NRL clubs call for Covid-19 testing to be scrapped as bubble notion rejected
Covid-19 chaos has gripped the NRL again. Clubs have called for testing to be scrapped and the RLPA is lukewarm on the return of a bubble.
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A powerful consortium of NRL clubs are pushing for widespread Covid-19 testing to be scrapped during the finals series.
The clubs are rallying the NRL to reduce daily testing and only test those players are showing flu-like symptoms.
It would follow a similar approach made by the NFL heading into their new season who have all but scrapped their Covid-19 protocols all together. NFL franchises have been told two years of restrictions are over and they can revert back to “normal” procedures.
However, the NRL has remained vigilant with daily testing continued with the game believing their current system has stopped widespread outbreaks.
Clubs are hoping the NRL take a different approach heading into the finals – wanting them to scale back their testing measures and limiting it to those people who have symptoms.
The NRL is considering implementing a bubble for the business end of the season while some clubs may also place their own restrictions on players during the finals series.
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RLPA boss Clint Newton was hesitant to reintroduce a bubble after players spent two years under tight protocols.
“In regards to players going into bubbles, we are 100 per cent supportive of the current common sense approach,” Newton said. “The NRL’s testing policy has been really effective in limiting the mass breakouts at clubs. That has been shown by not a single game being postponed.
“We have seen limited players stood down.”
Covid-19 has swept the game this round with Manly trio Lachlan Croker, Jake Trbojevic and Andrew Davey ruled of their loss against St George Illawarra on Friday.
Newton said players would take personal ownership of their movements during finals.
“Around finals times you will find players are more naturally cautious anyway,” Newton said. “The mindset changes around that time of year given what is at stake.
“A lot of players stay home more, they don’t put themselves in a position where they could be compromised. We wouldn’t be supportive of wide-ranging mandates and certainly any mandates that were introduced would have to be backed by very strong evidence and data. The biggest punishment for any player would be to get Covid-19 and miss finals or a grand final. So they are aware of the risks.”
FITTLER, SLATER BREAK SILENCE OVER KANGAROOS
Origin coaches Billy Slater and Brad Fittler have knocked back the chance to become national selectors with Slater urging the ARL Commission to give Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga more say in the selection room.
Slater and Fittler were anointed Kangaroos selectors on the eve of Origin but wanted to get through the series before deciding if they would take up the position.
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys had hoped to pair Slater with Fittler as selectors ahead of the World Cup later this year but said he could understand their reasons for turning down the opportunity, not least because it would potentially compromise their jobs as state coaches.
“I totally respect both Brad’s and Billy’s viewpoints and I can understand their reasoning,” V’landys said. “We never wanted to put them in a compromising position.”
Slater told Confidential he was already overloaded with commitments and couldn’t do justice to the role of national selector. Queensland and NSW Rugby Leagues are expected to nominate two selectors each but most recently the panel comprised of Laurie Daley and Darren Lockyer. The pair are expected to again be considered for the roles.
“To be honest, I am full to the brim at the moment,” Slater said.
“I would have to sacrifice other things. I am already pretty busy at the moment. As important as I see the role, I just couldn’t do it justice. I couldn’t commit the time it deserves.”
Fittler added: “I was flattered to be asked as an Australian selector. Given my position with the NSW team, I feel it would be a conflict of interest.”
Slater urged the commission to give Meninga more say in team selections – technically, the national coach is not part of the selection panel. Although Meninga still holds significant sway.
“To be honest, if I was asked my opinion, Mal should have the deciding vote,” Slater said. “There is no one more credentialed to decide on the Australian team than Mal Meninga.
“I can’t understand why he wouldn’t have the loudest voice.”
V’landys is the chairman of selectors as part of his role as ARLC boss.
COULD WOODS END UP BACK AT WESTS TIGERS?
There is a push from some at Wests Tigers for former captain Aaron Woods to join the reunion at the club next season.
Woods almost signed with the Tigers this year but that was vetoed by former coach Michael Maguire. However, that may now all change given Tim Sheens is back in charge and Benji Marshall is calling the shots.
Woods remains tight with the duo. He faces an interesting situation at his current club St George Illawarra.
Woods needs to play 18 games to automatically guarantee his contract at the Dragons next year. He signed with the club on a 12-month deal with an option for next year.
Woods sits at 13 games already – meaning he needs to play five of the next seven to be at the club next year.
