NRL: Sharks coach Josh Hannay had a message for veteran centre Will Chambers after his Monday night efforts

A hot-headed display from a veteran centre in a big Sharks loss earned the ire of coach Josh Hannay.

Will Chambers annoyed Manly players. Picture: NRL photos

Cronulla coach Josh Hannay had some pointed advice for his trash-talking centre Will Chambers after the former Storm star unleashed one of his trademark tirades in the 40-22 loss to Manly at Suncorp Stadium.

Hannay said Chambers “let his emotions get the better of him” after the veteran centre fired a verbal barrage at several Manly players.

The biggest and lengthiest Chambers spray was directed at Dylan Walker after he flew up out of the line and crash tackled the Manly utility in the second half. Chambers also wrangled with giant Manly forward Haumole Olakau’atu and unloaded a torrent of invective.

“I didn’t enjoy it,” Hannay said of Chambers’ antics.

“When you are behind on the scoreboard I am loathe for our guys to be too chirpy.”

The 33-year-old, who missed five tackles on an unhappy night, was replaced late in the match in his first game for Cronulla since round 15.

Chambers famously spent seven hours in his car outside Shark Park rather than break NRL biosecurity rules after recently returning to Sydney following the birth of his baby daughter in Melbourne. He had unknowingly already burst the NRL Covid-19 bubble and spent a fortnight in quarantine, but his determination to do the right thing by the game won wide praise.

Will Chambers was fired up against Manly Picture: NRL photos

Hannay acknowledged the efforts the fiery Chambers had gone to in order to return to the park.

“I think everyone knows that Will likes to be chirpy out there and get under people’s skin. It was his first game back in a while,” he said.

“I know he was really fired up and keen to get back into it because it has been a fair journey for Will to get back out onto the field.

“He probably let his emotions get the better of him there.”

The sight of Manly jerseys has always been like a red rag to a bull for Chambers.

He won two premierships at Melbourne where he played 215 games and was right in the thick of a rivalry with Manly that has been one of the great feuds of the NRL era.

Incredibly, his last game against the Sea Eagles before Monday night’s clash was for the Storm in 2019 at Brookvale Oval when he was sin-binned for a high shot on Jack Gosiewski that led to an all-in melee between the teams. As he walked up the tunnel, Chambers was attacked by a spectator, who was later slapped with a two-year ban by the NRL.

Chambers was on a short sojourn playing rugby union for the Queensland Reds when the infamous “Battle of Brookvale” erupted in 2011. That match featured an infamous stoush between the Storm’s Adam Blair and Manly’s Glenn Stewart, but Chambers has had some titanic battles with Manly dating back to 2008.

August 2, 2021 at Suncorp Stadium was just another one to add to the list.