Sport Confidential: ‘Scorpion’ tackle made on Reece Walsh returns after a decade
Turns out the scorpion tackle performed on Reece Walsh isn’t a new technique after all, as uncovered by Sport Confidential. See who was charged a decade ago.
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Turns out the scorpion isn’t a new tackling technique after all. Sport Confidential this week uncovered a story about the scorpion tackle a decade ago, written by our respected colleagues Paul Crawley and Phil Rothfield.
Back in 2013, former Newcastle winger James McManus was the victim of an ugly tackle by ex-Canterbury player Krisnan Inu.
Inu was charged over the tackle. The tackle this week involving North Queensland forward Coen Hess – it was on Brisbane superstar Reece Walsh and raised the concerns of Broncos officials – didn’t rate a mention at the match review committee.
They felt Hess had no case to answer. Cowboys coach Todd Payten also got on the front foot and lashed suggestions there was anything untoward about the tackle.
Regardless, it got us thinking about all the different tackles that have emerged since the grapple first came to prominence all those years ago.
A roll call if you will. Chicken wing, rolling pin, cannonballs, ankle twist, ripper, crusher, death rolls, the seatbelt.
BENJI’S FROSTY FULTON EXCHANGE
Wests Tigers assistant Benji Marshall has declined to discuss his relationship with recruitment boss Scott Fulton after being ambushed on his return to New Zealand.
Marshall jetted into Hamilton on Thursday where he was greeted by a throng of media in the lead up to their game against the Warriors on Friday night.
The Tigers and Kiwi legend has sidestepped interviews since taking a position as an assistant coach but if he was looking for a soft landing as he finally put his head up on home soil, he would have been bitterly disappointed.
Amid talk that his relationship with Fulton is fractious at best, Marshall was given the chance to put the issue to bed.
He declined.
“Nah, no comment,” Marshall replied.
Marshall and Fulton have been at odds over a series of recruitment calls, although Marshall scored a win this week as the Tigers finally signed veteran half Aidan Sezer to a deal for next season.
Sezer has been recruited to work alongside some of the club’s fresh new faces, most notable Jayden Sullivan and Latu Fainu.
The club turned to the former Canberra and Canterbury playmaker after being knocked back by a handful of targets, including Warriors half Shaun Johnson.
Marshall led the push for Johnson, confirming the club’s interest as he sung his praises on Thursday.
“Shaun has always been one of my favourite players to watch,” Marshall said.
“When he gets criticised I always find it hard to take or hard to hear. He’s definitely their go-to guy.
“That’s why we tried to sign him.”
Having signed Sezer to help them in the halves, the Tigers have also shored up their future by signing the star of the this week’s under 15s schoolboys tournament - Siotame Havea.
Havea, a lock, has signed a three-year deal with the Tigers after standing out at the NSW trials in Wollongong, where he was named player of the tournament.
The teenager has good bloodlines. He is the nephew of the Paea brothers - Mickey, Lelea, Lopini - all of whom played in the NRL.
He has made a long-term commitment to the club as another of their young stars contemplates making a switch of codes.
Alex Conti played in the recent Australian schoolboys titles but he also has a rugby union background and Sports Confidential understands that he has been approached about a potential switch of codes.
Conti is a member of the Waratahs Academy.
INSIDE HASLER’S TINO/FIFITA MEETING
Des Hasler has stepped up the fight for Gold Coast duo Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita after holding secret meetings with the pair on the glitter strip last week, where he outlined how he could make the pair better players.
Hasler, who will take over from interim coach Jimmy Lenihan at the end of the season, walked into a hornet’s nest when it emerged that Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita had exit clauses linked to the future of former coach Justin Holbrook.
The Titans have been negotiating with the pair to keep them at the club but Hasler may be their trump card as the Gold Coast look to retain their best forwards.
Sport Confidential understands that Hasler took the pair through their statistics for this season and explained how he could improve them as footballers.
He also gave them an insight into how he plans to make the club a more consistent force next season – he is set to officially take the reins on November 1.
It is understood the pair walked away from the meetings impressed with what they heard from Hasler, a positive sign as the Titans look to keep their rivals at bay.
Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita will be pivotal to any plans that Hasler has for the Titans given their importance to the club.
Hasler aside, the pair are expected to use their exit classes to renegotiate their existing deals. Fa’asuamaleaui has three years remaining on his contract and is due to earn in excess of $1 million a season in coming years.
Fifita extended his contract earlier this season until the end of 2026 but only a matter of months after signing that deal, he is in line for an upgrade and potential extension thanks to the Holbrook clause.