Barring a late scratching, he won’t play Friday night after the ex-Kangaroos prop was named 18th man to play Manly. He missed out on selection against the Broncos two weeks ago but returned to play the Roosters last week.
Meanwhile, the Dragons are still on the hunt for a hooker. The club has had discussions with Jacob Liddle and Sam Verrills as they look to add a No. 9 to their squad for next season.
Bubbles could return amid Covid chaos
The NRL is plunging into a state of Covid-19 chaos as it considers placing players in a bubble to save the competition during the finals series.
The game has been rocked by a spike in Covid-19 cases and clubs have been warned the third wave of the virus is expected to peak at the end of August – just two weeks before finals.
Manly have been decimated for their clash against St George Illawarra on Friday night with hooker Lachlan Croker joining Jake Trbojevic and Andrew Davey on the sidelines. Dylan Walker is expected to play hooker for Manly.
Canterbury fullback Jake Averillo will miss Canterbury’s clash against the Titans on Sunday after testing positive. Of particular concern for the game is that Averillo has now tested positive twice having missed a game in April.
Interim Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley and head of football Tim Sheens are among the Tigers staff members sidelined for their game against the Cowboys after testing positive to Covid-19 while sideline official Belinda Sharpe is also out of action.
The concern has prompted the NRL to consider putting players back into bubbles during the finals period as concerns grow surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak.
The NRL has so far resisted the temptation to put the players on tighter restrictions after a gruelling two years in bubble-life.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys confirmed the game would consider implementing changes towards the business end of the season.
“Coming into finals system we will look at it,” V’landys said. “We are not concerned at this point of time because of our rapid antigen system working well there is no need to make any changes.
“We’re going to monitor it carefully. We listen to expert advice but the system is working. All we have to do is educate the players and we are doing that.
“We’ve been meeting with clubs and advising them of the greater risks and to be more vigilant.”
Queensland’s Origin III preparations were thrown into disarray when Cameron Munster and Murray Taulagi tested positive in the lead-up to the game as part of the NRL’s daily testing regimen.
Football managers were briefed on the growing concerns surrounding a potential third wave of the virus during a phone hook-up late on Wednesday.
They were given an update regarding the projected data and some education as to where the numbers may land by the NRL’s biosecurity expert David Heslop.
Privately, some clubs are also speaking with their senior players to gauge if they would be open to being placed on tighter restrictions to help push for a premiership.
Clubs have already told players not to go out in large groups to avoid contracting and potentially spreading the disease.
Players have been told to wear masks while indoors particularly at airports and have been asked to avoid large crowds.
Leilua riding high with Cowboys
North Queensland forward Luciano Leilua says the bitter disappointment at being told he was free to leave Wests Tigers has been replaced by his excitement at challenging for a premiership.
Leilua wanted to finish the season at the Tigers but became collateral damage after the departure of coach Michael Maguire and was shipped off to Townsville in a stunning mid-season move.
“I was disappointed when they let go of Madge (Maguire) but me being close to Madge, they wanted to flick me,” Leilua said.
The last thing he told his former Tigers teammates was that he would see them in round 19. That week has now arrived and after the initial shock of being told he was free to leave, Leilua is loving life in Townsville with a side that is flying.
“I wouldn’t lie — I definitely did mark it down and told the boys I will see you guys up there in round 19,” Leilua said.
“They are a good club. It has always been a good club. I guess they needed some changes. I did take it hard, it was a bit disappointing.
“I guess the board and those guys up there wanted me out. I don’t know why. But I am looking forward, I wish we were playing down there so I could see them all.
“I have nothing (bad) towards the boys. They have been really good. I am sure they have nothing (bad) toward me. It is what it is. I just have to go out there and win.
“I am not one to complain and I won’t complain about coming to a top two team. These guys are great, they are humble, they just do their job, and they are winning so I can’t complain.”
Leilua reckons he paid the price for being a supporter of Maguire, who was shown the door after a poor start to the year.
However, he insists that he wants to see the Tigers and coach-in-waiting Benji Marshall succeed as he prepares to face his former side for the first time since his mid-season move.
The Tigers recently announced head of football Tim Sheens would take over for the next two years before club great Marshall assumes the reins.
“I have only had a year with Benji I am really happy for him and his family,” Leilua said. “He is a legend of the club, He deserves it.
“I am looking forward to seeing how he goes and I hope he really goes well. That is me honestly speaking. I hope he does well and the club do well — they have always been nice to me.
