Sport Confidential: Storm eye Tigers’ Adam Doueihi if Cameron Munster leaves
Melbourne are desperate to keep Cameron Munster but if the star five-eighth does leave their hit list includes a Wests Tigers star. Read SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
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Melbourne tried and failed to get Adam Doueihi on loan on August 1 but don’t be surprised if they come back for the Wests Tigers star on a more permanent basis should Cameron Munster opt to sign with the Dolphins after November 1.
The Storm’s priority is to keep Munster and they won’t rest while there is still hope that he could stay. However, if the Queensland and Australian superstar elects to leave, the Storm will need to explore their options and Doueihi is likely to be at the top of the list alongside Canterbury star Matt Burton.
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Doueihi’s contract mirrors that of Munster — he is off contract at the end of next season. The lure of Melbourne might be too much to resist for Doueihi given how tempted he was to join the club when the offer of a loan came up a few weeks ago.
The Tigers ultimately prevented Doueihi helping Melbourne in the lead-up to the finals - David Nofoaluma joined the Storm instead.
WALKER OPENS UP ON MANLY PRIDE JERSEY FIASCO
Dylan Walker has two brothers who are gay. If anyone at Manly could be excused for holding a grudge over the Pride jersey fiasco, it would be Walker.
Instead, the Sea Eagles utility insists the club has moved on and buried the past, denying the playing group has been irreparably fractured by the fallout.
“In the last few weeks, the playing group has been rock solid,” Walker said.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of the ‘Pride boys’ — I have two gay brothers, including one who is transitioning to become a girl, but it didn’t hurt me.
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“It was such an important game in our season, but if you are going to stand for something you believe in, how can you be angry with them for that?
“They (My brothers) weren’t angry at all. They said, ‘if you’re representing, we’re sweet’. If you’re a good person, which they all are, I can’t be angry with them.”
Walker’s stance was mirrored by five-eighth Kieran Foran and chief executive Tony Mestrov amid suggestions from sources close to the club that they are struggling to repair a major split within the playing group emanating from the Pride jersey debacle.
Mestrov insisted on Thursday that the players were united and their poor form had nothing to do with recent events, when seven players stood down over concerns over the Pride jersey.
“From our point of view, there is not a split,” Mestrov said.
“We are not where we want to be on the field at the moment but the players are saying they have moved on.
“They had dinner (together) last week. We are just not playing well. That other stuff is over.”
Despite the denials, those with links to the clubs insist tension continues to simmer after seven players boycotted the match against the Roosters on July 28.
It comes as pressure also mounts on coach Des Hasler to make changes as the Sea Eagles’ season heads towards a disappointing finish.
Manly are expected to keep Hasler next season but there are likely to be major changes to their backroom staff over the off-season.
The Sea Eagles’ are eerily following a similar path to that of the Dragons last year when they capitulated after BBQ-gate.
Players were also criticised for their public support of Manaise Fainu following his court conviction.
Manly are in the midst of a four-game losing streak and have looked a shadow of the side which was pushing for a top eight spot only a matter of weeks ago.
Now they will miss the eight and face a stern test against an in-form Cronulla on Saturday night. Another capitulation and the fractures will be laid bare.
KELLY READY TO MAKE SPORTING HISTORY
Isabelle Kelly describes herself as a captain who leads by example. On that front, she has much in common with her Sydney Roosters male counterpart, James Tedesco.
“I think he is a massive part of why the Roosters have had so much success,” Kelly said.
“His professionalism is second to none. As a player I love that he does the hard work, he does the stuff that people don’t notice as much.
“Off the field he is so professional in the way he acts and the way he carries himself.”
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This week, Kelly and Tedesco were pictured together at the SCG before the pair were part of a historic joint photograph involving coaches and players from the Roosters’ men and women’s team.
On Saturday, Kelly will lead the Roosters out against Parramatta as the NRLW season kicks off at Commbank Stadium.
But in Round 3, she will be the first person to lead a team out onto the new Sydney Football Stadium.
Tedesco was among those to send Kelly a message of congratulations when she was appointed Roosters captain.
“I would like to say I am the type of captain who likes to lead by example,” Kelly said.
“On the field I do the extra work - if they need someone to take the extra carry, I will do it. I am also someone the girls can look up to and confide in if they need support.
“I will always back them and lead by example.”
BRONCOS BATTLE TO KEEP STAR JUNIOR
The Broncos are under siege from the Dolphins over Australian rugby league’s No.1-ranked 18-year-old.
Classy five-eighth Karl Oloapu was named the player of the tournament at last month’s national under-18s championships at Redcliffe and now a battle for his services between the Broncos and Dolphins has exploded.
Sport Confidential understands the Dolphins have made moves to poach the 17-year-old, who was a standout member of Redcliffe’s Cyril Connell under-16s side last season.
Brisbane were quick to snap up Oloapu and placed the teenage whiz-kid in their Broncos Academy.
Oloapu’s new management recently asked the Broncos for an immediate release for the silky playmaker to join the Dolphins in 2023, but Brisbane development bosses flatly rejected that request.
The Wavell High product is signed to the Broncos until the end of 2025 and Brisbane have no interest in releasing Oloapu to their new NRL rivals.
Oloapu will be promoted to a development contract next year and the Broncos have plans for him to play NRL in the coming years.