FREDDY FACES THE MUSIC
Brad Fittler has been asked to present a report on the Blues’ cataclysmic State of Origin campaign to the NSW Rugby League board by the end of August.
Fittler, who is off contract and fighting to keep his job as Blues coach after successive series defeats to the Billy Slater-inspired Maroons, has been asked to share his views on this year’s series to the board.
The board will then undertake a review of their own in mid-September before any decision is reached on Fittler’s future.
Fittler has won three of his six series in charge of Queensland but there have been calls for change following this year’s defeat.
The Blues were saved from a clean sweep when they won the final game of the series at Accor Stadium.
That game may have provided Fittler with a template for how he can save his job and turn around the Blues.
Fittler used Penrith coach Ivan Cleary on game day in Origin III and the premiership winner’s Midas touch carried over into the Origin arena.
Fittler will go a long way towards saving his job if he can convince Cleary or a coach of similar ilk to help him on Origin nights.
The NSW board are expected to look at Fitter’s staff as part of their review into the series loss.
DRAGONS’ TWINNING WAYS
For the first time in 115 years a club will feature two sets of twins in one team when the Feagai and Couchman brothers run out for St George Illawarra on Saturday.
Rugby league historian David Middleton confirmed that no side had ever consisted of two sets of twins before with Max and Mat Feagai to play alongside Toby and Ryan Couchman.
The Feagai’s have played multiple matches alongside each other in the top grade but the Couchman duo will take to the field for the first time in an NRL match together. It comes after Ryan made his NRL debut against the Eels last week after coming into side at the expense of Toby.
This time around though the rising forwards will start off the interchange bench.
Ryan said the quartet had spoken about making history.
“We spoke about it quickly at training,” Ryan said. “They are great players and great blokes. I’m really excited to play alongside both of them.”
Toby has been a rare shining light for the Dragons this year with the Thirroul Butchers product cementing himself as an NRL player featuring in 14 top grade games.
Ryan said it had been a dream come true for the pair.
“Toby and I have been playing together since we could handle a footy,” Ryan said. “We started at five and have been doing it together. We always wanted to play for the Dragons together.
“I was really excited to watch him make his debut in round one. It made me hungrier to try and play well and be there. We’re both competitive and want to be there.
“We’re super happy to see each other doing well and there is a healthy competition for spots. “That brings out the best in us.
“Making my debut is something I’ll never forget.”
The 19-year-olds still live in their family home. Their parents Rebecca and Ben are flying to Cairns to watch their son’s play alongside each other against the Rabbitohs.
“They are really excited” Ryan said. “It feels like watching a third debut for them. They aren’t too happy with the food bill at home but we’re contributing.”
JOHNS MAKES SAMOA COACH CALL
Daniel Holdsworth has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Matt Parish as Samoa coach with Matty Johns ruling himself out of contention for the role. Parish stood down from his position after helping lead Samoa to a World Cup final last year. He had been in the role since 2013, coaching in 26 Tests.
Holdsworth, who played for the Dragons, Canterbury and Cronulla, was part of the Samoan coaching staff last year. He is Craig Fitzgibbon’s assistant at the Sharks and is now primed to take over from Parish in what will be his first senior head coaching position.
Johns and his brother Andrew had pitched for the Samoan job alongside Sonny Bill Williams last year in the lead up to the World Cup. Despite the vacancy this time around, Matty said he would not chase the position.
“The circumstances originally was there was a lot of talk of serious discontent and a boycott from the players,” Johns said. “There was a petition that was signed going into the World Cup where players wouldn’t play under the coaching staff. People made us aware of that. If you’re looking to bring someone in for the World Cup, we would have done it for nothing.
What we would have done during the World Cup was taking people away with us put a full-time coaching staff in place that could be sustained. I am of the belief that to coach Samoa and to really make an impact, not just the short-term but the long-term it’s not about coaching it’s about cultivating. It’s about having a presence in Samoa.
“The predicament I’m in, the World Cup was the perfect time to go in, and coach. With my work commitments I could not do the job on a full-time basis with what the job needs.
“From what happened previously, I was told there was a lot of politics. I understood what they meant because we could never get a clear indication, if there was discontent or not. At the end of the day they sorted it out and had a great World Cup.
“From all reports, there were members of Matt’s coaching staff that did an excellent job and they would be a logical choice.”
While Johns won’t put his hand up for the head coaching role he has left the door ajar to be part of a new-look Samoan coaching staff.
