Sport Confidential: Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo holds secret talks with Matt Lodge
SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: The head coach of a struggling Sydney club has held talks with Matt Lodge with the former Broncos bad boy forced out of the Roosters at season’s end.
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Former Broncos prop Matt Lodge is exploring every option to continue his career in the NRL after having secret talks with the Bulldogs.
Sport Confidential can reveal Lodge met last week with Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo, who is keen to bolster his forward stocks in his mission to revive the Bulldogs as a premiership powerhouse.
The Roosters recently advised Lodge they cannot afford to keep him under the salary cap next season, leaving the 28-year-old in NRL limbo.
Since linking with the Roosters late last season, Lodge has impressed with his form and clearly has the ability to play in the NRL, but finding another home is proving problematic.
While Ciraldo met with Lodge, there is no guarantee he will end up at Belmore.
It is understood the Bulldogs have yet to table a formal offer. Ciraldo was keen for a meet and greet with Lodge before making a definitive call on whether to bring the controversial prop into the Bulldogs’ kennel for 2024 and beyond.
Lodge has strong ties to Canterbury forward Tevita Pangai Jnr - the pair were former teammates at the Broncos before being offloaded by Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.
Lodge is one of the most polarising figures in the code and Ciraldo is mindful of the importance of dressing-room harmony as he looks to rebuild the Bulldogs as a finals contender.
A veteran of 109 NRL games, Lodge has had stints at five clubs and famously clashed with Warriors owner Mark Robinson last year, leading to his sudden exit from the Kiwi club.
Lodge has been linked with Manly, whose coach Anthony Seibold worked with him at the Broncos, after the prop confirmed a fortnight ago he will be leaving the Roosters at season’s end.
“I think I’ll be heading on at this point,” Lodge said.
“I’m just happy to play my role until whether it ends here at the end of the year or if it’s longer. I’ve enjoyed my time here and I am enjoying my time here so it’s good.
“I’m on a reduced (deal) but I can’t do that forever.
“I was probably under the assumption that I was going to stay longer when I did that, and we did speak about that, but the situation changed.”
HEART SHOCK FOR EX-NRL STAR
Former NRL forward Zane Tetevano will undergo heart surgery after suffering a stroke last month.
Tetevano, who won premierships at Penrith and the Roosters, collapsed during a training session with Super League club Leeds Rhinos.
Out of action for the past four weeks, the 32-year-old has recovered well from the stroke and was told by doctors the stroke was caused by a hole in his heart.
Tetevano will have an operation to repair the problem and could be cleared to return for Leeds before the end of the season.
“I would like to thank the club’s medical staff, the paramedics, doctors and nurses who looked after me when I collapsed,” Tetevano said in a statement.
“I knew I was in the best possible care and I owe them a lot, especially our medical team who reacted so quickly on the field. I will never know how lucky I was.
“I am confident that I will be ready to return to action as soon as I am cleared to do so.”
Leeds Rhinos medical chief Vas Mani said: “We expect Zane to make a full recovery and be medically fit to return to play before the end of the season.”
Tetevano is taking part in a Leeds 10km fun run this Sunday to raise money for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
BRONCOS LOCK UP LEE
Broncos coach Kevin Walters has secured a key member of his staff with assistant Lee Briers set to ink a 12-month extension.
Briers joined the Broncos in pre-season after working as an assistant at Super League powerhouse Wigan and he has impressed Brisbane players with his knowledge of the game.
Walters, current Broncos assistant coach Allan Langer and former Wales international Briers played together at Warrington in the Super League in 2001.
In 425 games for the Warrington Wolves in a career spanning 25 years, Briers scored a club-record 2584 points and won three Challenge Cups.
Briers is a development coach at Brisbane and has also been working with the club’s emerging halves such as Ezra Mam and Jock Madden.
The 45-year-old was off-contract at the end of next year but will remain with Walters for the 2025 season after playing a pivotal role in Brisbane’s charge to the top of the league.
COWBOYS’ BIG CALL ON BROOKS MOVE
The Cowboys have ruled out signing Wests Tigers playmaker Luke Brooks as a mooted replacement for North Queensland co-captain Chad Townsend.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten said he had no plans to enter a bidding war for Brooks as he backed Townsend to finish his career in Townsville.
