Betting suspended amid Manly suspicion - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Betting suspended amid Manly suspicion

By Todd Balym 22/08/2007 10:26:07 PM Comments (0)

Betting markets were closed after four furious hours of punting amid concern Manly would rest several NRL stars against the New Zealand Warriors this Sunday.

TAB Sportsbet shut down its market on the Warriors and Sea Eagles clash after taking over $64,000 in bets on the Kiwi side in head to head and line markets.

This compared to just $200 outlaid for Manly, with the Warriors bets amounting to almost half of all rugby league bets taken by the bookmaker before suspending their market.

The Warriors opened at $1.70 to win, with Manly at $2.10, before betting was shut down at $1.45.

Lasseters also closed their books on the match after refusing a $10,000 bet on the Warriors one hour after they'd opened for betting on the fixture.

Centrebet and Sportsbet have kept their markets open.

With two games of the NRL regular season remaining Manly will claim at least second spot.

Melbourne, four points clear of the Eagles and with a better points differential, are all but guaranteed the minor premiership.

Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler named a full strength side for the trip across the Tasman on Tuesday, but said he had no time to consider team changes after Monday's loss to South Sydney.

Hasler said he has some injured players that are in doubt but is adamant he would not rest players from the tough trip to Auckland.

Halfback and captain Matt Orford (thigh) and lock Luke Williamson (shoulder) both sat out last Monday's loss, but Hasler would not comment on which other players were carrying niggles.

"I don't rest players, but I don't play injured players either," Hasler told AAP.

"Willo (Wiliamson) and Ox (Orford) are obviously injured, but they didn't play last week.

"They've got to be re-assessed but I won't make any comment on anyone else.

"To be honest I have got a few injuries. We had recovery yesterday and only just assembled this morning again and we have one more session tomorrow but I have got some injuries but at the moment there's doubts over some players.

"We just have to wait to see how they respond.

"When we turn up to the airport everyone will know (who is playing) anyway." TAB Sportsbet spokesman Glenn Munsie said his agency was alarmed by the flurry of money being thrown against the second-placed Sea Eagles.

The NRL were contacted to look into the matter and were confident there wasn't a leak from the Manly club alerting punters to players potentially resting.

Munsie said the markets would open again before the game, adding the club and the coaches were often the last to know if a player could play injured.

"They're not betting for the sake of having a bet," said Munsie.

"They think Hasler is going to rest players or they know he is.

"Sometimes a coach is the last to know a bloke is not going to play.

"We are just trying to let the dust settle and see what's going on.

"Each price we put up they wanted to take.

"It's alarming because you have got to start to think something is wrong.

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

0 Comments about this article

Post a comment about this article

Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.

« All sports news