'Starc for next Test is a no-brainer'

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Mitchell Starc has been dropped twice so far in this Ashes series. Source:AP

THE sustained brilliance of Ryan Harris in the fourth Test has contrasted with the struggle of his fellow fast bowlers at Chester-le-Street.

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Harris has overtaken Peter Siddle as Australia's leading bowler in the series with 20 wickets at just 19 apiece.

It has been an exceptional performance from a fast bowler who, for much of his first-class career, never looked a chance of representing his country.

That Harris took most of the wickets in England's second innings as it amassed a lead of 298 on the fourth day raised questions about those who did not.

Australia has chased more only once to win in England, 3-404 in 1948 when Don Bradman made almost half of the score.

On a pitch which traditionally aids seam bowlers Nathan Lyon (seven wickets) claimed more in the match than Siddle (one) and Jackson Bird (two) combined.

Bird and Siddle failed to take a wicket between them in the second innings.

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Siddle looked cooked after busting a gut in back to back Tests for the second time in the series. He and Harris are co-captains of the 110 percent club.

With eight days to recover for the fifth and final Test at The Oval Siddle deserves the opportunity to finish the series as Australia's senior bowler given all he has done over the past two years.

Bird is a different story. He was chosen specifically for this match because he was regarded as a seamer not a swing bowler, yet failed to make an impact.

Accurate and unlucky at times, he still did not look threatening for long periods.

Bird should have had a wicket on day four when Tim Bresnan padded up and the ball cut back appearing to trap him in front of the stumps.

Umpire Aleem Dar gave it not out so the Australians reviewed it and lost again on umpire's call, losing a referral in the process.

As a fundamental philosophy of a bat and ball game, anyone who pads up should lose the benefit of the doubt and hence the right to be saved by umpire's call.

Australia's conundrum on what to do for selection is further complicated by Shane Watson's groin injury, which prevents him from bowling.

The first selection decision should be the reinstatement of Mitchell Starc.

While he may spray the new ball at times he also bowls wicket-taking deliveries in his early spells, something Bird has struggled to do in tour matches and this Test.

And it is a myth that Starc leaks runs. His economy rate in this series of 2.71 runs per over is better than any of the other four fast bowlers.

Starc can also bat, which is something Australia has not managed to do well for much of this year.

He has a highest score of 66 not out in the series and his average of 26 is virtually as good or better than most of Australia's batsmen on tour.

Most significantly Starc has taken eight wickets in his two Tests at 27. Anyone who can average four wickets a Test is making a significant contribution.

Just who replaces Watson will be the biggest issue but Starc playing at The Oval should be a no-brainer.

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Roosters favourites to keep SBW

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The Roosters are confident of re-signing Sonny Bill Williams. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

SONNY Bill Williams has promised the Roosters that he will not make any announcement about his future until after the grand final on October 6.

But despite receiving a new three-year offer to defect back to Super Rugby champions the Waikato Chiefs in 2014, Williams is still expected to remain at Bondi Junction for another season at least.

The Daily Telegraph understands the Roosters are manouvering to replicate their current arrangement with the dual international, which was only announced last November and registered on the eve of round one.

Sources close to Williams have confirmed he is keen on resuming professional boxing during the off-season, with one or two more fights in the pipeline.

As they did earlier this year, when Williams scored a controversial victory over South African heavyweight Francois Botha, the Roosters have given the move their blessing.

It also appears the NRL will be more accommodating, with the wholesale salary cap review striving for means to keep marquee players such as Williams in rugby league.

Between November 2012 and March this year, salary cap auditor Ian Schubert subjected the eight-month contract of Williams to intense scrutiny. Schubert challenged the Roosters about the Botha fight, as well as the fact the player's agent — Khoder Nasser — was not NRL accredited.

Williams was even frogmarched into League Central to be grilled as part of the probe — an undignifying experience that hardly endeared him to the code he grew up playing.

While they allowed Williams to play, the NRL vowed to punish the Roosters for not adhering to their rules and directives.

As yet, no sanction has been announced. But a number of new forces are combining to produce better spirited negotiations this time around, despite the fact Nasser is yet to be accredited.

Most crucially, the NRL is patently aware of how much promotional value Williams has single-handedly delivered to rugby league this year.