“Anything that I can do to assist Samoa as far as being an adviser to the coaching staff or a specialist coach for young players, I’d be proud to,” Johns said.
Samoa will take part in a tri-nations at the end of the season against New Zealand and Australia.
PNG are also on the look out for a new coach. Shane Flanagan had been touted as a potential head coach having served as an assistant at the World Cup but he will be focusing on his St George Illawarra commitments.
FOX BACKS ORIGIN RETHINK
Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley has backed a bid by NRL clubs to overhaul the State of Origin program, saying the network would be willing to have a conversation about a new way forward.
Club bosses raised the prospect of Origin being played over a four-week period at a meeting with state bosses in Sydney on Tuesday as they look to mitigate the damage it causes to the premiership competition.
The broadcasters will play a major say in any changes. Fox Sports and the Nine Network have long-term deals with the NRL and while Fox doesn’t own Origin, they are significantly impacted by the concept.
Crawley is open to the conversation.
“We would gladly take part in a conversation,” Crawley said.
“Even though Origin is not ours, we still have the biggest stake there is in the game and we would love to go to the table and work out a better way to do it.
“It just doesn’t feel that it is the best way. What is the best way? A lot of smart people would have to discuss that.
“But it just doesn’t feel like it is the best way at the moment.”
MOYLAN’S CLEAN-UP
Matt Moylan has shown great character since being dropped three weeks ago as Cronulla’s starting five-eighth.
Named on the bench for the Sharks against the Rabbitohs last Saturday in Perth, Moylan wasn’t used by coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
It was also set to be his 100th Sharks NRL appearance.
Yet instead of kicking stones, Moylan was the last to leave the dressing rooms, helping to sweep and clean-up any rubbish left inside the rooms.
STREETS APART
Was this a premonition from Des Hasler? Realestate.com.au ran a story this week about Hasler’s former home in Kirribilli put up for sale. The name of the street? Holbrook Avenue.
Hasler will replace Justin Holbrook as Titans coach next year.
EUREKA, BENJI
Wests Tigers coach-in-waiting Benji Marshall has signed on as an ambassador for the inaugural running of the world’s richest harness race – the TAB Eureka.
Ten of the best pacers in Australia will battle it out for the $2.1 million prize pool at Club Menangle on 2 September.
“The one thing you can’t pick up watching the races on TV is just what finely-tuned specimens these animals are so to be rightup next to them and alongside one of the best pacers in Australia was an absolute treat,” Marshall said.
RAIDER RE-SIGNS
Canberra have re-signed hooker Tom Starling to a two-year deal.
Starling, who has been left out of the Raiders’ top squad to play the Storm on Sunday, had a player option in his favour for next season. But instead of that 12-month contract, the Raiders are going to give Starling a multi-year deal.
LODGE’S EMOTIONAL MESSAGE
Matt Lodge has penned an emotional post on social media after undergoing season-ending surgery to the knee he injured against his former club, the Sydney Roosters.
Lodge insists his career is still going strong as he focuses on making a comeback next season, more than likely with Manly.
“After riding the rugby league roller coaster as us players call it, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m all in,” Lodge wrote. “I love it. I love the game. The mateship. And for some reason I love the challenge to prove people wrong.
“Of course I’d rather be playing. It’s super tough but I love the mental challenge rehab brings. The opportunity to change, recreate yourself and grow.
“I feel I haven’t hit my ceiling just yet. And the best is yet to come. There’s no hiding your appearance and performance shows (sic) how diligent, disciplined and resilient you’ve been.”
Lodge gave fans a free pass to keep him in line as he focuses on his recovery.
“If you see me around eating a meat pie or something you got permission to slap it out of my hands,” he wrote accompanied by a laughing emoji.
“These injuries used to feel like the end of the world. But at one stage last year I think my whole Roosters forward pack had a previous ACL surgery.
“So if you’re a young fella who’s done one who I see so upset all the time you’ll be OK.”
There was also a message for his critics.
“Thanks everyone for the support. devastated and so sorry I can’t contribute on the field,” he wrote.
“To all the ‘you deserve it’ messages. That’s pretty low.”
FLASHBACK
There was no crackdown needed for this high shot by Canberra skipper Simon Woolford on this day 20 years ago. Woolford was sent off after collecting Manly’s Luke Williamson high after just eight minutes. Despite being down a man, the Raiders won 51-16. Woolford was banned for two games.
Originally published as Sport Confidential: ‘Scorpion’ tackle made on Reece Walsh returns after a decade
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