NRL 2023: Furner and Farah almost come to blows, NRLW’s hip-drop problem

An ugly feud that almost ended in punches being thrown was the catalyst for Dave Furner’s axing at Wests Tigers. Check out Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.

X-rays show Jackson Hastings fractured fibula.

This is an X-ray of the broken leg that cruelly ended Knights half Jackson Hastings’ season.

Hastings will undergo surgery in Newcastle tomorrow to have a new 15cm plate screwed to his fibula to repair the break in his right leg.

Hastings watched the Knights’ game against the Warriors on Saturday with injured teammate Lachlan Fitzgibbon.

Doctors found one major break and a minor fracture they believe he has carried all season.

“It has been giving me grief for a long time,” Hastings said. “They think the smaller fracture has been there all year.

“Now the major one. When I got the result I cried to myself in the car, I was that shattered.

“Then you think of Jayden Brailey who’s done two ACLs in a row on the back of an Achilles (injury).

“It’s just one of those things.”

Jackson Hastings’ season came to a cruel end against during the NRL Elimination Final match against Canberra Raiders. Picture: Getty Images.

Hastings required surgery on a fractured fibula.

Hastings joined Newcastle at the end of last season, rejecting moves from Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens for a shift to lock.

While Sheens struggled all season for a playmaker, Hastings has been one of the buys of the year for the Knights.

He gives huge credit to coach Adam O’Brien.

“The coach put a lot of faith in me,” he said. “I can’t speak highly enough of what he’s done for my confidence.

“I didn’t think I’d ever get someone like Madge (Michael Maguire) again, but Adsy shows the same level of care and support.

“I’m pretty shattered because you play footy to be part of these big end-of-season games.

“It’s actually heartbreaking. I’m super happy for Adam Clune, who has been a mate of mine for a long time, but I’m a bit jealous that I can’t be out there with the boys.”

SAINT

The NRL’s announcement of a Tina Turner grand final extravaganza to salute a musical legend whose iconic anthems opened up rugby league to an entirely new demographic. It will make grand final night on October 1 even more special.

SINNER

Val Holmes. Who would be dumb enough to post a photo of himself on social media with a bag containing a white substance in his mouth? Up until this act of complete stupidity, NRL players had been on their best behaviour in Mad Monday/post-season activities.

Instagram image of Valentine Holmes with a substance in his mouth.

SHOOSH

Which two lowly placed NRL clubs are conducting internal investigations to try to identify staff members who have been leaking negative stories throughout the season to various media outlets.

SHOOSH

The reason Dave Furner lost his assistant coaching job at the Wests Tigers was because of a falling out with club legend Robbie Farah. A falling out so serious the pair almost came to blows at a game towards the back end of the season.

SPOTTED

Melbourne Storm scouts have gone into Wests Tigers’ backyard to pinch highly regarded pathway prop, the 16-year-old Cooper Clarke, to a three-year deal. This is a bad look for the Tigers to be losing elite juniors from the thriving Macarthur junior league.

Former Wests Tigers rugby league junior rep Cooper Clarke signs a three-year deal with the Melbourne Storm, June 2023. Picture: Supplied.

SPOTTED

Storm halfback Tyran Wishart diving over for a try against the Roosters on Friday night in an almost identical manner to this touchdown in his days as a junior at the Gerringong Lions.

Tyran Wishart's try for Melbourne during their semi-final win over the Sydney Roosters was remarkably similar to one he scored during in his junior days. Credit: Supplied.

SPOTTED

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould meeting with Tigers recruitment manager Scott Fulton at Organica cafe in Concord, possibly discussing a player swap.

SPOTTED

Rabbitohs superstar Latrell Mitchell buying a new jet ski to enjoy over his summer holidays on Botany Bay.

SPOTTED

A few sharp NRL minds in Newcastle last weekend for the Knights v Raiders – NRL CEO Andrew Abdo sitting in between John Quayle and David Gallop outside a corporate suite. Both Quayle and Gallop did more than 10 years in Abdo’s role.

BOOKIE’S KIND DONATION TO KIDS HOSPITAL

Bookmaking firm PalmerBet had to remove its logo from the back of Newcastle’s jersey for the match against the Warriors yesterday.

New Zealand government regulations ban betting firms from sports sponsorship exposure.

This has turned into a nice story.

Rather than cover the logo in tape – like the Wests Tigers recently did with betting sponsor PlayUp – PalmerBet handed over the space to John Hunter Hospital and HNEkidshealth in Newcastle – a great organisation looking after kids in the area.

“It was an easy decision for us to nominate John Hunter Children’s Hospital,” said PalmerBet CEO Grant Palmer said. “Not only do they do so much for Newcastle and the Hunter Region, but a large portion of the PalmerBet team have young families and recognise the great work doctors, nurses and all the staff do at children’s hospitals everywhere.”

Bookmaking firm PalmerBet gave up their sponsorship spot to John Hunter Hospital and HNEkidshealth due to a New Zealand gambling sponsorship ban.

NRLW CRACKDOWN

NRL head of football Graham Annesley convened a meeting of all NRLW clubs during the week to personally address the worrying number of hip-drop tackles occurring in the women’s competition.

While the frequency of these high-injury-risk tackles is decreasing in the NRL, Annesley told the clubs the stats were trending in the opposite direction in the NRLW with several serious injuries recently suffered.

Clubs were told reversing the trend cannot rest solely with the match review committee and judiciary, and players must be coached in techniques to minimise the risk, particularly in the lead up to the 2024 season.

FAREWELLING KYLE

The South Sydney Rabbitohs and the family and friends of Kyle Turner will farewell the 2014 grand final forward at his funeral in Coonabarabran on Monday.

The service is at 11am at St Lawrence’s Catholic Church.

Cameron Murray, Damien Cook, Tom Burgess, Alex Johnston, John Sutton, coach Jason Demetriou and CEO Blake Solly will be among mourners.

IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY

Rugby league charity Family of League Foundation is celebrating 21 years of service to the community.

This wonderful organisation has delivered more than $10 million to those in need and 10,000 hours of welfare service since its formation in 2002.

A charity lunch to celebrate the milestone has been organised for October 13 at Doltone House, Pyrmont. Not only will it be an afternoon of footy entertainment, but the foundation will also be announcing the best composite NRL team from the past 21 years.

To vote and/or purchase tickets visit: familyofleague.org.au