Titans Demand Aru Pay Rogers Surgery Bill
Sun Herald
Sunday November 11, 2007
THE Australian Rugby Union should "do the right thing" and pay for dual international Mat Rogers to undergo neck surgery, says Gold Coast Titans chief executive Michael Searle.
Rogers, 31, is involved in a compensation dispute with the ARU over $22,000 in medical expenses to fix a bulging disc in his neck. The Titans centre has been hampered by the chronic injury suffered in his first game of rugby for the NSW Waratahs in 2002 after the former Queensland and Kangaroos rugby league player switched codes following the 2001 NRL season. The former Wallabies star has enlisted the help of ARU Players' Association boss Tony Dempsey in his fight with Australian rugby's governing body. "One would hope the ARU would do the right thing by a former player and cover him," Searle said. "I don't understand what the problem is with the ARU."Dempsey said that, under the collective bargaining agreement, players were entitled to compensation from the ARU for medical expenses incurred during a two-year period following their retirement from rugby. "He [Rogers] is considering that as an option but he hasn't made a formal application to the ARU as far as I'm aware," Dempsey said. Searle said the Titans preferred Rogers to have an operation as soon as possible because he would be sidelined for two months following it. The Titans play their first pre-season trial on February 16 against Penrith in Ipswich. An ARU spokesman said the union would not comment until Rogers had lodged an application for compensation.
© 2007 Sun Herald
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