Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights: Panthers sign Zac Hosking from Broncos
The Penrith Panthers have bolstered their backrow stocks, while Phil Gould has backflipped on a key detail by signing Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.
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The Penrith Panthers have signed Broncos forward Zac Hosking on a two-year contract.
The 25-year-old, who stood out in two first grade appearances this year, agreed to terms after a zoom meeting last week with Panthers coach Ivan Cleary and chief executive Matt Cameron.
Other clubs, including the Canberra Raiders, had shown interest in the edge forward.
Hosking will be vying with another new recruit, the Wests Tigers’ Luke Garner, to play in the position of Viliame Kikau who is off to the Bulldogs next year.
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“He came across a really nice young man when we spoke on Zoom,” Cameron said.
“We’re rapt that he’s agreed to terms.
“We watched a couple of games and you can tell he’s a player.
“We’re looking forward to him really flourishing at Penrith.”
Hosking is the son of David Hosking, the former Manly and South Sydney forward.
The Panthers are becoming renowned for picking up high quality players and good value to add depth to their superstar premiership line-up.
The likes of Scott Sorensen and Jaeman Salmon have all developed their games under Cleary in the Panthers system after joining the club on small money.
GOULD’S HUGE BACKFLIP IN CIRALDO SIGNING
Phil Gould originally told us the Canterbury Bulldogs needed an experienced coach to replace Trent Barrett, such was the magnitude of the Belmore rebuild.
And then he appoints Cameron Ciraldo, who at 38, will become the youngest coach in the NRL.
The worst kept secret in rugby league finally became public knowledge on Sunday afternoon.
Gus overlooked ‘experienced’ men like Shane Flanagan and Michael Maguire to go with the hot-shot Penrith assistant who was Ivan Cleary’s right-hand man in last year’s premiership win.
The Bulldogs are obviously a much tougher assignment than the Panthers.
Coaching Kyle Flanagan is a bit harder than coaching Nathan Cleary. Jake Averillo needs more guidance than Dylan Edwards on the role of a fullback.
The Bulldogs don’t have eight State of Origin players like Ciraldo had at the Panthers.
It’s a bit like comparing midweek horses to Group 1 winners, such is the class difference in the Penrith and Bulldogs rosters.
The other factor is that coming from the Penrith system doesn’t guarantee success.
The last two have been Trent Barrett and Garth Brennan.
Barrett achieved only a 14 per cent win record at Canterbury while Brennan went to the Titans and achieved only a 30 per cent win record.
Barrett lasted 34 games at the Bulldogs, Brennan 40 games on the Gold Coast. Still the rap on Ciraldo is huge.
The man who helped deliver him to the Canterbury Bulldogs was billionaire publican Arthur Laundy. Laundy was there at meetings at Canterbury Leagues, the Red Lion Hotel and the Marsden Park Hotel to help Gould get the deal over the line in recent weeks.
“Cameron is a very impressive young fella,” Laundy said, “As soon as Gus indicated Cameron was the right fit and right choice, we got involved. It’s a great appointment.”
ROOSTERS HOT TIP TO WIN TITLE
The TAB have slashed the premiership winning odds of the Roosters and Rabbitohs in the countdown to the finals after impressive performances in recent weeks.
And the quality of their rosters would indicate it’s a season that a team could go all the way from the bottom half of the top eight.
Both Jason Demetriou and Trent Robinson appear to be timing their finals runs to perfection. The Roosters have won five straight since their bye in round 17 to firm from $26 to $11.
James Tedesco, Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii have been getting all the headlines.
Yet it’s been the return of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and the signing of Matt Lodge that has laid the foundations for their late charge.
The Rabbitohs are in from $17 to $10, coinciding with Latrell Mitchell’s return and awesome performances at fullback. There is no question this competition is one of the most open for years. The Broncos and the Parramatta Eels have drifted in the betting but any of half a dozen teams can win the title.
LOWLIGHT
The Parramatta Eels. They had everything to play for against the South Sydney Rabbitohs but didn’t aim up.
And you can’t just blame the absence of Mitchell Moses. This was a lack of intensity across the park.
HIGHLIGHT
Nicho Hynes’ heartfelt message to the grieving family of Paul Green on Fox Sports after the Sharks’ win over the Wests Tigers, delivered beautifully.
This guy is such a quality person.
Nicho Hynes topping off the win with an important message â¤ï¸
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 13, 2022
📺 Watch #NRLTigersSharks ch. 502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/B1ijnHf4i8
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/fQJ5nQCxj1
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/AQTbgwzJ7jpic.twitter.com/9hhLKxTxzE
SHOOSH
The point everyone is missing in the debate around the Rabbitohs’ future home ground is that the offer to stay at Accor is far stronger financially than moving to Allianz.
SPOTTED
AFL superstar Buddy Franklin getting a match-day hair cut at Barber Hut in Bondi Junction before the Sydney Swans’ blockbuster game against Collingwood at the SCG on Sunday.
SPOTTED
Some great rugby league people attended the funeral of Ken Arthurson’s wife Barbara on the Gold Coast on Friday including John Quayle, Fatty Vautin and author Thomas Keneally.
SPOTTED
It was a long way to go for 40 minutes of football for the Wests Tigers fans who walked out of Scully Park in Tamworth at halftime as their team trailed 26-6 against the Sharks.
SPOTTED
Injured Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses and his old Wests Tigers teammate Luke Brooks watching their horse Tawfiq Lass run second at Rosehill on Saturday.
360 VIEW
Catch you on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Paul Kent, James Hooper and Cooper Cronk to discuss all the big issues from Round 22.
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