Rugby League: Bulls Demand Points From Leeds After Ganson Apologises for Error
After Steve Ganson apologised publicly for the poor refereeing decision that cost Bradford victory against Leeds in Cardiff, Bradford want the points back.
Bradford last night called on Leeds to hand over the two points they won in the dramatic climax of Super League's weekend in Cardiff after the referee, Steve Ganson, admitted that the Rhinos' match-winning try should not have stood.
The St Helens-based official conceded that Jordan Tansey was offside when he snatched the 42-38 win and offered "an unreserved apology to all those concerned, especially the players, officials and supporters of the Bradford Bulls".
Steve McNamara, the Bradford coach who criticised Ganson on Sunday, met his chairman, Peter Hood, to discuss a response and the Bulls then released a statement inviting Leeds to hand back the points and demanding an explanation of the role played by the video referee, Ashley Klein, in a series of decisions.
"The Leeds Rhinos club is justifiably a proud club, with a great tradition, and a club which above all values its reputation for right and fair dealing in everything it does," said Hood - notwithstanding the fact that the Yorkshire rivals have been at legal loggerheads over Bradford's 2005 signing of Iestyn Harris.
"For these reasons I shall be inviting the Leeds Rhinos to do the right thing again now, for the benefit of their own reputation certainly but also for the good of the great game of rugby league, to voluntarily hand over to Bradford Bulls what is, as the whole game now acknowledges, rightfully ours - the two points so cruelly taken from us by Mr Ganson's failure to act."
Leeds's chief executive, Gary Hetherington, declined to respond "without considering it further".
In relation to Ganson's apology, Bradford questioned Klein's role in awarding the penalty with 20 seconds left that led to Tansey's try. "Sadly there is no mention of what role, if any, video referee Ashley Klein played in 'assisting' Mr Ganson not to go to the screen," it read. "Later in the week, therefore, we shall be demanding an answer to these and maybe other questions . . . from RFL match officials director Stuart Cummings."
Hood said the Bradford board "stands shoulder to shoulder with Steve McNamara in relation to his comments to the media after the game. In the unique circumstances of this game his candour was both understandable and forgivable."
The RFL will investigate McNamara's comments today.
The St Helens-based official conceded that Jordan Tansey was offside when he snatched the 42-38 win and offered "an unreserved apology to all those concerned, especially the players, officials and supporters of the Bradford Bulls".
Steve McNamara, the Bradford coach who criticised Ganson on Sunday, met his chairman, Peter Hood, to discuss a response and the Bulls then released a statement inviting Leeds to hand back the points and demanding an explanation of the role played by the video referee, Ashley Klein, in a series of decisions.
"The Leeds Rhinos club is justifiably a proud club, with a great tradition, and a club which above all values its reputation for right and fair dealing in everything it does," said Hood - notwithstanding the fact that the Yorkshire rivals have been at legal loggerheads over Bradford's 2005 signing of Iestyn Harris.
"For these reasons I shall be inviting the Leeds Rhinos to do the right thing again now, for the benefit of their own reputation certainly but also for the good of the great game of rugby league, to voluntarily hand over to Bradford Bulls what is, as the whole game now acknowledges, rightfully ours - the two points so cruelly taken from us by Mr Ganson's failure to act."
Leeds's chief executive, Gary Hetherington, declined to respond "without considering it further".
In relation to Ganson's apology, Bradford questioned Klein's role in awarding the penalty with 20 seconds left that led to Tansey's try. "Sadly there is no mention of what role, if any, video referee Ashley Klein played in 'assisting' Mr Ganson not to go to the screen," it read. "Later in the week, therefore, we shall be demanding an answer to these and maybe other questions . . . from RFL match officials director Stuart Cummings."
Hood said the Bradford board "stands shoulder to shoulder with Steve McNamara in relation to his comments to the media after the game. In the unique circumstances of this game his candour was both understandable and forgivable."
The RFL will investigate McNamara's comments today.
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Third Test: Inzaman Turns Leeds Air Blue
- Leeds Letter May Incur Judge's Reprisal
- Leonelli's Hat-trick Helps Push Leeds to the Brink of Relegation
- Leeds Drop Out of the Elite With Pledge to Keep Playing It English
- Rivals Angered As Leeds Verdict is Delayed for a Fortnight
- Bold Crusaders Hold Out Until Mcguire Bags Grail
- Late Leeds Decision Set to Wreak Havoc
- McAllister Gets New Leeds Deal
- Leeds Make Warrington Pay for Ill-discipline
- Date and Panel Named for Leeds Points Appeal
- Ryan Driven Half Mad With Points Loss and Munster in the Offing
- Leonelli's Hat-trick Helps Push Leeds to the Brink of Relegation
- Burgess Spies Route to Success As Leeds Show Their Title Mettle
- The Uphill Task of Righting Leeds Wrongs
- Guinness Premiership: This Weekend
- Burgess Spies Route to Success As Leeds Show Their Title Mettle
- Can Anyone Stop the Rhinos? We'll Soon Find Out
- Rival Coaches Play Mind Games As Cayless Waits in the Wings
- Wilkin in Danger of Joining Saints' List of Absentees
- Jones-Buchanan Helps Rhinos Sound Ominous Warning