THEY'RE a vital cog in the Peak Hill community, and the Roosters are banking on that to help pull them through a tough period after the Woodbridge Cup severely disciplined them with a range of sanctions for off-field altercations.
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The club was fined $1500, both the men's and women's team were stripped of six competition points and they were made to forfeit last weekend's game against Molong.
Captain-coach Torin Hando was bitterly disappointed with the punishments handed down, but confirmed the club had appealed.
"We've appealed the sanctions and are still awaiting the results (as of 2pm Thursday)," he said on Wednesday evening.
"Basically we email NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) with why we don't agree with all the penalties and they get together a board entirely independent on the Woodbridge Cup to deliberate and then they let us know whether the punishment is fair or too harsh."
The NSWRL Community Rugby League Policies and Procedures Manual is pretty clear on how clubs can be sanctioned.
According to the level one of the Team Penalties Index in their 'Tough Love in League Policy - Curbing Violence in our Game,' once a team accrues three proven offences or eight demerit points, a warning letter will be sent to the Club and Team concerned.
The team and club will need to provide details of how the issue is being addressed.
Hando doesn't believe Woodbridge Cup has correctly followed those procedures, and believes the women's Senior League Tag side has been particularly hard done by.
"At the end of the day on the NSWRL's demerit point information, it states we are supposed to have three verbal warnings, and following that an official letter - none of which has happened.
"The girls aren't impressed with it at all...for the women who had no involvement in the incidents be penalised as well, it seems harsh," Hando said.
WHAT ELSE IS MAKING WAVES IN SPORT:
It's a tough pill to swallow for a club that has put a lot of effort into making the Peak Hill community the best it can be. They've brought a lot of business to local businesses in the area, mowed lawns of the elderly residents, been role models for Indigenous youth and pioneered the only Indigenous round in the Woodbridge Cup.
It's the community that is driving the Roosters to get their season back on track according to Hando.
"Our aim now is just to keep playing football, it's been a tough couple of weeks but we don't want to let down the sponsors or community, because in small towns like Peak Hill, in some respects footy is all we've got," Hando said.
There's one major, and unacceptable element, in rugby league that Hando would like to see under control as well.
"I really do think racism in the game needs to be addressed as well, there's still a lot of it flying about.
"Together with Kevin Reid from the Condobolin Rams, we started the first Indigenous round a few years back with the aim of having a dedicated Indigenous round every season but the league has never got it off the ground - it would be a great initiative to try and get some of this racism under control," said Hando.
The Roosters host the Trundle Boomers this Sunday at Lindner Oval, with the women kicking things off at 12.40pm, and first grade following at 2pm.
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