NRL 2022: Manly hooker Manase Fainu contract, Kevin Naiqama chooses Roosters over Tigers
Livewire Manly hooker Manase Fainu is currently banned by the NRL as he awaits trial over an alleged stabbing - but he could yet become one of the hottest players on the market in 2022.
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A longstanding friendship between Kevin Naiqama and Trent Robinson has helped the Fijian outside back to secure a one-year deal with the Sydney Roosters.
While some players look to England for one big final payday in the twilight of their rugby league careers, Naiqama, 32, believes he still has plenty to offer in the NRL.
Roosters recruitment manager Daniel Anderson and coach Robinson agree.
After 90 games with the Wests Tigers, Naiqama made the switch to the Super League in 2019 where he won three straight titles with St Helens.
The Naiqama signing, which was revealed by The Daily Telegraph earlier this month, is viewed as an invaluable boost to Robinson’s top-30 roster which was decimated by injury in 2021.
Robinson first met Naiqama as an assistant coach at Newcastle over 10 years ago. It’s believed Naiqama also received glowing reports from St Helens about his attitude on and off the field when Anderson, who coached the club between 2005-08, made inquiries about the former NRL star.
It’s understood the Tigers also showed keen interest in Naiqama.
Coach Michael Maguire’s centre stocks have taken a hit with Adam Doueihi and Tommy Talau both out with ACL injuries.
It has left the right centre spot up for grabs and Naiqama was considered an option. At this stage, young backAJ Kepaoa is the frontrunner to earn the spot in round one.
Elsewhere, a number of NRL clubs have made inquiries about the availability of Manly hooker Manase Fainu.
The 23-year old dummy half is currently on a train and trial deal at Manly, which would make Fainu a free agent depending on the outcome of his upcoming court case next year.
If Fainu did return to the field in 2022, it’s expected the once rising rake would be one of the hottest prospects on the NRL player market despite almost three years on the sidelines. Fainu is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery next week.
Fainu is banned under the NRL’s no-fault stand down policy he waits for a trial, set for July 2022, on multiple charges in an alleged stabbing back in October 2019. He has pleaded not guilty and has denied the allegations.
Fainu’s trial had been delayed due to Covid disruptions to the court system in NSW.
Last week Manly secured Fainu’s younger brother Latu, 16, on a million dollar deal. The five-eighth teen sensation agreed to a four-year deal that has a number of performance targets attached.
Penrith have signed Christian Crichton, the older brother of star back Stephen, on a train and trial deal. The 25-year old debuted for the Panthers back in 2018 and played 20 games before joining Canterbury. But the luckless winger suffered an ACL injury in December 2020 and missed the entire 2021 season.
It comes as Penrith also announced the signing of Canterbury forward Chris Smith on a one-year deal.
HOW MRS ROBBO CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN SMITH RACE
By: Paul Crawley
Off-contract Kiwi star Brandon Smith will have dinner with Trent Robinson at his eastern suburbs home this week as the Roosters make a last-ditch attempt to beat Wayne Bennett in the race to woo the in-demand dummy half away from the Melbourne Storm.
It comes as Smith’s agent Stan Martin revealed that he was hoping his star client would make a call on his future soon after his guided tour through the Roosters’ headquarters in the coming days.
The face-to-face with Robinson will be the final stopover on a high-profile trip down the eastern seaboard that also included visits with the Dolphins, Titans and Cowboys, who all tabled offers over the past fortnight.
It is understood at this point Robinson’s Roosters are the biggest threat to Bennett’s Dolphins, who are shaping up as the dominant force in this battle for one of the game’s most sought-after signatures, especially given Smith’s desire to continue playing hooker and Harry Grant’s ongoing presence at the Storm.
Bennett makes no secret of his keenness to sign the nuggety New Zealander as one of his marquee men at the NRL’s newest franchise, and the Dolphins seem pretty confident they will get their man.
But the fact is that when it comes to rugby league recruitment, no one does it better than Roosters supremo Nick Politis, who has a track record of getting what he wants, with superstars Sonny Bill Williams and Cooper Cronk among his former high profile targets.
However, Martin said Smith was not scheduled to meet with Politis this week, who was expected to be away on business.
But Robinson is also known to drive a very compelling argument when it comes to selling his vision for the Roosters.
“Trent has organised with Brandon, or is going to organise, to have dinner at his place,” Martin said on Sunday.
“He has got about a week in Sydney before he heads down to Melbourne.
“He will make a decision then I would hope. We might have to talk to Melbourne before we close off but I am hoping it is not too far into the distant future. Maybe two or three weeks I’m hoping.”
Martin is convinced Smith’s best position is dummy half, and that is where he should continue playing.
“He is the Dally M hooker of the year,” he said.
“It is not better for Brandon (playing out of position behind Grant).
“I don’t know if you remember but about a year ago we said that Brandon is a hooker.
“That is what we wanted.
“We always wanted that, never wavered off that.”
But he said continuing to play hooker at the Storm would be highly unlikely given Grant’s presence until at least the end of 2023.
“I don’t see that happening. They have got Harry, haven’t they?” Martin added.
Martin also conceded how Smith thought he might handle living in Sydney could factor into his final decision, with his parents currently living in Brisbane.
“There are lots of things going around in his head,” he continued.
“Monetary side of things is important. Being a leader is important.
“Building a legacy, which he won’t do at Storm because the legacy is Cameron Smith’s.
“All of those things are obvious issues. He will have visited all four clubs by the time this is over.
“I have a preference, but at the end of the day, he will have a preference and we will have a chat. We will have a Zoom conference and we will hopefully come to a club that we can agree to.”
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