NRL news: Clubs walking a tightrope with Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Zac Lomax and Stefano Utoikamanu | Sport Confidential
Rival clubs are monitoring the situation at the Dragons, Tigers and Storm, as the clubs risk losing some of their biggest stars. See the full SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
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Rival clubs are keeping a close eye on the immediate playing future of Kiwi star Nelson Asofa-Solomona amid suggestions he faces a fight to win back his spot in the Melbourne Storm starting pack this season.
Asofa-Solomona has missed the opening two weeks of the season with a hamstring injury and the expectation is that when he makes his return - most likely next week - he will be forced to do so via the Queensland Cup.
An indifferent pre-season prompted whispers Asofa-Solomona had fallen out of favour with the Storm’s top brass. Rival clubs, aware that the 28-year-old has dropped down the pecking order in Melbourne, are watching closely as they size up a move for the New Zealand international.
While the relationship is understood to be repairable, Asofa-Solomona will have to prove himself through the lower grades if he is to win back support at the club.
Asofa-Solomona has been a mainstay at the Storm since making his debut in 2015. Only last year he inked a four-year contract extension to make him one of the highest paid props in the game worth about $850,000 a season.
That’s a lot of money out of the Storm’s cap to not be playing in the NRL. The Storm aren’t exactly flushed with middle forwards.
Josh King continues to be one of the most improved players in the game while former skipper Christian Welch produced a strong performance against Penrith despite his demotion from not only the captaincy but to the bench.
Welch has apparently been faultless despite being relieved of the leadership job. A host of clubs remain on the lookout for a marquee middle including the Warriors, St George Illawarra and Canterbury.
LOMAX PURSUIT COULD COST DRAGONS DEARLY
Parramatta’ s pursuit of Zac Lomax is set to have ramifications for one of St George Illawarra’s emerging stars as young centre Savelio Tamale weighs up his future at the Dragons.
Sport Confidential understands that Tamale - a NSW under 19 player last year - is yet to agree a new deal as he attracts interest from rivals, chief among them the Eels.
Parramatta are also at the front of the queue to sign the unsettled Lomax and his future is likely to have a ripple effect for Tamale, who scored eight tries in 12 appearances for the Dragons NSW Cup team last year.
He also averaged 130 run metres and broke 61 total tackles as he flashed big play ability and hinted at the sort of potential that has rival NRL clubs salivating.
Tamale was poached by the Dragons from rugby union, where he was a member of the Waratahs under-18s squad. Lomax, meanwhile, has been told to wait until after round four before the club will hold talks with his management over his future.
TIGERS RISK LOSING ‘FUTURE CLUB CAPTAIN’
Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu has been hailed as a future captain of the club by current skipper Api Koroisau.
There’s only one problem - the Tigers have their hands full keeping him beyond this season.
It has been well documented that Utoikamanu has a clause in his contract that enables him to test the market if the Tigers miss the finals and the sense is that he will explore his options when the opportunity arises.
Utoikamanu insists his priority is to start the season as strongly as he and the club can but his teammates have provided an insight into his importance to the Tigers as coach Benji Marshall attempts to lift them out of the doldrums.
Asked whether he could see Utoikamanu as a future captain, Koroisau said: “Stefano is definitely an action-first type of guy. He is one of those guys you can always rely on. So I definitely see that for him.”
Utoikamanu’s future is expected to be up in the air for months to come given the Tigers have little to no interest in allowing him to explore his options any time soon.
If he is to go to market, it means his management will have to wait until the Tigers are mathematically out of finals contention before they can sound out rival clubs.
Koroisau admits the only way to silence the rumour mill is to win and play well. That would also help them retain Utoikamanu - he is contracted for next season if the club plays finals football, something they have been unable to do for a decade.
“One of the things that everyone is forgetting is that the footy will help any of that chat,” Koroisau said.
“If we play good footy I think it stops a lot of the chat that gets around, a lot of the rumours everyone starts up with.
“Stefano is an incredible leader on and off the field. For him to be so young and hitting where he is as a front rower is incredible. We don’t want to lose someone like that. I think he is really important to this club and this club going forward.”
SEVEN BOSS TO JOIN ARLC?
Outgoing Seven West media boss James Warburton organised a meeting with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys this week to introduce his successor at the network, Jeff Howard.
Before that meeting kicked off, the conversation drifted to the prospect of Warburton potentially joining the ARL Commission. It is understood Warburton, a rugby league fan, wasn’t opposed to the idea but he will need to be patient.
As V’landys pointed out afterwards, there are no imminent vacancies on the commission. All eight spots are filled and the tenure of Megan Davis and Kate Jones was extended at the most recent annual general meeting.
Mind you, that’s not to say there won’t be in a year or two, when the ARL Commission is scheduled to commence negotiations with broadcasters over a new broadcasting deal.
Warburton would give the commission recent expertise in the business, having been at the helm of Seven when they joined forces with Fox Sports to secure the AFL rights.
Given his close ties to the Seven Network, Nine bosses would be on high alert. However, it is understood V’landys would consult News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller and Nine boss Mike Sneesby before countenancing Warburton joining the commission.
Time is on his side.
“There are no vacancies and I am not going to comment on it,” V’landys said.
“But there are plenty of people who want to be on the commission because it is exceptionally successful at the current time.”
REVEALED: DES REJECTED MANLY CASH
Gold Coast coach Des Hasler rejected a $565,000 olive branch from Manly before kicking off legal action against his former club over his sacking at the end of 2022.
