NRL news 2024: $1.2m raised for injured Titans player Joseph Poiniu | Sport Confidential
The rugby league community has rallied around Titans teenager Joseph Poiniu after his catastrophic spinal injury, raising an incredible amount of money. See the full SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The rugby league and broader community has raised an incredible $1.2 million for paralysed Titans teenager Joseph Pouniu.
Pouniu, 18, was left with a catastrophic spinal injury after colliding with a goalpost while playing for Junior Titans in January last year.
The strapping schoolboys star was one of the Titans’ most promising young prospects and was due to join Gold Coast’s top 30 squad this season.
However he spent close to a year in a Brisbane hospital following the incident, prompting a tremendous showing of generosity from many across the game, including ARLC chairman Peter V’landys.
At Gold Coast’s season launch on Wednesday, Titans chairman Dennis Watt revealed the extent of the support for Pouniu and said new coach Des Hasler was preparing to employ him.
“Joseph will move down to the Gold Coast next month to begin daily rehabilitation at Making Strides centres,” Watt said.
“He’s now living with his family in a home that we as a club and the broader community helped raise money for.
“The (Titans) owners were extremely generous and quick to act in honouring his three-year contract upfront. Between Gofundme and the Australian Sports Foundation there’s been almost $1.2 million raised to help get Joseph back on his feet.
“Peter V’landys himself put $10,000 of his own money directly into Joseph’s mum’s account.
“All 17 clubs, both states, the entirety of the game came together to help give this young man a fighting chance in life. We have our tiffs, but when this game stands together we are unbeatable.
“Des is already organising a job for Joseph when he is ready.”
TINO BREAKS SILENCE ON FIFITA TRAINING ‘FIGHT’
Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has broken his silence on a rumoured rift with Titans and Maroons teammate David Fifita.
The NRL rumour mill has been in overdrive with whispers that Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita were involved in a training spat during a heated pre-season session under new coach Des Hasler.
The ultra-competitive Fa’asuamaleaui has been leading Hasler’s attempts to toughen up the Titans and turn the club into an NRL premiership contender following back-to-back bottom four finishes.
Titans figures have been quick to hose down rumours of a fight between the club’s two biggest stars, but neither player had spoken publicly.
Addressing the reports for the first time, Fa’asuamaleaui confirmed he had words with Fifita but insisted the incident never got physical.
“It was nothing, bro,” he said.
“We’re just brothers and that’s what you do – you fight at times.
“It was nothing physical at all. It was a one-minute thing on the field.
“We were more pushing (motivationally) each other, which is good, you want that. You want boys competing and pushing each other and keeping each other honest.
“If you don’t have that then you’re not picking up on little things. It’s good.
“I still love him. Like I said, we’re brothers.
“It’s funny how it blew up.”
Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita have been close friends since their junior days, with Tino playing a key role in luring Fifita from the Broncos to the Gold Coast in 2020.
They are so close they had the same clause written into their previous contracts that allowed them to quit the club if former coach Justin Holbrook was sacked, which occurred last year.
But while Fa’asuamaleaui has risen to the club captaincy and inked a 10-year contract extension, Fifita’s commitment to the Titans has been questioned throughout his three years on the Gold Coast.
Fifita, who was linked with a return to the Broncos last year, has a clause in his new $3 million contract that allows him to quit the Titans before round 10 this year.
Fifita will miss at least the first month of the NRL season as he recovers from pec surgery, but Fa’asuamaleaui said he responded to his captain’s challenge and was on board Hasler’s Titanic resurrection quest.
“One hundred per cent,” Fa’asuamaleaui said when asked if Fifita responded well.
“I love that about Davey. He listens to me and I listen to him when we’re chipping each other.
“It can get heated out there, especially when it’s 40 degrees.
“It was literally nothing bad and just funny how the media blew it up.”
The Titans will launch their 2024 NRL Premiership season against the Dragons at Cbus Super Stadium on March 9.
TINO TOWERS OVER JOURNO
Matt Tsimpikas may be Channel 9’s rising star of sports reporting but we’re confident he won’t reach the towering heights of Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
Tsimpikas had to improvise for his live cross with Fa’asuamaleaui from Gold Coast’s season launch at The Star Casino on Wednesday night.
Funnily, the 197cm tall Tino was still towering over Tsimpikas as he stood on a camera gear box.
MANLY BOSS BACKS EMBATTLED SEA EAGLE
Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov has emphatically backed embattled Josh Schuster to live up to his potential and insists there is no regret at the club over the decision to hand him a mega-deal.
