Broncos to lose competition
points

The Brisbane Broncos are set to be stripped two competition points for an illegal interchange during yesterday?s victory over the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.

The NRL today reviewed video footage and official notes from yesterday?s clash, both of which confirmed the Broncos were in breach of the rules.

The NRL say that Brisbane's Corey Parker was twice ordered not to go onto the field until the player he was replacing, Shane Webcke, had crossed the sideline. But Parker ignored the orders and entered the field, shortly after scoring a try that leveled the game.

?Despite being told twice that he could not yet enter the match, Parker entered the field and the interchange official then made a third attempt to stop him taking part by calling the player back,? an NRL statement said today.

The Broncos are not challenging the fact that a 14th man was on the field, but say it isn?t as clean cut as it may sound.

?The NRL received preliminary submissions from Brisbane pointing out what the club saw as a number of mitigating circumstances, among them that that the player being replaced was not in any position to take part in the play.

?As well as the 14th man on the field, the fact remains that the replacement player was not authorized to enter the field and that he specifically failed to comply with the instruction of the interchange official.?

NRL boss David Gallop says that while it?s a shame to see the Broncos lose their points, the tough decision needed to be made.

"This is a difficult decision to implement but the rules are clear," he said.

"As well as receiving a written report from the interchange official, the NRL Operations Department interviewed him last night and again today.

"He remains adamant that at no stage did he give Corey Parker permission to take the field."

The Broncos have limited time to appeal the decision.