
NSW lawyer fingers Coit
This year's JDG State of Conception Series
is in doubt after legal challenges were launched by Queensland
and New South Wales seeking to exclude each other from the national
competition.
The lawyer representing the NSW team yesterday lodged a statement
of claim in the Sydney Supreme Court asking the JDG to rule Queensland
ineligible to compete, despite its winning margin of 16-0 so far
in the best-of-33 series.
The NSW suit claims the Queensland team - dominated by members
of the Brisbane Bolts - was not a legitimate state representative
team.
The NSW team's legal counsel and former Sydney Sphincter player,
Otto "Skid" Marx QC, said the Queensland team was "tainted"
by the inclusion of at least one member not conceived within the
state's boundaries as demanded by the JDG's rules.
Mr Marx said he would present information to the Supreme Court
alleging that third-row gouger for the Brisbane bolts, Darren
"Itchy" Coit, had no right to be included in the Queensland
team.
"I will outline to the court certain facts including evidence
that shows Coit's mother, Doreen Coit, was actually in South Australia
at the time Darren was conceived," Mr Marx said.
Mr Marx would not disclose what form the evidence would take.
However, when contacted in Brisbane last night, Doreen Coit said
she was in no doubt about her son's right to play for Queensland.
"I know exactly where and when I was when Darren was conceived,"
she said.
"It was after a B&S ball in 1981 at a little place called
Oonto just inside Queensland near the border with South Australia.
"Me and about five blokes were doing burnouts in a ute on
the road to Innamincka. We stopped when I said I wanted a root.
"While to this day I really don't know which of the blokes
is Darren's father, I do remember clearly that when we finished
and drove off, we passed a sign saying 'Welcome to South Australia'.
So we must have been rooting in Queensland.
"I'm just grateful that even as a 13-year-old I was a good
reader," Ms Coit said.
The Queensland team last night initiated a counter-suit claiming
the NSW State of Conception captain and double-cordon runner for
the Sydney Sphincters, Barry Colon, was not eligible to represent
the state.
Queensland's legal representative, C Stanley Hardie III, said
last night that evidence would be presented suggesting Colon was
not technically part of the NSW team and as such, NSW should be
excluded from the current competition.
Mr Hardie claimed an examination of paperwork held in the Sydney
office of the JDG showed Colon's contract with the NSW team was
invalid.
He said a key part of the contract needed to be completed by each
player's mother to verify that he was conceived within the state
he was representing.
The relevant questions asked: "What state were you in when
your son was conceived?"
Mr Hardie said in filling out the form, the response by Colon's
mother Janice to the question had been "pissed".
"This clearly invalidates Colon's participation in the NSW
team," he said.
JDG national president Sir Edward Llewellyn was expected to issue
a statement this week declaring whether the 17th game in the current
series would be played as planned.
Queensland and Brisbane Bolts' coach, Jack Saunders, dismissed
suggestions that the legal actions would have a negative impact
on preparations by players for the 17th game due to be played
from Wednesday to Sunday next week.
"It's just a bit of high-jinks - just some good natured horseplay,"
Saunders said.