Schuster signed a multi-million dollar deal last year but has struggled with injury ever since, impacting on the club’s plans to shift him to the back row.
Asked whether there are any regrets over the decision to hand Schuster a contract extension with more than $2 million, Mestrov was emphatic.
“No we don’t and I actually said that we are going to back him,” Mestrov told Sport Confidential.
“We’re backing the kid. We think he obviously has special skills. Sure he has had a couple of setbacks but his attitude in training has been absolutely outstanding.
“We’re backing him. If we’re wrong, then we’re wrong. I just think you let him go and someone else gets the benefit.
“He has been at this club since he was 14 and he has a burden on his shoulders. He has had a lot of praise and pressure on him. So we’re backing him.”
Schuster was set to transition to a permanent role in the second row this season but has been hampered by injuries in the preseason. In his absence, Ben Trbojevic has got the jump on Schuster and will start against South Sydney in Las Vegas.
“Seibs (Coach Anthony Seibold) thinks he can get the best out of him,” Mestrov said.
“We’re backing him as a club - chairman, CEO and coach. All three of us in that recruiting meeting, we hold the responsibility.”
FLASHBACK
The NRL changed the game forever on this day five years ago when they introduced the no-fault stand-down policy. Led by former chairman Peter Beattie, the policy was enacted for the first time against St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin.
ANOTHER ENGLISH STAR TURNING HEADS
Another Englishman is on the radar of NRL clubs. Wigan and England centre Jake Wardle is attracting interest from NRL sides as they look to poach another of Super League’s best players. At 25, Wardle would seem ready-made for the NRL. It’s one to keep an eye on.
SHARK CAN’T CATCH A BREAK
You have to feel sorry for the luckless Jesse Colquhoun who now faces a four month stint on the sidelines. The Sharks haven’t put a time frame on the young forward’s return but it could be as long as four months. Colquhoun hurt the same foot in the corresponding trial match against Canterbury at Belmore last year which also sidelined him for an extended period. Veteran Dale Finucane is racing the clock to be fit for round one as he battles a slight calf problem while Braden Hamlin-Uele won’t be right as he continues his way back from a knee injury.
TITANS VETERAN DEPARTS
There has been a shake-up in the recruitment ranks at the Gold Coast Titans.
Long-time elite player development manager Jamie McCormack departed the club this week.
McCormack was one of the club’s longest-serving employees and oversaw the junior pathways program.
Ezra Howe remains in charge of the Titans’ NRL recruitment, but has scaled back his on-field coaching at training sessions since Justin Holbrook was replaced by Des Hasler.
PERTH’S EXPANSION TALKS
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has held talks with Western Australia premier Roger Cook as Perth’s NRL expansion bid gathers pace.
While PNG is the frontrunner to win the NRL’s 18th licence, V’landys confirmed the governing body is looking to ‘Go West’ to give the NRL a truly national footprint beyond eastern-seaboard dominance.
It is understood Cook is hellbent on winning an NRL licence – the state has hosted two State of Origin games in the past five years – and V’landys says Perth is a genuine option for expansion.
“We’ve had numerous meetings with the WA premier,” V’landys said.
“He is excellent to work with, he is very, very good.
“Because of his commitment and passion, it certainly puts Perth high on the agenda.
“The premier of WA’s commitment will go a long way during the expansion process _ his drive and enthusiasm is certainly a factor.
V’landys believes Perth forming a strategic alliance with North Sydney, tapping into the power of the foundation Bears brand, would give WA instant credibility as an NRL operation.
“Perth is one of the main considerations and that’s where the Bears could come into the equation,” he said.
“There’s various options for them and one of them is to do something with Perth.
“That region is high on the agenda and we have looked at that area with the Bears being involved.
“That’s the sort of work we will be doing when planning our growth strategy.
“I could certainly see a situation where we have the Perth Bears playing two games at North Sydney Oval and the rest in Perth.”
MANLY STAR’S RETIREMENT DREAM
Haumole Olakau’atu’s dream is for his father to retire. The Manly back rower paid off his parent’s house last year, right before he was rewarded for his outstanding form with a blockbuster eight year deal. He hoped that would convince his old man to put down the tools. Only he hasn’t, continuing to earn a living as a concreter.
“Mum does’t work any more - she (helps) looks after my little one,” Olakau’atu said.
“Dad is still grinding, still concreting every day. That is definitely one thing I am looking forward to - trying to retire my old man from work.
“I actually thought he was going to retire from working once I bought him the house but he loves working. I guess that is where me and my siblings get our work ethic.”
