Gold Coast Titans v Canterbury Bulldogs match focus of police investigation

[DIEHARD]

Gold Coast Titans v Canterbury Bulldogs match focus of police investigation

THE latest NRL match being investigated by police featured a stunning Canterbury Bulldogs comeback, which was ultimately foiled by a wobbly Gold Coast Titans field goal.

The round 15 clash at Suncorp Stadium in June last year, the second NRL game to come under police scrutiny, was also notable for being the game in which prop Ryan Tandy made his debut for the Bulldogs.

Tandy - now facing four charges of giving false evidence to police - came off the bench and played 45 minutes of the thriller, which the Gold Coast sealed with a wonky 75th-minute field goal by Greg Bird.

The game only came under the scanner when police, looking into betting trends in the round 24 clash against the Cowboys, interrogated Tandy in their investigations and asked him whether he had bet on any other NRL game last season.

Tandy insisted he had not - but it is believed police allegedly discovered evidence to the contrary and started investigations into the Titans clash.

The Titans' 25-24 win over the Bulldogs was full of merit, as they triumphed after going into the game without prop Luke Bailey, fullback Preston Campbell and backrower Ashley Harrison, and then lost captain Scott Prince and utility Luke O'Dwyer to injuries during the match.

When the teams were named as usual on the Tuesday night, Bailey, Harrison and Campbell were all in the starting side.

The whisper campaign over the course of the week was that none of them would be fit to play, and when the Titans took the field, all three were ruled out with injuries by medicos.

Titans managing director Michael Searle last night reacted with shock that his club had been inadvertently drawn into a match under investigation for illegal betting activity. "It's the first we've heard of it and in no way does it affect our club," Searle said. "Our boys were out there to win the game and we did that."

With their backs to the wall at Suncorp Stadium last June 18, the depleted Titans sailed to a 24-6 lead just two minutes into the second half.

But two tries by brilliant Bulldogs utility Ben Barba and another to centre Jamal Idris gave the Bulldogs a sniff of an incredible comeback win. However Bird iced the game with a field goal with five minutes to go that gave the Titans a seven-point buffer.

Not long before the siren sounded, Barba scored another try to close the gap to 25-22 in favour of Gold Coast.

The NRL's official annual notes that the "conversation attempt by Bryson Goodwin" soaked up most of the time remaining and the game finished 25-24.

http://www.couriermail.com.au

[matti]

What a job these guys have , getting paid to tell bluffs

[onlooker]

What a crap story, this game was fixed because the Tandy contributed to a bulldogs win?

hahaha righto.

[Sydney Titans Fanatic]

HAHA WHAT A STORY....BIRDY KICKING A FIELD GOAL IN THE FINAL MINUTE OF THE GAME...

[Titanic]

We should be investigated why we didn't beat those bogus nuffies x 60.