Buzz: Wests Tigers battling to retain Zakauri Clarke, NRL gets Michael Jennings call wrong

The Wests Tigers battling to rebuff rivals away from junior star, the Manly playmaker seeking a new home and plenty more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.

The Wests Tigers are under the pump, with several rivals chasing another of their brilliant Campbelltown juniors.

Zakauri Clarke, 20, was the highest points scorer in SG Ball Cup for the Wests Tigers last year.

Boom Wests Tigers rookie Zakauri Clarke.

He is a versatile big body who can play front row, lock or on the edge – and he can kick goals.

More importantly for the club, Clarke is off contract at the end of the season. His brother, Cooper, quit Wests Tigers pathways 12 months ago to join Melbourne Storm.

THE NRL CALL WORSE THAN LATRELL’S F-BOMBS

There are worse things in rugby league than swearing.

For example, you’d think a sexual assault issue would be of far more concern.

Yet for a week the Latrell Mitchell F-bomb Triple M interview has been the big story.

Bigger than the NRL allowing veteran centre Michael Jennings to make a comeback for the Sydney Roosters as 18th man against South Sydney on Friday night. What world are we living in?

Let’s refresh your memories.

Jennings’ ex-wife, Kirra Wilden, successfully sued the 35-year-old former Sydney Roosters, Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels star for raping her during their relationship.

Judge David Wilson found Jennings sexually assaulted Wilden four times in 2014 and 2015. Correct. Four times.

Sure, it was a civil trial in which a lower burden of proof is required, compared to that required in a criminal case. But, still, the opinion of a highly respected judge on the evidence before him.

Michael Jennings is closing in on celebrating 300 NRL games. Should the game be doing so? Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A judge who found Wilden “a careful and reliable historian” who gave evidence demonstrating

consistency, reliability, and honesty.

Wilden, according to the judge, had lost her capacity for employment from post traumatic stress disorder as a result of the four assaults.

Jennings was then ordered to pay her more than $500,000 in damages. He appealed but lost.

Wilden has still not been paid.

Seriously, this is a story far bigger and far more important than Latrell swearing.

Where is the integrity in the integrity unit to allow Jennings back?

Has anyone from the Roosters or the NRL bothered to do a welfare check on the victim?

Says Roosters coach Trent Robinson: “He has a desire to rewrite his story,” Robinson said, “That’s pretty simple for me.”

Simple. Well, that’ll officially do me.

So, let’s throw forward. Jennings has now played 298 NRL matches.

In the next couple of months there is every chance he will achieve the 300-game milestone.

I can picture Andrew Abdo at the game.

I can see the photos of him presenting the match ball to Jennings at full time.

It will be rugby league’s most embarrassing moment in years – and terribly upsetting for every woman in rugby league.

And also …. a far bigger embarrassment than Latrell Mitchell’s F-bombs.

* * * * *

SAINT

Despite suffering a shocking facial injury, Broncos superstar Reece Walsh still took time out with fans for selfies and autographs at full-time on Thursday night in Penrith. What a legend.

Broncos superstar Reece Walsh with young fans at Panthers Stadium.

SINNER

The AFL has been boasting for years about making inroads into in western Sydney. Not so. Last week the Emu Plains/Glenmore Park Lions junior club folded due to lack of numbers. Other clubs in the area are also struggling for participants. It’s a lost cause competing against the Panthers and the Eels in rugby league heartland.

SHOOSH

Being in charge of an NRL team is a stressful job and probably explains why one head coach pampered himself with an hour-long spa and massage at a luxury five-star hotel on a recent away trip.

SHOOSH

Which chief executive at a notoriously underperforming club has been bagging senior NRL bosses behind their backs so spitefully and so regularly that it has got back to them – and they are not happy.

SPOTTED

Spotted: Alan Jones at Wallaby reunion.

Despite his recent health battles, broadcaster Alan Jones turned up at Manly skiff club last week for the 40-year reunion of his famous and undefeated 1984 Grand Slam.

SPOTTED

Former NRL boss Dave Moffett watching the Canberra Raiders captains run in Christchurch on Thursday and afterwards having a coffee with coach Ricky Stuart.

SPOTTED

NSW State of Origin coach Michael Maguire having breakfast and a coffee with Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis to get his opinions on various Blues issues.

RLPA DEMANDS MORE

Rugby league is flying after the Las Vegas season-opener, sellout crowds, great TV ratings, record player payments and clubs in a stronger financial position than ever before.

Still, RLPA boss Clint Newton insists there is much more to do.

Fresh from signing off on the game’s new long-form collective bargaining agreement, Newton is now calling on the NRL to host a game-wide summit.

“The CBA is signed, but we’re not done yet,” Newton said. “Having a great document which should unite us cannot be where it ends.

