Crawley Files: NRL responds to fears there will be a rule crackdown after ref controversy
After a week of controversey and howlers which led to the axing of two experienced referees, the NRL has hit back over the coaching blow-ups amid a talk of a fresh rule crackdown.
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NRL head of football Graham Annesley has vowed “it’s business as usual” this round for the refs - and there will be no crackdown on the back of last weekend’s coaching blow ups.
There has been a bit of concern that the controversy that led to whistle blowers Gerard Sutton and Peter Gough both getting demoted for their individual howlers could have a knock-on effect.
And that the refs would be encouraged to go out and blow more six-agains and penalties against offending teams.
“No. What happened last week was a couple of poor ruling errors,” Annesley said.
“They weren’t a matter of policy decisions. It was just the referee took the wrong option.
“So the people who have made those errors are paying the price for it, unfortunately for them. But no, it is business as usual.”
A former referee himself who has been around as long as anyone still involved at the top level, Annesley certainly didn’t downplay what happened last week.
But he also understands the nature of the business is that no matter how well the refs are going they are never going to please everyone.
You just have to look back at the blow up for Felise Kaufusi getting correctly sin binned for a professional foul in Origin II to understand that.
“I have been involved in it for decades and it has been the same,” he said of the ongoing controversy.
“And long after I am gone it will be the same for decades in the future.
“Because you have got people who have to use judgment to make decisions, and when they do that one side or the other is pissed off with it. It will never change.”
UNKNOWN FORMER FOLAU, HAYNE MENTOR WANTS TIGERS JOB
Wests Tigers search for a development coach capable of turning around a decade of disappointment is staring them straight in the face after it emerged Wayne Lambkin has now applied for the top job.
Lambkin was head coach of the renowned rugby league nursery at Westfields Sports High for 20 years and only gave up that job this year at Tim Sheens’ request to take on a fulltime position as Tigers’ NSW Cup coach.
While he doesn’t have the public profile of some other contenders being pushed heavily to take over from Michael Maguire, what Lambkin does have is a phenomenal record of not only identifying but nurturing some of the game’s greatest talent over two decades.
At Westfields Lambkin coached the likes of Jarryd Hayne, Israel Folau, Krisnan Inu, Tony Williams, Issac Luke, Luke O’Donnell, Michael Greenfield, Trent Hodkinson, Matt Keating, David Klemmer, Blake Green, Manase Fainu, Tommy Talau, Jason Saab, Moses Suli, Trey Mooney, Sione Katoa, Brandon Wakeham, Stefano Utoikamanu, Jake Averillo, Josh Schuster, Taniela Paseka and Haumole Olakau’atu among many, many more.
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It was also Lambkin who famously spotted Olakau’atu sitting in a car park and encouraged him to have a crack at footy.
He also coached Manly to an under 20s NYC premiership in 2017 with a team that had only won two games the previous year, while he was NSW Cup coach at the Bears when they were the feeder for the Rabbitohs en route to the 2014 NRL title.
At the Bears the likes of Luke Keary, Dylan Walker and the Burgess brothers developed on his watch.
The Tigers recently signed five of Lambkin’s former Westfields’ students to long term deals, while 13 of the undefeated Harold Matthews Cup squad also went through Westfields.
It’s a proven record that suggests Lambkin would be an ideal fit to work with Sheens to get the best out of the talent now coming through the lower grades.
“I have sat back and had a look at the situation, I know I can do the job,” Lambkin said.
“The club is looking for a development coach and I would back my experience in that department against anyone.”
'Nothing's over!'... @cronullasharks Dale Finucane, aka johnny Rambo, is back and lines up against a familiar foe @storm tomorrow night. One things for sure, you can expect a performance Sly stallone would be proud of. My art for crawleyfiles @telegraph_sport#nrl#nrlsharksstormpic.twitter.com/IhMzeS8zI3
— Scott Bailey (@BooBaileyTele) July 6, 2022
Hypocrisy of Walsh’s Broncos return
The same Brisbane Broncos fans that booed Payne Haas for seeking a release will now be expected to cheer Reece Walsh’s return next season.
You’ve got to love the irony, or should that be hypocrisy, that rules the NRL player market in the modern game.
Where contracts are made to be broken, and loyalty went out of fashion in the 1990s.
Make no mistake, the reaction from Broncos fans giving it to Haas was totally understandable.
Not only had he received a significant upgrade previously, but the way his management went about trying to bully their way to another pay rise just reeked of greed and a total lack of class.
But now we find out the Broncos have finalised Walsh’s return for next season after he sought a release from the Warriors on compassionate grounds.
Apparently the difference here is that Walsh requested a release because “he is homesick” and wants to remain in Brisbane to be close to his young daughter.
While that might well be the case, let’s not kid ourselves that it hasn’t also resulted in another upgrade.
