Sport Confidential: South Sydney young gun Leon Te Hau collapses at Rabbitohs training
The International Rugby League Federation has come down hard, with a whopping 12 players charged over a wild brawl after the full-time siren between Fiji and Samoa last November. WATCH THE VIDEO
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A wild brawl between Fiji and Samoa resulted in a whopping 12 players charged by the International Rugby League Federation’s judiciary this week.
The post-siren fight which spilt into the sidelines overshadowed Samoa’s win at the Pacific Games nine’s tournament in the Solomon Islands last November.
Only now have the judiciary come down hard with a total 32 game ban for a stack of players across both nations.
Eseroma Lewer was hit with the heaviest ban with the Samoan rubbed out for six games. Teammates Tupea Elia Matau (five) and Oho Sooialo (four) were also suspended for a long-stint as were Fijian pair Aminio Siga and Ropate Tobe who will both miss four games.
SOUTHS SCARE AS YOUNG GUN COLLAPSES AT TRAINING
One of South Sydney’s most promising young players has thrown a scare through the Rabbitohs camp after he collapsed at training and was rushed to hospital.
Sports Confidential understands that Leon Te Hau – a Queensland under 18 representative – remains in hospital where he is being monitored as he continues to undergo testing.
The Rabbitohs were taking no chances on Wednesday when the 20-year-old fullback was physically ill and fainted during a training session at their Heffron Park headquarters, prompting club officials to call for an ambulance.
Te Hau is yet to play first grade but has been earmarked for bigger things by the club. The scare over Te Hau was the latest setback for the Rabbitohs as they attempt to turn around their fortunes this season.
The club has won only one game and coach Jason Demetriou has been under immense pressure to retain his job.
The good news is that the club expects Te Hau to be okay.
PANTHERS PLAN FOR LIFE AFTER FISHER-HARRIS
The production line at Penrith continues to produce as the Panthers plan for life after James Fisher-Harris.
The three-time defending premiers have locked down NSW under-19s prop Luron Patea to a long-term deal.
While the Panthers will, no doubt, hit the open market to secure a marquee player – they continue to ensure the next crop of superstars are coming through the grades.
This time it is Patea who has recommitted to the club on a deal until at least the end of 2027. It is understood Patea has also been upgraded to the club’s top-30 list this year, such is the esteem in which he is held.
Patea played off the bench for NSW in their under-19s clash last season. He was one of five Panthers picked for that game.
This year he featured in the opening five matches in NSW Cup, including starting in round four and five as his game time continues to build.
The Panthers front-row stocks have obviously taken a hit in recent years with Fisher-Harris following Spencer Leniu out of the club. Moses Leota remains the cornerstone of the forward pack and is contracted until the end of 2027. The impressive Lindsay Smith and rising star Liam Henry are locked in until the end of 2026.
D-DAY FOR RICHO AT WESTS
The new-look Wests Tigers board continue to deliberate on the future of interim chief executive Shane Richardson after the parties met this week to talk about a long-term deal.
Richardson’s six-month contract is inching towards an end after his appointment last December. The Tigers board have been made aware of rumours that a potential position for Richardson to return to South Sydney as head of football is on the table.
With that move in the wings, an answer is expected sooner rather than later. However, there is yet to be a decision on former chief executive Justin Pascoe’s long-term successor.
Despite the interest from South Sydney – where Richardson shares a close relationship with co-owner Russell Crowe – Richardson has made it clear he wants to remain in his current role permanently.
Complicating matters is that the people who helped parachute him into the position and pushed for the removal of Pascoe and ex-chair Lee Hagipantelis last December have had their power significantly dented.
Tony Andreacchio drove the controversial review but lost the chairmanship of majority shareholder the Holman Barnes Group in March.
Holman Barnes Group chairperson Julie Romero now holds significant sway despite Barry O’Farrell once again joining the Tigers as chairman. O’Farrell’s spot too is only temporary as the club works towards completing its governance review with no guarantee that he will be in the job long-term.
HOW TIGERS PLAN TO REPEL STEFANO RAIDS
Interim chief executive Shane Richardson has outlined his plans to make Stefano Utoikamanu a Wests Tiger for life by convincing the powerful prop that the club has turned over a new leaf.
Richardson stepped into the Tigers’ hot-seat in January and one of his first orders of business was to sit down with Utoikamanu’s manager, Daniel O’Loughlin.
It was a sign of how much the Tigers value Utoikamanu and how much they hope he will be part of their future as he weighs up whether to recommit to the club.
The Tiger are desperate to keep the in-form prop but Richardson won’t be rushing anything.
He wants to give Utoikamanu time and space to fall in love with the club again.
“I want him to settle at the club, to see that we have changed under Benji (Marshall) and the club itself has changed,” Richardson said.
“So there is a feeling … that this is a different club and a club you want to be at. I will sit down with Daniel over the next period of time.
“I haven’t made arrangements yet but I know Daniel well – we will work our way through it from there and hopefully he stays.”
Utoikamanu has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave at the end of the season if the Tigers miss the top eight. The only way that clause is voided is if Utoikamanu plays two games for NSW in this year’s Origin series. The way he is going, there is every chance that may come to fruition. If it does, a handful of rival clubs will be devastated.
The conga line of clubs waiting to speak to Utoikamanu has lengthened this week following revelations that James Fisher-Harris will leave Penrith at the end of the season.
