Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[Graham]

Canterbury’s Rhyse Martin looks set to start the 2019 NRL season in reserve grade.

Apparently Martin isn’t in coach Dean Pay’s plans for starting in Round 1, when the Bulldogs travel to Mt Smart Stadium (V Warriors)

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It’s believed he will be overlooked for the likes of Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Corey Harawira-Naera, who will fight it out for the starting left edge spot. Josh Jackson will no doubt start on the right edge, with Sauaso Sue and Danny Fualalo on the bench alongside the versatile Jeremy Marshall-King.

 

[Graham]

Cameron Smith reportedly stunned the Melbourne Storm with his contract ultimatum for a two-year deal this off-season.

It’s now emerged the veteran captain will get to have his cake and eat it too, according to an interview published on Wednesday where Smith claims he has a handshake agreement with the Storm to walk away at the end of the 2019 season if he chooses to.

Smith has told NRL.com, he may yet decide to hang up his boots at the end of this season, despite reportedly fighting the Storm to get a second year added to the contract he finally signed last month after a drawn out process.

[Graham]

NSW State of Origin speedster Josh Addo-Carr looked a completely different man on arrival to Indigenous All Stars training, having added 8 kilograms of muscle to his previously leaner frame.

According to News.com.au, Addo-Carr made the decision to add some more weight to his formerly 83-kilogram frame off the back of some advice from Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

[Graham]

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St George Illawarra has reportedly served the ARL Commission with documentation on Wednesday, advising them that if Jack de Belin is stood down the club will take legal action.

The ARLC will hold a landmark meeting on Thursday to decide de Belin’s immediate playing future after the NSW representative was charged with the aggravated sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman.

De Belin has pleaded not guilty to the charge with the court case to resume on April 17.

According to a Channel 7 report, the Dragons believe there should be a presumption of innocence and that no decision should be made until the court proceedings are complete.

Channel 9 reported De Belin met with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, Dragons CEO Brian Johnston and player agent Steve Gillis at St George Leagues Club on Wednesday where the player “strongly protested his innocence”.

The Dragons lock has reportedly refused to stand down putting the decision in the ARLC’s hands.

The Dragons will now wait for the outcome of the independent commission’s meeting where an announcement will likely be made regarding a crackdown on players who face serious criminal charges.

Jack de Belin is expected to be stood down by the NRL. It is expected de Belin will be forced to stand down on full pay with the Dragons to receive salary cap compensation up to $600,000 which will allow them to sign a replacement player for the upcoming season

 

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[Graham]

Former South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Richie Kennar has signed a one-year deal with the Brisbane Broncos.

[Graham]

Tigers News:

After picking up an injury at training, the club has confirmed that Chris Lawrence has sustained a broken jaw and will miss the start of the 2019 NRL season.

Lawrence will consult a surgeon in Auckland today with the club able to provide a better evaluation of his expected recovery time following that.

Paul Momirovski (quad) will also not feature this weekend after picking up a minor injury, but is expected to be available for selection in Round 1.

[DavidM]

23 hours ago, Graham said:

St George Illawarra has reportedly served the ARL Commission with documentation on Wednesday, advising them that if Jack de Belin is stood down the club will take legal action.

I can see why they would . Innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent ? We have a judicial process . Surely that should take its course and not be seen to be prejudiced in any way ?

[Graham]

Scott Bolton has to do The Tour of Shame - sounds medieval!

Not at all sure about this penalty thought up by the NRL.

In the interests of consistency is this going to become the norm in punishments for off field misdeeds , that is to be shamed in front of your peers?

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The NRL have imposed a very bizarre penalty on North Queensland Cowboys forward Scott Bolton. Earlier this year Bolton plead guilty to common assault of a woman whilst his team mates and himself were in Bondi. Bolton was not convicted but the NRL aren't convinced that's enoug, issuing him a rather embarrassing penalty.

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that on top of a 6 week suspension, Bolton must travel to all 16 NRL clubs, show them the CCTV footage and talk about his mistake.

So, the law being applied , a suspension being handed down the NRL see the need to apply this shame treatment.

It sounds bizarre that he has to travel to all the 16 clubs and set up this show of personal shame.

[Graham]

3 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I can see why they would . Innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent ? We have a judicial process . Surely that should take its course and not be seen to be prejudiced in any way ?

From what I've read today, Dragons have backed down and announced they accept the NRL's stance. So it looks like it's guilty until proved otherwise.

[DavidM]

17 minutes ago, Graham said:

Scott Bolton has to do The Tour of Shame - sounds medieval!

Not at all sure about this penalty thought up by the NRL.

In the interests of consistency is this going to become the norm in punishments for off field misdeeds , that is to be shamed in front of your peers?

So, the law being applied , a suspension being handed down the NRL see the need to apply this shame treatment.

It sounds bizarre that he has to travel to all the 16 clubs and set up this show of personal shame.

Is the NRL now a court in itself .... ok I’ll say it , a kangaroo court ... 

[Graham]

Sam Kasiano is firming as the likely replacement for Jack de Belin should St George Illawarra gain a salary cap exemption for the Blues lock.

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The NRL on Thursday stood down de Belin, who became the first player to face that action under changes to the game's disciplinary policy regarding players charged with serious crimes. De Belin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault and will mount a legal challenge against the game’s new hardline stance.

