Wests Tigers duo Josh Reynolds, Russell Packer walk out on team during Manly game
Two of Wests Tigers’ highest paid players abandoned their side at half-time during the epic win over Manly. Like all Tigers old boys, club legend Garry Jack is ropeable.
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Balmain legend Garry Jack has called on the Wests Tigers to stand down Russell Packer and Josh Reynolds, the star players who went AWOL over the weekend.
The club’s two highest paid players abandoned their teammates and walked out at half-time to miss the most stunning comeback win of the season.
Like all Tigers old boys, Jack is fuming.
“It’s not the attitude you want,” Jack said.
“The highly paid big names should set the example.
“They were cold … please. It’s a gee-up surely. It’s bullshit.
“We’ve got three weeks to go and you want all hands on deck.
“I’d stand them down for the year. We’re a team. We work together. It’s a terrible image.
“In our day all three grades never left until full-time in the main game.
“If they don’t stand them down what message are they sending to the younger players.”
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News Corp Australia on Sunday revealed five-eighth Josh Reynolds and front-rower Russell Packer both walked out of Brookvale Oval with their team trailing 20-12 at the break.
In an incident that will infuriate fans at the underperforming club, Reynolds on $850,000-a-year and Packer on $750,000 left the players dug out at halftime and headed straight to their cars.
Their pathetic excuse to coach Michael Maguire on Sunday morning was that they were feeling cold.
Injured utility Michael Chee Kam also left the venue.
Trailing 32-18 with just 12 minutes to go, the Wests Tigers scored three late tries to grab a stunning victory which presumably the absent players listened to on their car radios.
Their disappearance caught Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire by surprise when first contacted by News Corp Australia on Sunday morning.
In the excitement of a desperately needed victory, Maguire had no idea they had left.
It was only when News Corp Australia sent him a photo from Fox Sports cameras in the Wests Tigers dressing room at fulltime that he realised they had gone home.
He then rang the two players to find out why.
“You’re right, they left,” McGuire said, “Look there’s no hard and fast rule they have to be at games.
“Russ was our 19th man and Josh came to be around the boys.
“However I understand from a perception point of view what you’re thinking.
“They didn’t really give me a reason – they just said they were cold and wanted to go home.”
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The players declined to comment.
“I’ve spoken to Josh and Russell and they have nothing to say,” Mimis said.
Neither of them have broken any club rules.
Other players outside the Wests Tigers starting 17 were in the dressing sheds at fulltime to celebrate the remarkable victory with the starting players.
The selfish attitude of Packer and Reynolds says a lot about the Wests Tigers culture.
A club that wants to axe a club legend like Benji Marshall who busts his backside for the team each week yet allows their highest paid players walk out on the team during a game.
This is a playing group claiming to be “walking on eggshells” from the tough demands of Maguire and his coaching staff.