The fallout from the Roosters’ fiery win over Melbourne has hit, with prop Lindsay Collins facing a four week ban after a judiciary cited him for a hip drop tackle.
The incident left Storm forward Tom Eisenhuth with a reported high ankle problem and was called as Grade 3 Dangerous Contact, and with prior indiscretions this year, that results in a potential penalty of four weeks out, or five if the Roosters contest.
That would see him miss next week’s crunch clash with South Sydney and three weeks of the Finals, with a potential return only if the Chooks made the Grand Final.
His teammates Victor Radley and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves escaped with fines, as did Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
The Roosters also lost Daniel Tupou to a groin injury and Radley to a concussion. Tupou is expected to miss next week, though despite having a seizure on the field, Radley might be good to go next week, according to the NRL Physio.
Des Hasler not afraid of sack despite Krilich claims
Manly coach Des Hasler says calls for his axing don’t faze him, encouraging his critics to “line up”.
While the Sea Eagles’ season has fallen to pieces in losing five straight games – including their last three by a combined 70 points – Hasler maintained spirits hadn’t dropped in his dressing room as they approach Saturday’s encounter with Canberra.
Former Manly captain Max Krilich led the charge against Hasler earlier this week, telling News Corp his tactics were “stale” and the two-time premiership coach had “probably had his time”.
Hasler downplayed the comments and backed himself in to get the side headed in the right direction.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“It’s just another one – line up,” he told reporters. “Those things will be rolled out, so Max is entitled to his opinion, he’s a good fella.
“But 12 months ago, Max was, I’m sure, pretty excited about the way the side was going, where the club was headed. I can just let Max know that obviously clubs go through difficult times, so it will come through this okay.”
Manly skiper Daly Cherry-Evans insisted earlier this week the side’s problems weren’t to do with their support of Hasler and the coach agreed, pointing to their injury crisis as responsible for their late-season woes.
“Without making excuses, there were 13 (players) on the sidelines, it’s been made a bit more difficult from that point of view,” he said.
“We’ve injected some young players to get the taste of experience and they’re just working with a few things to gain experience like that this weekend to make sure we can feel solid and competitive.”
Flegler out of hospital after throat scare
Brisbane prop Tom Flegler has escaped suspension and is out of hospital but coach Kevin Walters still has plenty of headaches after what he called a “terrible” night at the office.
The Broncos will slip out of the NRL top eight if Canberra beats Manly on Saturday after a dire night all-round display in the 53-6 loss to Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
Flegler was rushed to hospital when he left the field in the second half clutching his throat.
“He copped an elbow to a throat. He couldn’t breathe and was having trouble,” Walters said.
Flegler returned to Suncorp Stadium a couple of hours after the match after being released from hospital.
“I’m all good,” he told AAP, before returning to spend the night at his home.
Flegler was at Broncos HQ with the physiotherapist on Friday morning and was later resting at home.
Broncos head of performance David Ballard said Flegler could still be available for the Dragons.
“We will see how he recovers over the next few days before determining how he shapes up for next week’s game,” he said.
Flegler had earlier been put on report for what the match officials deemed a shoulder charge on Reagan Campbell-Gillard, but the match review committee adjudged it to be dangerous contact instead and Flegler will pay a fine of $1000 with an early plea.
Star Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds and forward Kobe Hetherington both failed to return from HIA tests against the Eels while centre Brenko Lee re-aggravated a lower leg injury and will have a scan.
Walters was hopeful Reynolds and Hetherington would be fit to play against St George Illawarra in the final round clash that the Broncos must win if they are to play finals football. “He’s just got to pass all the tests with the protocols,” Walters said.
The Broncos have conceded 189 points in the last five weeks.
“I’m not going to make any excuses. It is just not good enough,” Walters said.
Back-rower Kurt Capewell said the season had started with a defensive focus. “We’ve definitely seen it slip the last few weeks,” he said. “Once something goes against us … teams are putting a big score on us. We’ve got a fair bit to fix, and a week to do that.”
Walters said centre Herbie Farnworth was “an outside chance” of returning next week from a biceps injury.
Prop Pat Carrigan will return from suspension against the Dragons and winger Selwyn Cobbo is expected to play after sitting out the Eels clash due to fatigue.