If unsuccessful, the Dragons have the option of applying for salary cap dispensation while de Belin’s case remains before the courts. They currently only have $100,000 remaining in their salary cap for 2019 and there are few viable forward replacements for de Belin.

Kasiano is currently at the top of their list of contingency plans. The Melbourne forward is contracted for this year and next but the Storm are desperate to squeeze him out to ease salary cap pressures. The New Zealand and Samoan international is on a deal worth $600,000 a year but such is Melbourne’s need to get him off the books that they would consider subsidising him to the tune of almost $500,000 for this year if another club made up the difference.

 

What a weird state of affairs when a club transfers a player to another club and then pays 5/6 of his wages while competeing against them.

[DavidM]

There should be an exemption so they can buy a commensurate replacement , which certainly isn’t Kasiano by a million miles . DeBelin is a state rep , 80 minute workaholic vital pack member . No way he should be stood down but if so his wages should be made free to the Dragons to get a proper replacement . The NRL are doing it they should compensate it

[Graham]

Yep. But soooo unlikely to happen David.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

I think its good the NRL are cleaning the Image of the game up. BUT think the way is wrong. If Charge by Police then deserve a ban but until then free to play. I think also Beatie and Greenberg are very much out of touch with fans. I think they are causing as much damage as good..Greenberg seems to only want things on his terms and seems to think has control on internationals in Australia/NZ with no thought of others.

[Clogiron]

2 hours ago, Lounge Room Lizard said:

I think its good the NRL are cleaning the Image of the game up. BUT think the way is wrong. If Charge by Police then deserve a ban but until then free to play. I think also Beatie and Greenberg are very much out of touch with fans. I think they are causing as much damage as good..Greenberg seems to only want things on his terms and seems to think has control on internationals in Australia/NZ with no thought of others.

The NRL website says that there has been 17 incidents of player misbehaviour reported to it by clubs during the 5 month's of the off season, so given the high profile the sport has on the Eastern seaboard you can understand why the ruling body feels justified in taking action.

RL players might not be the brightest of people, and with the inflated salaries they are now earning in the NRL there's a few who probably think they can get away with what they want but the day's of $4.8 million profits and therefore such wages won't last very long unless drastic action is taken.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Agree but what happened to innocent til PROVEN Guilty? Ban players once they have been Charge by Police. Thats the point I have.

[DavidM]

Opens a real can of worms . The NRL are the governing body but not the law . There’s a legislative process which should be separate and run it’s  course .  This taints the presumption of innocence . I’d expect a legal challenge to this anyway so it’ll be far from finished . 

[Farmduck]

Go is gone.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/news/wests-tigers-chair-marina-go-hands-in-her-resignation-after-steering-the-club-through-turmoil/news-story/e891c0b8b7620fee602b665c29dd3407

I have no idea how much credit the Board should get in these situations. I've been on boards where half of us wouldn't have even recognised the staff - and we only had about 7 staff. The improvements at Wests, IMO, have happened because we finally pushed Balmain to the fringes. Hopefully they'll default on their next big financial payment and we can punt them into the wood chipper of history.

[Irish Saint]

Yet another one...

Panthers five-eighth Tyrone May has been stood down by the NRL after being charged by NSW Police in the latest twist in the series of leaked videos showing Penrith players engaged in lewd behaviour.

May and Penrith lower-grader Liam Coleman were summoned to Penrith Police Station on Tuesday morning after the police became involved as a result of a number of videos entering the public domain.

NSW Police charged May with two counts of recording an intimate image without consent, and two counts of disseminating images without consent.

He has since been stood down by the NRL under the league's no-fault stand down policy.

"That is a matter for the courts," CEO Todd Greenberg said.

"Our new policy provides for the automatic stand down of players on a no-fault basis where they are charged with serious criminal matters.

"It also provides discretion for players to be stood down for other matters, particularly where the criminal allegations involve women.

"In the circumstances of the current charges I have determined to place Tyrone May on a no-fault stand down. 

"The no-fault stand down will remain in force until the court proceedings are concluded."

NRL.com understands May isn't the one who leaked the video to the public.

The Panthers believe a player who is currently at another NRL club is responsible for sending it out beyond a group of May's friends and it found its way into social media.

The club passed that name on to the NRL Integrity Unit on Monday, with that player expected to be interviewed on Tuesday.

Penrith are bracing for the potential release of more videos.

[Graham]

The sooner the season starts and we get into the footy the better.

[Vichyssoise]

Barry Russel resigns from his position of Sharks CEO. An interesting tenure to say the least.

[Graham]

His resignation announcement summarises all he has done during his tenure from his point of view.

I presume he has been stressed out by the way one thing led to another after the self reporting of the club to the NRL.

Maybe that was all one bloke could take.

[DavidM]

Talk about being thrown in at the deep end sorting that club out 

[Graham]

St George Illawarra star Jack de Belin will challenge his NRL ban in federal court on Thursday, after NRL CEO Todd Greenberg last week stood de Belin down under the league’s new policy.

According to Nine News Sydney, De Belin is also set to take out an injunction against the NRL.

[Graham]

Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic will miss the Sea Eagles’ opening two NRL matches of the season after suffering a hamstring injury a fortnight ago.

During Manly’s opening trial match against Cronulla, Trbojevic sustained a high grade one hamstring injury, and will now miss his side’s matches against Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters.

Trbojevic and the club are circling their round three clash with New Zealand as his potential return.