Teegy
27-11-05, 09:17 AM
from SMH.com.au
LANCE Thompson will pick up the pieces of his shattered career with the Sharks - but his father remains enraged at how St George Illawarra treated the Kogarah cult hero.
The dumped second-rower will front a press conference tomorrow to confirm he has signed a one-year contract with Cronulla.
Thompson and his family remain gutted by the Dragons fiasco.
"He says, 'Dad, it feels like someone has reached inside my chest and torn my heart out'," Thompson's 68-year-old father Brian said.
"There's a fair bit of devil in Lance, but we're so proud of him . . . He didn't deserve to be treated like this.
"St George are pathetic. The kid went back to [CEO Peter] Doust and [coach Nathan] Brown half-a-dozen times during the season because he kept hearing rumours that he was going to be released.
"I really don't think he had a fear of leaving the club - he had to do that eventually.
"What he wanted was a truthful answer. He never got it and they stabbed him in the back. It was all a conspiracy between Doust and Brown to get rid of him."
St George Leagues Club general manager Danny Robinson denied Thompson and his father access to the board meeting on November 15 at which it was agreed Thompson's contract with the Dragons for next season would be terminated.
Details of the settlement remain a mystery.
Thompson remains upset that he hasn't been able to offer his side of the story. The Sun-Herald has obtained copies of letters outlining the allegations against him.
A letter from Doust to Thompson's legal team the day before the meeting revealed the club had dropped an allegation that he had been leaking stories to a media man because the source was "unwilling to be involved".
The nature of Thompson's alleged text messages to teammate Justin Poore is also outlined.
Doust claimed Thompson told Poore: "You better watch out or I will knock your head in". He also allegedly told Thompson's lawyers he had told Poore on a team bus: "F---ing turn around or I will belt you".
Poore is believed to have told Thompson in a telephone conversation that Thompson did not send any text messages.
"It was a kangaroo court room," Brian Thompson said. "To serve him a letter outlining these allegations and then not proceed with that, that's just childish."
Brian Thompson also took aim at Brown, who has distanced himself from the controversy.
"The public aren't stupid," he said. "To think an ex-teammate for a number of years would treat him the way he's been treated . . . Brown can't escape the fact that he's had some sort of input. It's gutless."
Sharks boss Steve Rogers would not confirm if Thompson had signed with the club but said the former City Origin representative would be a welcome addition.
It is understood that NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert is watching the move of Thompson to the Sharks with interest.
LANCE Thompson will pick up the pieces of his shattered career with the Sharks - but his father remains enraged at how St George Illawarra treated the Kogarah cult hero.
The dumped second-rower will front a press conference tomorrow to confirm he has signed a one-year contract with Cronulla.
Thompson and his family remain gutted by the Dragons fiasco.
"He says, 'Dad, it feels like someone has reached inside my chest and torn my heart out'," Thompson's 68-year-old father Brian said.
"There's a fair bit of devil in Lance, but we're so proud of him . . . He didn't deserve to be treated like this.
"St George are pathetic. The kid went back to [CEO Peter] Doust and [coach Nathan] Brown half-a-dozen times during the season because he kept hearing rumours that he was going to be released.
"I really don't think he had a fear of leaving the club - he had to do that eventually.
"What he wanted was a truthful answer. He never got it and they stabbed him in the back. It was all a conspiracy between Doust and Brown to get rid of him."
St George Leagues Club general manager Danny Robinson denied Thompson and his father access to the board meeting on November 15 at which it was agreed Thompson's contract with the Dragons for next season would be terminated.
Details of the settlement remain a mystery.
Thompson remains upset that he hasn't been able to offer his side of the story. The Sun-Herald has obtained copies of letters outlining the allegations against him.
A letter from Doust to Thompson's legal team the day before the meeting revealed the club had dropped an allegation that he had been leaking stories to a media man because the source was "unwilling to be involved".
The nature of Thompson's alleged text messages to teammate Justin Poore is also outlined.
Doust claimed Thompson told Poore: "You better watch out or I will knock your head in". He also allegedly told Thompson's lawyers he had told Poore on a team bus: "F---ing turn around or I will belt you".
Poore is believed to have told Thompson in a telephone conversation that Thompson did not send any text messages.
"It was a kangaroo court room," Brian Thompson said. "To serve him a letter outlining these allegations and then not proceed with that, that's just childish."
Brian Thompson also took aim at Brown, who has distanced himself from the controversy.
"The public aren't stupid," he said. "To think an ex-teammate for a number of years would treat him the way he's been treated . . . Brown can't escape the fact that he's had some sort of input. It's gutless."
Sharks boss Steve Rogers would not confirm if Thompson had signed with the club but said the former City Origin representative would be a welcome addition.
It is understood that NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert is watching the move of Thompson to the Sharks with interest.