Phil Gould visits ex-Manly NRL hooker Manase Fainu in prison

Phil Gould has addressed rumours of a behind the scenes move after admitting to having visited a former NRL star behind bars.

Manase Fainu of the Sea Eagles during the Round 23 NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and the Manly Sea Eagles at GIO Stadium in Canberra, Sunday, August 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould has confirmed he visited former Manly hooker Manase Fainu in jail to check on his wellbeing.

Gould has also been in contact with Fainu’s talented younger brothers Latu and Samuela, but stopped short of suggestions he was keen to recruit the duo.

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In December last year, Manase Fainu was sentenced to eight years in prison with a non-parole period of four years and three months for stabbing a Mormon church leader back in 2019, a judgement he was appealing.

While Manase’s career is in tatters, his younger brothers are drawing interest from NRL clubs and Gould confirmed he has been in touch with the family.

Manase Fainu of the Sea Eagles during the Round 7 NRL match between Manly and the Canberra Raiders in 2019. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)

“I went out and saw Manase, had a lovely afternoon with him, spent about an hour-and-a-half out there at the jail and he’s doing it tough at the moment,” Gould said on Nine’s 100% Footy.

“I had a conversation with Latu and Samuela about their futures as well, it’s more mentoring at the moment than actually recruitment.

General Manager of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and commentator Phil Gould has spent time with the Fainu family. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“I’ll take a bit of interest in their career from now on, both of them played in the NSW under 19s the other night.”

While a number of clubs are showing interest in Samuela, 19, and 18-year-old Latu, Gould said his dealings with the duo were not about recruitment “at the moment”.

“It’s been a very tough time for the family and that’s about all I can say at the moment,” he said.

“It was more in just building a relationship and communication with the family and helping out down the track if I can.

“It’s more about just taking an interest in their lives and their football, their lives in particular, football becomes a part of it down the track.

“They’re going to be around a long time, they’re talented boys.”