7th Tackle - Details emerge about turmoil at Tigers
Josh Massoud and Liam Cox have the latest from the world of rugby league, with some interesting developments behind the scenes at Belmore and Campbelltown.
Tackle One – Foran a diamond in the rough
He’s become a rough diamond of sorts, so it’s no surprise to hear Kieran Foran has turned to the jewellery game to help get his life back on track. Foran has spent the past few weeks side-by-side with a close mate from his days at Manly, Sam Rahme, who also happens to be the NRL’s official jeweler.
Rahme’s business, Affinity Diamonds, makes the grand final and State of Origin rings. His sales office is based in a CBD high rise – and Foran has been spotted walking into the building’s foyer numerous times of late.
Rahme has taken a close interest in Foran’s recovery from well-documented personal issues this year. He attended Eddie Hayson’s hour-long press conference last Thursday, and would have been interested to hear the punter’s responses to questions about his relationship with Foran.
Rahme is also still involved at the Sea Eagles; overseeing their dressing room and enforcing strict new guidelines . But Manly fans shouldn’t get too excited by that link – the race for Foran’s signature is a two-horse event between the Warriors and Bulldogs.
There’s been suggestions Foran’s Godfather and adviser, Kiwi lawyer Don McKinnon, is pushing hard for New Zealand. But McKinnon is also very close to Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle. He was chairman of Netball New Zealand when Castle was their CEO.
Tackle Two – Bulldogs eye Pay Day
Canterbury is entering its most radical shake-up since the sacking of favourite son Kevin Moore in mid-2011. As many as half a dozen members of Des Hasler’s football department won’t be invited back to Belmore next season.
Four are already gone: recruitment duo Noel ‘Crusher’ Cleal and James Whitney, mind coach John Novak, and sprint coach Clayton Kearney. There’s talk assistant coach Kelly Egan might not survive either, with powerbrokers keen to welcome back club great Dean Pay onto Hasler’s staff.
Pay has worked as Ricky Stuart’s defensive coach – at Parramatta and Canberra – for the past four seasons. The Bulldogs would have to fork out big money to convince him to leave the Raiders – but that in itself is part of the wider problem. The Bulldogs rely on a hand-out of around $5 million a year from Canterbury Leagues Club to make ends meet.
Despite the fact he’s made two grand finals since arriving at Belmore, Hasler is under the gun for not delivering a premiership to Sydney’s most success-hungry club.
His football department is the envy of rival coaches; and the Leagues Club board believe at least one title would have been a fair return on their huge investment over the past five seasons. The team’s slide over the past two seasons has worn its patience to breaking point - hence the big changes that have intentionally eroded Hasler’s powerbase. Cleal, Novak, Kearney and Egan all joined him from the Sea Eagles.
The desire to bring back Pay – who would work alongside fellow club legend Jim Dymock – is a power play from the club’s traditionalists. Hasler still has another year to run on his contract and there’s no chance he’ll be sacked. On the contrary, he’s odds-on to win a two-year extension. But first he must face the football club board tomorrow night. And then the Leagues Club board must be satisfied with his explanation for the team’s disturbing fade-out over the last month of this year’s competition.
Hasler must also agree to continue working under a very different regime, whereby he would not enjoy as much control. It’s not as if he wouldn’t have an array of options from rival clubs if he decided not to.
Tackle Three – Stripped of his stripes
How’s the serenity? It’s not a phrase heard too often in Tigertown. After a few short weeks of harmony following their insipid final round surrender to Canberra, Wests Tigers were back in the headlines this week for standing down football manager and 2005 premiership-winning captain, Mark O’Neill.
The story created plenty of interest, but was initially brief on the details regarding O’Neill’s alleged misconduct. We’ve since been told he offended sensibilities during a night out at Star Casino with staff, following the Raiders flogging on Sunday 4 September. We’ve also been told O’Neill might have removed or unbuttoned at least one item of clothing – most likely his shirt – during the end-of-season festivities. He was a notable absence from the club’s presentation dinner two nights later; and is now awaiting the outcome of an internal investigation.
Both O’Neill and Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe failed to return our calls and texts yesterday. We can only wonder how coach Jason Taylor might be feeling about this dramatic turn of events. O’Neill marked his arrival earlier this year by reversing some of the changes Taylor had implemented, most notably the controversial gluten-free diet. That led to whispers O’Neill wanted to bring former teammate Todd Payten – currently at the Cowboys - back to Concord.
Popular with many of the younger players, Payten has expressed an unabashed desire to coach his old club. Taylor’s relatively successful season – notwithstanding the Raiders flop – has left him in a more secure position.
Tackle Four – From Rebel to Storm: the $10,000 Munster sale
Cameron Munster was a pimply teen working for Rebel Sport in Rockhampton when Melbourne unearthed him three years ago.
Deemed too small by most, he struggled to make junior representative sides and wasn’t on the radar on any other NRL clubs until the Storm sent one of their coaching staff north to meet him.
The meeting took place at the Coffee Club in Rockhampton – and ended with Munster being offered the princely sum of $10,000 to move to Bleak City later that year. Despite late interest from the Bulldogs and Cowboys, he agreed. It’s been an incredible rise from there, with the Storm now genuinely torn about moving him from fullback should Billy Slater overcome his shoulder issues to play a final season in 2017.
It’s inconceivable the legendary Slater could be denied the No. 1 jersey, meaning that Munster would probably have to revert to the centres – or even five eighth – for 12 months.
Tackle Five – McNamara crosses to Warriors
Newly appointed Warriors coach Stephen Kearney is set to claim his first big signing – former Great Britain boss Steve McNamara.
McNamara has worked under Trent Robinson at the Roosters for the past three seasons, and was contracted until the end of 2017. But he this week requested a release to join Kearney – who is managed by the same agent – in Auckland immediately.
The Roosters aren’t likely to stand in McNamara’s way, but the club has grown frustrated over losing a host of assistants. Both Paul Green and Jason Taylor have been poached mid-contract in recent years. Don’t be surprised if the Chooks demand some compensation. And be even less surprised if the current Warriors assistant, Justin Morgan, replaces McNamara.
We’ve heard Morgan is on shaky ground after Kearney agreed to keep his predecessor, Andrew McFadden, on board.
Tackle Six – NRL emojis on their way
In a day and age where you can watch an entire game of rugby league on your phone; it should be a no brainer to communicate news and views of your favourite players via emoji. We can reveal that will very soon become a reality, with the NRL putting the project out to tender in recent weeks.
We can’t wait to see caricatures of Johnathon Thurston, Semi Radrdara and bearded Blake Austin. Other sports are already ahead of the NRL on this one, with V8 Supercars to release their driver emojis during the lead-up to the Bathurst 1000 in a fortnight’s time. The AFL is also on the ball; announcing plans for a $1.99 app featuring 40 players and media personalities.
Tackle Seven – A Big Welcome for Big Willie
The biggest games call for the biggest names – and there’s none more imposing than big Willie Mason. After more than a year off the airwaves in the south of France, Mason will make a television comeback with Seven News during the countdown to this year’s grand final. He’ll debut at 6pm tomorrow night; with a hard-hitting preview of the Sharks-Cowboys preliminary final from Allianz Stadium.
Keep watching throughout next week for Mason’s take on the Dally M’s and Grand Final lunch during what is sure to be a larger-than-life build-up to the decider. The 36-year-old only arrived back in Australia last Thursday, having secured an early release from Les Catalans. Despite his vintage, Mason has still fielded interest from NRL clubs for next season but is likely to hang-up the boots and concentrate on media.
For all the latest breaking rugby league headlines, tune in to Seven News LIVE at 6.00.