Wests Tigers are fuming that Storm superstar Brandon Smith has been cleared to play in Saturday night’s big round one clash on Saturday night.
The fuse has been lit for a fiery clash, with the Tigers convinced that the glamour Storm club has been given preferential treatment by the NRL.
Smith and Storm teammates Cameron Munster and Chris Lewis were all banned for one match for off-field misbehaviour following the club’s exit from last year’s finals.
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Kiwi Smith wasn’t selected in the February 12 All Stars game as officials assumed he was ineligible due to the suspension.
But the Storm subsequently applied for the game to count as Smith’s suspension after judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew ruled that it could be included in Souths ace Latrell Mitchell’s suspension.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo used his powers to align Smith’s suspension imposed by the integrity unit with Bellew’s ruling.
“They (Melbourne) have got away with one and it’s bulls–t,” a senior Tigers source told Wide World of Sports.
“How can a game that only some players are eligible for count towards a suspension?”
If Smith was not a Maori or an Indigenous player, he would not have got off and he would be sitting on the sidelines in round one.
“How is this fair? The NRL now says it is looking into it – that doesn’t do us any good,” the source added.
“Our boys are all fired up, I can tell you.”
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