‘Flying wedge’ meeting

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 26

‘Flying wedge’ meeting

NZPA-AAP Brisbane The Australian Rugby League was considering the future of the controversial “flying wedge” tactic at a special meeting in New Zealand last evening. Queensland Rugby League chairman and A.R.L. vice president, Mr Ron McAuliffe, hopes to have an A.R.L. recommendation to put to a meeting of the Brisbane Division at Lang Park tonight. Mr McAuliffe reported the concern of the Q.R.L.’s medical consultant, Dr Kevin Hobbs, to the A.R.L. chairman, Mr Ken Arthurson in Auckland by telephone this morning. “He (Arthurson) agrees there is merit in Dr Hobbs’ claims and is arranging a meeting of A.R.L. delegates,” said Mr McAuliffe.'

The A.R.L. has the power to outlaw the wedge” and take action to prevent its use internationally. But if the A.R.L. decides not to take any immediate action, Mr McAuliffe says the Q.R.L. has the option of initiating its own ban. “We could ask the A.R.L. if it objects to the Q.R.L. introducing a domestic ban on the wedge,” Mr McAu-> liffe said. Mr Arthurson’s knowledge of the wedge goes back several years to his days as secretary of Manly Warringah. Parramatta, then under the care of current Australian coach, Mr Terry Fearnley, used a similar ploy unsuccessfully against Arthurson’s Manly team.