While there are concerns about the competition becoming lopsided, the drawing power of players such as Williams is too compelling to ignore. One proposal being considered as part of the review is a centralised marquee player fund that can used to subsidise salaries on application to the NRL.

Marquee player payments will also rise to $600,000 per club next year. It's believed Williams stands to earn around $1 million-a-season, meaning more than half his contract could be quarantined from the basic salary cap itself.

Described by Roosters CEO Brian Canavan as "vanilla", the deal is also unlikely to include third party sponsorships because Williams and Nasser avoid corporate backing.

Preparing to make his comeback from a two-week suspension, the 28-year-old is sure to be quizzed about his intentions over the final two months of the season after the NZRU entered the fray last weekend.

Accepting a three-year deal would fly in the face of recent commercial dealings, with Williams backing himself on minimum term contracts since he quit the Bulldogs in 2008.

And at present he's supremely relaxed about the future, telling Roosters officials that he wants to concentrate on the present task of winning a premiership before entertaining all offers.  

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Legends say bring back the biff

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Sam Burgess allegedly performs a "squirrel grip" on Will Chambers. Source: Scott Barbour / Getty Images

THIS is what you get for banning the biff.

That was verdict from some of the toughest men to ever play rugby league after South Sydney enforcer Sam Burgess was hit with a grade one contrary conduct charge for his "squirrel grip" that left Melbourne's Will Chambers in agony.

While the grade one charge carries a base penalty of one week, Burgess has loading from four previous offences which means he will miss two matches even if he enters an early guilty plea.

Souths are yet to decide if they will head to the judiciary tomorrow night to fight the charge to try and make Burgess free to play in Friday night's blockbuster against Manly in Gosford.

Neither the club management or Burgess would make any comment about the incident on Monday night and it was the same story at Melbourne where they said they hadn't even asked Chambers about the incident and they maintain they had no contact with the NRL.

But the "squirrel grip" controversy has sure caused plenty of debate among league fans and plenty of former greats were quick to defend Burgess's apparent action as a momentary brain-snap.

Rugby League Hooker of the Century Noel "Ned" Kelly summed up the general feeling among former tough guys perfectly when he roared with laughter: "The old Pommy get square.

"It's just frustration. It's the first time I've seen him spit the dummy."

But Kelly said he could understand how it could happen in the modern game with the banning of the biff.

"Mate, you've got to remember the old punch in the nose has been driven out of the game," Kelly reasoned.

"When you get yourself that angry you've just got to do something.

"They've driven it all underground, you can't get away with anything now.

"I mean, the sooner they bring back the punch in the nose the better. You'll get rid of all this other stuff."

Souths legendary hard man George Piggins was of a similar opinion.

Although he said he hadn't seen the incident, Piggins said it was understandable.

"What I mean if you are playing in a football side you have to put the whole thing in perspective," he explained.

"Souths were the favourites and they are getting beat and the frustration comes out.

"You know what I mean, unless he is a repeat offender.

"You put your hand on the inside of his legs and if it slides up and his nuts are at the end of it, well, what do you do?

"God strike me dead. There is no common sense with the bastards.

"The point is they are out there in battle and when you are pushed into a situation where you are getting a belting and you think 'shit, I've got to do something'. What are you supposed to do?

"Like fair dinkum. Did they read the paper the other day with that piece in The Telegraph about how much the crowds are down?

"They will want to take a bit of a look at it and start worrying about the game being good to watch.

"Isn't frustration a good defence. There has to be a bit of give and take in the game and that's not just because he is a Souths players.

"(Burgess) is an enforcer and Watmough is the same. He is an enforcer and he does enforce and he is good at it.

"Do you pull him up every time he goes a little bit over the top? You can't have it both ways."

John Sattler wouldn't buy into it, saying "Sam's a good bloke" and Mario Fenech said he totally understood how frustration can lead to moments like this.

"I know myself there were times in my career where I pulled a bit of mongrel out, too," Fenech said.

"If you don't have mongrel you are not a good rugby league player, trust me.

"As a forward you have to have an element of mongrel in you.

"We all make errors and obviously Sam has made an error. But I'll tell you, I'm a fan of Sam's and he is a very good man. I'd put my reputation on that."

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Don't make Dons a scapegoat: Matthews

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Pressure ... James Hird admits the saga is taking a toll on players. Source: Michael Dodge / Getty Images

AFL legend Leigh Matthews has questioned whether Essendon has done anything to bring the game into disrepute and is at risk of being made a scapegoat.

