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DUFFMAN

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Heated on-field exchange


June 27, 2006 - 7:11PM


Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis has thrown his support behind embattled coach Ricky Stuart as new video footage revealed an explosive on-field altercation between star players Craig Fitzgibbon and Brett Finch.

The heated exchange occurred during the side's 42-10 NRL loss to Canberra on Saturday, with prop David Shillington forced to defuse the ugly confrontation.

The incident took place after Finch put through a poor fourth-tackle kick into the Canberra in-goal, which was fielded on the full by Raiders centre Phil Graham.

Fitzgibbon, who today re-signed with the club for a further year, was upset Finch didn't put the ball through the hands, igniting an incredible slanging match which can be viewed on the rleague.com website.

Fitzgibbon: "****in' push it!"

Finch: "I couldn't get the c--t through."

Fitzgibbon: "Shut your ****in' mouth."

Finch: "Shut yours, you ****er!"

Fitzgibbon: "I couldn't get it through!"

(Shillington tries to intervene)

Fitzgibbon: "Don't ****in' speak to me like that!"

Fitzgibbon today played down the incident, claiming there was no bad blood between him and Finch.

"There was nothing in it, it was just heat of the moment stuff that happens all the time," Fitzgibbon said.

"There's no ill-feeling there, it's just the way it goes.

"We're doing our best and if anything it shows how much we care about the club and try to turn things around.

"(Frustration) is all it is, me and Finchy are good mates.

"It's just passion, showing that we care.

"We're playing a pretty unforgiving sport and you have to be able to take criticism, but sometimes frustrations boil over."

The pair spoke about the incident afterwards, with Fitzgibbon claiming they had both "moved on".

"It's not something we need to go on about because as soon as the game was finished we shook hands and he told me I played well and I told him he played well," he said.

"It's passion, it happens at every club, not just ones that are struggling."

Roosters CEO Brian Canavan was unaware of the incident until quizzed about it today.

"It's obviously of no great concern because it hasn't been mentioned to me or any of the others, nobody has mentioned it anywhere within the club," he said.

"The talk of the players after the game was that they need to take responsibility for their own performances."

The club took the unprecedented step today of issuing a media release quoting Politis and Roosters greats Luke Ricketson and Brad Fittler to counter rumours of division in the playing ranks.

The move follows reports there was a rift between senior and upcoming players and a scathing appraisal of the team's performance by Stuart after the thumping by Canberra.

The Kangaroos coach labelled the performance the worst defensive effort he had seen as coach and blasted some of his players as "passengers".

The Roosters have lost five in a row and are currently equal second last on the competition ladder.

There are also reports utility Craig Wing is unhappy at the club and is considering a move back to rugby union.

"The Sydney Roosters thrive on loyalty and support of each other during difficult periods," Politis said in the statement.

"Contrary to some ill-informed comments, I re-confirm Ricky Stuart and his coaching team have our full support."

Ricketson added: "I still mix with the players socially and at club events and I can assure you there is no ill feeling ... they are good guys who get on well."

Politis also offered a parting shot to the club's critics.

"To our critics, good luck, you can criticise us as much as you want but you will not divide the Roosters," he said.

"We have been around too long, we know each other too well and we stick solid on and off the field."
 
I saw that in the paper yesterday and had to laugh.

A caller to one of the sports shows reckons that Ricky is in trouble with underground mutterings reaching a crescendo.

The call was that he won't last the season!!!!!
 
They were absolutley aweful on Sunday. You could see them infighting behind the goal lines. It looked as though Ryan Cross couldn't give a toss as he knows he is off to union at the end of the year!
 
quality stuff! The one thing we can always say that the Manly club is on the way up and not getting weaker like so many other clubs.

Sometimes it isnt happening as fast as we would like but we are in a better situation than most at the moment.
 
Its not as if players dont have these altercations every now and again. But it does go to show how divisive things can become and how the lack of cohesion can so effect team spirit & onfield performances.

If only it would happen in a major way to the Bulldogs.
 
Stuart is gone. As soon as your CEO / Chairman makes a public statement claiming that the coach has the full support of the board you are dead in the water.

All is not well at Bondi Junction and how good is that. I'm loving how some sections of the media are just giving it to them both barrels and trying every destabilising trick in the book. I can only hope that it is in some way retaliation for the way Fathead Gould has used his multi-media profile to push his Rorters barrow around ad nauseum for the last 5 years. Justice in my eyes.
 
The Roosters remind me very much of Manly in the 98/99 seasons - after dominating for three years but only winning one out of three grand finals some players are past their best or have too many miles in their legs, some are disenchanted, the salary cap is biting, players who are on fat cheques have lost their desire and the rats start to desert the sinking ship. The harder they tried the worse they get and confidence is lost and down you go. (I just hope they go and appoint Peter Sharp, merge with Souths and then go further down the tube - as that is the hell we had to endure!!!)
 

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