Cameron Munster set to reject Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins, stay with Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm star Cameron Munster has finished his stint in rehab following the ‘white powder scandal’ and has made a huge call on his NRL future.
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Wayne Bennett faces a fight to lure Cameron Munster to the Dolphins, with the Maroons star baulking at a potential return to Queensland to head up the NRL’s expansion franchise.
The Sunday Mail can reveal Munster has informed the Storm he plans to remain in Melbourne and honour his contract until at least the end of 2023 after exiting a rehabilitation clinic in Brisbane.
That rules Munster out of contention to become Bennett’s marquee signing for the NRL’s 17th club when they enter the competition in 2023.
Dolphins coach Bennett and Munster struck up a bond during Queensland’s famous 2020 State of Origin series victory.
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Earlier this year, Munster indicated he would consider a return to Queensland and had interest in heading up Brisbane’s new team.
But the Storm’s support through the recent white powder scandal, which resulted in Munster entering rehab, has seen him pledge his future to the club.
“Cam has indicated he wants to see out his career at the club,” Storm chairman Matt Tripp said.
“I know he made comments earlier this year, but he quickly back-pedalled and tried to correct it after we had spoken. I don’t think he’d really thought it through.
“He has got family in Queensland, (his partner) Bianca is from Queensland and they’re expecting a baby.
“But your footy career isn’t forever and Melbourne is home to him. He is pretty settled down here.
“He’s probably got five or six good years left in him. I’d like to think that beyond 2023 he’d still want to make Melbourne home.
“Wayne can keep making all the statements he wants but at the end of the day Cameron is contracted to us and we’re pretty happy about that.”
Bennett viewed Munster as the ideal player to lead the Dolphins’ NRL inclusion.
A bona fide Origin and Kangaroos player, Munster has the star power to attract talent and supporters to the Redcliffe franchise.
But the Storm are expecting Munster to return to Melbourne a reformed person and player ahead of the 2022 NRL season.
“Cameron is a contracted player in 2023 and having spoken to him lately, I don’t see why he won’t be playing for the Melbourne Storm for the next two years,” Storm CEO Justin Rodski said.
“I think Cam is committed to the Storm. He started his career here and he is keen to continue his career in Melbourne.
“The time in rehab has given Cam time to reflect. He has got a new lease on life. It’s been a beneficial experience for him and we are confident he will return to Melbourne and the club in a really good headspace.
“Next year is an important year for him so it’s our expectation he will start pre-season well. From speaking to him over the last few days, he sounds really good, he sounds positive and he is ready to earn back the respect and trust of his teammates. It’s all we can ask of him right now.
“Cameron has done his time in rehab and we look forward to him returning to Melbourne with a positive mindset.
“He is a quality player and he has a lot to prove after what’s happened, but we are excited about what he can do on and off the field looking to the future.”
Munster, 27, has had a turbulent time in Melbourne since debuting for the Storm in 2014.
His party boy persona has come back to bite him at times and there was a theory the Storm had grown tired of managing a high-maintenance player.
But Tripp said the club was committed to helping Munster get his life back on track and rediscover his best form on the field.
“I got a bit annoyed with what happened because I’ve put a bit of work into Cameron and am quite close to him and care about him a lot,” Tripp said.
“Of course I was a bit knocked about by the whole saga but there were two ways we could have gone.
“We could have said ‘let’s turn our back on him and throw him to the wolves’ or we could have helped him turn his life around, which doesn’t need a lot of tweaking. It wasn’t as if he was out doing it every week.
“He made a bad decision and a big mistake. He is in the top handful of players in the world and with what he’s doing at the moment, I think we’re going to see the best version of Cameron Munster next year.
“He is really working hard on making sure everything he does right now is in preparation for round two next year (when he returns from suspension)
“It’s an exciting prospect for Melbourne supporters that we will see him at his best next year.”
‘COULDN’T KNOCK IT BACK’: HOW BENNETT SNARED BRONCOS STALWART
—Peter Badel
Former Queensland Origin hit man Ben Te’o says he is relishing the prospect of being mentored by Wayne Bennett after leaving the Broncos to launch his coaching career with expansion rivals the Dolphins.
Te’o announced his retirement at the Broncos last month and the 34-year-old had recently spoken to Brisbane bosses about moving into a mentoring role in his first step toward his longer-term ambition of becoming an NRL head coach.
Broncos hierarchy were open to Te’o remaining at Red Hill to operate in a development capacity, helping groom Brisbane’s posse of emerging forwards including TC Robati, Keenan Palasia, Jordan Riki and Tom Flegler.
But with nothing formal locked in for Te’o at Red Hill, the Dolphins pounced and now he
will follow Broncos development-and-pathways chief Kurt Richards to join Brisbane’s second team.
