JUST to prove that rugby league fans who still live in Wollongong have a better sense of humour than bitter, twisted exiles like me, the Illawarra Mercury has served up a classic tabloid front page this morning.

Under the full-page headline "Rooster-free Zone", Wollongong City Council general manager David Farmer says it will be illegal to own a rooster in the steel city until further notice.

"For one thing, Roosters are loud, upsetting people by crowing way too early and for all that loud noise, they really don't have any substance,'' Farmer was quoted as saying (with the world "rooster" crossed out).

"All they do is strut around, preening their feathers, expecting everybody to admire their plumage. Or, in the case of Todd Carney and Daniel Conn, their tattoos

"While Roosters are not welcome in the city this weekend, council also does have some concerns about keeping dragons in the backyard, as they may scare pets and present a fire risk."

**********

ONE of the few lasting legacies a journalist can leave humanity is to coin a word. Or bring down a government. But I've got no hope of doing the latter.

So I hereby invent the following world for the sort of social media/text rumour we had again yesterday about six players getting life bans on Monday for match fixing: "Twitterbutt". Like, a combination of "scuttlebutt" and, er.. "Twitter".

Like it?

I know people who got that message yesterday six times. One alleged offender named in it never played for the club he is proposed to be "with" and retired three years ago. A manager's first name is wrong. One man who was in the original rumour supposed to be signed as a replacement for a cheat has become a match-fixer himself!

Defaming people has become easier because you no longer need money to publish something - and without money, there is no use suing you!

Still, telling people it's crap is like telling others there's no God.

**********

OK, it's over to Anti DeSteelerisation League business and here's our blacklist of Steeler Deniers. These are people who have this week scurrilously pretended 15 years of Illawarra Steelers history never happened by failing to draw any distinction between the new, 12-year-old St George Illawarra Dragons and St George club which was started in 1921 and no longer exists as a stand-alone entity.

While on this point, we beseech you to read this fascinating piece by noted league historian Sean Fagan http://tribe13.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/the-illawarra-dragons/ in which he reveals St George were actually called the "Illawarra men" or "Illawarraites" BEFORE they were called Dragons!

And here's what the NRL's official statistician David Middleton had to say: "The simple fact is when St George merged in 1998, no further premierships would be awarded to the 15 they had achieved in their existence from 1921 until that time.

"The new entity is a different club and therefore as at today, stands at zero in the premiership tally.

"That is also the official line from the NRL.''

OK, prepare to be shamed for your evil anti-metallic comments! Hate crimes include A) suffix omission, B) geographical intimidation ("all Sydney grand final"), C) claiming the Dragons last won a premiership in 1970-something and D) producing merchandise that says "since 1921".

ABC National: A, B

Caris Bizzaca (journalist): C

Dave Chapman (broadcaster ): B

Des Hasler (Manly coach): A

Nambaucca Guardian (newspaper ): C

Dean Ritchie (journalist): C

Kristina Kenneally (NSW premier): A

NRL Merchandising dept: D

Norm Provan (former player): A

Ken Sutcliffe (broadcaster): B

Bill Woods (broadcaster): B

Craig Young (Dragons manager): C

Dean Young (Dragons player) C

Thanks to ADL's secret agents for reporting offenders. Keep them coming. Tomorrow, life members of the ADL - those who Stanley held dear!