Utoikamanu is believed to be on Penrith’s wishlist.
Asked whether the Tigers would consider allowing Utoikamanu to go to market now, which would at least give the Tigers an opportunity to understand what they were up against.
Richardson said: “We’re working on the basis we want him to stay so why would we allow him to explore things.
“The finals clause, in that in fact is not until the finals. Let it settle down, let Stefano settle, see how he goes with Origin.
“If he makes the Origin side we will go from there. When I started with the club in January, Daniel was the first manager I met.
“He knows my stance on it and I know his.”
Richardson believes Utoikamanu wants to stay, although the only way they can truly end any doubt is by winning games.
“I am more than confident that he will stay with us,” Richardson said.
“He has a great attitude, he has a great relationship with Benji, he always has a smile on his face. It will get down to once I sit down with Daniel.
“Certainly he is happy here at the moment, he is playing good footy under Benji, he and Benji have a good relationship. Hopefully we sort it out so he can be a Tiger forever.”
IT’S TORRIE TIME
Australia’s fastest woman is making up for lost time. Torrie Lewis travelled overseas to compete for the first time in a decade last year.
Over the next month, she is set to step it up a notch as she looks to book a spot in the Australian team for the Paris Olympics.
Lewis flew out of Australia on Thursday bound for a competition in China. It was the first stop in a tour that will take in Miami, the Bahamas, Japan and Fiji over the next six weeks.
By the time the Oceania Track and Field Championships come round in Fiji in June, Lewis will have clocked up some frequent flyer points and hopefully run a qualifying time in the 100m and 200m.
“Unless I get that automatic time there is no guarantee,” Lewis said.
“So of course I am always nervous. I am close to the time in the 100m but ideally, I think I would be more competitive in the 200m, which is why I would prefer to do that
“My start isn’t the best in the 100m but in the 200m, my back end speed is a lot better.”
Lewis, who broke Melissa Breen’s longstanding record in the 100m in Canberra in January, was at the launch of the uniforms for the Paris Olympic team on Wednesday in Sydney.
She used her time wisely. When she wasn’t being interviewed by the media, the 19-year-old was plying her fellow athletes for travel tips to help negotiate the coming weeks.
“I had my first overseas competition last year,” she said.
“That was my first time leaving Australia for 10 years. I am still really new to all the travel things. I am taking tips from all the athletes here and on past teams.”
And the best piece of advice she received?
“Try to sleep when you can,” Lewis said.
MANLY’S FORWARD THINKING
Manly prop Matt Lodge has spoken about his desire to lay down roots on Sydney’s northern beaches as the club prepares to open talks with teammate Nathan Brown over a contract extension.
Brown has put together a strong start to the year and Manly officials have begun informal talks over fresh terms for the 31-year-old.
Matt Lodge, however, will need to be patient as the Sea Eagles delay contract negotiations until he has strung together some games.
Lodge will make his return from knee surgery this weekend on the Gold Coast and made it clear his desire was to remain at Manly.
“I have always enjoyed my time under Seibs [coach Anthony Seibold] and I love what we are building here as a team,” Lodge said.
“Obviously I live down the road. I am only 28 now even though it felt like 40. I have a fair few kids now so I want to settle down.
“I would love to play some consistent footy and earn a deal. “
Meanwhile, Lodge has also spoken about his hopes that Josh Schuster can realise his potential as the Sea Eagles back rower finalises his departure from the club.
Lodge trained alongside Schuster when he was recovering from his knee problem.
“I think like everyone said, first and foremost he is just a kid playing footy,” Lodge said.
“I have a lot of empathy for stuff like that so I was trying to help him out a bit. I would love to see him reach his potential.
“He can do things a lot of us can’t on the footy field. I would just love to see him reach his potential.
“I was just trying to get to know him to see what goes on in his head. I was halfway through my rehab and had a bit of time up my sleeve.
“I would love to see him go well one day.”
BROOKS LAUDS MOSES’ SIX APPEAL
Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses was among a group of hand-picked playmakers hosted by NSW coach Michael Maguire at a recent meeting in preparation for this year’s State of Origin series.
Moses is racing the clock to prove his fitness in time for Origin I but his former teammate Luke Brooks insists that if his good mate is ready to go, he could more than handle the five-eighth duties alongside Nathan Cleary.
“He started off as a six,” Brooks said.
“I feel like the way that Parra play he is a dominant half, but if he plays like a (five-eighth) he has the running game.
“If he was to play alongside Cleary, I think it would be a good combo. He knows the game well and I think it would work well.”
Clear is considered an automatic selection at halfback but the five-eighth spot appears up for grabs as Jarome Luai, Cody Walker, Nicho Hynes and potentially Jack Wighton vie with Moses for selection.
“I think the spot is up for grabs,” Brooks said.
“I feel like he played well in the last game (last year). Obviously there is a new coach with Madge moving in. It seems like Cleary will be the half. I guess that five-eighth spot – that second half – is up for grabs.
“He was unfortunate to get injured at the time but if he makes it back, he will be all right.”
MAGIC COMING TO WESTERN SYDNEY
St Marys Leagues Stadium will host a Magic-Round style event for the Ron Massey Cup round of matches this weekend with every game to be played at the venue.
All four games will be played on Sunday afternoon as they celebrate Licensed Clubs Round across NSWRL with Licensed clubs contributing about $50 million annually to rugby league.
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