Player payment probe by board, finals venue decided on busy night
Southern Inland is looking to clarifying its rules over player payments after a probe.
Southern Inland is looking to clarify its constitution after an investigation into alleged player payments.
As an amateur competition, the paying of players is not allowed.
Southern Inland president Paul Spain confirmed the issue was discussed by the board this week, however no breaches of the rules were found.
"We were asked to have a look at some documents and they were all legitimate and in compliance of current SIRU rules so no action was taken," Spain said.
However Southern Inland is looking to take steps to make the current rules clearer
"It's not so much changing it but making it clearer what's allowed under the rules," Spain said.
"We don't allow payments for players there are things we allow such as compensation for travel, assistance with employment, housing.
"A lot of that is making things clearer about what clubs can and can not do."
Wagga City was at the centre of the probe.
However, president Michael Kanck was pleased to be cleared of any wrongdoing.
"When you have to present information, you do, and it's good when all your processes have been in place, your bookkeeping and contracts are made within the competition rules, and it's good that those efforts over the years finally see the light of day," Kanck said.
"Otherwise they are just locked up.
"It was a good reward for the work behind the scenes over the years."
Coaching contracts are another area Southern Inland is looking to clarify after the investigation.
It is expected to occur after the completion of the season.
"We understand clubs want to contract coaches so we want to make sure everybody who is contracted to clubs as a coach has the relevant coaching qualifications, is registered to coach and as a player, if they do both," Spain said.
"It's not so much tightening it up but making clubs aware of what's allowed."
It comes after the Boiled Lollies had their appeal over
Rosivela Nagatarogo's nine-week suspension was unsuccessful.
Wagga City appealed on two different grounds, that it was incorrect in fact or law and it was manifestally excessive, however the ACT judiciary elected to uphold the ban put in place by the Southern Inland judiciary.
It means Nagatarogo will be unable to play again this season.
Kanck thought they had a good case.
"It is what it is," he said.
"We see something from our point of view through our filter and it's just the way it lands.
"We thought we had a good case there of conflicting reports on who was actually the victim and if there was one, but maybe we didn't present the case as good as should have, but it was as good as we could."
Blake Theunissen tries to push out of the Waratahs in the last preliminary final at Exies Oval in 2018. Picture by Liam Warren
Meanwhile, Exies Oval has been locked in to host the preliminary final on August 23.
It will be the first time since 2022 a finals game will be played in Griffith, with the last two preliminary finals held at Jarrah Oval.
Two clubs applied for hosting rights.
"We had two submissions, Griffith and Tumut, but as we've been to Tumut for the last couple why not take it somewhere else?," rugby manager Jack Heffernan said.
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The minor premiers will host the first week of finals at Conolly Rugby Complex on August 16, but who that will be is yet to be determined.
There are two rounds left before finals and while the make-up of the
top four is now locked in after Ag College's loss to Tumut, each of the four ladder positions can still change.
On Saturday, Wagga City has the chance to reclaim top spot when they host Aggies at Conolly Rugby Complex on Saturday.
Reddies has the chance to hit back after a forfeit last week when they host Griffith, Tumut hosts winless Albury while Waratahs has the bye.
The winners of the major semi-final, which will be played between Waratahs and Wagga City, will also win hosting rights to the grand final at Conolly Rugby Complex on August 30.
Most of this article is just "Gobilldy Gook" talk.
The facts are the Comp is in Crisis for the future- 90% of the articles in the DA relating to Rugby Union this season concern Regular & Long Term Suspensions for foul play, Cricket Scores that Ricky Ponting & Steve Smith would be proud of and Team Forfeits because some players don't want to play in a higher Grade.
As far as player payments etc are concerned they will never be proven via the investigation of Club records (Clubs aren't that silly)
No need for a preview this Week - City to win and Tumut to win
Go the Wallabies !
