LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
NRL trainers from Penrith and North Queensland are facing two-game bans and $10,000 fines after being caught squirting water on balls during a match in Townsville last weekend.
According to au.news.yahoo.com, the trainers, Shane Elford (Panthers) and Mitchell Dunn (Cowboys), were attempting to give their teams an unfair advantage during a golden-point draw.
Referee Todd Smith reprimanded Dunn, requiring him to swap out a soaked ball before the kick-off in golden point.
Cameras later captured Elford doing the same thing before the second half of golden point, handing the ball to fullback Dylan Edwards to restart play.
After the match, Cowboys coach Todd Payten remarked that Elford had done this "before every kick-off." Payten emphasized that they had noticed the behavior from the coaching box, indicating it was part of a deliberate strategy.
The NRL responded by sending a stern reminder to all clubs about the expected behavior of trainers.