“I’m a strong believer that we need an industry and game-wide stakeholder summit.”

Newton says he wants to see all parties working together in participation and pathways, the state leagues (who are now suing the NRL), expansion and international football.

Despite the game being in arguably its strongest shape ever, RLPA boss Clint Newton is calling for a game-wide summit. Picture: AAP Image/James Gourley

“We need to ensure we don’t ever fall asleep at the wheel and leave ourselves vulnerable to any competitors,” he said.

“We shouldn’t have to be compartmentalised and in camps where we just work on our own issues and obstacles.

“Clubs and states, like players, are fundamental to the game’s success and must be included in the summit.

“We should all come together and work on important and strategic game-wide initiatives.”

Newton’s comments are interesting in that the NRL has never been in a stronger position.

The opening two rounds of the competition attracted the highest attendance figures of the NRL era, up 16 per cent from the first two rounds in 2018.

The NRL also recently announced a profit of $53 million on top of assets and a property portfolio worth $260 million.

WELCH NOT A FAN OF BEARS

Christian Welch doesn’t want to bring back the Bears. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The North Sydney Bears are now a feeder club of Melbourne Storm, not that their veteran front-rower Christian Welch is a fan.

Welch wrote a column on NRL expansion possibilities on CODE Sports website last week, mentioning the strengths of Christchurch, Brisbane, PNG and Perth as 18th team candidates.

But not the Bears.

“Wherever these new teams end up … no, we can’t just name one after the North Sydney Bears, let alone play some more games in Sydney,” Welch said.

“Fresh markets, fresh starts. Fresh opportunities to propel our game into the future.”

Like all of us, Welch is entitled to his opinion.However, it makes things interesting now that Storm is aligned to the Bears.

Hopefully he doesn’t get dropped to reserve grade – or have to make a comeback from injury – in the great old red and black jersey that he doesn’t rate.

TSZYU PART OF DYNAMITE DOZEN

The Ring magazine cover with Tim Tszyu.

Just a week out from the biggest fight of his career, Tim Tszyu has been honoured alongside the world’s greatest fighters by Ring Magazine.

He appears on the front cover in the latest edition of the ‘Bible of Boxing’ under the headline The Dynamite Dozen – a feature story on the most exciting 12 boxers on the planet among the likes of Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, Naoya Inoue and Tank Davis.

Hall of Fame boxing journalist Joe Koizumi said of 29-year-old Tszyu: “Tim’s aggressive style of fighting is so attractive that he might have the potential to be an international superstar.

“Tszyu has improved immeasurably and fights in a manner similar to his famous father and now looks like a real handful for anyone at 154 pounds.”

Tszyu fights skyscraper Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas on Easter Sunday, live on Foxtel’s Main Event.

FALVO DEPARTS

The man who delivered Australia’s biggest sporting show since the Sydney Olympics has abruptly parted company with Football Australia.

Mark Falvo was FA’s chief operating officer who established the key relationships with FIFA that were so vital to us securing the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Former soccer boss David Gallop said: “As far back as 2014 he suggested we pitch for the event. He had the vision back then that it was going to be a huge opportunity.”

He will be sadly missed.

I saw first-hand what a good operator he is — especially at navigating the potholed landscape of global football politics at the World Cups in Brazil and Russia.

ARTHUR WANTS NRL

A number of NRL clubs are monitoring the form of Manly Sea Eagles back-up half Jake Arthur in NSW Cup while he is stuck behind Daly Cherry Evans and Luke Brooks.

Manly also has the highly regarded Jamie Humphreys as a back-up in the halves.

The likes of the Gold Coast Titans, the Bulldogs, the Rabbitohs and Newcastle are all lacking quality around the halves positions.

Arthur is no world beater but there is great potential.

He is under contract until the end of next season at Brookvale but, like all 21-year-olds, he wants to play first grade NRL.

And that opportunity may come around quicker at a rival club.

Stuck behind Luke Brooks and Daly Cherry-Evans at Manly, playmaker Jake Arthur has captured the attention of rival clubs. Credit: NRL Photos

PEARCE APPEARS FOR JWH

Mitchell Pearce returned from an overseas holiday and headed straight to Allianz Stadium for the Sydney Roosters captain run on Thursday.

He was there to honour his great mate Jared Waerea-Hargreaves on the eve of his 300th game.

Pearce also attended the game on Friday night as a guest of the Roosters boss Nick Politis.

BIG BREKKY

Catch you on the Weekend Big Sports Breakfast with Ray Thomas and Dean Bulldog Ritchie at 9.40am on Sky Sports Radio to discuss all things rugby league.

Originally published as Buzz: Wests Tigers battling to retain Zakauri Clarke, NRL gets Michael Jennings call wrong