NRL 2022: Kevin Walters has head in front in coach of the year race
The contenders for coach of the year are outstanding, but Kevin Walters’ stunning turnaround with the Broncos will be hard to beat, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
Opinion
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The contenders for Dally M coach of the year are just outstanding.
You could take any one of the coaches in the top four at present and make a strong case for all of them.
Yet none went into the season under more pressure than Brisbane’s Kevvie Walters who has the Broncos playing brilliantly as they hunt down a top four finish.
It’s just astonishing to think this time last year they were sitting 15th on the ladder after 19 rounds, while the Wests Tigers, who they play on Saturday, were in 12th.
Ivan Cleary has also done another wonderful job to have the Panthers runaway leaders, while Todd Payten’s Cowboys were sitting second last but are now second.
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Rookie Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon is the other standout contender.
As it stands you’d probably have Walters in Payten going neck and neck for the gong.
But given the pressure that goes with coaching a huge club like the Broncos, Walters probably has his nose just in front.
If the Broncos didn’t have success this year it’s hard to see how Kevvie would have survived.
It’s a great thing the Broncos’ backed him to turn it around. He’s certainly repaying their loyalty.
TIGERS TAKING THINGS TOO FAR
Where do Wests Tigers get off having the audacity to request the private audio recordings from the bunker so they can forensically investigate what was said in the moments leading up to that match-defining decision in Townsville.
Seriously, how about they hand over the recordings from their board meetings for the past 10 years so their fans can forensically investigate how hopeless they have been running their footy team?
Or the results of that football department review they launched at the end of last season that never came to light but ultimately led to another failed season with another coach sacked.
There is no question they copped a tough call that cost them the win against the Cowboys.
But don’t let them con you into thinking that is what has ruined their season.
It was the final second of round 19 and they were already last on the ladder.
You can understand that they were incensed with what was a pretty dodgy call.
And I’m all for a blow up from a coach, a player or even an official if they feel they have been wronged. But to threaten legal action crosses the line. And access to private recordings? Give me a break.
If that result was ever overturned it would lead to chaos in the game.
We already complain about the overuse of the bunker. Imagine if every dodgy decision was then open to a legal challenge.
IS THIS THE HILL MANLY PLAYERS WANT TO DIE ON?
Let’s start with James Graham here because his response to what has gone on at Manly this week was the most surprising I had heard.
Graham is no dunce. He is one of the most thoughtful, passionate and intelligent players-turned commentators in the modern game.
I often sit back and listen to him talk on TV and radio and marvel at his insights.
Not just about the game, but the people who play it, and what motivates them.
Yet listening to Graham struggle to comprehend the depth of the personal sacrifice these seven Manly players are prepared to make, by standing down from Thursday night’s crucial clash against the Sydney Roosters in protest of the rainbow pride jersey, puts in perspective the massive division that drives this entire debate.
And why it now threatens to tear apart the Manly playing group, especially if any of the players who take the field this week have similar thoughts to Graham.
“For me personally I think it is an over-reaction from the players,” Graham said on NRL 360 on Tuesday night.
“It’s just a few colours on the jersey. It is not worth missing a game over.
“Like, you can have your beliefs. But really, this is your hill you want to die on?
“It’s just not worth it.”
It’s worth remembering that Graham himself was part of a St George Illawarra playing group in 2019 that was in deep discussions about staging their own strike.
That was in protest over the NRL’s decision to stand down Jack de Belin as he fought to clear his name of rape charges.
The Dragons players were so passionate about de Belin’s innocence that they could not believe the game had stood him down before he had the chance to defend his innocence.
Yet as angry and emotional as they were at the time, ultimately the Dragons did not go through with that threat to strike.
That was not even the first time Graham had seen division within a club — and on the previous occasion, religion was again involved.
“I have been involved in a team before with Will Hopoate, who elected not to play on a Sunday,” he said.
“I know publicly speaking it was all OK, but I know privately there was some players that had issue with it.
“That certainly didn’t help Canterbury’s cause that year.
“I respected it but I do know some people were taken aback by it.”
The seven Manly players feel so strongly about their religious and cultural beliefs that they have gone past the point of no return and point blank refused to wear the pride jersey.
And so they will sit out a match on Thursday night that could have a huge bearing on whether or not the Sea Eagles play finals football this season.
That is how important this issue obviously is to Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley.
This literally is the hill they are prepared “to die on”.
There have also been reports that other lesser known players have also refused to get an NRL call up in support of this group.
These players obviously feel so betrayed by their club that they are literally prepared to potentially sacrifice the entire season for themselves and their teammates.
