinos (A). [WG]
[View] Round 26 [02 Sep 05] W 49-6 v Hull (H). [WG]
[View] Round 27 [11 Sep 05] W 52-34 v Huddersfield (H). [WG]
[View] Round 28 [17 Sep 05] W 32-18 v St Helens (A). [FB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Elimination Play Offs [23 Sep 05] W 44-22 v London (H). [FB]
[View] Elimination Semi-Final [01 Oct 05] W 71-0 v Hull (H). [WG]
[View] Final Eliminator [07 Oct 05] W 23-18 v St Helens (A). [WG]
[View] Grand Final [15 Oct 05] W 15-6 v Rhinos. [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
Match Fact: Harry Sunderland Trophy Winner
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Pryce, Leon
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