Meanwhile Eels forward Campbell-Gillard was charged with a shoulder charge on Jordan Riki but will escape with a $3000 fine if he takes the early plea.
Payten keen to extend Cowboys deal
Todd Payten is certain a new NRL coaching deal will soon be negotiated to keep him at North Queensland.
The Cowboys are preparing for their first finals campaign under Payten, who signed a three-year contract in mid 2020 after steering the Warriors for 14 games in their first COVID affected season in Australia.
In his maiden season as head coach in Townsville, the Cowboys struggled with injuries and slumped to their fourth consecutive bottom-four finish.
But after blooding some of their now exceptional younger talent late in 2021, his side has flipped the script on a season where they were tipped to struggle again.
They are now just two wins away from securing two home finals in September.
Payten has one year remaining on his contract after this season and said while he’s yet to enter negotiations with the club is confident it’ll get sorted in due course.
“The club are well aware of how much I love the town and the club,” he said on Friday.
“That’ll get sorted when the time is right and I’ve got no doubt that it will.”
When asked whether he would prefer a short or long-term deal, Payten was not without his regular dry humour.
(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
“As most money for as long as possible,” he quipped.
Although the forthcoming finals series will be his first as head coach, Payten brings with him premiership-winning experience as an assistant.
He was a deputy to the late Paul Green when the Cowboys triumphed in 2015 against Brisbane alongside South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou, whose side his team will meet this weekend in a must-win clash.
Both sides will look to boast their premiership credentials at Accor stadium on Saturday with the Cowboys looking to keep a strangehold on second place on the ladder.
They are tied with Cronulla on 34 points but have a superior for and against, which will be the difference should both sides win their final two matches.
For the Rabbitohs last week’s loss to Penrith has them looking over their shoulder at the ninth-placed Raiders to maintain their spot in the eight with a clash against cross-town rivals the Sydney Roosters in round 25.
The Cowboys can finish their season with a winning record in their travels to Sydney should they see-off Demetriou’s side, with a clash against minor premiers Penrith in the final round.
Johns warns Dragons over Hunt-Griffin clause
Immortal halfback Andrew Johns has called on St George Illawarra to stand firm in light of a request from Ben Hunt for his contract extension to be tied to coach Anthony Griffin’s future.
Hunt has publicly stated he wants to continue at the Dragons until the end of 2025 and he wants Griffin to remain as coach. They are both off contract at the end of next season.
Johns, when asked whether he would entertain a clause in Hunt’s contract which gives him a get-out option if Griffin is no longer coach, said: “No. Not a chance” on his Freddy and The Eighth podcast with Brad Fittler.
“If Hook goes, he’s going to go. Your captain or your player doesn’t decide who’s the coach.
“I can understand his loyalty. A lot of those players came through the Brisbane system when they won the under 20s [under Griffin]. Obviously they’ve got that relationship but you cannot be dictating to the club that if the coach goes, you go.”
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
The Dolphins and potentially the Titans could make a multimillion-dollar play for Hunt if the Dragons do not increase their extension offer, reportedly around $750,000 per season.
Johns said his value is upwards of $900,000 to $1 million per season “when you see what other halves are getting”.
Fittler disagreed, pointing to the team’s poor record of just one finals campaign with Hunt at halfback, saying he was worth around the $800,000 ballpark.
The NSW coach said he would like to see Hunt stay to help bring Jayden Sullivan through into the NRL.
Tolman wants to go out ‘on a high note’
Veteran Cronulla prop Aiden Tolman has announced his decision to retire from rugby league.
The 33-year-old, who is the eldest and most experienced player in the NRL with 314 games under his belt, said he only came to the decision earlier this week.
His retirement call follows the decision of teammate and fellow front-rower Andrew Fifita on Tuesday to leave the club at the end of the season.
Tolman made his debut in 2008 for Melbourne and enjoyed a 10-year stint at Canterbury before linking with the Sharks in 2019.
“It’s probably only in the last 48 hours I got that answer,” Tolman said. “I want to go out here on a high note.
“I know the time is right and I’d much rather go out being happy and winning games.”
Tolman, who was born and raised on the NSW mid-north coast, said he hoped to move into a development role in country NSW.
The Sharks host Tolman’s old club Canterbury on Saturday as they aim to wrap up a top-two spot and secure a home semi-final.
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