Te’o will coach the Dolphins’ Colts side next season with a view to potentially joining Bennett’s team of NRL assistants for the Redcliffe-backed organisation’s premiership arrival in two years.
“The approach only came in the last few days and it was an opportunity I couldn’t knock back,” Te’o said.
“When someone like Wayne opens the door for you to start your coaching journey, it’s an amazing opportunity.
“We have never had a player-coach relationship, which is interesting, but we are starting a different type of relationship which I’m looking forward to.
Te’o will join the Dolphins armed with one of the most impressive footballing portfolios in Australian sport.
Aside from seven Origin matches for Queensland, he amassed 173 NRL games for the Wests Tigers, Broncos and Souths, winning a premiership at the Rabbitohs in 2014 before his successful conversion to rugby union in the northern hemisphere.
During his time in European rugby, Te’o qualified for England, playing 16 Tests for the old enemy before returning to Australia for a second stint with the Broncos last year.
While injuries restricted Te’o to 21 games in the past two seasons at Red Hill, he made a major impact behind the scenes, impressing Brisbane’s young players with his work ethic, professionalism and tactical knowledge.
Te’o’s leadership at the Broncos whet the appetite for the New Zealand-born back-rower to explore the prospect of moving into the coaching sphere, starting with the Dolphins’ Colts.
“There were some opportunities at the Broncos but this is the right way for me to go,” he said.
“I start pre-season with the Dolphins on the 15th of November and I’m thinking about how I want the guys to train and play.
“If I want to coach, I need to have my own team. It’s really important to do a full season, ride the highs and lows, and be the main voice.”
DON’T EXPECT DOLPHINS TO PLAY GAME OF PATIENCE
– Paul Crawley
Newly appointed Dolphins recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan has dropped a bombshell that will send shockwaves through the Newcastle Knights.
The man famous for signing some of the game’s greatest stars has revealed that superstar Kalyn Ponga is a genuine target to become the marquee face of Wayne Bennett’s new Queensland-based NRL team.
It comes amid fresh speculation from News Corp’s own Phil Rothfield that the Dolphins could be willing to pay Ponga as much as $1.4 million-a-season to jump ship and move back to Queensland in 2023.
Already other names thrown up as potential marquee recruits include Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith.
O’Sullivan said ideally he won’t be targeting more than three marquee players to come on board for the club’s inaugural season.
Told of the speculation Ponga would be the Dolphins’ priority target, O’Sullivan didn’t hesitate: “Well, he could be. Who wouldn’t be keen on him?
“You could name anyone at that top echelon of players but they have to be coming off contract. And, two, they have to want to come.”
And that is where it gets interesting with Ponga’s situation.
There has been some dispute as to whether Ponga is up for grabs for 2023 with ongoing speculation he has a player option in his contract but it would only allow him to seek a release if Newcastle won a premiership.
News Corp spoke with Ponga’s father Andre about that clause last week but he was cagey with his response, claiming he needed to check the clause to be certain.
However, other sources have said that if push came to shove Ponga could leave the Knights at the end of next season.
Asked if he had any understanding of the agreement, O’Sullivan said: “Well, the official NRL (contract list) says he has a player option.”
Asked if he had any relationship with Ponga’s father, O’Sullivan then revealed that “I tried to sign him as a kid at the Roosters so I know his old man”.
The Newcastle Knights have been adamant that Ponga has shown no desire to want to leave the club, and that they don’t fear losing him.
However, the situation surrounding Mitchell Pearce’s request for a release to join French Super League club Catalans could be decisive.
Pearce’s pending move will leave the club without a reconsidered halfback heading into next season, and that could be hugely detrimental to their hopes of challenging the top teams.
It would be a massive setback if they can’t find an experienced replacement of Pearce’s calibre because, aside from that, they have a quality roster that could potentially challenge the top four teams.
The Knights have a pack regarded as one of the best in the league and the addition of Dane Gagai to be Bradman Best’s centre partner has given them extra firepower to alleviate the focus and pressure on Ponga.
But without Pearce it leaves young Jake Clifford as the most experienced playmaker at the club, with Adam Clune and Phoenix Crossland the backups.
Corey Norman’s name was put to the club as a potential option last week but the understanding is the Knights have not moved on that, although other halfback options for next season are very limited.
There has been some talk it could force Ponga to move into the halves to partner Clifford but the club doesn’t have a top line fullback replacement either.
O’Sullivan said the sooner the Dolphins can sign a marquee player the better to help with other signings.
Why powerhouse could be almost unrecognisable in 2023
– Travis Meyn and Peter Badel
Storm boss Matt Tripp fears Melbourne could lose Brandon Smith and Christian Welch as Wayne Bennett declared the Dolphins were ready to hit the NRL’s open market.