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Charges of disrepute or conduct prejudicial to the interests of the AFL could be laid against the club and officials as soon as 9am Tuesday in the long-running doping saga.

But Matthews said it appeared that the Bombers had not broken any specific rules.

"We've had this leak and that leak and now we, as in the grapevine, seem to believe there'll be no specific rule breaches but the AFL will go back to its catch-all of bringing the game into disrepute to make a scapegoat of somebody," Matthews said on Brisbane radio yesterday.

"The somebody is the Essendon management, whether it's James Hird the coach or the club itself.

"But I am yet to see any evidence of what they have actually done to bring the game into disrepute, as opposed to innuendo that we read about in the paper day after day."

Hird sent a message to club members after a day of meetings at Windy Hill that included football department staff, lawyers and the club board. The club's front office was closed for half an hour from 4pm.

The coach maintained the club was still planning for finals.

"All I will say on the matter to you is that I am looking forward to dealing with the facts," Hird told members in relation to the drugs investigation.

"As a coaching and playing group we will be doing everything we can to turn around our form slump over the next three rounds to ensure we go into September primed and ready to play finals football," Hird said.

Matthews said the mooted charge of bringing the game into disrepute suggested the AFL's rules "aren't good enough".

"In other words they haven't broken any specific rule but we don't like what they've done so we'll slam them with bringing the game into disrepute," he said.

"Yes, they may have been sloppy in their governance, sloppy in their management, they might have delegated to some people that they wish they hadn't delegated to potentially. But that isn't bringing the game into disrepute in my view.

"I just think the AFL now unfortunately - and I hope the commission can look through it - it's one thing to look after your brand and your game but you've got to make sure there's an element of fairness in what you eventually do."

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou will sit on any commission hearing of charges against Essendon and its officials.

Commissioner Bill Kelty has removed himself from any hearing because of his close ties to former Essendon chairman David Evans and friendship with coach James Hird.

But it is understood Demetriou is unmoved by a call from Hird's legal team to have Demetriou recuse himself.

Demetriou has made it clear league general counsel Andrew Dillon would be solely responsible for deciding if Essendon and any of its officials should face charges.

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Cordner out, SBW's future in doubt

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Sydney Rooster's Sonny Bill Williams looks on. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

BOYD Cordner is likely gone for the season, while Sonny Bill Williams is in fresh talks to quit the club as the Sydney Roosters' premiership campaign faces its first real test.

Only weeks after debuting for NSW, Cordner last night underwent ankle surgery that is expected to sideline the gun 21-year-old forward for between six to 10 weeks.

The grand final is eight weeks away, leaving Cordner with little time to recover.

The back-rower's absence is set to have a huge impact on the Bondi Junction club and comes as Williams again heads into talks with rugby union with hopes across the ditch that he will be playing with the Waikato Chiefs as early as next season.

The New Zealand Rugby Union, with a three-year deal on the table for Williams, wants the code-hopper back after rugby league's World Cup to join the Chiefs' for the next Super Rugby campaign.

When quizzed on the fresh contract discussions late yesterday, Roosters chief operating officer Brian Canavan insisted: "There have been no new discussions anywhere, at any level."

It's understood that while the NZRU is willing to let Williams have his second season at Bondi Junction, the Rooster is also concerned his ambitions to represent the All Blacks at the next Rugby World Cup could be at risk if he leaves himself only one season to push for selection.

"We have made Sonny and Khoder (Williams' agent Khoder Nasser) an offer," NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said in New Zealand. 

"We have been talking to them and the dialogue has been positive but we don't have any ink on paper. We would obviously love Sonny to come back and play rugby here and we have made that clear. It is up to Sonny and Khoder now."

Williams will return from a two-match suspension for Monday week's clash against Wests Tigers.

Cordner, meanwhile, went under the knife after injuring his ankle in Saturday night's 28-22 win against the Canberra Raiders. 

The forward visited a specialist yesterday where the news, despite him being booked in for more scans today, was serious enough to take immediate action.

Initially, it was feared he may be suffering syndesmosis, the same ankle problem currently sidelining reigning Dally M medallist Ben Barba.

The recovery rate for that is four to six weeks.

