LEAGUE - Surprise ban opens door for Clyde's return

When Northern Storm coach Phil Marsh needed a halfback to fill in for the rest of the Bartercard Cup season, he only really had one choice open to him - Anthony Clyde.
Marsh lost his regular starter Woody Maihi, after the Whangarei and Districts League judicial committee banned Maihi, Cruize Neho and James Harris from playing further representative rugby this season, after a meeting on Wednesday night.
The coach tried to recruit Clyde when he was left short on numbers for last weekend's match against Waicoa Bay. Clyde had pressing family matters but the birth of his daughter Jordis, at 12.45am on Wednesday, has freed up his schedule.
The Takahiwai halfback played for the Storm last season and gets his first chance this year against Waitakere Rangers on Sunday. He said yesterday he plans to be available for the rest of the season.
Clyde was concerned about carrying a little extra weight but said he was fit enough from playing with Takahiwai in the Whangarei and Districts League (WDL).
The halfback is looking forward to renewing his partnership in the halves with Son Taylor, after a gap of several years.
"I haven't played with Son since the Northland under-13s so it's been a while but I'm sure it'll be pretty much the same," Clyde said.
Marsh said it was great news to get Clyde into the team because of the experience he will offer.
"He will strengthen the organisation of the team and certainly we're not going to lose too much now, with Woody not being available," Marsh said.
The coach was reluctant to comment further on Maihi's suspension until he has talked to the people involved.
The chairperson of the WDL, Sharon Bird, said the three Bartercard players had been banned because they playing for their club side Marist, against Kaikohe, in their WDL league match on Saturday - rather than making themselves available for the Storm match against Waicoa Bay.
Marist was docked two competition points for their win over Kaikohe and the three players will be stood down from playing for Marist for a further two weeks. They will also be banned from playing any representative league this season.
Marist manager John Komene said the club were discussing a possible appeal with the New Zealand Rugby League.
"We're just finding out what avenues we have open to us and whether we have a leg to stand on," he said.
He said the competition points weren't at the heart of the issue as far as he was concerned - it was about the ban on the players' representative careers.
The bad news for Marist isn't made any easier by their WDL opponents tomorrow. They face Hikurangi, who had a big win over Moerewa last week to move into second place on the rearranged table. Northern Wairoa Bulls face the Kaikohe Lions in Dargaville, while Takahiwai will look to further increase their table lead when they host Moerewa.