DRAGONS LAND MAJOR SIGNING BLOW IN COACHING REVAMP
St George Illawarra has secured its first major addition to its revamped coaching staff by securing Ben Woolf – the brother of Tonga coach Kristian.
Woolf will join Anthony Griffin’s new look coaching team after the club parted ways with current assistants Peter Gentle and Mat Head.
The Dragons also met with former skipper Trent Barrett about a return to the club but he will join the Eels.
St George Illawarra are in the midst of a total revamp of their coaching and support staff, with Gentle and Head unlikely to be the only staff members who move on. The Dragons have fallen out of finals contention and Griffin is heading into the final 12 months of his deal.
Woolf is considered one of the best young coaches in the game. He has coached Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Queensland Cup since 2018. Before that he spent four seasons as the Titans under-20s coach working alongside the likes of Jahrome Hughes, Max King and Phillip Sami. The Seagulls are the Titans feeder club.
He was also named coach of the under-20s Queensland team but they did not get a chance to play because of Covid-19.
His brother Kristian is coaching St Helens and expected to link up with the Dolphins as Wayne Bennett’s long-term successor. The pair coach against each other in the Queensland Cup when Kristian was coaching Townsville before he joined the Knights.
Ben’s son Brent plays hooker for the Seagulls.
BULLDOGS SPONSOR BREAKS SILENCE ON CIRALDO MEETING
Craig Laundy has spilt the beans on his lunch with would-be Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo which set tongues wagging last month.
Canterbury’s major sponsor Laundy was sprung catching up with Ciraldo and his agent George Mimis.
But Laundy said it was an innocent meeting and was happy to now clear the air after Ciraldo agreed to a five year deal to coach the club from next season.
“That’s one of the biggest ironies of all time,” Laundy said. “There were plenty of meetings between myself and Cam in the last few months but that one was completely innocent and innocuous.
“It was a Wednesday and I normally play golf on Wednesdays. It was raining and I was 50/50 if I’d play. Cam texted me as a courtesy to say he was watching up at (the Laundy owned) The Locker Room with George and his accountant – who is also his father in law.
“He asked if I was around and I told him that he’d helped make up my mind not to play golf.
“There were lots of meetings over the last few months but that one was more to meet his father in law who knows a lot of former politicians. He is a political tragic so we didn’t talk footy, we spoke politics.”
Laundy laughed when photos of the lunch surfaced given there were “only about 10 people” at the Sydney Olympic Park establishment. His attention will now shift to recommitting as the club’s long-term major sponsor – with the original deal expiring at the end of this season with an option for a further two years.
“We were concentrating on what the coaching piece would look like,” Laundy said. “We are now in active discussions about a long-term major sponsorship deal with the Bulldogs.
“A very long-term in terms of modern day rugby league sponsorships.
“We’re wrapped in Cam’s character. We’re very keen to be involved with him and the club for a long period. The character has stood out to us for day one. We believe he is a great long-term fit.”
WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE ON THE MOVE?
The World Club Challenge could be reborn under a plan that would ensure every club was treated evenly leading into the premiership next season.
Confidential understands that senior figures in the game have discussed bringing out the Super League champions next year to take part in the NRL pre-season.
The introduction of the Dolphins means the NRL will move to 17 teams, which would leave one club without an opponent during the pre-season.
Hence the idea to bring out the Super League champions to ensure that every team played two pre-season games before the premiership proper.
EELS WOES CONTINUE
The Eels are facing another headache heading into the finals as they brace for their halves to head to November 1, sparking a multimillion dollar bidding war for their services.
Dylan Brown is off contract at the end of 2023 while Mitchell Moses has an option in his contract, which effectively means either player can sign with rival clubs on November 1 for the 2024 season.
Confidential understands that both players are unlikely to make a decision on their future before November 1, leaving them up for grabs on the open market.
Both players are already on healthy deals but could expect to command $1 million or more should a bidding war kick-off for their services.
The Eels are desperate to avoid that happening and will attempt to resume talks after Parramatta’s finals campaign is over.
That could give them only weeks to convince the pair to stay, although the more likely scenario is that they gauge their value with their rivals before sitting down with the Eels.
Meanwhile, the bad news keeps coming for out of favour Parramatta forward Nathan Brown. Brown is sidelined with a hand injury after hurting it in a captain’s run earlier this month. He is expected to be right to play in the first week of the finals but is also on the lookout for a new club after being told by the Eels he is free to leave.
SOUTHS STAR HANDED NEW CONTRACT FOR BIRTHDAY
Isaiah Tass will celebrate his 23rd birthday on Friday with a new two-year deal. Tass has impressed in his rookie season with the Rabbitohs outside back committing to a new contract. He has kept his spot in the Rabbitohs line-up since making his debut in round six.
The Rabbitohs have now secured Tass and Taane Milne but fellow outside backs Josh Mansour and Jaxson Paulo are unlikely to remain at the club beyond this year.
WORLDS COLLIDE
Winter and summer sporting codes joined forced to promote an action packed sporting schedule in September. NRL’s Braith Anasta, cricket’s Megan Barnard and AFL’s Brad Johnson are on the cover of the September issue of Foxtel magazine. The footy codes enter the finals next month while the men’s Australian cricket team play Zimbabwe in white ball cricket.
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