Sport Confidential: Brett Stewart back coaching Manly after pleading guilty to cocaine charge

One of Manly’s greatest servants is back mentoring the first grade team after pleading guilty to cocaine possession. Check out Sport Confidential.

Samuela Fainu was involved in a heated altercation with Queensland players just hours after last week’s State of Origin under-19s game.

Brett Stewart has returned to his coaching role with the Sea Eagles after pleading guilty to cocaine possession in March.

Stewart acts as a mentor to Manly’s outside backs and after several weeks away from the club he has returned in his role. He was spotted sitting on the interchange bench during the Sea Eagles clash against North Queensland last Saturday night.

The club continued to offer Stewart support after his arrest. He was found guilty in May but no conviction was recorded.

Brett Stewart was back on the sidelines last week. Picture: Tim Allsop/Getty

ROOSTERS’ DOUBLE YOUNG SIGNING

The Roosters have agreed to offer an NRL opportunity to the older brother of Dominic Young. Young will join the Roosters from Newcastle next year but he won’t be alone with the Roosters handing his brother Alex a development deal next season and a mutual option for 2025.

His agent Michael Cincotta confirmed the deal.

“Alex is very excited to join the Roosters alongside Dom, he’s here on a mission to play NRL so he’ll come here with supreme focus,” Cincotta said. “There’s opportunity in the outside backs next year at the Roosters so Alex is keen to make a huge impact.

“Alex is your modern day winger, super athletic, strong, tall and a clinical finisher. He is an aerial threat with great hands to match.”

He has been plying his trade in the lower divisions in England after he put a stop to his rugby league career to pursue his law degree.

Dominic Young’s brother is joining him at the Roosters. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty

But after impressing at last year’s World Cup for Jamaica a host of clubs started to circle. Alex, at 24 is two years older than Dom, has been playing for Newcastle in England’s second division this year.

“Alex has been a supreme talent for a long time now,” Cincotta said. “Picked up by Leeds Rhinos at 14, he was dominant coming through the academy system, he then signed for Huddersfield Giants before Dom and was quickly becoming a star attraction. Alex also wanted to secure his future outside of the game so at age 18, Alex started his law degree at university and has gone on to do legal practice which is the next step to becoming a solicitor.”

Dom has been a revelation for the Knights since announcing his intention to take up a rich four-year deal to join the Roosters next year.

He is leading the NRL’s try-scoring tally with 18 from 17 games.

KNIFE SLEDGE SPARKED ORIGIN HOTEL RUN-IN

A day after agreeing a mega-money deal with the Wests Tigers, young Manly forward Samuela Fainu is set to be breached by the NSW Rugby League over a heated altercation with Queensland players in the hours after last week’s State of Origin under-19s game.

Sport Confidential can reveal that Fainu is one of at least two Blues players who will receive code of conduct breaches over their behaviour while in camp with the NSW side.

It is understood Fainu’s breach relates to an incident involving Maroons players in the early hours of Friday morning. It is understood he then left the team hotel without permission.

NSWRL chief executive David Trodden confirmed they were investigating the behaviour of some players and breach notices were expected to be handed out.

“The players that we select in our under 19s team expect to be treated like elite athletes and that is the way they are treated but with that comes an expectation that they behave like elite athletes as well,” Trodden said.

“We’re working through a couple of reports at the moment that suggest that the behaviour of some of the people in the groups didn’t meet our expectation.

Samuela Fainu runs out for the NSW under-19s. NRL Imagery

“That is really disappointing from our point of view and it is not something we can tolerate. There will at least two code of conduct breaches that will be issued by the end of the week in relation to the reports we have received.”

Fainu, who captained the NSW side, was involved in a heated exchange with Queensland forward Ben Te Kura during the game after the Maroons player had put a shot on his brother Latu. Te Kura is regarded as one of the rising stars at the Brisbane Broncos.

However, it is the action after the game that is of most concern for the NSWRL and the Dolphins, who made the decision to withdraw their offer to the Manly back rower at the 11th hour, giving the Tigers a free run at the pair.

Samuela and his brother Latu signed four year deals with the Tigers, believed to be worth around $4 million.

News of the impending breach notices came as the manager of the Fainu brothers urged the NRL to step in and do something about the deeply-personal abuse of the teenagers.

Fainu’s agent Mario Tartak said Samuela had been subject to ugly abuse about his brother Manase — currently in jail over a stabbing incident — during the Origin game and on previous occasions this season.

NSW and Qld under-19s players come together at Redcliffe last week. Picture: NRL Imagery

“It’s almost at he bullying stage with the comments about his brother and his family,” Tartak said.

“Unfortunately it is part of his life now. He’s young bloke and he is copping it. For a 19-year-old kid, absolutely the NRL should intervene.

“You’re talking about the mental health of a kid. You’re talking about someone’s family, they’re saying things like do you have knife on you on the field.”

The incident in NSW camp is not the first time this season Samuela Fainu has found himself in the centre of drama.

Earlier this year, Manly forward Josh Aloiai intervened after Fainu and Tigers half Brandon Wakeham had been involved in a slanging match when the sides met.

Sport Confidential was also told that Samuela had been subject to abuse by a high-profile Canberra player when Manly played the Raiders.

“I get they are professional rugby league players but this is something every personal,” Tartak said.

“All of a sudden this guy is the villain. It is not sledging - this is abuse.”