Payten’s stance came as Townsend’s manager, Chris Orr, broke his silence on speculation the 32-year-old is considering severing ties with the Cowboys at season’s end to continue his career in the English Super League.
Brooks dropped a bombshell on the Tigers last week when he advised the club he will not be inking a two-year extension and is testing his value on the open market.
The off-contract 28-year-old has been a whipping boy at the Tigers for most of his career and has clearly had enough of copping brickbats for the joint venture club’s poor performances.
The Cowboys have been linked with Brooks, but it is understood the club will not be making a formal play for the Tigers playmaker.
North Queensland have around $200,000 free in their salary cap and are putting their faith in Tom Dearden and Townsend, the halves duo which piloted the Cowboys to last year’s preliminary final.
Payten said Townsend was “not going anywhere” as he set the record straight on the Cowboys’ pursuit of Brooks.
“I approached Chad a few weeks ago if he was home sick and he told me then that he was settled,” he said.
“I gave him my backing that he is not going anywhere. I will say this about Luke Brooks, I have a high opinion of him as a player and the way he has handled himself over the last few years with the media scrutiny on top of him shows great mental fortitude.
“His best footy is still in front of him. Where he ends up, the club is going to be in good shape, but it won’t be here.
“I appreciate the journos that come through the front door and go to the source and question me and I will always answer those calls.
“I understand the scrutiny and comment in our game, but this has been bubbling away now for six or eight weeks and I don’t know why it has grown legs when we have addressed it a few times.”
Orr returned to Australia last week after a trip to England for Super League’s Magic Weekend, but denied he was shopping Townsend to UK clubs.
“Chad is contracted to the Cowboys for another year and he is honouring his deal,” said Orr of PSM.
“I spoke to several English clubs about my off-contract list of players but Chad is not on that list as he’s contracted to the Cowboys.
“The Cowboys have been great to Chad, he’s been great for them, and he’s so happy in Townsville he recently bought a new house there, so there’s no reason for him to leave.”
Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has not given up hope of retaining Brooks.
“He wants to test the market and it is sad and disappointing,” Hagipantelis said.
“The club made what we believed to be a fair market value offer.
“It was a genuine offer because our intentions were to retain Luke and keep him as a one-club player.
“I know that (Tigers coaches) Benji (Marshall) and Tim (Sheens) were very keen on him being in their plans moving forward.
“It’s just a commercial reality.”
YOU CAN CALL ORIGIN
Do you fancy yourself as the next Ray Warren?
Radio SEN is giving one complete novice the opportunity to commentate on State of Origin II live from Suncorp Stadium alongside former Queensland Origin duo Mat Rogers and Andrew McCullough.
To be in the running, email radiorookie@sen.com.au a clip of your best commentary to go into the draw.
HAMPSON’S MOTHER HELPS OUT
The mother of late Queensland rugby league player Liam Hampson has helped a junior rising star in need.
Lorna Morton played a key role in a barbecue for patients in the spinal ward at the Princess Alexandra Hospital recently.
Among the patients was Joseph Pouniu – the young Gold Coast Titans prodigy who was left with a devastating spinal injury earlier this year.
Pouniu has been in hospital for four months, making slow progress following the serious injury.
But he had his spirits boosted at the barbecue, which came with the help of Morton, less than a year since her son’s tragic death.
Hampson died in October last year following a freak incident at a Barcelona nightclub while on a European holiday with NRL stars AJ Brimson and Jordan Riki.
The rugby league community gathered around Hampson’s family following Liam’s death and now his mother is giving back to another league player in need.
“Liam’s mother is head of human resources at the hospital and she organised the barbecue,” said Pouniu’s manager Simon Mammino.
“It was a morale building barbecue for the staff and patients. Ben Te’o was there from the Dolphins and Aaron Booth represented the Titans.
“They were mingling with all the patients.”
Pouniu has become somewhat of a good-luck charm for his clubs the Dolphins and Titans after being granted day-leave passes from hospital recently.
He was a guest of the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium when they came from 26-0 down to beat the Titans then he was invited by the Titans when they beat the Eels at Magic Round and the Tigers last week.
