KIERSTEN DUKE: NRL trainers Shane Elford, Mitchell Dunn obviously forgot about Sandpapergate

Penrith’s Saturday night draw against the Cowboys was full of controversy. Both teams butchered field goal attempts during extra time in Townsville, but the intensity of the game wasn’t the main talking point.

In true rugby league style, the drama that has since hit the headlines, dubbed “Watergate” is something you just couldn’t make up.

A video went viral on social media, catching Penrith’s veteran trainer red-handed in an act that can only be described as classless. Shane Elford was captured spraying the footy with liquid from a water bottle prior to kick-off for extra time.

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW: CAUGHT IN THE ACT

The clip, although poor quality, clearly showed Elford spraying the ball twice, leaving it soaking wet before handing it to fullback Dylan Edwards.

The ploy was a shameless attempt to make the ball harder to catch and hold for the Cowboys.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten was quick to tell the media that his coaching staff had noticed Elford wetting the ball throughout the match.

Like a glass of milk on a hot summer’s day, this comment didn’t age well.

In an explosive twist, new footage has come to light revealing Cowboys trainer Mitchell Dunn doing the exact same thing as Elford when North Queensland were kicking off. Embarrassingly for Dunn, he was caught in the act by referee Todd Smith, who immediately put a stop to the shenanigans.

I couldn’t believe that not one team’s trainer, but two, thought it would be appropriate during a live televised sporting event to tamper with the ball.

Did we learn nothing from Sandpapergate!

I mean, I know the NRL went over to Vegas to learn as well as showcase their sport, but I didn’t think they were going to take a leaf out of Tom Brady’s book and start messing around with the game-day balls.

At what point should it be necessary for anyone other than the players, ball kids, or ref to be touching the ball? There isn’t one. There’s no excuse for anyone else during those 80 minutes to be handling the ball.

I appreciate that some experts have come out and called the act ‘stupidity,’ but personally, I’d go as far as to say it’s cheating. It’s tampering with the ball. In no other sport is that acceptable, so why would the NRL allow it?

Now, I don’t think it’s an effective way of cheating because I expect that by the time the wet footy has been kicked in the air, the majority of the water has come off before it hits the hands of the receiver.

But there’s also a small chance this doesn’t happen and it slips through the hands of the opposition. We see this during wet weather games regularly, so it’s a realistic concern to have.

Regardless of whether the science behind the rate at which the water leaves the ball as it’s traveling through the air dismisses how effective the act is, we can all agree that it’s purely moronic.

The NRL is yet to say anything publicly on the scandal other than that it is looking into it, but I am sure all the clubs have been told privately it’s not on, and the match officials will be extra vigilant about who is getting their mitts on the ball this weekend.

As a trainer, do you have such little faith in the ability of your team that you feel the need to squirt a water bottle on the ball to give them an advantage?

I’d be offended if I were your star fullback and you thought I lacked so much talent that you had to resort to something so petty to assist me. What a dig!

Trainers already have a bad rap for being on the field too much and getting in the way of players when they are not coaching them on-field.

They should be more focused on making sure everyone has a drink and being first on the scene when players get hurt to prevent serious injury not ensuring the ball is sopping wet.