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Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte sit off, Chelsea vs Tottenham, handshake, Marc Cucurella hair pull, latest, updates

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said he was happy to take a “fair tackle” from Tottenham boss Antonio Conte after both were shown red cards for clashing twice during a heated 2-2 on Sunday.

Conte’s overexuberant celebrations of Spurs’ first equalizer resulted in the two coaches being booked for squaring up.

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Tuchel then responded by running down the touchline in celebration when Chelsea retouched the lead through Reece James 13 minutes from time.

But Harry Kane’s 96th minute equalizer meant Conte had the last laugh. Tuchel was not happy at the Italian for not making eye contact during a handshake at full-time, which sparked another melee between both sets of coaches and players.

“It was hot from the temperature and hot between the benches and hot on the field and hot between the spectators,” said Tuchel with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius in the English capital.

“There’s no hard feelings. I feel like it was a fair tackle from him and a fair tackle from me.

“We did not insult each other, we did not hit each other, we were fighting for our teams and from my side there’s absolutely no hard feelings. I’m surprised that we both got a red card for that.”

Spurs get away with dodgy hair pull | 01:00

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Tuchel’s ire was instead directed towards the officials as both Tottenham’s goals could have been disallowed.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike was allowed to stand despite a potential foul on Kai Havertz in the build-up and Richarlison standing in an offside position when the Dane’s shot was hit.

Before the corner leading to Kane’s equalizer, Spurs defender Sergio Romero also escaped a red card for dragging Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair.

“It was a clear foul on Kai Havertz. Ok, the situation goes on and on and on, then it is a clear offside,” added Tuchel.

“Since when can you pull hair on the football field? It’s ridiculous.

“That’s the only frustration. I’m the happiest coach on earth because we played a fantastic match.”

Conte batted away several questions about his tete-a-tete with Tuchel, but admitted a gap between the sides remains despite Spurs’ improvement.

Chelsea won all four meetings between the sides last season, three of them after Conte took charge in November.

“In my opinion it is better to talk about the game,” said Conte.

“Chelsea showed to be a really good team, but compared to last season we did a bit better.

“The difference is clear. This team won the Champions League two years ago, last year won the Club World Cup, got to the final of the FA Cup and Carabao (League) Cup.

“There is a difference between Chelsea and Tottenham but we are here to reduce this gap. Last season we lost three times, this time we drew so it’s a little step forward.”

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Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel handshake sparked wild scenes after Tottenham-Chelsea draw

Tottenham and Chelsea played out a controversial English Premier League draw but that was only half the show as both coaches were sent off in wild scenes after full-time.

After a running battle throughout the match, things got truly heated after the final whistle when Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and Tottenhal boss Antonio Conte were both awarded red cards after an intense handshake sparked wild scenes following the 2-all draw.

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Earlier in the match, Conte’s overexuberant celebrations of Spurs’ first equalizer resulted in the two coaches being booked for squaring up.

Tuchel then responded by running down the touchline in celebration when Chelsea retouched the lead through Reece James 13 minutes from time.

But Harry Kane’s 96th minute equalizer meant Conte had the last laugh.

Tuchel was not happy at the Italian for not making eye contact during a handshake at full-time, which sparked another melee between both sets of coaches and players.

Conte looked to be going for a quick shake, while Tuchel held onto the Italian’s hand and dragging him into the confrontation.

Conte could be heard over the pitch mics saying “What do you want?” as both sides returned to the pitch in defense of their managers.

As players and staff rushed in, security was forced to separate the pair and break up the wild scenes on the pitch.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Tuchel said the issue was sparked as Conte did not look at him in the eye during the handshake.

“I thought when we shake hands you looked in each other eyes, he had a different opinion,” said Tuchel.

“It (the red cards) was not necessary but a lot of things were not necessary. Another poor decision from the referee.”

Tuchel revealed his main source of anger due to the fact both of the Tottenham goals could have been disallowed.

Tuchel was unhappy the Spurs’ Rodrigo Bentancur sliding challenge on Kai Havertz went unpunished, while Tottenham’d Richarlison was off-side and in the eyeline of Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy in the first goal.

In the second goal, Cristian Romero dragged Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair which led to the corner for Kane’s last-gasp equaliser.

“Both (Tottenham goals) cannot stand. Only one team deserved to win,” Tuchel added.

“We dominated for 90 minutes. We were sharp, we were hungry, it was a top performance. I’m sorry for all my players that we didn’t get the result we deserved.

“There was a clear foul on Kai Havertz and the situation goes on and on. Clear off-side on Richarlison off-side and since when can you pull hair on a football field? It’s ridiculous.”

However, after the match, Tuchel admitted it got too heated on the sidelines.

