Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[Graham]

OFF-contract Storm star Cooper Cronk has hired player agent George Mimis to help him decide his NRL future.

Cronk has managed his own affairs throughout his illustrious career, but he has opted to link with Mimis and his SFX Sports Group company in a bid to sort through a number of options for 2017 and beyond.

The Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos halfback has attracted interest from Sydney clubs St George Illawarra and South Sydney, who are both keen to secure the Melbourne playmaker’s signature.

Cronk is weighing up moving to Sydney to be with his partner — Fox Sports presenter Tara Rushton

It’s understood the Dragons have already tabled Cronk a significant offer, despite the Queensland and Australian No. 7 turning 33 in December, while the Rabbitohs are also in the mix for his services.

Despite the interest, Melbourne remains hopeful of retaining Cronk — who has played 275 games for the Storm since making his debut in 2004.

On top of enlisting Mimis for contractual guidance, Cronk is also keen to use his extensive experience to capitalise on his brand and business.

Well I like Coops a lot. He's got a great personality and is a talented player.

What he's doing makes sound financial and personal sense.

I hope he stays with Storm.

All the best to him wherever he ends up.

Edited February 12, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Penrith Panthers have announced the re-signing of utility Isaah Yeo to a three-year contract extension with the club.

 

Tariq Sims says he won’t hold Newcastle to ransom over his playing future declaring he will only stay at the Knights if he is in coach Nathan Brown’s long-term plans.
 

Edited February 11, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

With regular Brett Morris racing the clock to be fit for round one, Canterbury's woes were compounded with new recruit Will Hopoate succumbing to a knee injury in an NRL trial on Saturday night.

 

Cooper Cronk will not finish his career in Queensland, with the Titans and Cowboys revealing they have no interest in snaring the Maroons ace.

Edited February 14, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Dragons say Cooper Cronk isn't coming to them. Nobody from the club has spoken to him or made any offer.

Melbourne chief executive Dave Donaghy hopes the lure of finishing as part of a Holy Trinity of one-club players can help keep halfback Cooper Cronk at the Storm until the end of his career.

 

Canterbury's Will Hopoate and South Sydney's Adam Reynolds have been cleared of serious injuries with the pair to be fit for round one.

 

Greg Inglis will carry a knee injury for the rest of his career but Queensland captain Cameron Smith believes it won’t stop him returning to his rampaging best.

 

Manly have given prop Brenton Lawrence the green light to return to the NRL after fighting his way back from a horror back injury.

Edited February 15, 2016 by G Las D

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

* Word is Cronk will sign a two year player deal at Souths with a 3 years coaching contract when he finishes playing included.

* Keary won't be offered a new contract so who knows where he'll play in 2017 but It won't be Souths.

* Storm and GC offering Adam Reynolds bigger coin than he's on at Souths... This one should be the No.1 priority for the Rabbits as Adam is IMO an outstanding Halfback and about as South Sydney as can be given he grew up opposite Redfern oval, I'd really hate to see him go.

[Graham]

Des Hasler's birthday today. I reckon he's about 55. Sorry if I'm wrong!

[Graham]

Big Willie Mason has got himself a gig for 2016 having signed for french SL team Catalans Dragons

[Graham]

JT says the QLD youngsters who broke curfew disrespected the jersey and he fully backs Kevvie's action.

JT hasn't an unblemished record.

[Graham]

South Sydney CEO John Lee has quit the Rabbitohs to take up a position with sworn enemies the Sydney Roosters.

Lee has shown a natural finesse for being a club CEO since taking over from Shane Richardson but with big Richo returning to the Bunnies, his cards were essentially marked.

Powerful Roosters chairman Nick Politis has capitalised on the Rabbitohs standoff and handed Lee the job of heading up the front office at one of the NRL’s most influential clubs.

The Rabbitohs confirmed the switch in a statement that wished Lee well in his new role.

“John has many positive attributes and established excellent relations with our key stakeholders,” Rabbitohs chairman Nick Pappas was quoted.

“John enjoyed a good relationship with our board, our investors and our members.

