Buzz’s NRL pressure gauge: Phil Rothfield reveals the CEOs, coaches, and players under the microscope in 2024
Phil Gould’s methods create friction wherever he goes and it’s all on the line in 2024. BUZZ ROTHFIELD lists the NRL personalities most under-pressure this season.
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Rugby league can be a brutal game – and not just on the field.
Feuds, fallouts, scandals and broken contracts are as common as Victor Radley and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves visiting the sin bin.
Last year we lost coaches Tim Sheens, Justin Holbrook and Anthony Griffin. Plus Freddy Fittler from Origin. And Lee Hagipantelis and Justin Pascoe from the front-office of the Wests Tigers.
The year before it was Michael Maguire, Trent Barrett, Dessie Hasler and Nathan Brown. Even Penrith chairman Dave O’Neill got shafted, despite overseeing two-straight premierships.
So who’s next? Meet those under most pressure as we prepare for the 2024 kick-off.
PRESSURE GAUGE: VERY HIGH
THE BULLDOGS
Phil Gould has been at Belmore for three years, finishing 16th (wooden spoon) in 2021, 12th in 2022 and 15th last season under hyped-up new coach Cameron Ciraldo.
It’s a slow old rebuild at a club that has become more of a transit lounge than a title contender.
There has been zero stability – they have used 70 players since Gould arrived.
Yes, they needed a roster shake-up but this is by far the most of any club.
In the same time Cronulla has used 38, the Rabbitohs 43 and Penrith 44. The Wests Tigers (57) have turned over the second-highest number of players.
No one’s job is safe. “It creates uncertainty with players walking on eggshells,” said one Penrith official from Gould’s days at the foot of the mountains.
One leading player agent, with two of the biggest names in the NRL, now refuses to do business with the club because of the manner in which contracts have been broken.
On paper the Bulldogs should improve.
They have picked up an outstanding big-match, X-factor player in Stephen Crichton.
Worryingly though, you look at other key signings at Belmore in recent times and it’s fair to say the likes of Reed Mahoney, Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr are not the same players they were at their previous clubs.
Outside of Crichton there have been some puzzling calls on recruitment.
Last year after a 66-nil loss to the Knights, Gould called a press conference. He announced a plan to: “rebuild from within”. To put resources into pathways and junior development.
In a complete contradiction they offloaded outstanding local juniors Jake Averillo (Moorebank Rams) and Paul Alamoti (Milperra Colts) to the Dolphins and Panthers. They also released highly regarded SG Ball centre Michael Gabrael to the Cronulla Sharks. He scored three tries last weekend in his first SG Ball game for the Sharks.
The Dogs have gone for a whole host of handy utility players – Connor Tracey, Blake Taaffe, Kurt Mann, Jaeman Salmon and Drew Hutchison.
All were borderline first graders at their previous clubs.
It’s puzzling because the positions that really needed strengthening – halfback and front-row – have been ignored.
Gould hired Ciraldo on a five-year $4 million contract. Some are now suggesting he took the wrong coach from Penrith, although Ciraldo has respect from the players.
Gus could have got Andrew Webster, the man who did such a terrific job with the Warriors to be named Dally M coach of the year.
Gould doesn’t have a great record with coaching appointments.
In 2015 he sacked Ivan Cleary at the Penrith Panthers because he was “tired”, replaced him with Anthony Griffin from the Broncos, extended Griffin’s contract – then sacked him a few months later.
Gould then quit Penrith when then chairman Dave O’Neill stepped in and brought Cleary back.
The man Gus didn’t want has since coached Penrith to four-straight grand finals and won three-straight premierships.
STATE OF ORIGIN
No question it remains a showpiece event on the rugby league calendar. But it also ruins the competition for eight weeks every year. The NRL has ignored some of the most influential voices in rugby league – Wayne Bennett, Nick Politis and club CEO’s Blake Solly and Brian Fletcher – in calls to change the scheduling. Speaking of the toll on the players, Fletcher said: “Player are human beings, not robots and their welfare should come first.”
Bennett said: “Why not play it over three straight Wednesday nights rather than eight weeks and keep the competition going as normal.” And Politis: “It has become an enormous burden on the clubs.”
PRESSURE GAUGE: HIGH
THE DOLPHINS
The competition’s youngest team needs to start preparing for life after Wayne Bennett.
The fact he was signed for only their first two years was a mistake. Clubs that the old super coach has previously left have a long history of struggling. The Dragons finished 9th, 14th and 11th when Bennett left at the end of 2011. The Knights won three-straight wooden spoons when he departed in 2014. The Broncos finished 8th (beaten 58-0 in the semi by Parramatta) then 16th and 14th in the three years after Bennett left in 2018. At least Bennett’s highly regarded replacement Kristian Woolf is a very good operator.
THE SHARKS
Few clubs are as consistent as Cronulla. They’ve missed the finals only once in nine years but it’s their off-field situation that causes concern. Shark Park will again have a ground capacity of only 13,000. They are the only Sydney-based club that has failed to secure State government funding for ground-improvements or a high-performance centre. Next door the leagues club remains an empty shell. Worryingly, the club will have to borrow $15 million for the fit out. You can blame previous management for doing a poor deal. You would have thought sales from the Woolooware development would have been sufficient to cover the cost for the new leagues club.