“It was hot from the temperature and hot between the benches and hot on the field and hot between the spectators,” Tuchel said with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius in the English capital.

“There’s no hard feelings. I feel like it was a fair tackle from him and a fair tackle from me.

“We did not insult each other, we did not hit each other, we were fighting for our teams and from my side there’s absolutely no hard feelings. I’m surprised that we both got a red card for that.”

Conte batted away several questions about his tete-a-tete with Tuchel, but admitted a gap between the sides remains despite Spurs’ improvement.

Chelsea won all four meetings between the sides last season, three of them after Conte took charge in November.

“In my opinion it is better to talk about the game,” Conte said. “Chelsea showed to be a really good team, but compared to last season we did a bit better.

“The difference is clear. This team won the Champions League two years ago, last year won the Club World Cup, got to the final of the FA Cup and Carabao (League) Cup.

“There is a difference between Chelsea and Tottenham but we are here to reduce this gap. Last season we lost three times, this time we drew so it’s a little step forward.”

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Penrith Panthers arrogance, Storm, Matt Tripp, Ivan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary, Greg Alexander

The Penrith Panthers have been defended against claims of arrogance directed at the club from Storm chairman Matt Tripp ahead of their grudge match on Thursday night.

Ahead of their Round 22 clash, the Panthers rivally with the Storm was ignited by Penrith chair Greg Alexander’s comments suggesting Melbourne brought the wrestle into the game, prompting a fiery response.

“Ivan Cleary has responded to explosive comments from Storm chairman Matt Tripp that labeled Penrith deputy chairman Greg Alexander and the Panthers club arrogant after Alexander accused Storm of pioneering wrestling tactics in the game,” Braith Anasta said on NRL 360.

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“Tripp hit back with this pointed attack: “For the deputy chair of one of our biggest competitors to make unfounded and stupid comments, just goes to the arrogance of that club and their perceived status in the game.”

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary defended the club after Tripp’s scathing attack in light of Alexander’s comments in his role as a commentator, which has nothing to do with Penrith as a club.

“Absolutely unfair,” Cleary said.

“I’m not here to judge anybody else. I know that Brandy (Alexander) is an outstanding commentator. He is a decorated figure in the game for many years as a player and a commentator. I think if anyone is able to have an opinion it is Brandy and most of his opinions of him are spot on.

“That was his opinion in a different role so I don’t think it is fair for everyone else at our club to be labeled what we were.

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Ivan Cleary has defended his players and the Panthers as a club.Source: News Corp Australia

“I don’t know why people say it, but I don’t believe it is true. The consistency we have shown over the last three years, I don’t think there is any way you can do that if you are disrespectful or arrogant.

“I’m not sure how every other club does it, but if there is any team that has players that spend more time with the public and kids, particularly after games, than our boys do then I would like to see it.

“We are very proud of our club and our boys. We are probably not perfect, but I would like to think we are doing a decent job.”

“The Penrith Panthers are not doing a decent job, they are doing an outstanding job,” Anasta said.

“They have been marvelous the last few years and they are close to greatness looking to go back-to-back. Are they arrogant?”

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Jarome Luai has been accused of crossing the line on the field at times.Source: Getty Images

The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read believes there needs to be a clear line between what the Panthers do on and off the field and defended any perceived arrogance from players during matches.

“I think you have got to differentiate what they are like on the field and off the field,” Read said.

“Ivan was talking about how they do a lot of work with kids. Off the field those guys like Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary are fantastic blokes.

“On the field they play with swagger. They play with a bit of arrogance. You have got to have that to be successful.”

Anasta agreed that arrogance can be a powerful tool for a sporting team when used correctly.

“Don’t you want that?” Anasta said.

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“In any sport you have got to have confidence. Some people think they cross the line a little bit but you need confidence. You need a little bit of arrogance. You need to go out there thinking, I’ve got you covered.”

Paul Kent believes the Panthers are an outstanding club off the field and if the players show arrogance on the field, their success has given them the right to express themselves.

“It all shapes in narratives,” Kent said.

“They do have swagger. They are confident and they are aggressive and they let you know it and they actually reveal it in showing you how well they are going.

“That’s on the field. Ivan didn’t address that at all. I have addressed them off the field where he was 100 per cent right.

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“They are tremendous the way they interact with their fans and give back to the community.

“I think it is not a bad thing what they do on the field. It annoys me sometimes. I don’t like seeing some of the things, but it is part of the big picture.

“Everyone wants it to be completely black or completely white. They are neither. They are somewhere in the middle and that is where the fun happens to be honest.

“They are a little bit arrogant on the field, but it is a healthy arrogance.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield believes the Panthers players are expressing themselves and their upbringing, which they are very proud of.