“I am really rooting for Benji. I hope he does really well. It is sort of weird – it will be weird running out to go against my old team but I have a job to do.
“I am a Cowboy now. Have to try to get the win.”
Three-way battle for Warrior
Warriors back-rower Eliesa Katoa has become one of the most in-demand players in the NRL as he finds himself at the centre of a three-way battle between Canberra, Melbourne and the Dolphins.
Katoa has two years remaining on his deal with the Warriors but it is understood he has been given permission to explore his options.
The Storm and Raiders were initially leading the charge for the 22-year-old. However, the Dolphins entered the fight after they missed out on Parramatta back rower Ryan Matterson.
Storm assistant coach Stephen Kearney handed Katoa his debut when he was head coach at the Tigers while Dolphins recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan was responsible for identifying and signing Katoa as a teenager.
Cowboys feel cap squeeze
North Queensland’s surprising success this season has left the club facing a salary cap squeeze that could cost them one of their gun fullbacks — Scott Drinkwater or Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Drinkwater and Tabuai-Fidow are off contract at the end of 2023, meaning they are both able to sign with rival clubs from November 1.
To say their opponents are watching closely would be an understatement, particularly given the mountainous task the Cowboys face to retain their high-flying squad.
Those two aside, the Cowboys will be forced to upgrade Jeremiah Nanai, Murray Tuilagi, Reece Robson and Griffin Neame if they want to retain their services.
All told, they are staring down the barrel of a $3.5 million outlay to keep them all. Something may have to give and it may be one of their fullbacks given Drinkwater and Tabuai-Fidow both covet the No. 1 jersey.
Drinkwater has the edge at the moment and should things stay that way, Tabuai-Fidow may be forced to look elsewhere. He will have no shortage of suitors.
Robbo avoids fine
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has avoided a fine for his criticism of the match officials following his side’s loss to Penrith earlier this month.
Robinson was brutal in his assessment of referee Gerard Sutton after his side was on the wrong end of several decisions in their loss to the premier.
The NRL later acknowledged Sutton had made mistakes and that appears to have saved Robinson from NRL sanctions after chief executive Andrew Abdo deemed no further action would be taken against the Roosters mentor.
Paps’ shattering blow
This is the scan that shattered Melbourne star Ryan Papenhuyzen’s season.
Papenhuyzen will not play again in 2022 after undergoing surgery to repair the knee he injured when he attempted to tackle runaway Raiders skipper Jack Wighton last weekend.
Storm chief executive Justin Rodski revealed the extent of the injury on SEN Radio, confirming that Papenhuyzen had broken the kneecap in 10 places.
“His recovery time is somewhere around three months so we won’t see him again this year unfortunately,” Rodski said.
“They have put pins and clips that stay inside your knee and it can heal really quickly.”
NRL Physio Brien Seeney obtained the X-ray and outlined the path to a return for Papenhuyzen on social media, revealing he had pins and wires surgically implanted to stabilise the fracture and assist with healing.
“The plan is for the hardware to remain in his patella even once returned to sport,” Seeney wrote.
Seeney suggested Papenhuyzen was looking at upwards of three months before he could play again.
Papenhuyzen is now out of hospital and attended Manchester United’s match at the MCG this week, where he was presented with a jersey by Red Devils star Bruno Fernandes.
Mansour building bright future
Josh Mansour has wasted little time in preparing for life after football but believes he is far from a spent force on the field.
Mansour has established a renovation company – Renosell – and was on hand to present a Rabbitohs diehard with a signed jersey after renovating the family home.
“We will go into a residence, renovate it and our goal is to get more profit than what was in their pre-evaluation report,” Mansour said. “With the interest rates going up and inflation, people are being forced to sell their property we want to put them in the best place.”
Mansour is a certified carpenter and has dabbled on the tools in between his playing commitments. The veteran winger is off-contract at the end of the season but has no intention of retiring when his South Sydney contract expires.
“I’m far from content,” Mansour said. “I’m eager to finish out this year and move onto something else. My main goal is to win a premiership.
Furner set for Tigers switch
David Furner is expected to join the Tigers coaching staff next season as an experienced hand to help guide rookie mentors Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.
Furner is a long-term prodigy of Tim Sheens, with Sheens coaching Furner as part of Canberra’s 1994 premiership-winning team. Furner went on to coach the Raiders and was Sheens’ assistant for a number of years when Sheens took control of the Kangaroos.
