Peter V’landys and Australian Rugby League Commission under pressure to intervene over Jillaroos’ Olivia Kernick snub
Pressure is ramping up on Peter V’landys and the ARL Commission to intervene in the shocking omission of Dally M winner Olivia Kernick from the Jillaroos squad.
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Peter V’landys and the ARL Commission are under pressure to intervene over the Australian team selection snub of Dally M Medal winner Olivia Kernick.
The issue has been described as “scandalous” with Kernick’s Roosters club, commentators and fans stunned by the omission of Kernick from the Jillaroos squad named last Monday.
The ARLC could be forced into investigating how the Roosters premiership-winner was overlooked, and with the potential of a dramatic recall.
The development has emerged as this masthead can also reveal that Jillaroos coach Brad Donald phoned Kernick on Tuesday to discuss her rejection.
It’s believed Donald moved to ensure the Roosters premiership-winner that her cards had not been marked and that she could still be called into the squad, should an injury to a current Jillaroos squad member arise.
The shock of Kernick’s stunning omission has been felt across the game after the backrower was named the best player in the women’s game at the Dally M’s last week.
The outstanding talent scored two tries in the Roosters 32-28 NRLW grand final win over the Sharks, prompting an equal amount of dismay that she was overlooked for the Karen Murphy Medal as the best player on the field last Sunday.
Donald is at the centre of the furore with unsubstantiated claims that he was one of four members on the selection panel to overlook Kernick’s Test selection.
Fox League and SEN commentator Andrew Voss has also raised an unverified claim that Donald had an issue with Kernick’s alleged “attitude problems.’’
Donald opted against responding publicly to the claims when speaking to this masthead on Tuesday, however, it’s understood he has rejected the assertion to the rugby league hierarchy.
“Maybe, Brad, you have to work with Kernick. (Roosters coach) John Strange doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with Kernick’s attitude, she got player of the year and he won the comp with her,” Voss said on SEN radio on Tuesday.
Voss added the in-form forward being overlooked was a bigger story than any of the Kangaroos’ selection decisions, including James Tedesco or Daly Cherry-Evans being overlooked by Test coach Mal Meninga.
“It’s almost scandalous. It’s really worth some investigation here,” Voss said.
“I’m blown away.”
Roosters officials are equally upset by the decision to leave Kernick out of the Jillaroos squad, but are loath to speak publicly in fear of ruining the 23-year-old’s future representative claims.
Kernick was devastated to learn of the news through a phone call from Donald during Mad Monday celebrations on a boat on Sydney Harbour with Roosters teammates.
She was among a handful of players dropped from the Test side, including Dally M hooker of the year Keeley Davis, Titans centre Jaime Chapman, Cronulla fullback Emma Tonegato and injured Knights prop Caitlan Johnston-Green.
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Originally published as Peter V’landys and Australian Rugby League Commission under pressure to intervene over Jillaroos’ Olivia Kernick snub
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