The NRL recruitment circus will hit overdrive on Monday when more than 150 off-contract players become free agents for the 2023 season.
Queensland expansion franchise the Dolphins will inject an extra $9.5 million into the market as they chase 30 players ahead of their entry to the competition.
Some of the NRL’s biggest names like Kalyn Ponga (Knights), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans), Joey Manu (Roosters), Clint Gutherson (Eels) and Viliame Kikau (Panthers) are up for grabs from 2023.
After losing key trio Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), Dale Finucane (Sharks) and Nicho Hynes (Sharks) this year, the Storm have a fight on their hands to retain representative duo Smith and Welch in light of the Dolphins’ entry.
Chairman Tripp said the Storm would do all they could to retain Smith and Welch but admitted it would not be easy with the Redcliffe-based Dolphins set to splash cash.
“It’s up to us to put our best foot forward to try and hang on to them,” he said.
“I am really hopeful that both will stay, but am I confident in keeping them both? I’m cautiously optimistic, I won’t say I’m confident.
“There is only so much room in the cap and so much we can offer these guys. I’m hoping it’s good enough but I’m genuinely not sure what offers will be coming their way.
“We will pay fair value. Redcliffe needs to be mindful that there is more to building a list than just signing big-name stars.
“You hear about them chasing this player and that player who are all on $500,000-plus. There are only so many of those players that can go into $9.5 million.
“It’s okay for them to say they’re going to target these Melbourne Storm players but they have a decision to make too.
“They might make a bit more money but may have to get used to getting kicked to death on the field each week as opposed to playing in a side that’s had a lot of careful planning gone into its list so we can have sustained success.
“The grass is always greener and Queensland has been very kind to a lot of our boys for the last couple of years because it’s been home for them. But Melbourne is going to be a pretty good place to live next year now that we’ve hopefully broken the back of the lockdowns.
“If we can hold our list together we are genuine contenders again.”
The Dolphins have geared up for the signing spree by securing experienced recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan from the Warriors.
Clubs have already started bracing for the Dolphins’ inclusion by locking up their big-name players, with the likes of Harry Grant (Storm) and Fa’asuamaleaui expected to remain at their clubs.
O’Sullivan will immediately begin piecing together an inaugural squad and coach Bennett said the Dolphins were ready to hit the market.
“We know we have a licence, we know we have a ground, we know we have a coach and a recruitment officer, now we have to go signing players,” he said. “The coach, recruitment officer and CEO (Terry Reader) will be part of the process, so we’re ready to go.
“It’s fine if some players are staying with their clubs. That’s good. There’s plenty of players available and I’ll be making sure we do our best to put together a competitive team from day one.”
The Dolphins are expected to sign the bulk of their players from rival NRL clubs and bolster the squad with developing products. Tripp said the Storm could lose multiple players due to the club’s success and strong links to Queensland.
“We’re resigned to the fact there are 16 teams out there and they’ve got to build a list of 30,” he said. “Maths suggests we might lose two players but because they’re going to target a lot more of our players who knows how many we could lose. I’d like to think zero but I’m a realist.
“I hope they’re successful but at the moment there’s plenty of talk. They’ve got time on their side to execute, but it’s a fair way off.
“I’m not going to stress too much. We will plan accordingly but I’m not going to be looking over my shoulder for Redcliffe to be coming after us in the short term.
“All clubs will have to be on their game once they get a bit of momentum. They’ve got money behind them and a brilliant coach.
“I’m sure they’ll do well but when it starts to click remains to be seen.”
While the Dolphins are an attractive proposition with Bennett at the helm, it won’t be easy to lure players out of clubs and they have plenty of work to do to land 30 signatures.
Former Broncos captain Corey Parker said the Dolphins had to set the tone with a marquee signing and then create a strong culture with quality signings.
“They have to get it right from day one and Wayne has the opportunity to do that,” he said.
“He has the experience and nous to do it. It’s really important they get their first marquee signing right because he will set the tone for the club, the culture, the fans, the members and what the Dolphins will look like and stand for.
“They will have a good side. They have a blank sheet of paper and $10 million in the bank to buy a team they want.
“I would be signing blokes who are red-hot competitors. You can’t have people with slack attitudes. The Dolphins have to sign players who are fearless competitors and just compete on everything.
“The Dolphins can’t just sign Queenslanders, they have to sign the players that fit their culture. Obviously you want some Queensland talent to be part of the fabric, but you want good people first because that makes a good organisation.
“You want hardworking, aggressive players and some good characters. Wayne is the perfect guy to work out what is needed.”
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