Although perhaps not as hefty as it might have been given the Warriors have conceded they only agreed to release Walsh providing he went to the Broncos, thus eliminating the $2.8m three-year offer Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins were reportedly prepared to table.
But this is where it gets even murkier because the Dolphins are now upset this has been a prevention of free trade.
And on principle they have a valid point, because a club should not be allowed to dictate where a departing player ends up.
The trouble here is that there have been agendas going on at every level for months, and it’s got to the point where you just can’t believe a word anyone is saying.
But what can’t be disputed is that this is the same player who last year “requested” a release from the Broncos because the Warriors offered him an immediate opportunity to play NRL, which also resulted in another upgrade.
There has been speculation for some time that Walsh would be back living in Queensland next season (most likely playing under Bennett at the Dolphins).
This has been the talk among the players for some time, with claims Walsh has spoken openly to potential future teammates about it.
But then in early May Walsh came out and publicly declared he would be playing for the Warriors in 2023.
And at the time he sounded so heartfelt.
“At first I sort of laughed about it and would ask the boys, ‘where do you think they get this information from?’ because it definitely isn’t coming from me or my management or my family,” Walsh said in May.
“After a while, it became too much, there were questions from my teammates. It’s got to the point where it’s worth addressing because it’s spiralling out of control.
“It’s not fair on my teammates or the club that they think I am wanting to go elsewhere. It’s not the case … I have a contract in place which means I am 100 per cent going to New Zealand next year.”
But everything has obviously changed in two months, a “100 per cent” backflip you could say.
And what makes it especially hard for Warriors fans is that this news has arrived before Walsh has even played a game at Mt Smart Stadium _ after the teenage star was forced to miss last Sunday’s “homecoming” because of Covid.
People will rightfully point out the difference in Walsh’s situation compared to Haas is that Walsh was given the Warriors’ blessing (providing he went to the Broncos), whereas the Broncos have not agreed to let Haas go (at this point, but will that now change?).
But does anyone seriously believe the Warriors would have gleefully accepted swapping a player as special as Walsh for Canberra’s Charles Nicoll-Klokstad if the Warriors hadn’t had a gun pointed at their head?
With due respect, Nicoll-Klokstad is a quality player but already on the outer at the Raiders where he has lost his spot to young Xavier Savage.
Whereas Walsh is a player the Warriors could have built the club’s future around.
It’s also another kick in the guts for the Warriors’ fans who have only just got over watching Matt Lodge also walk out with a $700,000 pay out that was given no viable explanation.
It was only last year the Warriors also lost Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who was also granted an early release so he could go and chase his dream playing with the All Blacks.
How many more kicks should their fans have to take?
Of course the Warriors are not the only club that have been left in the lurch.
It’s been going on for years, and you could name any number of players and clubs who have ended deals early.
In recent months Wests Tigers fans have watched Luciano Leilua depart mid-season to the Cowboys, while Lodge is now heading to the Roosters.
Last year it was Tevita Pangai Jr who went from the Broncos to Penrith before moving to the Bulldogs this season. Mitchell Pearce, Tom Dearden, Jake Clifford, you could go on and on.
People justify it by saying a contract is a mutual agreement, and both parties are protected by the fact no deal can be broken unless there is an agreement to separate.
Which of course is true, in theory.
It’s been happening in codes across the planet for decades, and it’s never going back to the days when loyalty ruled the sporting world.
But it doesn’t make it any easier for the fans to digest.
Though it will be interesting to see what happens next time Haas’ contract comes up for debate:
Does Walsh’s situation change anything, or does Haas still get booed?
Sharks out for first blood
They don’t call him “Rambo” for nothing.
In a season interrupted by injury, old warhorse Dale Finucane rarely gets mentioned among the contenders for NRL buy of the year.
But you just have to look at the impact his sheer presence and leadership has had on two clubs for different reasons to realise why there’s no underrating Finucane’s importance on those around him.
Sharks recruit Finucane comes up against his old club Melbourne on Thursday night, a club that has surprisingly had 30-plus points put on them in three different matches this season.
With the Storm minus their Origin stars, the Sharks have a great chance to kick off an important four-week block that follows with games against the Cowboys, Panthers and Rabbitohs.
While the Sharks go into this period in fourth spot, it’s where they come out of it that will be most important.
If they are in similar territory then we will know this year’s title fight has another genuine contender.
But for the Storm, even without Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Felise Kaufusi for this game, Craig Bellamy won’t want to see another big scoreline like last week.
There is no question that some of the Storm’s defensive resilience in certain games, including against Manly, just hasn’t been up to the standards set in previous seasons.
However, Finucane’s influence, along with the coaching of Craig Fitzgibbon, has clearly made the Sharks a far tougher team.
It was Cooper Cronk who once revealed Finucane’s nickname at the Storm was Johnny Rambo because “he puts his head where I wouldn’t put my feet”.
Bellamy always rated Finucane one of his all-time favourite players.
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