Olakau’atu is quietly spoken but in a sign of the respect he has from his peers, he was added to the leadership group this season.
He is far from the finished article as a leader but he has vowed to learn off the likes of Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic so he can help the club’s young stars.
He is now one of the highest paid players at the club but he won’t be frittering it away on anything silly. He thought about buying a flash car when he signed his new deal late last year but his partner Ana talked him out of it.
“Once I signed my contract I was talking of buying a flashy car but I am super grateful for my partner who keep shooting it down and tells me to spend wisely and save,” Olakau’atu said.
“Behind every successful man there is a strong woman. She is that - a strong woman. She is the one who holds me accountable.”
DCE CONFRIMS US INTEREST
Daly Cherry-Evans has revealed he would consider finishing his career as the face of rugby league in America. The Manly captain has a genuine interest in growing the game and spoke openly on the eve of the Sea Eagles’ season opener in Las Vegas that living and playing in America appealed to him.
“We would, of course we would (consider it),” Cherry-Evans said.
“My kids are at a great age now where travel doesn’t scare them as much. More than ever we’re open to a bit of travel.
“Manly has always been the priority and always will be the priority. When opportunities like that rock up, imagine taking your family to New York to play a season or two over there.
“That would be pretty special.”
Momentum is gathering behind plans to start a fully-fledged competition in America with the support of the NRL.
Channel 9 star Karl Stefanovic has bought an equity stake in the mooted competition, while organisers have outlined plans to make contact with Hollywood megastar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Cherry-Evans would be a statement signing and has already drawn comparisons to the likes David Beckham and Lionel Messi when it comes to legitimising their sport in the world’s biggest market.
The timing also looks to marry up. Cherry-Evans has this year and next on his contract at Manly and hasn’t ruled out playing beyond that. He certainly hasn’t slowed down.
The Manly and Queensland playmaker continues to be among the fittest players at his club and the best players in the NRL.
He is heartbeat of a Sea Eagles side that kicks off its season against South Sydney in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon (AEDT).
He shapes as a logical target for American officials given his standing in the game and his ability to sell the game to a new audience.
Asked whether his body would allow him to continue playing beyond his current contract, Cherry-Evans said: “I would like to think the opposition wouldn’t be as hard. I would like to think that would help me get through it.”
FORMER BUNNY BACKS BROTHER AHEAD OF NRL DEBUT
Newcastle centre Dane Gagai has spoken of his pride at the persistence of his brother Jacob as he prepares to make his first grade debut for South Sydney at the age of 28.
Jacob Gagai has been knocking on the door of the NRL for years now and he finally gets his chance in Las Vegas after the NRL cleared him to play, having deemed a one-match ban he received at the end of last year would be served in the All Stars game.
Missing that game deprived him of the chance to play alongside Dane. But it meant he was able to make his premiership bow and Dane couldn’t be happier.
“Not just myself, my whole family,” Dane Gagai said.
“He has been working really hard. He has been persistent with it and it has finally paid off. He was heartbroken even though he is playing round one, he was still devastated he couldn’t play in the Maori All Stars team.
“I think it is going to be a pretty special moment for myself. It is going to be a very emotional moment for our whole family.
“We have always wanted to play together but unfortunately we didn’t get to do it in Maori All Stars. But now his dream is about to come true and to do it in Vegas, far out, what a place to do it.”
Dane lauded his brother for never giving up on his dream and pointed to the career of Jacob’s teammate Cody Walker as evidence that it is never too late to make something of rugby league.
“It has been a bit of mixed emotions,” Dane Gagai said.
“He has always had the potential and the capabilities to do it. I think he has been 18th man a fair few times - he has been on the fringe and never really got an opportunity.
“It got a bit tough at one point but he stuck at it. He is at a club with someone that has done it the best in Cody Walker. I think he was 26 or 27 when he debuted …. and look at the career he went on to have.
“He has an opportunity now. I speak to all the boys at the Bunnies and they tell me how good he goes. He just has to go out there now and show what he has got.”
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL news 2024: $1.2m raised for injured Titans player Joseph Poiniu | Sport Confidential
Early mail: Jillaroos star returns for New Zealand grudge match
Star playmaker Ali Brigginshaw is expected to be fit to face Kiwi Ferns after the Jillaroos co-captain missed the side’s historic 17-try demolition of PNG.
Meninga’s global vision: Coach calls for expansion Test matches
Mal Meninga has proposed his Kangaroos play expansion Test matches in some new overseas markets in a bid to attract more international players and fans. See where he thinks the game should go.