Hasler, who parted ways with the Sea Eagles in the wake of the Pride jersey saga, has been involved in mediation with Manly as the parties attempt to avoid a bitter and ugly dispute in the courts.
Court action, however, looks more and more likely given the parties are yet to thrash out a final deal.
Remarkably, the whole sorry saga could have been avoided had Hasler accepted Manly’s initial offer – Sport Confidential can reveal that Sea Eagles hierarchy initially tabled a settlement of $565,000 to finalise the matter, the figure finally emerging in documents that were lodged with Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
The documents also note that Manly could be on the hook for nearly $1.2 million if Hasler was successful in legal action against the Sea Eagles.
“On 17 October 2022, the company received a notice from a former employee regarding the company’s termination of the employment agreement with the former employee,” the note says.
“The former employee claims that remuneration for the 2023 season is owing under the terms of the employment agreement.
“The company disputes this claim and has made an offer to the former employee in good faith, as final settlement of the matter, of an amount totalling $565,000.”
It goes on to say that if the matter was not settled, litigation could end up costing Manly $1.19 million.
Hasler launched legal action against the Sea Eagles last year and mediation has failed to resolve the dispute, leaving the parties at loggerheads as Hasler attempts to revive his coaching career at the Gold Coast.
The Titans were badly beaten by St George Illawarra in round 1 and are due to host Manly at CBus Super Stadium in round 7 in what shapes as one of the grudge matches of the season.
FLASHBACK
Trent Barrett had a shocker on this day 20 years ago when the then St George Illawarra skipper dropped the ball over the line in the Dragons’ round one clash against Canberra. Barrett looked certain to score but the ball spilt from his grasp in the 62nd minute. Canberra went on to win 21-12.
ARLC PLAN TO BLOCK CLUB SALES
The ARL Commission wants the power to block the sale of NRL clubs if they believe it is part of a plan by a rival code to undermine the game.
Talks between the commission and the clubs over new licensing agreements have been underway for months and negotiations have now reached the pointy end, with club ownership one of the remaining stumbling blocks.
The ARLC wants the power to block sales if they believe it would not be in the game’s best interests, particularly if there was a legitimate concern that the interested party had an ulterior motive.
Cross-code ownership is commonplace in American sport but less prevalent in Australia, particularly when it comes to the football codes.
The commission is believed to be wary of an AFL or rugby union owner buying into a rugby league team and then running it into the ground or stealing the game’s intellectual property.
It comes at a time when clubs are becoming more and more attractive to private investors thanks to the rivers of gold flowing from head office.
NRL RIVALS CIRCLE DOLPHINS STAR
The Dolphins risk losing young gun Caleb Jackson as rival clubs circle. Jackson is off-contract at the end of the season and despite talks ongoing with the Dolphins they are yet to come to an agreement.
Other clubs are aware of the contract stalemate and are prepared to pounce on the 19-year-old. Jackson impressed playing at centre for under-19s Queensland last year while he played at centre. He also made his Queensland Cup debut last season.
HUNT EYES ELITE RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB
Barring injury, Ben Hunt will at some stage next season join a rare list of players to play at least 350 first grade games. Hunt, who will run out for his 314th appearance on Sunday, has not put an end point to his career with the 33-year-old confident he can extend his playing career beyond his current deal.
“I have been thinking about it the past six months,” Hunt said. “When will I give it up?
“I have two years left on my contract. I’ve been lucky with injuries. Yeah you have weeks here and there when you’re sore. I don’t want to put an end date on it. I’ll finish this year and see how we’re going.
“If I’m feeling good at the end of this year I might have a think about where I’m at then.”
Only Terry Lamb, Darren Lockyer, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith have cracked the 350 game milestone. Smith has 430 matches to his name.
“400 is a big number,” Hunt said. “I just want to enjoy my footy. If the body is still going I’ll keep playing. I’ve been doing it my whole life, I still love it as much as I did when I first started playing.”
BROTHERLY LOVE
Luciano Leilua has no plans to follow his brother into the ring after watching Joey get knocked out on Wednesday night.
Joey, who was previously undefeated in his three fights, lost to fellow ex-rugby league player Curtis Scott by knockout in the second round.
“It was unfortunate for him,” Luciano said. “I’m not sure what’s next for him.
“I haven’t ever thought about (boxing).”
SEA EAGLES STAR’S MILESTONE MOMENT
Manly forward Nathan Brown will chalk up his 150th game in first grade against his former club the Sydney Roosters on Sunday. Even he wondered at times whether he would get there.
“Through a lot of injuries and suspensions,” Brown said.
“It’s a big game for us - first time at Brookie for me, first home game. That is where my attention is.
“It is a big game for the club. I’m 31 now. You hope that (bad boy reputation) gets put past you. Once you’re 31 you restart.”
His last appearance for the Roosters was against Manly at the SCG when he was sent off for a high shot on Ben Trbojevic.
They are now teammates and Trbojevic has nothing but praise from the experienced Brown.
“It is just footy,” Trbojevic said.
“It is long gone, honestly. It is good having Browny at the club - he is a real leader and honestly a champion bloke.
“He is a player you want to have on your team and I am glad he is here.”
PNG, FIJI TEAMS TO JOIN WOMEN’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Teams from Papua New Guinea and Fiji will take part in this year’s Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships, which will be held on next week on the Gold Coast.
The historic inclusion of the two Pacific teams in the tournament for the first time has been made possible by the PacificAus Sports Program.
“The tournament is an important part of our pathways and it is great to see the addition of PNG and Fiji,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“The tournament has always been about providing an opportunity for our emerging talented female players to be discovered and developed.”
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