How officials could spend a year planning for a moment to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, and even notify the likes of Hollywood A-listers Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth to get them on board, yet fail to seek input from the playing group is beyond comprehension.
But nevertheless, the job now for coach Des Hasler and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is to try and heal the hurt so they can save the Sea Eagles’ season.
So now we wait and see what the reaction will be on the field, not just on Thursday night but in the coming weeks when these players return.
Will this split Manly in two, or will it galvanise them on the charge to the NRL finals?
They have six games to go and they are one of four teams locked on 20 competition points fighting for the final spot in the top eight.
The last thing Manly can afford to do is surrender this game against the Roosters, knowing the road ahead is less than friendly.
After the Roosters they play the Eels, Titans, Sharks, Raiders and Bulldogs.
They have to win at least four of those games to guarantee a finals spot.
Hasler is a master at circling the wagons in a time of crisis, and no doubt he will somehow use this to create an us-against-them siege mentality, potentially against the club’s management to bring the playing group closer together.
Cherry-Evans has also shown he is a leader of high distinction.
He of course captained the “worst ever” Queensland team that scored a State of Origin series miracle in 2020.
While this year Cherry-Evans went to another level in the eyes of many when he helped inspire that historic victory after the Maroons went into the decider without their best player Cameron Munster and were given next to no chance.
But the job ahead of him here could be even more challenging given the fact seven of his teammates have been ostracised and vilified for their religious and cultural beliefs.
It will be interesting to see what reaction these players get now they have decided not to attend the game on Thursday night, the issue will be going forward to see what any backlash is if the severely depleted Sea Eagles cop a flogging.
There is genuine concern that this could get ugly if players are subjected to the type of hatred and abuse they have been copping on social media.
Though there is also astonishing support out there for them.
Polynesian leader Frank Puletua has expressed his heartbreak and disappointment at the pride jersey fiasco, via @badel_cmail
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) July 26, 2022
STORY: https://t.co/5MY0OWawvDpic.twitter.com/icb9o5XEyq
You just have to look at the fact a massive 83 per cent of more than 17,000 fans who have voted on our online poll say the players should not have been forced to wear the pride jersey.
I would imagine that is more a representation of the fact the majority of people hate having politics shoved down their throats in a sporting landscape than any resentment against the LGBTIQA movement.
Though even Polynesian leader Frank Puletua called for the players to change their minds.
“This is disappointing for me because a vast majority of the boys who made this decision are Polynesian,” Puletua said this week.
“It’s quite disappointing to see this has created this much conflict.
“I actually love the idea of a pride jumper … there is no other way forward for us as a society but to embrace all diversity. I think it would be great if the guys involved changed their minds and played and wore the jumper.”
It is just so sad that what started out as an idea to celebrate diversity and inclusivity has ultimately ended up excluding seven individuals purely because of their religious and cultural beliefs.
All because players were not consulted on a subject that always had the potential to divide not only a team but the entire rugby league community and beyond.
OFFICIALS DEBUNK LATE-GAME MYTH
And how about we at least acknowledge the officials in Townsville had the gumption to make the tough call. We always complain that the refs put their whistles away in the closing stages of games and it just becomes a free-for-all.
We saw it a few weeks back when the Raiders were robbed against the Dragons after Ben Hunt got away with three infringements in the one tackle that should have resulted in a Canberra penalty that would have sent the match into overtime.
In this instance, they at least made the call, they just got it wrong.
FINUCANE FURORE UNFOUNDED
You can understand Dale Finucane being upset at copping a two-game ban for his tackle on Stephen Crichton.
But don’t try and tell me it was the wrong decision to suspend the likeable Cronulla captain.
Finucane got what he deserved.
Just imagine if it was Latrell Mitchell who shot out of the line like that and whacked Joey Manu. How do you reckon that would go down with Roosters fans?
I don’t doubt Finucane did not intentionally set out to intentionally lead with his head, but his actions were extremely careless and they caused a shocking injury.
I said it earlier this week, just because Finucane is a good bloke doesn’t put him above the laws of the game.
TRANSFER DEADLINE DISASTER
I hate the fact the transfer deadline has been extended from June 30 to August 1.
What was wrong with the way it was?
Where it became a war of attrition at the backend of the season, instead of a case of who has the most money left in their cap get to go and buy their way out of trouble.
Now we have David Nofoaluma heading to Melbourne for the remainder of the season.
A couple of weeks back it was Matt Lodge to the Roosters.
Last year Tevita Pangai Jr to Penrith.
I also find it a bit rich from the Storm who have been blowing up all year about the Dolphins chasing Cameron Munster while he was still on contract.
Yet they have been shameless in their search for some outside back reinforcements.
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