TITANS MISS BLUES BOLTER
Blues bolter Reece Robson slipped through the net of the Gold Coast Titans and was a stone’s throw from being a Queenslander – but insists he hates the Maroons.
Robson will make his State of Origin debut for NSW in next week’s blockbuster second game at Suncorp Stadium.
The Cowboys hooker bleeds blue and was spotted by North Queensland while playing for the Dragons’ lower grades.
But Robson could have easily been a Titan, if not for a move to Sydney in his mid-teens.
Robson grew up in Murwillumbah, the Northern Rivers town nestled on the Tweed River which is the unofficial border between Queensland and NSW.
The official border is only about 15km north of Murwillumbah.
“I was born in Murwillumbah then moved to Tweed Heads when I was about six or seven,” Robson said.
“I played for Murwillumbah Colts and went to school in Murwillumbah.
“I was very close to Queensland – just close enough to have that hate.”
Robson attended Titans programs in his younger years but left the region before he got serious about chasing an NRL career.
“I did a lot of the younger summer school stuff with the Titans, but I was gone before it got too serious,” he said.
“I moved down to Sydney because of dad’s work when I was 14-15 and lived in Caringbah in the Shire.
“I got a start at the Dragons in an SG Ball trial and I kicked on from there.”
WALSH’S MAROON PRIDE
Maroons young gun Reece Walsh has spoken about his pride after being captured soaking up his maiden Queensland jumper.
The Queensland Rugby League filmed the moment Walsh first laid eyes on his debut Maroons No. 1 jersey in the Adelaide Oval dressing rooms.
The Broncos star picked up the jersey, gazed at it and brought it to his face in what was an emotional moment.
He then went out and had a blinder as Queensland recorded a crucial 26-18 win on neutral turf.
“It was massive,” Walsh said of his debut jersey.
“To represent my family and do it on the biggest stage rugby league can offer. It’s something I’m proud of.
“I wouldn’t be here standing in front of you guys without my family, my mum and dad, siblings, everyone that has played a part in getting me to where I am.
“I’m extremely grateful and at that time I tried to reflect on who got me there and why I’m here. I’m extremely grateful for everyone that played a part in that.”
What Walsh doesn’t have though is a strong stomach.
He was filmed vomiting in a dressing room bin during Magic Round after being put off by the smell of “sticky spray” and then Broncos teammate Kobe Hetherington made him sick again last week after Brisbane’s win against Newcastle.
“It was Kobe Hetherington, he had a gash on his eye and he kept pointing at me and it made me feel sick,” Walsh said.
“I wasn’t sick from being sick. He had this big gash and kept looking at me saying ‘Walshy, look at this’.
“He put me in a bad way.”
OATESY’S CRACK AT HERBIE
Broncos winger Corey Oates has had a cheeky dig at three-quarter partner Herbie Farnworth.
Farnworth and Oates have become a deadly duo on Brisbane’s left edge over the past few years.
But there is a running joke that Farnworth is a reluctant passer of the ball, regularly opting to use his running game instead of passing to Oates.
The Broncos posted a video to their social media channels of Oates and captain Adam Reynolds reading letters from young fans.
“I hope you get better soon, I like when you score tries,” wrote young Broncos fan Sam to Oates.
“Me too, I don’t get the ball much anymore thanks to Herbie,” Oates replied.
FOREVER YOUNG AT COWBOYS
The Cowboys have begun talks on a contract extension for Dean Young after Todd Payten’s assistant was overlooked for the Dragons job.
The Dragons had several candidates on their hit list to replace Anthony Griffin, including Young, Ben Hornby and Jason Ryles, who knocked back the Red V to sign with Melbourne.
That opened the door for Shane Flanagan to ink a three-year deal with the Dragons.
Defence coach Young has played a key role in the Cowboys’ resurgence and Payten said he is keen to keep his respected deputy in the tropics.
“It’s great for Shane Flanagan,” Payten said of the Dragons appointment.
“He served his time out of the game and has worked his way back.
“It’s disappointing for Dean, he is a really good coach and I’m disappointed he missed out on that job, but I am really grateful that he is still able to stay with us.
“I am working out an extension for him and we will work that out in the next few weeks.”
Asked if Young has what it takes to be an NRL head coach, Payten said: “Absolutely.”
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo holds secret talks with Matt Lodge
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