“We wish him all the best for his next challenge.”

 

[Graham]

Sydney Roosters have been left reeling with confirmation they’ll likely be without star forwards Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Boyd Cordner for the opening 10 rounds of the NRL season.
Coach Trent Robinson, in Manchester for the World Club Series launch, confirmed that the pair still faced lengthy lay-offs, with vice-captain Cordner having had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle while enforcer Waerea-Hargreaves remains on the comeback trail from a knee injury.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

 

South Sydney CEO John Lee has quit the Rabbitohs to take up a position with sworn enemies the Sydney Roosters.

Lee has shown a natural finesse for being a club CEO since taking over from Shane Richardson but with big Richo returning to the Bunnies, his cards were essentially marked.

Powerful Roosters chairman Nick Politis has capitalised on the Rabbitohs standoff and handed Lee the job of heading up the front office at one of the NRL’s most influential clubs.

The Rabbitohs confirmed the switch in a statement that wished Lee well in his new role.

“John has many positive attributes and established excellent relations with our key stakeholders,” Rabbitohs chairman Nick Pappas was quoted.

“John enjoyed a good relationship with our board, our investors and our members.

“We wish him all the best for his next challenge.”

 

 

He was a strange choice for us in the first place given his political ties very much out of place with the South Sydney club & district in general.

Personally I'm happy he is gone & firmly believe the Roosters have bought a dud.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

Sydney Roosters have been left reeling with confirmation they’ll likely be without star forwards Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Boyd Cordner for the opening 10 rounds of the NRL season.

Coach Trent Robinson, in Manchester for the World Club Series launch, confirmed that the pair still faced lengthy lay-offs, with vice-captain Cordner having had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle while enforcer Waerea-Hargreaves remains on the comeback trail from a knee injury.

Gee that's a big loss, I think Saint will cause an upset this weekend against them.

[Graham]

He was a strange choice for us in the first place given his political ties very much out of place with the South Sydney club & district in general.

Personally I'm happy he is gone & firmly believe the Roosters have bought a dud.

It's a key role and so getting the right match of integrity, loyalty enthusiasm and committment is key.

I guess the role varies depending on how close they are with the money person at a club.

[Graham]

Bulldogs are close to announcing they’ve tied up three of the hottest young properties in the NRL.
Moses Mbye, Josh Jackson and Dave Klemmer have all been chased by opposition clubs at various stages over the last 12 months, so their decision to stay at Belmore is cause for celebration for Canterbury fans.
The re-signing news will have a ripple effect that will reach beyond the four walls at Bulldogs HQ.
Having all three young stars recommitted to the Dogs is further affirmation of the club’s ability to attract and retain the stars they want.
Mbye is considered one of the competition’s hottest young halves and was wanted by both the Storm and the Dragons as a player they could build their future around.
Klemmer and Jackson were both discussed as potential recruits by Manly — a club having plenty of success pinching opposition stars — among others, yet they all saw Canterbury as the club they wanted to make home.

[RabbitRhinoovOZ]

It's a key role and so getting the right match of integrity, loyalty enthusiasm and committment is key.

I guess the role varies depending on how close they are with the money person at a club.

John Lee was very much James Packers man not Russell Crowe's. Who ever they replace him with will be only there to sort out the business side of the club everything RL will be Shane Richardson's area & Madge can just concentrate on coaching.

[Graham]

I've seen very effective CEOs and ineffective ones. Its no good having a vision and good ideas unless you communicate them well taking the club forward. Its a team game behind the scenes and the best CEOs meet often, explain and listen to their experienced staff.

[Irish Saint]

Gee that's a big loss, I think Saint will cause an upset this weekend against them.

After Saints showing against Salford... and without Roby I for one will not be placing a wager on Saints.

[Graham]

Are you looking Supercoach players?

 

Canterbury face the prospect of being without props James Graham and David Klemmer for the start of the NRL season after Graham left Belmore Oval on crutches while Klemmer was put on report during Canterbury's 20-0 win against Melbourne on Saturday night.