"He's got the syndesmosis disease, which every player seems to get these days, a high ankle sprain and something to do with ligaments tearing apart," Brad Fittler said on the Nine Network's Footy Show.

"(It is) eight weeks, so I think it's grand final at best.

"He'll be a great healer. He's so dedicated to what he's got to do."

The Roosters' victory over Canberra - their seventh in a row - lifted them two points clear of South Sydney at the top of the ladder.

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Dons reject AFL demands

Essendon coach James Hird's day of reckoning in fast approaching as the AFL prepares to hand down its sanctions. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: George Salpigtidis / HeraldSun

THE complex nature of the Essendon drugs saga may become slightly clearer today or tomorrow when the AFL announces its charges against the club and individuals, including coach James Hird.

We say "slightly" because after several days of talks with AFL representatives, the Bombers have yet to yield on the league's demands.

The AFL, the Herald Sun has been told, wants the Big Mac: premiership points, personnel, draft picks and a fine.

But there's also a belief the AFL would forsake premiership points if Hird resigned. The AFL has denied this.

If it's true, that means it's a choice for Essendon between Hird and the players.

The Bombers won't sell Hird down the river because they are hellbent on protecting their points and their personnel.

Hird is almost certain to be charged, as will club doctor Bruce Reid and head of football Danny Corcoran, with conduct unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the AFL, in that they failed properly to govern and administer the club's supplements program in 2012.

Hird will fight any charge.

Essendon insiders say the only way one of the club's favourite sons will leave Windy Hill is in a body bag.

There's no evidence the AFL visited the city morgue in recent days but, make no mistake, the AFL is playing for keeps on this one.

Bombers chairman Paul Little has spoken to Hird and senior assistant Mark Thompson in recent days and his support for them is absolute. He said as much in his pre-match speech yesterday.

The Bombers board might accept that its governance and management-level diligence was poor, but there's a strong undertaking that if the club accepts premiership points being stripped, it also accepts it is pleading guilty to cheating on drugs.

The Bombers have argued that after seven months of investigation, the players have not been found guilty of taking performance-enhancing drugs.

That the AFL is acting on an interim report is also of concern for the Bombers, and individuals, who are speaking to their lawyers as much as they are talking to their players.

More to the point, how can the AFL take premiership points if the players are yet to be found guilty of anything?

A fine and loss of draft picks for its governance issues would be more to the club's liking.

The difficulty is the need for the AFL and Essendon to find penalties that will satisfy both parties.

At the moment it's a face-off. And if it continues over the next fortnight, the possibility of court action is real.

The Bombers are open to the suggestion. They could then tell their side of the saga, as they have been promising, and that would probably include league heavyweights Andrew Demetriou and Gillon McLachlan being called to give testimony, as well as former Dons chairman David Evans, Hird, Reid, Corcoran and others.

Some at Essendon stand by their belief - which has been denied by Demetriou and Evans - that Demetriou warned Evans his club was under investigation for use of performance enhancing drugs.

We know of conversations Demetriou had with Evans on the eve of the club reporting itself on February 5, and claims were reported in The Weekend Australian about conversations held between Demetriou, McLachlan and Evans on Sunday, February 3, the day before the infamous meeting of Essendon figures at Evans' home.

Demetriou has stated he did not have information that Essendon was being investigated on February 3 and 4.

The Weekend Australian report said Evans had passed on the Demetriou information to a club official.

That official is Reid, who was asked by Evans: Did the players take performance enhancing drugs? Reid said no.

Despite the AFL denials, just why the Bombers self-reported remains an issue.

Indeed, there are issues galore.

Among many, one has intrigued the Bombers.

It's understood the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's 400-page interim report does not detail what correspondence was had between Essendon and ASADA about the status of AOD-9604, the drug central to the investigation.

Chief investigator Paul Simonsson has been quoted as telling the players it would be very unlikely they would be charged for taking the anti-obesity drug, despite the World Anti-Doping Agency announcing in April the drug was banned under its S.0 category.

Former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank says he has documentation that allowed the drug's use, although the documentation has not seen the light of day.

As it stands, today or tomorrow will be about the club and Hird. If he does go for being irresponsible in his duties, and Corcoran and Reid are the same, Thompson would also walk from the club.

That would mean Hird, Reid, Corcoran, Thompson, Evans, chief executive Ian Robson, football manager Paul Hamilton, Dank and high performance manager Dean Robinson would be the casualties.

