Young cleared of racial slur
Sydney Morning Herald - St George Illawarra hooker Dean Young has escaped sanction over an alleged racial comment and is free to play in next week's NRL grand final.
On-field audio failed to pick up comments made during the altercation between Young and Wests Tigers skipper Robbie Farah in last night's preliminary final, the NRL match review committee left with little option but to clear the Dragons No.9 when the Tigers declined to make an official complaint.
Farah declined two opportunities to make a complaint to on-field referee Ben Cummins, but could be heard accusing Young at a scrum minutes later of calling him a "f...ing wog."
"The on-field audio provided no evidence to confirm if any comment had been made," the match review committee said in a statement.
"The on-field audio does contain an accusation from Farah and a denial from the St George Illawarra player.
"The Wests Tigers have today declined a request to provide any further information that may assist the match review committee.
"Having assessed all the available information, the match review committee does not believe there is sufficient evidence to warrant a charge."
There was good news too for two other grand final combatants with Sydney Roosters playmaker Todd Carney and Dragons lock Jeremy Smith both charged with grade one offences but free to play in the decider with early guilty pleas.
Carney's was a careless high tackle charge for a hit on Gold Coast skipper Scott Prince while Smith was charged with making dangerous contact with his knees in an incident which left Tigers winger Lote Tuqiri with suspected broken ribs.