Graham joins Moses Mbye, Brett Morris and Will Hopoate on the Bulldogs injured list while Klemmer will again come under the scrutiny of the match review committee after he was placed on report for dangerous contact during a second half melee.  After Graham's man of the match performance in the All-Stars match last week he lasted just 12 minutes before being assisted from the field in front of about 4000 people.

Edited February 20, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

SHAUN Fensom is one of the toughest players in the NRL 

He unknowingly broke his arm at training last Thursday, but showed up at Raiders HQ the following day to lift weights.

A short while into the weights session, the undisplaced fracture he suffered in a scrimmage at training broke right through.

Only then he realised the reason behind the pain he felt after leaving the training paddock the day before.

“He broke his arm, but he won’t miss the start of the season,” coach Ricky Stuart said

“He hurt his arm in a scrimmage and was in a fair bit of pain, and couldn’t lift much.

“Fenno came back in the next day and started weights, but he was in a lot of discomfort.

“He did a couple of lifts and went for a certain exercise where he had to pull a fair weight, and his arm snapped.

“Fenno is one of the few in our group who wouldn’t know he’d broken his arm, his pain threshold is amazing.”

Amazingly, Fensom is only expected to be out for five to six weeks after having a plate inserted into his arm on Monday, which no long requires a cast.

 

Oh and James Graham seems to have been cleared of serious injury and is thought to be a likely starter in Week 1

Edited February 21, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Coops says he's in talks about continuing his career up to 2020 with just one club: Storm. He denies any contact with tge other clubs that have been mentioned

[Graham]

The final piece of the Canberra Raiders puzzle for the next three years has been locked in with Josh Hodgson reportedly re-signing for a further two seasons.
 

Edited February 22, 2016 by G Las D

[Graham]

Prop forward David Klemmer has this afternoon been charged by the NRL Match Review Committee for an incident that occurred in the 20-0 trial victory over the Melbourne Storm at Belmore Sports Ground.

 

Aggressive front rower James Gavet has earned himself a contract for the 2016 NRL season after being on trial in the preseason.

The 26-year-old is back with the club where he started out with the Vodafone Junior Warriors in the NYC in 2009 and also played for Auckland Vulcans while in the club's wider NRL squad in 2010 and 2011.

 

 

Robbie Farah will have scans tomorrow morning to determine the extent of a knee injury suffered in the 30-all draw, but early diagnosis is a short-term recovery.

Farah left the field during the first half of clash against Cronulla, with Manaia Cherrington and Jacob Liddle played out the rest of the match in the hooking role.

 

 

Former NRL player Jamal Idris has reportedly been the victim of an attempted kidnapping in Vietnam.

Channel Seven reported that the 25-year-old was on a Contiki tour in Ho Chi Minh City when he was separated from his group before encountering a group of kidnappers who attacked him and tried to extort money from him.

Idris escaped, immediately contacting his family, who informed the Australian Federal Police.

The former Penrith centre is currently on an indefinite break from the game and is without a club.

Edited February 22, 2016 by G Las D

[CGD]

Hodgo re-signing was always coming but still glad to hear it in the news.

 

He is the most important player for the Raiders now, and going by the trial against the Knights, he's in for an even bigger year than 2015.

[Graham]

With Panthers 11 days away from R1 Matt Moylan is injured. It's a back problem. There's some concern he may not be fit for then.

[Graham]

Storm halfback Cooper Cronk says he understands the interest surrounding his contract situation but has reiterated negotiations will remain private.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Cronk was inevitably asked about his contract status.

“I understand it’s a talking point and everyone is entitled to their opinion and to ask questions,” Cronk said.

“There is also a part of negotiation that is done privately and behind closed doors.

“I love this footy club, I’ve been a part of it and blessed to be a part of it.”

 

Other Storm news:

 

Storm’s two newest leadership group members, Blake Green and Jesse Bromwich say they will be looking to learn from their experienced teammates.

Green and Bromwich join Captain Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater in Storm’s leadership group for 2016 providing a fresh look for Craig Bellamy.

Edited February 23, 2016 by G Las D