That's what you'd call a Big Mac - with fries and a bucket of blood.

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Barba pays the Gold Coast a visit

Bulldogs Ben Barba leaves the field with an injury. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

BEN Barba's manager says the Dally M medallist was only visiting family and the Gold Coast's theme parks when he was spotted on the Glitter Strip this weekend.

Barba set tongues wagging at Piggabeen Oval on Sunday when he made a surprise appearance to watch younger brother Marmin play for Tweed Heads in the Intrust Super Cup.

The Bulldogs fullback's future has been the talking point of the NRL for the past two months and many believe he will leave Canterbury at season's end to link with a Queensland-based club.

Barba, who's out of action because of an ankle injury, is contemplating leaving the Bulldogs because the mother of his two daughters, Ainslie Currie, is reportedly keen to move closer to family in Brisbane.

But he did not meet with Gold Coast Titans, or any other club, according to his manager Gavin Orr.

"They had the week off and he only just got out of the moon boot," Orr said.

"He wasn't allowed to go anywhere until he got out of the boot.

"He was happy to go and watch his brother play.

"There was nothing more than that. He wasn't up there meeting anyone.

"He has gone on a break with his family to meet up with his brother. They went to the theme parks yesterday."

Titans coach John Cartwright said in June the club would not be pursuing Barba.

The Broncos are favoured to snare his signature if he seeks a release from Canterbury.

Broncos CEO Paul White told ABC Radio on Sunday the club would not enter negotiations with Barba or Raiders star Anthony Milford unless they were formally released by their clubs.

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Southern Stars 3/170 at tea

Meg Lanning has been named to make her Test debut. Picture: Cricket Australia

UPDATE: Veteran Sarah Elliott played a crucial role in the Southern Stars batting attack, making 54 not out as Australia progressed to 3-170 off 67 overs at tea on day one of the women's Ashes Test.

Opener Meg Lanning was run out on 48 just after lunch, while Jess Cameron played an entertaining innings to be out LBW the ball after she brought up her 50.

Cameron brought up her 50 , which included 10 fours from 96 balls, with a pull shot to the boundary in the 66th over just before the tea break, but was out LBW to Laura Marsh the next ball

Elliott, who made 81 in a six-hour stand to help deliver the 2011 Ashes, was happy to leave first-change bowler Jenny Gunn early on, handing the Englishwoman five maidens in the first stage of her innings.

The 31-year-old, who came to the crease half way through the tenth over,  was patient, but later started to play her shots.

She made her 50, which included eight fours, off 149 balls.

She survived a big LBW shout on 27.

Cameron was tentative early but quickly found her stride.

Lanning was facing the second ball of the second over after lunch and hit a solid shot through cover point.

Lanning and batting partner Elliott took two runs as Katherine Brunt fielded the ball out near the boundary.

When Lanning turned to take a third, Elliott sent her back, but she failed to make her ground as wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor took off the bails.

It brought Victorian Jess Cameron to the crease with Australia 2-87.

Lanning, in her Test debut, was 45 not out at lunch alongside Elliott (24) as Australia reached 1-84 from 33 overs.

Lanning, who made 104 off 124 balls in a tour match against England A last week, was watchful early before unleashing with nine fours, including a powerful back-foot pull shot. 

She was dropped by England keeper Sarah Taylor when she was on 13 and appeared to edge another ball which Taylor couldn't reach, but the umpire didn't think Lanning had hit it.

She survived an lbw shout in the 30th over, appearing to be a fair way down the track.

Pace bowler Anya Shrubsole snared the wicket of opener Rachel Haynes (10), bowled, in the 10th over.

Shrubsole and fellow English opening bowler Katherine Brunt troubled the Aussies early with their pace and movement.

Australia took four Test rookies into the game as they began their quest to retain the Ashes.

Lanning, Erin Osborne, Megan Schutt and 17-year-old speedster Holly Ferling were named alongside six veterans from the team that won the last Ashes Test, in 2011.

Captain Jodie Fields, who won the toss and elected to bat, was named despite injuring her finger during a tour game last week.

Swing bowler Julie Hunter, who had a slight side strain and missed the tour match, failed to make the XI.