“You don’t want a dull boring footy team,” Rothfield said.

“You want personality. You want characters.

“What we see from Penrith on the football field is these boys who have grown up in the district in tough areas around Mt Druit and St Marys and they are characters.

“They just love celebrating it. I don’t think it is arrogance.”

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North Queensland Cowboys Tom Dearden was ‘shell of a person’ when he arrived from Brisbane, Todd Payten Face to Face interview

Cowboys coach Todd Payten has made a startling admission about young gun Tom Dearden, revealing the rising playmaker was a “shell of a person” when he arrived at the club.

Dearden, 21, was once heralded as a star of the future at the Brisbane Broncos before he reportedly fell out of favor with head coach Kevin Walters.

The five-eighth signed with rivals North Queensland on a three-year deal, and was later a granted a mid-season transfer.

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Both clubs were struggling towards the bottom of the ladder, with the Broncos having claimed the wooden spoon for the first time in their history the season before.

While Dearden insisted that his confidence hadn’t taken a hit by how things turned out at the Broncos, coach Payten has now revealed he saw things differently.

“He was a shell of a person, I’ve got to say,” Payten told Matty Johns on Fox League’s face to face

“He was nervous and second guessing himself, whether it was on or off the pitch.

“What I did like about him was the way he trained. He’s super competitive, he’s really professional, and playing footy means something to him.

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“He’s wanted to play NRL since he was a kid and you can see that in the way he goes about it.”

North Queensland took a backwards step in 2021 and finished a place behind the Broncos in 15th.

But a stellar pre-season, with Dearden among the standouts, has thrust the club into premiership contention this year.

Payten said while the senior players helped lead the team throughout the successful pre-season, younger players including Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Tom Gilbert also impressed.

These players helped the Cowboys learn from their mistakes, as they trained by practicing things that “they weren’t expecting”.

“They train hard, everyone trains hard so that’s a given. Through our review, I’m talking about the coaches review… we watched all of the tries that we’d conceded which was not fun to view,” Payten said.

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“A lot of those, I think about 60 per cent of those would come from missed tackles that should’ve been made or guys not competing enough.

“We conceded the most tries from kicks in the competition and that affected our headspace in games. We’d defend two sets and then from a guy not getting their job done or someone not competing hard enough, we’d conceded a try.

“As soon as something upset the rhythm or went against them, we didn’t have the mental or physical capacity to get on with the job.

“(We had to) just build around upsetting rhythm in different ways. Doing things that they weren’t expecting to do at different times and causing a little bit of chaos and seeing how they handled it.

“We got better as the preseason went on.”

Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom DeardenSource: Supplied

Dearden has reaped the rewards of the Cowboys’ successful season, as they currently sit in second behind the Panthers, by making his Origin debut for Queensland.

The up-and-comer announced himself on one of the game’s biggest stages, as he helped inspire his state to win in the decider at Suncorp Stadium.

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Anthony Albanese victorious in pollies’ annual State of Origin match

Anthony Albanese has been caught in a fresh parliamentary scandal after questions were raised about the legitimacy of his moves on the footy field.

The Prime Minister joined the Parliamentary Friends of Rugby League on Tuesday morning for their fourth annual State of Origin touch football match.

Just before half time in the clash against Queensland, Mr Albanese dived to plant the ball on the try line to give NSW the upper hand.

Sports Minister Anika Wells protested, claiming she had tagged Mr Albanese before he scored.

The referee ultimately gave Mr Albanese the benefit of the doubt, awarding NSW what would turn out to be the final try of the day.

The parliamentary Blues ended up taking home bragging rights, winning 3-1.

Asked about the dubious try later in the day, Ms Wells laughed off the controversy.

“I think we can all agree that the referee is going to be the next governor-general based on that decision and I think we can say ultimately, glory to Queensland,” she said.

On if the Prime Minister could be trusted given his shady moves on the footy field, Ms Wells left that question unanswered.

But she joked NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo should take the inquiry straight to the league’s commission as a “top priority”.

Speaking earlier, Mr Albanese took issue with former Wallaby turned Senator David Pocock joining the Queenslanders for the grudge match.

“I can report the greatest scandal since (Greg Inglis) playing for Queensland. David Pocock from the ACT pulling on a Queensland jumper,” Mr Albanese told Nine.

“They will stop at nothing.”

He also complained about former deputy prime minister and NSW MP Barnaby Joyce also donning the Queensland jersey.

“Barnaby has very short stints on the field. Even though he represents the NSW seat, he has a Maroons jersey on as well,” Mr Albanese said.

“Look, there should be an inquiry into some of these players and where they are playing for, I tell you.”

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