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THE Bulldogs and Sharks have bared their jaws ahead of Sunday's grudge match, with club bosses exchanging verbal slurs over player discipline.
Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg was yesterday furious at Cronulla opposite Tony Zappia, who this week criticised the Belmore club for not immediately standing down boom centre Jamal Idris for fighting with teammates.
Idris was formally axed from Sunday's ANZ Stadium clash yesterday, but Zappia felt the 18-year-old should have been suspended from the moment the Bulldogs became aware of the misconduct.
After announcing Idris's one-match suspension, Greenberg turned on Zappia for interfering with his club's decision. "I hardly find it a coincidence Tony Zappia and Cronulla have chosen to speak out about one of our players being suspended on the week before we play them,'' Greenberg said.
"It can't be a coincidence. Put simply, it's none of Cronulla's business what we do. I also find it hard to take advice on discipline from a club that has just signed a player we sacked for misconduct.''
Greenberg was referring to Reni Maitua, who was snapped up by the Sharks after being cut from the Dogs for missing training late last year.
Zappia last night fired back: "Reni must have felt the Sharks was the place to change his ways because it wasn't happening with the discipline at the Bulldogs. Reni can obviously see the benefit of playing in a disciplined environment like we have at the Sharks.
"The Bulldogs on the other hand have had to recruit two of our players, Brett Kimmorley and Bryson Goodwin, to help reform their image.''
The pre-game barbs have intensified interest in an already fascinating clash, which pitches several players against their former club.
Maitua lines up against the Bulldogs with an unfair dismissal case on foot against Greenberg and the board who dismissed him in December.
Then there's hooker Corey Hughes, the last member of the famous Bulldogs family who just last week withdrew their life membership.
Under the pall of a $10,000 fine for brawling three years ago, Hughes left the Bulldogs to join Cronulla this year after a decade at Belmore.
Kimmorley faces the Sharks for the first time after being told to look elsewhere by Cronulla midway through his contract last year.
Ben Barba - who initiated the fight with Idris - and Lee Te Maari were also suspended by the Bulldogs yesterday. Like Idris, Barba will miss one week. Te Maari, however, has been stood down for a fortnight because of previous indiscretions.
"It's a pleasure to see that Todd has taken my advice and stood these players down,'' Zappia said.
The Bulldogs last night lodged their appeal to keep their two competition points following the 14-man fiasco against Penrith last week.
First of all Tony, Mind your own business and YOU RELEASED Kimmorley and let Goodwin go and signed 2 OF OUR SCRAPS.
He has to be 10 years old. Good on Greenburg. I hope we belt Cronulla now.
Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg was yesterday furious at Cronulla opposite Tony Zappia, who this week criticised the Belmore club for not immediately standing down boom centre Jamal Idris for fighting with teammates.
Idris was formally axed from Sunday's ANZ Stadium clash yesterday, but Zappia felt the 18-year-old should have been suspended from the moment the Bulldogs became aware of the misconduct.
After announcing Idris's one-match suspension, Greenberg turned on Zappia for interfering with his club's decision. "I hardly find it a coincidence Tony Zappia and Cronulla have chosen to speak out about one of our players being suspended on the week before we play them,'' Greenberg said.
"It can't be a coincidence. Put simply, it's none of Cronulla's business what we do. I also find it hard to take advice on discipline from a club that has just signed a player we sacked for misconduct.''
Greenberg was referring to Reni Maitua, who was snapped up by the Sharks after being cut from the Dogs for missing training late last year.
Zappia last night fired back: "Reni must have felt the Sharks was the place to change his ways because it wasn't happening with the discipline at the Bulldogs. Reni can obviously see the benefit of playing in a disciplined environment like we have at the Sharks.
"The Bulldogs on the other hand have had to recruit two of our players, Brett Kimmorley and Bryson Goodwin, to help reform their image.''
The pre-game barbs have intensified interest in an already fascinating clash, which pitches several players against their former club.
Maitua lines up against the Bulldogs with an unfair dismissal case on foot against Greenberg and the board who dismissed him in December.
Then there's hooker Corey Hughes, the last member of the famous Bulldogs family who just last week withdrew their life membership.
Under the pall of a $10,000 fine for brawling three years ago, Hughes left the Bulldogs to join Cronulla this year after a decade at Belmore.
Kimmorley faces the Sharks for the first time after being told to look elsewhere by Cronulla midway through his contract last year.
Ben Barba - who initiated the fight with Idris - and Lee Te Maari were also suspended by the Bulldogs yesterday. Like Idris, Barba will miss one week. Te Maari, however, has been stood down for a fortnight because of previous indiscretions.
"It's a pleasure to see that Todd has taken my advice and stood these players down,'' Zappia said.
The Bulldogs last night lodged their appeal to keep their two competition points following the 14-man fiasco against Penrith last week.
First of all Tony, Mind your own business and YOU RELEASED Kimmorley and let Goodwin go and signed 2 OF OUR SCRAPS.
He has to be 10 years old. Good on Greenburg. I hope we belt Cronulla now.
