REAL STORY
It’s on … Billy Slater and Jason Nightingale clash on Monday night.
IRATE Dragons coach Nathan Brown yesterday launched an extraordinary outburst against the Melbourne Storm as his winger Jason Nightingale described last Monday night’s attack on him by Billy Slater as “a dog act”.
Brown, incensed by Slater’s defence of his striking charge at the NRL judiciary, said his side would be prepared to use illegal violence against Melbourne if the teams met in the finals.
Slater successfully had his charge for hitting Nightingale with a flurry of punches downgraded on Wednesday night after claiming he was provoked because he was headbutted.
But an angry Brown yesterday blamed the subsequent all-in brawl on the Storm’s illegal wrestling techniques and predicted a “bloodbath” if the NRL continued to ignore the tactics.
“It should be open slather, an eye for an eye,” Brown said. “I just pray we get another go at them. The people in charge should make it a free-for-all.
“If (the Storm) want to use the grapple and hit all the other pressure points, that’s fine. But if they get whacked, they shouldn’t whinge.
“I’ll be telling my boys to give them a whack. If they go down, I’ll be telling them to whack them again when they get up.”
Nightingale yesterday denied headbutting Slater and accused the Storm fullback of throwing punches while two Storm players held him.
CHANGED STORY
It’s on … Billy Slater and Jason Nightingale clash on Friday night.
IRATE Dragons coach Craig Belamy yesterday launched an extraordinary outburst against the Melbourne Storm as his winger Jason Nightingale described last Friday night’s attack on him by Billy Slater as “a dog act”.
Brown, incensed by Slater’s defence of his striking charge at the NRL judiciary, said his side would be prepared to use illegal violence against Melbourne if the teams met in the finals.
Slater successfully had his charge for hitting Nightingale with a flurry of punches downgraded on Wednesday night after claiming he was provoked because he was headbutted.
But an angry Brown yesterday blamed the subsequent all-in brawl on the Storm’s illegal wrestling techniques and predicted a “bloodbath” if the NRL continued to ignore the tactics.
“It should be open slather, an eye for an eye,” Brown said. “I just pray we get another go at them. The people in charge should make it a free-for-all.
“If (the Storm) want to use the grapple and hit all the other pressure points, that’s fine. But if they get whacked, they shouldn’t whinge.
“I’ll be telling my boys to give them a whack. If they go down, I’ll be telling them to whack them again when they get up.”
Nightingale yesterday denied headbutting Slater and accused the Storm winger of throwing punches while five Storm players held him.