Samuela Fainu and his brother Latu were at the centre of a bidding war between the Dolphins and the Tigers, having been given permission to explore the market by the Sea Eagles. The Bulldogs were also understood to be interested in the duo.

The pair made their decisions on Wednesday as they signed concurrent deals with the Tigers believed to be worth as much as $500,000 each per season.

Tigers officials were convinced that the Dolphins remained in the hunt to sign the brothers up until this week. However, Sport Con understands that the Dolphins sent an email to the Fainu camp last week officially withdrawing their offer.

Boo Bailey's It's a Funny Game.

SOUTHS JUNIOR TO RE-SIGN

South Sydney are close to agreeing a two-year extension with NSW backrower Keaon Koloamatangi.

Sport Confidential understands that talks are well advanced on a deal that will keep Koloamatangi at the club until the end of 2026.

The local junior has no appetite to leave and the Rabbitohs are keen to keep him at the club, that desire only amplified by his selection in the Blues side that won the final game of the State of Origin series. The Rabbitohs recently signed centre Campbell Graham to a long-term extension.

DRAGONS RE-BUILD STARTS WITH RELEASES

The Dragons are starting their roster rebuild after granting forwards Jaiyden Hunt and Zane Musgrove permission to leave the club at the end of the season.

Hunt and Musgrove still have a year left on their contract but it is understood the Dragons will not stand in their way if either of the players can land a deal elsewhere.

Musgrove joined the Dragons this season from the Tigers but has only played six games in the top grade with the 27-year-old languishing in reserve grade. Hunt has played 14 games since making his debut in 2021.

The Dragons are in the midst of changing their roster under incoming coach Shane Flanagan.

Aside from Hunt and Musgrove, off-contract veteran Moses Mbye won’t be at the club next season.

Flanagan has been active in the player market.

The likes of Luke Thompson, David Fifita, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Edwin Ipape have emerged as potential signings.

Skipper Ben Hunt has parked any talk of wanting out of the club for the moment. He had a break post-Origin and captained the side on Thursday night.

FLASHBACK

Benji Marshall was in the headlines on this day 15 years ago. Marshall turned to the tape to try and re-ignite the Tigers season. He watched footage of his best performances — including the 2005 grand final — to help remind him of his best. The Tigers went out to beat South Sydney 36-12.

‘‘I’d forgotten what I could do. I tried to remind myself how good I can be when I want to,’’ Marshall said. ‘‘I thought today was my best performance of the season.”

Sport Confidential flashback.

BUMPER CONCERNING ACTS

These were four concerning acts last weekend that prompted the NRL to send a warning to clubs and players this week about the use of ‘bumpers’.

Sport Confidential can reveal that one of the incidents involved Gold Coast’s serial user of the bumper — where players raise their forearms as they run the ball — Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Fa’asuamaleaui escaped charge but received a concerning act notice from the match review committee after an incident involving Parramatta half Mitchell Moses.

After being on the receiving end of a forearm from Fa’asuamaleaui, Moses took umbrage with the match officials. Fa’asuamaleaui wasn’t charged but he was put on notice.

So were Newcastle backrower Adam Elliott, Brisbane winger Selwyn Cobbo and Wests Tigers backrower Isaiah Papali’I.

So concerned was NRL head of football Graham Annesley over the spate of incidents, he sent an email to clubs on Wednesday reminding them of the rules around the use of ‘bumpers’ and urging them to speak to their players.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has been cautioned over using his ‘bumpers’. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty

RE-KINDLED COMBAT

Liam Martin needs little reminding how tough it is to line up against Viliame Kikau. The two former long-term teammates would often come head to head at opposed training sessions.

They will get a chance to rekindle their combative spirits for the first time at NRL level provided Kikau recovers in time from a torn pectoral to take on his former club Penrith on Sunday.

“I am sort of looking forward to it,” Martin laughed. “He is a big body, skilful and powerful. I remember the opposed sessions, it was a nightmare to tackle him. I am really keen to play up against him and Burto (Matt Burton) – a few boys from the old crew.

VETERAN RULED OUT FOR SEASON

South Sydney winger Richie Kennar will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his bicep. Kennar had found a spot in South Sydney’s backline in recent weeks but was injured during their most recent game against the Warriors. The off-contract 28-year-old is expected to miss the rest of the year.

GREAT RIVALS JOIN FORCES

Sydney Roosters and Manly supporters have been asked to temporarily put aside their rivalry and join forces in raising funds and awareness for mental fitness as they prepare to meet for the Gotcha4Life in round 23.

Gotcha4Life founder Gus Worland said there was a message he wanted everyone to take home after the match.

“After leaving this match, I want everyone to think about the people they cherish and love in their lives, while also working to build their own mental fitness,” Worland said.

“When we talk about building mental fitness, we’re talking about anything you do to help you to feel better able to cope with the stresses and challenges that everyday life throws at us.

“Building our mental fitness makes it easier and more comfortable to have open and honest conversations with the people we love.”

OFF-CONTRACT CENTRE’S CODE SWITCH

Manly centre Morgan Harper is weighing up a move to rugby union as he contemplates his future beyond this season. Harper is off contract at season’s end and the Sea Eagles are expected to let him go. Sport Confidential understands he has already visited two rugby union clubs within Australia as he considers a dramatic switch of codes. Harper has played 51 games for the Sea Eagles since making the switch from Canterbury but the emergence of young stars Tolu Koula and Ben Trbojevic, and the consistent form of Brad Parker have squeezed him out. Rugby union looms as a realistic option.