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Matthew Wright is set to be robbed of a finals appearance as he becomes the unlucky casualty following ASADA’s investigations into Cronulla’s 2011 supplements program.
Wright has been a revelation since joining the Cowboys this year after he wasn’t offered a contract extension at the Sharks at the end of last season. The outside back has scored nine tries in 17 games after being a late off-season pick-up for North Queensland. But it is his stint as a barely 20-year-old at Cronulla which could come back to haunt him. The Cowboys released a statement on Wednesday night saying that no information had been provided directly to the Cowboys from ASADA.
‘‘Wright was not part of today’s meetings in Sydney but will see his solicitor, who is managing the process on their behalf, to receive advice and more information on the matter,’’ the statement said.
The softly spoken Wright, now 23, is the only one of the nine current NRL players set to be involved in this year’s finals series. Cowboys officials met on Wednesday to discuss Wright’s plight after he was issued with a show cause notice. Wright was visiting family in Sydney on Wednesday with Cowboys in a team camp in Cronulla, minutes away from the dressing room of Remondis Stadium where the alleged 2011 indiscretions took place.
The other former Cronulla players including Newcastle duo Jeremy Smith and Kade Snowden plus Gold Coast pair Albert Kelly and Luke Douglas are out of finals contention. Any ban could also have personal ramifications for Douglas, who holds the record for most consecutive NRL appearances having turned out for his 215th game on Sunday. Douglas hasn’t missed a match in the NRL since making debut for Cronulla in 2006. Smith would be ruled out of Four Nations contention for the Kiwis should he be banned.
Despite recently retiring because of a neck injury an infraction notice handed to John Morris could also be problematic for Cronulla’s former hooker. Morris – who played his 300th and final NRL game in May before suffering a bulging disc in his neck – has turned his hand to coaching and has assisted interim coach James Shepherd in recent weeks. Acting as the club’s blue shirt trainer, Morris will have to forfeit any coaching role while he serves a ban. A suspended player can’t be part of the club in any official role – on or off the field.
An injury-ravaged Cronulla could struggle to fill a squad for Sunday’s wooden spoon showdown against Canberra. Paul Gallen and Anthony Tupou have been named in the back row but could join the likes of Morris, Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis and Beau Ryan on the sideline. If Nathan Gardner is suspended, half Daniel Holdsworth is the only player from the club’s NSW Cup side who has NRL experience.
The Sharks plummeted to 13th during the 2011 season. It was coach Shane Flanagan’s first full season in charge of a NRL club having taking over from Ricky Stuart midway through 2010. Flanagan did not comment when contacted by Fairfax Media on Wednesday.
