by A couple of things this week. It is a bit poor when the earliest
the league can release the schedule for the following Friday, Saturday and
Sunday is on the preceeding Monday. This means that most fans would not
have known of the schedule at least until they read the Tuesday morning
papers. We all know that they wish to schedule the games so clubs are not
affected by Origin stand downs but surely they didn't have to wait for the
actual selections to work out who would be affected and who wouldn't.
Anyone using a bit of common sense could have worked out that the Wests,
Illawarra, Souths and Gold Coast matches would have few if any origin
representatives.
Following on from this, NQ are quite unhappy after their match
against Parra was scheduled for the second weekend. Several weeks ago they
made a request to the league that this match be scheduled for the first
weekend due to a clash with several major events in Townsville on the
second weekend (one of these being the Disney on Ice show which has
already pre-sold 10,000+ tickets). Also they asked that the schedule be
decided earlier than when it eventually was so that they'd have enough
time to book entertainment etc. if the match was on the first weekend. Of
course both requests were ignored and the people up here are left
wondering who is more important, four players (the Parra reps) or several
thousand fans?
Which brings me to my last point/observation. Cronulla intend to
lodge or have lodged an official complaint with the league over the
scheduling of their match. In past years only three matches have been
scheduled on the first weekend. This year there are four and Cronulla are
not happy that they've been put on the first weekend when they have two
Origin reps, the same number that Manly have yet that club's match has
been scheduled for the second weekend.
Now after all that drama, here's the draw...
* Friday, 17th May 1996
WESTERN SUBURBS vs PENRITH at Campelltown Sports Ground - 7.30pm
* Saturday, 18th May 1996
CRONULLA vs GOLD COAST at Shark Park - 2.30pm (may be night game?)
* Sunday, 12th May 1996
ILLAWARRA vs ST GEORGE at Steelers Stadium, Wollongong - 2.30pm
SOUTH SYDNEY vs BALMAIN at Sydney Football Stadium - 2.30pm
* Friday, 24th May 1996
MANLY vs CANTERBURY at Brookvale Oval - 7.30pm
PERTH vs BRISBANE at WACA Ground, Perth
* Saturday, 25th May 1996
SOUTH QUEENSLAND vs EASTERN SUBURBS at Suncorp Stadium, Bris. - 2.30pm
NORTH QUEENSLAND vs PARRAMATTA at Stockland Stadium, T'Ville - 7.30pm
* Sunday, 26th May 1996
AUCKLAND vs NEWCASTLE at Ericcson Stadium, Auckland - 2.30pm (NZT)
CANBERRA vs NORTH SYDNEY at Bruce Stadium, Canberra - 2.30pm
Catchya round, Leigh
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Leigh T. Gillespie * "It takes leather balls *
* Phone - Australia (077) 791219 * to play Rugby!" *
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