Australia: Meg Lanning Rachel Haynes Sarah Elliott Jess Cameron Alex Blackwell Jodie Fields Erin Osborne Ellyse Perry Sarah Coyte Megan Schutt Holly Ferling Julie Hunter (12th)

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Courts may settle Milford saga

Canberra Raiders star Anthony Milford alone on the field. Source: Ray Strange / News Limited

THE Anthony Milford contract saga took a dramatic twist on Saturday with the teenage star's agent revealing he will take legal action against the Raiders if they refuse to release him the final year of his contract.

The Sunday Telegraph can lift the lid on the mysterious release clause penned into the live wire fullback's contract with Milford's agent Sam Ayoub opening up on the fight to reunite his client with his sick father.

Milford, 19, has formally requested a release to return to Brisbane to be closer to his father who underwent a triple by-pass last year.

The Raiders have denied the release, claiming Milford is bound to serve out the final year of his deal.

"The clause says the Raiders will look favourably on any request for a release should his father's health deteriorate," Ayoub said.

"And so far they haven't looked on it favourably at all simply because he has turned into a better player than they expected. The clause is there and they should not have put it in if they had no intention of honouring it."

Ayoub said his client was desperate to return to Brisbane and accused the Raiders of "bullying" his client.

Ayoub said he would consider taking on the Raiders in court should they not grant Milford a release and allow him to strike a deal with Broncos.

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A twist in Broncos stand-off

Peter Wallace of the Broncos runs with the ball. Source: Tony Feder / Getty Images

PETER Wallace is seeking compensation from the Broncos to resurrect his NRL career as the fallout between the halfback and the club's hierarchy intensifies.

Ahead of Brisbane's clash against the Dragons on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Wallace's manager wants financial aid to help the shunned playmaker secure a future in the NRL.

Relations between the two parties have soured in the past three weeks after the former NSW Origin halfback was advised he would not be an integral part of Brisbane's plans for 2014.

Wallace is privately fuming, believing he was denied a release by the Broncos in May after his manager Allan Gainey fielded a $1.5 million offer from his former club the Panthers.

But the Broncos have hit back at the Wallace camp, claiming the halfback was asked if he wanted out of Red Hill - an offer the 27-year-old is alleged to have rejected.

Amid the claims and counterclaims, the certainty is Wallace will not be Brisbane's halfback next year, leaving Gainey scrambling to find his client a new home.

Wallace is prepared to honour his Broncos deal, which expires at the end of next year, but Gainey believes Brisbane should provide a subsidy to enable him to play regular first grade elsewhere in 2014.

"No one has any money left for next year, so what do you do?" Gainey said.

"I just want to know if another opportunity comes up, what are the Broncos prepared to contribute? It would be nice to know what the Broncos are prepared to pay because it might make it easier for Pete to find a new club. 

"At no stage have the Broncos said this is what we are prepared to put in if you can find something for him."

Broncos coach Anthony Griffin and operations chief Andrew Gee declined to comment yesterday.

But it is understood Brisbane hierarchy are satisfied with their handling of the Wallace affair after revelations of Penrith's big-money offer first surfaced in May.

On May 20, Wallace was summoned to a meeting with Griffin at his Red Hill office.

The coach reportedly asked Wallace if he wanted a release to join the Panthers. The halfback is understood to have pledged his faith to the club, claiming he was settled in Brisbane, with his partner having just given birth to their first child.

Asked about the meeting, Gainey said: "I don't know what Pete said. I'm not privy to conversations he had directly with the coach. I wasn't there."

The Panthers subsequently withdrew their offer. That was in round 11. Eight weeks later, after a loss to Cronulla on July 12, Wallace was relegated to the bench, with Ben Hunt handed his No. 7 jumper for the clash with the Cowboys.

It was at that time Griffin informed Wallace and halves partner Scott Prince they were unlikely to play at NRL level for the club next season.

Gainey finds it hard to comprehend how Brisbane's appraisal of Wallace, who has played 134 games for the club, could have shifted so dramatically in eight weeks.

He claims the club's interest in excitement machines Ben Barba and Anthony Milford, who are both tipped to join the Broncos in 2014, was the catalyst for Wallace's demise.

"What upset Pete was that he was told to his face by Anthony Griffin, 'If you stay here, you will only be playing Queensland Cup'," Gainey says. 

"No-one deserves that sort of treatment ... surely you can handle men better than that." 

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