NRL blockbusters a break from scandal

Rugby league's resilience to scandal is set to shine through again with massive
crowds expected at both Friday night NRL games in Sydney and Brisbane to kick start
Heritage Round.
The Cronulla sex scandal which has rocked the code all week and cost Matthew Johns
his lucrative television career will be put on the backburner as fans return in
their droves for two top of the table clashes.
The table-topping Bulldogs head to Sydney suburb Kogarah to face second-placed St
George Illawarra while the third-placed Brisbane Broncos host fifth-placed Gold
Coast.
The Dragons' home game at 22,000 capacity WIN Jubilee Oval officially sold out two
days ago while a crowd in excess of 45,000 is expected to head to Suncorp Stadium
for the local derby.
If NRL officials were concerned about a backlash from young fans in the fallout to
the Johns scandal, they'd have been heartened by the reaction at Wattawa Heights
Public School on Thursday where Bulldogs players launched a Landcare initiative with
students.
When the 100 assembled school kids were asked if they thought Andrew Ryan, Luke
Patten, Yileen Gordon and Gary Warburton were just footballers one wag replied: "No,
they are legends."
Patten said he was excited by the clash with the Dragons at the traditional suburban
ground and was pleased the NRL didn't bow to pressure to relocate the game to a
higher capacity venue.
"A sellout at Kogarah. I'm glad they didn't move the game because I think the
atmosphere tomorrow night is going to be electric so it should be a really good
game," said Patten.
"The Dragons are going well and I think it's a game we've been looking for, to go up
against second place at Kogarah.
"It's a sell out and a game we're all really excited about."
While the Bulldogs players were happy to promote their community initiative and
Friday's game, the sex scandal was not a topic up for discussion.
With the pain of the club's own scandal in 2004 perhaps still raw, skipper Andrew
Ryan made it perfectly clear the players wouldn't talk about the current crisis in
the game when asked if community work was important given the recent troubles at
Cronulla.
"If you are going to ask me questions about any of that stuff I'm not going to
answer it," fired Ryan.
"I'm pretty much here to talk about the environment today and talk about the school
kids and I'm happy to talk about the game tomorrow night.
"But don't even bother going to any of us about any of them questions cause no-one
is going to answer it. I just want to be straight up with you."
But even Ryan acknowledged how important the clash with the Dragons was to the NRL
as it looks to rebound from another week of bad publicity.
"Friday night it's hopefully the game of the week and for us to be involved in that
it's a great thing for us and obviously for 20,000 fans to be there it's a great
thing for rugby league too."
Meanwhile in Queensland the local derby received a big boost with Titans skipper
Scott Prince completing training after a hamstring twinge during the week and
cleared to face his former teammates and play his 200th game.
Brisbane duo Justin Hodges (hamstring) and Karmichael Hunt (corked thigh) also
trained briefly and should be cleared for the blockbuster game.
Two of the four contests between these sides have ended in golden point but the
Titans are going to have do it tough with Test forwards Luke Bailey (calf) and
Anthony Laffranchi (suspension) to miss the encounter.
Coach John Cartwright insists his side can overcome adversity to win the derby, just
as they did when Prince missed two games earlier this year.
"We've gone to Melbourne and won without our leader (Prince)," he said.
"I've got no doubt in the world we can go up there and get the two points."