Albury-Wodonga Steamers stripped of competition points after breach

It looked as though the Steamers had secured a finals berth with their 46-15 win over second-placed Ag College on Saturday, but now their place is in jeopardy.

As it stands, Wagga City moved into fourth place heading into the final round after the Southern Inland board's decision on Monday night.

They tackle seventh-place Tumut at Jarrah Oval on Saturday while the Steamers travel to Conolly Rugby Complex to challenge the competition's ladder leaders Waratahs.

The Steamers plan to appeal the decision.

The board found Steamers played their round 14 clash with Wagga City with an unregistered player, David Cooper-Dunn.

They won the game at Murrayfield on July 27 38-29.

The decision means they have now been handed a 30-0 loss and instead the Boiled Lollies have been handed the win.

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Albury-Wodonga Steamers president Mick Raynes has blasted the decision and the process in reaching it.

"They've totally thrown our season under the bus and we've had very little recourse," Raynes said.

"We had one opportunity to send in an email.

"The unfairness of it is gobsmacking for country rugby union.

"We think it's a ludicrous over step."

He believes his side has been treated unfairly due to problems with an online application introduced this season and now their finals berth has been put in jeopardy.

It's not the first time teams have been stripped of points for playing unregistered players this season.

Waratahs' women's side and Leeton's second grade team were both found to have played unregistered players in round one.

Southern Inland president Warwick Grant said the board had no option but to make the tough call.

"There was a breach of rules, as has happened earlier this year, and the board had to be consistent with their decision," Grant said.

Steamers had been registering Cooper-Dunn weekly after he was overseas for the first five rounds of the season, and argue that a fault in the online system caused the problem.

He's been registered correctly six times this season.

However the board wasn't satisfied.

"It is black and white, they have used an unregistered player and are in breach of the rules," Grant said.

"The player wasn't insured, it concerns OH&S and club liability."

An appeal is expected to be heard on Thursday or Friday.

As it stands, Steamers and Wagga City would go into the final round locked on 42 points, with the Boiled Lollies now five points better off than their rivals.