Oldham RL’s Bridge faces disciplinary charge
THE Rugby Football League has confirmed that Oldham RL forward Danny Bridge faces a grade F charge involving contact with a match official in the 74th minute of the Keighley Cougars versus Roughyeds match at Cougar Park on Friday, July 13.
His disciplinary case will be heard today and, if found guilty, he could be suspended for up to eight matches or for a specific period.
The RFL describes Bridge’s alleged contact as a “violent and aggressive physical assault”.
There will be no comment from player or club ahead of the hearing.
Meanwhile, Danny Langtree, out for several weeks with a hamstring injury, was back with a vengeance at the weekend, scoring four tries in Oldham RL Club’s 50-6 win against North Wales Crusaders.
Remarkably, the strongrunning second-row man posted a hat-trick inside the first 14 minutes and then added a fourth early in the second half.
Other Oldham try-scorers were Luke Nelmes, Jonah Cunningham (2), Matt Reid and Phil Joy.
Paul Crook weighed in with seven conversions out of his nine shots as Roughyeds cemented their third-place status in Betfred League 1 on the back of what is now the best defensive record in the division. IT jarred initially when Aymeric Laporte said in a post-match interview that France’s World Cup win made him feel jealous.
After weeks of delirium around England’s tournament and gearing up to the idea that football could actually be coming home (only for dreams to be dashed once more), it feels alien to think of anyone not being happy about their country lifting the Jules Rimet trophy.
And the footballing world is filled with players praising teammates and wishing everyone well, a la Leroy Sane for Germany this summer.
But it would hurt anyone to see their colleagues and friends achieve something incredible without them, and it is surely exacerbated when it is broadcast to millions around the world.
Winning the World Cup is the pinnacle for any footballer, and history would suggest that France will not be doing it again in 2022.
That will make it even more bitter for Laporte, who should be at the peak of his powers by then.
Making his frustration public did nothing to quell the idea that he could switch to the Spanish national team, having been overlooked by Didier Deschamps.
However, that fire is crucial to City’s success under Pep Guardiola.
The dressing room morale was rightly pointed out as being important when they won the title, with everyone backing each other and creating a wall of positivity that showed no sign of crumbling.
As key, though, have been the flashpoints on the pitch.
Think Kevin De Bruyne after Dele Alli’s nasty challenge in the Spurs game or Raheem Sterling’s late, late shows, City’s momentum was built on players taking out their frustrations on the football and ending the dreams of opposition teams looking to get a result. It’s what Guardiola demands of his troops in the latest trailer for their upcoming documentary. “Of course, I’m going to defend you until the last day of our lives in the press conferences,” he says, “but here I am going to tell you the truth. “Today I didn’t see the desire to win, today I didn’t see it. “Some of you play better when you’re angry with me so if you hate me, hate me, guys, no problem at all. “But every single training session, every single game you have to be there ready. I know your quality is there, I know you are talented players but to become a top, top team you have to learn to play football with courage.” For all the pretty football, this City team have bite and if Laporte can show that same streak in his game to Guardiola then the team can only be stronger. Pep Guardiola