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Timana Tahu accused of race abuse against youth
Alleged racial slur … Timana Tahu. Source: The Daily Telegraph
TIMANA Tahu, the man at the centre of the NSW Origin racism row, has been accused of racially vilifying a 16-year-old Aboriginal boy at a Koori Knockout league tournament.
Northern United coach Chris Binge claims his son Caleb had reported that Tahu called him a "black c … " at the weekend.
The Parramatta Eels last night engaged the services of a lawyer to act on Tahu’s behalf after the allegations came to light. The solicitor told The Daily Telegraph Tahu had “repeatedly and strenuously” denied the claims.
Tahu alleges he himself was the victim of verbal abuse during the tournament in Woy Woy.
Mr Binge, Northern United sponsor John Bryce, captain Willie Hammond and vice-captain Alwyn Roberts have all gone on the record to state that Tahu made the remark. Mr Bryce, who runs Meridian Health Family Medical Centre in Lismore, said: "It happened. I heard it. The young guys hold this guy in fairly high esteem and to hear him use the words was just unbelievable.
“To have him stand up on national TV not that long ago and belittle someone else for using the same terminology is just hypocritical.”
Tahu tipped the NSW State of Origin camp upside down ahead of the series-deciding Origin II match in June when he quit the Blues camp on the NSW North Coast.
The protest developed into a hardline political stance from the Parramatta centre, who was angered after Blues assistant coach Andrew Johns referred to Queensland centre Greg Inglis as a "black c … ".
At the time, Tahu said a line needed to be drawn in the sand in relation to racism in rugby league.
Parramatta chief executive Paul Osborne yesterday spoke to Tahu, Mr Binge and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda.
“I spoke to Timana, who’s denied the allegation. However, I’ve also spoken to the father of the young boy in question and I’ll be speaking to Mick Gooda to seek his counsel on how best to handle the situation,” Osborne said.
“I intend to have Mick Gooda speak to Timana. We’re happy to work with the Binge family.”
Mr Gooda is the man who handled the Tahu-Johns race row and mediated the pair to eventually come together to attempt to find a resolution.
Binge is a talented 16-year-old who has been on a Broncos scholarship for the past two seasons and is set to make his Toyota Cup debut for Brisbane next year.
“Like Timana said at the time of the Origin camp, there’s a line and you don’t cross it,” Mr Binge Sr said.
"Well, what, you don’t cross it if it’s black on white but it’s OK to cross if you’re black on black?
"At the end of the day, regardless of colour or the situation, it’s not on.
“My young bloke used to look up to Tahu. This isn’t sour grapes [or] a witch hunt, we’re genuinely shocked.”
In a separate incident against United, Tahu was also accused of lashing out with a kick and was later sin-binned for five minutes for a swinging arm against Mungindi.
Club officials and supporters stormed the field in protest before Tahu was sin-binned.
Northern United captain Willie Hammond also claimed he heard the racial slur.
“After all the stuff that went on with him and Joey it’s pretty sad for him to come out and say stuff like that,” Hammond, 33, said.
The more I see of this Princess in the media the more I hate him. Please someone tare up this morons contract and send him to the UK or Mars, where ever, just keep him away from here.
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Pot. Kettle. Bla…. erm… “coloured”
Bit of Karma for Timana blouse-like behaviour methinks, although It will be hard to prove either way. This will just go down as “he said/she said” and will be forgotten about come start of 2011.
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Not surprising in the least.
He has always struck me to have that hypocritical attitude ever since he upped and left the NRL for Union. Lets see him come forward and give a public apology…
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It wouldn’t suprise me but I always have a hard time believing the Telecrap in anything they report
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This will keep em talking about league until the four nations starts.
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the out come of this will be interesting.
good on the young bloke for standing up for himself. -
the out come of this will be interesting.
good on the young bloke for standing up for himself.I’ve read the article in the SMH now also.
I find this absolutely hilarious. After all his moral posturing and martyrdom after what happened with Joey Johns, he looks like a grade-A jackarse and hypocrite now, and it’s rightly deserved.
Gives me another reason now to dislike that overrated sook.
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Seems like Timana’s high horse bit him on his arse. I said way back when all the crap hit the fan over Joey that Timana just used it to get out of playing Origin because he didnt want to be showed up by Inglis and I’m starting to think I’m right.
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Hahaha this is ridiculous!!!
What an idiot, what a hypocrite, what a sookCant stand this bloke, he crapped all over Newcastle when he left, Rugby League when he left, Rugby Union when he left and then NSWRL when he left.
He is a blight on the sport and should just disappear.
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Hahaha this is ridiculous!!!
What an idiot, what a hypocrite, what a sookCant stand this bloke, he crapped all over Newcastle when he left, Rugby League when he left, Rugby Union when he left and then NSWRL when he left.
He is a blight on the sport and should just disappear.
100% corrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrect!!! Send him to Mars please!
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Hahaha this is ridiculous!!!
What an idiot, what a hypocrite, what a sookCant stand this bloke, he crapped all over Newcastle when he left, Rugby League when he left, Rugby Union when he left and then NSWRL when he left.
He is a blight on the sport and should just disappear.
100% corrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrect!!! Send him to Mars please!
Unfortunately, I don’t think his dodgy hammy will let him get any further than the end of Church St Chris…
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How dodgy is that hamstring really??
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Tahu is so overrated, I’m still trying to get my head around why he was even in the NSW Origin camp in the first place! Wouldn’t suprise me if the allegations are true, there’s not much going on in between Tahu’s ears, a meathead and a burden for Rugby League.
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@citizen cub:
I’m still trying to get my head around why he was even in the NSW Origin camp in the first place!
Funnily enough it was from Johns pumping his tyres relentlesly in the media since he signed from the Eels
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