Phil Gould publicly ends friendship with player agent Wayne Beavis over Anthony Griffin
The bitter Phil Gould-Anthony Griffin feud looks to have taken another casualty, with Gus shocking his “dear” friend and leading player agent Wayne Beavis with a public execution of their relationship.
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Dismayed agent Wayne Beavis says he finds it “very sad” that his 40-year relationship with Phil Gould could be over, as the Anthony Griffin coaching fallout continues.
Beavis, one of the game’s longest-serving and leading agents who manages high-profile coaches and former players including Trent Barrett, Shane Flanagan, Griffin, Jarryd Hayne and Beau Ryan was informed by News Corp that Gould had declared publicly their relationship was on the rocks.
“Really? That’s very sad. I don’t want to say anything else,’’ Beavis said.
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In defending the notion that he was part of a campaign against newly appointed St George-Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin winning the job, Gould said the accusations that he was knifing Griffin behind the scenes could lead to the end of a 40-year friendship with Beavis.
“To suggest that I’ve been part of some sort of media agenda to prevent him getting another coaching role is a disgrace. It just simply isn’t true,” Gould told Wide World of Sports.
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“The most hurtful thing through all of this is that Anthony Griffin is managed by Wayne Beavis, who’s been a very dear friend of mine for 40 years.
“Now, it pains me to say: I don’t know if Wayne was a party to this ridiculous and scurrilous campaign, to involve my name as a lever to securing Anthony Griffin a job at the Dragons but by his silence on this issue, I can only assume that he has endorsed this tactic and allowed it to play out the way it has.
“To allow people to make these types of accusations and misrepresent things so blatantly and over a long period of time, without Wayne stepping in to correct the narrative, is extremely disappointing on a personal note. And I find it devastating, in fact, from a personal view.
“I doubt that I’ll ever speak to Wayne Beavis again.
“And we’re talking about a dear and valued friendship. I love him dearly but I’ve been deeply hurt by the antics of the past week – and that’s all I will say about that.”
Originally published as Phil Gould publicly ends friendship with player agent Wayne Beavis over Anthony Griffin