Tit-for-tat over Mannah story Jon Mannah. Photo: Adam Hollingworth Here's what happened at Monday's National Rugby League chief executives' conference. NRL chief executive David Smith told the club bosses that a players representative had told him he wanted the three journalists involved in last week's John Mannah story banned for a period. After some discussion, it was determined that this would be unprofessional and petty. Instead, a media release condemning elements of the story was drafted. South Sydney had a feature lined up to run in Thursday's Daily Telegraph about a new membership mark that had been reached. It involved Greg Inglis being interviewed and posing for a photo today, Wednesday. "We were disappointed when we were told by the Telegraph that they weren't running the story because of the press release," Souths CEO Shane Richardson said. The story will now appear in The Sydney Morning Herald tomorrow. Daily Telegraph director of sport Alex Brown chose not to make an on-the-record comment when he spoke to Discord. There were concerns late on Tuesday that the dispute would escalate significantly, but it has not. Clearly this is an important development in that it illustrates the extent of the breakdown in relations between the NRL and its former co-owner, News Limited. It is difficult to imagine one arm of the media empire issuing a media release criticising the other, obviously. I firmly believe in keeping news and comment separate so if you want to know my views on this imbroglio, please check out Discord's sister column, Travels. NRL walking a fine line It's all well and good for the NRL and its clubs to say they are "supporting" the players involved in the ASADA investigation and "reminding them of their legal rights." But we should remember that in doing so NRL and clubs might - might - be helping shelter genuine offenders who knowingly doped. How should this affect how the clubs and league behave? Should they change anything? I'm not really sure. But let's take the moral compass out of the pocket every now and then instead of slipping into militant wagon-circling mode. Mini Dolce Vita If anyone speaks Italian to the country's World Cup team later this year, expect all heads to turn to one man - captain Anthony Minichiello. According to lock Joel Riethmuller, the Sydney Roosters veteran is taking lessons in the family tongue so he can fulfil official duties at the end-of-season tournament in England, Wales, Ireland and France. North Queensland's Riethmuller said: "I don't speak Italian and not many of the boys do. Mini's learning it for the World Cup. He's taking lessons I'm told. My grandparents were born there and my mum's older brother was born there. There's a link there that I'm taking full advantage of. We texted Anthony and asked how the lessons were going. Ha! I haven't had any sessions yet. Italy play Wales first up at the famous Millennium Stadium, and are in a tough group that also includes Pacific heavyweights Tonga. Mark Minichiello told us Italian was not spoken in the boys' childhood home but he didn't know Anthony was taking lessons. The Azzurri had a boost on the weekend when frontline prop contender Paul Vaughan made his debut for Canberra, in the 30-12 loss to North Queensland at 1300SMILES Stadium. "It will be nice to go on a trip with the boys and hopefully give the comp a good shake," said Vaughan, 22. It's my grandmother - my Italian blood is on my mother's side. I played a couple of games for them last year. I played against Fiji and another game. I played pretty strongly there and made it into the World Cup squad. Your comments Comments time: We had the obligatory stirrer, Jak, last week who geed us up about even having a World Cup. These people know how to push the buttons of anoraks like us. OK, here's the obligatory response: Ours is the second oldest World Cup in sport - why should we STOP having one? Theboov says saying the Anzac Test is "for New Zealand" is a stretch. But rugby league in Australia could get by just fine without Test football. Every international the green and golds play is really "for" the opposition and for the Australian players, to prevent them going to another sport with a more robust international scene. Theboov also made another strong point - that the Under-20s Origin helps NSW and Queensland steal players from other countries, particularly Pacific nations. This has to be addressed. I also agree that if RLIF guidelines provide for a referee from a neutral country to control Tests, that's what we should have had in Canberra. Stephen says the United States will be the whipping boys of the World Cup, and agrees with Wigan owner Ian Lenagan that it's OK for Super League to lose players to the NRL instead of rugby union. I think your first point may be proved correct, Stephen. As for the second, it doesn't help Super League and its clubs attract sponsors and fans if it is acknowledged to be a second-rate competition. Now to Set Of Six comments - and plenty of entertaining debate about whether Richie Fa'aoso should have been sent off. Mikeyb's favourite recent fan sign was "Who Needs A Big Willie When You've Got A Great Tongue." Read the forum here