5 May 2009

Roosters fined for coaches outburst

12:09 pm on 5 May 2009

The Sydney Roosters rugby league club has been served with a $AU10,000 breach notice by the NRL over comments coach Brad Fittler made about refereeing.

Fittler's remarks came after his struggling team's 19-12 win over the Sharks on Saturday night.

He was fuming after a no-try ruling against his side due to obstruction and claimed they were the only team in the comp that the NRL scrutinises so closely.

The NRL chief executive David Gallop says the coaches are entitled to disagree with decisions and to fairly criticise performances, but he will not tolerate suggestions that referees are biased against a particular team.

He says the implications of such a statement in terms of a referee's integrity are more far-reaching than the official or coach making the statement may realise.

The Roosters have five business days to respond to the breach notice.