Furner is vastly experienced. He has bounced around a host of clubs in an assistant role in recent years including the Cowboys and South Sydney.
He has been Canterbury’s attacking coach in recent years but will become a senior assistant and work alongside the Sheens-Marshall-Farah trifecta next year.
While Marshall and Farah’s returns have naturally generated headlines another premiership winner has quietly been a constant in and around the group in recent weeks.
Chris Heighington has been quietly become a familiar face at Tigers training, lending a hand in an informal role. It remains unclear what that means for current Tigers assistants Nathan Cayless and Ben Gardiner.
Walsh up for fullback fight
The Warriors insist Reece Walsh will not be going anywhere despite overtures from Melbourne to try and prize the boom teenager out of the club for the rest of the season.
Interim coach Stacey Jones raised eyebrows when he relegated Walsh to the interchange bench to play the Raiders on Saturday. That prompted a few inquiries around Walsh’s availability for the rest of the season before he joins Brisbane next year.
The Storm are desperately looking for an outside back following a stack of injuries including to star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Meanwhile, Walsh declared he is up for the fight as he aims to secure the No. 1 jersey at the Brisbane Broncos next season. Walsh has been earmarked for the position but acknowledges the Broncos are loaded with talent when it comes to the fullback position.
Tesi Niu has been outstanding since making his return from injury while Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo have also made no secret of their desire to nail the No. 1 jersey.
Walsh will head into the pre-season as the frontrunner but knows he will need to play well to keep the others at bay.
“Obviously they have some awesome talent coming through,” Walsh said.
“I don’t think anything is cemented yet. Everyone is fighting for positions. It is not given to you. I know that. That is why I need to go out and have a really good pre-season — even finish this season off strong.
“At the end of the day the Broncos want to win football games and if someone is training or playing better than me, they will get picked over me.
“I don’t think anything has been set in stone.”
Walsh also praised Queensland coach Billy Slater after he called to check on his health when he recently contracted Covid-19.
“He called me straight away,” Walsh said. “Once I got Covid he called me straight away. He is so kind and caring. His first concern is with his players.”
Swans’ winter warmer
The Sydney weather has come to the party for Fox League and Fox Footy’s Retro Round, putting on the perfection conditions for the return of long-sleeve footy jumpers
Sydney Swans superstar Isaac Heeney slipped on a long-sleeve jumper in freezing conditions at the SCG this week ahead of his side’s clash with Adelaide.
With rain and a high of 16C forecast for Saturday it wouldn’t be the worst idea for our league and AFL stars to bring back the winter warmers.
Back in the day retro icon Warwick Capper could pull off the long sleeve, short shorts look to perfection in the red and white.
Fox League and Fox Footy are paying homage to all eras from the 1960s-2000s, highlighting the iconic personalties of the time, on and off the field.
Matty Johns, Bryan Fletcher, Nathan Hindmarsh and Gorden Tallis all dressed up for the Late Show on Thursday as different version of Gordie over the years.
Covid ruins heavyweight lunch
The planned date between Tim Sheens and Phil Gould has been postponed after the Tigers veteran mentor contracted Covid-19. Sheens and Gould were due to catch up for lunch on Thursday but Sheens has joined interim Wests Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley in contracting the virus.
Cup of cheer
Gus Worland’s crusade to raise money and awareness in support of mental health will reach another significant milestone next week when the Sydney Roosters and Manly play for the Gotcha4Life Cup.
Gotcha4Life is a not-for-profit foundation established by Worland in 2017 with the goal of bringing suicide numbers to zero through mental fitness programs.
Worland’s beloved Roosters and Manly — the club supported by his good mate Hugh Jackman — have joined forces to raise funds and awareness in support of mental fitness.
“Having my team against my Gotcha4life mate Hugh Jackman’s team will be awesome,” Worland said.
“We’ve been watching our teams play each other since the early 70s. We’ve spent many days at ‘Brookie Oval’ and the old sports ground munching on pies, running for the corner post at full-time.”
Griffin hangs on
St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin is safe – for now. The Dragons board have privately and publicly backed their coach after a board meeting on Tuesday. But there could be some change to the structure of the club’s football operations, including Griffin’s support staff. The Dragons are in the midst of working through some changes to the origination.
Sharks lock down young gun
Cronulla has tied down one of the club’s exciting young prospects by giving Josh Finau a development deal for next season. The 20-year-old is a damaging middle forward.
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