September 29, 2008 - 12:31PM Melbourne Storm prop Brett White is free to play in Sunday's NRL grand final after being cleared of elbowing Cronulla's Ben Ross during last weekend's preliminary final. White was put on report for the incident, and faced the prospect of missing the grand final against Manly if charged. But the Storm confirmed today the NRL had found White had no case to answer and would be free to play. Immediately after being cleared, White also took the extraordinary step of denying claims of an off-field rift with Ross that has contributed to their on-field fireworks this season. White and Ross were once St George Illawarra teammates and were rumoured to have fallen out over a female. White copped a four-week ban for punching Ross earlier this season, and the pair were embroiled again in the Storm's 28-0 preliminary final shutout of the Sharks. "There's been a lot of rumours been going around about off-field incidents going on between Ben Ross and I just want to clear that up," White said today. "We've never lived together, we've never had a run-in off the field, there's never been any drama. I want to squash that here now. "I had faith they (the match review panel) would see the incident for what it was - that there was no malicious intent." AAP
Obviously elbows to the head of a player on the ground is an alright thing for the NRL. Cowards the lot of them. The Storm barrage certainly worked on the gutless and spineless within the NRL. Gallop and his lot should resign immediately.
I prefer him in the side as he is a pillow and will only weaken them by being there. Also suspending him would only have helped the PPs keep their siege mentality schick going.Â
Yeh, I'd have been dirty if a Manly player had got suspended for a love tap like that. I can only assume the rift was over who was going to "play the female" during their relationship as Dragqueen players. I think Ross got sick of having to assume the position and blew up, but let's face it he is the softer of the two, if only marginally.
The story goes that Ross slept with one of White's lady friends while they were both at the Dragons. White was furious, whereas Ross was just trying to enhance his playboy image. Either way, White is a skirt, and if Ross was at Manly this website would melt down under the criticism he'd generate. The bloke gets paid the same amount as Jamie Lyon!
