What’s the Buzz: Wayne Pearce, Trent Robinson bury hatchet over son’s snub
A bitter feud that erupted in 2017 over the snubbing of premiership halfback Mitchell Pearce for Cooper Cronk has been settled, with rugby league the main benefactor of the olive branch.
NRL
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A bitter feud that erupted late in 2017 over the signing of Cooper Cronk at the Sydney Roosters and the snubbing of Mitchell Pearce has finally been settled.
For the first time since Pearce’s controversial exit, Roosters coach Trent Robinson and Pearce’s father Wayne have spoken.
Wayne Pearce is heading up the NRL’s Project Apollo, the innovation committee that includes premier coach Robinson to look at ways restarting the competition, various schedules and the possibility of two conferences.
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Independent commission chairman Peter V’landys put them both on the committee, unaware of the history.
At the time the Roosters signed Cronk from Storm, Wayne Pearce rang Roosters boss Nick Politis to express his anger and disappointment.
His son had won a premiership and three Jack Gibson Medals as the Roosters player of the year.
So we rang Wayne Pearce to check the situation out.
“It’s a long time ago now,” he said. “I wasn’t happy about the circumstances when Mitchell left.
“It probably wasn’t that Trent and I weren’t talking — we didn’t see other.
“Trent’s providing some really valuable input and that’s the main thing.”
As history shows, it was a masterstroke by Politis and Robinson, with Cronk steering the club to back-to-back premierships.
And in Mitchell Pearce’s case, it has been a win, too. He has grown into a wonderful leader in Newcastle, won an Origin series last year and has never looked happier.
FOOTY CODES JOIN FORCES
They might be business and sporting rivals but there are many ways for the footy codes to work on cost-sharing in these tough times.
A centralised bunker for the AFL, NRL, soccer and rugby union would be a good way to start. Each code spends millions of dollars every season on the same technology, video operators and studio space.
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Former A-League boss David Gallop had talks with the NRL last year about sharing the same bunker.
Each sport would have their own officials to adjudicate on decisions, but everything else would be shared out of two or three studios.
ALEX STAYING POSITIVE
Alex McKinnon has tougher restrictions than most of us during the coronavirus lockdown.
But the wheelchair-bound former footy player is such an inspiration in the way he is dealing with it.
McKinnon has been temporarily stood down as Knights recruitment boss and is not allowed out of the house in Newcastle because those who have suffered spinaI injuries are at high risk.
“I’m sitting at home doing a puzzle at the moment,” he said when we rang to check in.
“I don’t mind having a break. It’s good to be around home.
“I’ve been inside for three weeks — I’ve spent a lot of time by myself.
“I love being around people but I can cope on my own.”
There is a high risk of respiratory illnesses for anyone who has suffered a severe spinal injury.
“I had pneumonia when I was in hospital when I was first injured,” he said.
“When you get the tracheoscopy, it exposes you to heaps of bacteria.
“That on top of having a spinal cord injury puts you in the high-risk category, but everything is okay and I’m just being careful.”
NRL STARS STILL ON NOTICE
A warning to all NRL stars: the integrity unit remains open for business despite the game being in lockdown.
Some integrity staff have been placed on leave along with 90 per cent of NRL employees. But
an NRL spokesman told us: “Players have been reminded of their obligations under the Code of Conduct that continues to apply during the shutdown. Any behavioural issues will be investigated as normal.”
COACHES DOING IT TOUGH
Your columnist bumped into Rabbitohs assistant coach Jason Demetriou, who has been put off without pay, in the Shire during the week.
He has three children at school and will hopefully qualify for ScoMo’s $1500-a-fortnight payments.
Demetriou is not complaining, but I walked away thinking about the unfairness of recently departed general manager Shane Richardson taking a $500,000 payout while others at the club are struggling.