ANDREW ABDO
The NRL chief executive struggled through last year’s brutal collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the RLPA. After 18 months of failed talks, commission chairman Peter V’landys had to step in and give the players almost everything Abdo had been resisting.
Souths boss Blake Solly recently summed up a general mood of frustration around sluggish planning for the season opening Las Vegas extravaganza. “As we get closer to the match, we felt the preparation needed Peter’s (V’landys’) energy and unique ability to ‘get things done.’”
It was a direct shot at Abdo. But he’s been in charge since September 2020 and the product is in great shape and financially stronger than ever before.
RLPA
Clint Newton delivered the players a victory on the collective bargaining agreement last year.
However, it’s now time to concentrate on other areas. It is beyond belief that the new CBA hasn’t covered off on some important welfare issues. Where does he stand on Origin scheduling? How was Ronald Volkman left abandoned and facing costs for shoulder reconstruction surgery when he signed at St George Illawarra. Why was a young Bulldogs player forced to wrestle almost the entire Canterbury squad as punishment for arriving slightly late to training last year and then suffer mental health issues. The player is no longer at Belmore.
PRESSURE GAUGE: EXTREME
JASON DEMETRIOU
Last year couldn’t have been any tougher. A falling out with Sam Burgess, a stink with Cody Walker, John Morris’ departure, the head physio quitting and the club’s failure to make the top eight. Demetriou needs to make the finals to save his job. It’s a tricky role because he’s managing some interesting egos in Latrell, Cody and co. Both are wonderful footballers but probably still miss the influence of Wayne Bennett around the club.
No question Demetriou has the roster to challenge for the title. Jack Wighton is a huge signing, even more so after losing Campbell Graham for half the season.
JOSH SCHUSTER
The most over-hyped player in the game on $800,000-a-season, although through no fault of his own. No one held a gun to Anthony Seibold or Tony Mestrov and demanded the big money. They obviously felt he was worth it. It’s a salary that demands week-in, week-out high performance – something the gifted utility hasn’t yet delivered. A $3.2 million contract like this one over four years has the potential to split the ranks. Players working harder and delivering more on half the money can get upset and rebellious. The 22-year-old Schuster has now played 50 NRL games so there are no more excuses for not delivering.
BEN HUNT
Has made it clear over the last six months that he doesn’t want to be at St George Illawarra.
That he’s basically still there under sufferance. This guy is on $1 million-a-year and captain of one of the proudest old clubs in the competition. Can you imagine the reaction from the Red V army if his form slips. Hunt has put himself under enormous pressure.
PRESSURE GAUGE: SEVERE
THE FULLBACKS
Four superstars under the microscope.
Latrell Mitchell: Needs to be fit and firing in the big games. He has played in only three of Souths’ nine finals appearances since he arrived at Redfern owing to the ‘Joey Manu’ suspension and injuries. Also missed eight games at the back end of last year.
James Tedesco: A great player but now under siege from the younger fullbacks – Dylan Edwards, Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga – for the Kangaroos and Blues fullback jersey.
Tommy Turbo: An absolute champion on his day but has had a shocking run with injuries with only 12 games in two years. If he stays fit, Manly is a title smoky.
Ryan Papenhuyzen: The X-factor Storm needs to win the title. Had a terrible run with injuries – played 15 games in two years.
RADIO WARS
A huge year for the financially strained SEN network and the 2GB Continuous Call team.
SEN recently celebrated 20 years since launching in Melbourne but has struggled to make any impact in the Sydney market. The network reported a $9.2 million loss in the last financial year. The company has just $1 million left in a $28 million line of credit with the Commonwealth Bank. In the final survey for 2023, SEN rated just 0.7 in Sydney across the network. In one survey, their live rugby league coverage rated an asterisk.
It’s a shame because they have a heap of talent through the likes of Matty Johns on Fridays and Bryan Fletcher and Joel Caine on weekday drive. 2GB is under pressure as well. The Continuous Call team was knocked off by Triple M last year in the ratings, the first time they’ve been beaten in three decades. A fresh approach is obviously needed which is why station management have hired Walkley Award winning journalist Neil Breen to drive the Sunday coverage against Triple M with more news and issues rather than tired old jokes.
PRESSURE GAUGE: CATASTROPHIC
Shane Richardson
A great old administrator but a man who can’t possibly continue to be involved in a player-agent company while being Wests Tigers’ chief executive. The Wests Tigers board must insist, if he is to take on the job full time, that he gets out of Rich Digital. Signing one of his son Brent’s players – a rookie from Queensland Cup Solomona Faataape – while so many outstanding youngsters from their Campbelltown juniors have been banging on the door for an opportunity was such a dumb move.
Originally published as Buzz’s NRL pressure gauge: Phil Rothfield reveals the CEOs, coaches, and players under the microscope in 2024
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