Source :- THE AGE NEWS
A cricket icon, a basketball coach and an AFL legend are among the mentors Benji Marshall is leaning on to help him through the toughest period of his storied career.
Wests Tigers are on an eight-game losing streak as they come up against a Roosters side at Allianz Stadium on Sunday that has won eight consecutive games.
Tigers coach Marshall is attempting to turn around his club’s fortunes at a time when Adam Doueihi, Taylan May, Royce Hunt, Latu Fainu and Kai Pearce-Paul are all sidelined with injury.
The club is languishing in 14th place and is still technically a chance of earning the wooden spoon if they remain winless for the remainder of the season and other results conspire against them. Veteran South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has long been a sounding board for Marshall, who revealed he is also seeking advice from Perth Wildcats NBL head coach John Rillie, former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey and Adelaide Crows coach Matthew Nicks.
“One thing I don’t really talk about is that I have a lot of people I can lean on – coaches, ex-coaches, ex-players, and people in business,” Marshall said on Friday.
“What [Bennett and I] talk about is pretty private between us, but he’s just so good to talk to. When you’ve got guys who have been through the same thing and understand what it is, that’s helpful.
“I’ve also got a leadership group I’m in called Leader. They run these courses, and I’ve got four head coaches from other sports in my group … We run a lot of things by each other, which is really helpful because they’re in similar situations in different sports and go through the same stuff.”
Asked if there was any advice that resonated, Marshall said: “For me, it’s a constant journey of learning and evolving. Obviously, I got thrown in with little experience and had to ride through a few things in the first three years that a lot of people don’t go through in their whole career.
“But you’ve got to grow from it, learn from it, and be more ready to deal with things in the future if they come about again. You just have to keep learning. It’s tough, I’ll be honest, but at the same time, there’s no other job in the world where I’d get as much purpose as I get from doing what I’m doing right now.
“I get to help young men not only play footy, but become better people. If I reflect on the first half of the season, there were signs there that we’ve got enough to do it. We just need to make sure that it doesn’t get away from us again like it did this year.”
‘Obviously, I got thrown in with little experience and had to ride through a few things in the first three years that a lot of people don’t go through in their whole career.’
Benji Marshall
Marshall said his side would do well to learn from St George Illawarra, who narrowly defeated them last weekend. Despite long being out of finals contention, the Red V has continued to be competitive as the end of the season draws nearer.
“I spoke about that after the game,” Marshall said. “I thought [Dragons coach] Dean [Young] has done a really good job with them given the circumstances of how they started and what happened with their coach and what not.
“One thing that’s been clear – even though they’re near the bottom of the table – is the way they’re playing doesn’t reflect that. They’ve knocked off some pretty handy opponents and taken all of their last six games to the wire. That comes through hard work, determination, fight, and pride in the jersey, and it’s similar for us.”
Cogger ban set to stretch into finals
AAP
Penrith are in for a NRL finals selection dilemma after key addition Jack Cogger received a three-match ban for his high shot on Tyran Wishart on Thursday night.
Just when the streaky Panthers looked to have found their best option at five-eighth, Cogger received a grade-two charge that rules him out until after the first week of finals.
Unless Cogger can plead his case at the judiciary and win, the Panthers will be forced to recall out-of-favour Blaize Talagi or Perth-bound Jack Cole.
Cogger was sent to the sin bin after rushing out of the line to hit Wishart late in the Panthers’ 22-14 win on Thursday night.
He has already been suspended once this season for a similar shot, missing two weeks on that occasion for rushing out and hitting South Sydney’s Ashton Ward.
If he unsuccessfully challenges his charge at the judiciary, Cogger will miss an additional game, potentially ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
Cogger also received a $3000 fine for a shot on Storm forward Angus Hinchey earlier in the clash.
But the 29-year-old’s suspension is a far bigger blow for a Penrith side fighting to lock up a top-two finish.
Cogger has been a valuable addition to the Panthers’ starting side in recent weeks, proving a more assured defensive presence than Talagi.
His ball-playing has also helped take pressure off halfback Nathan Cleary, as it did during Penrith’s comeback victory in the 2023 grand final.
But Cogger’s illegal tackle has now opened the door for either Talagi or Cole, one of whom is set to start in the halves for next week’s clash with Canterbury.
Walters’ surprise Kangaroos exit opens up next option for Ivan Cleary
Dan Walsh
Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters will exit the role after this year’s World Cup, bringing four-time premiership-winning Panthers mentor Ivan Cleary into contention to take charge of the national side.
Walters will lead Australia’s World Cup defence in October before moving to England, where he will be head coach of St Helens on what sources have indicated is a deal worth more than $600,000 a year.
Cleary looms large among contenders to replace Walters in charge of the Kangaroos given he will vacate the Panthers head coaching role at the end of 2027, handing the reigns to assistant Peter Wallace.
The likes of recent Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater, NSW counterpart Laurie Daley and Australia’s most-capped player, Cameron Smith are other options for the national side.
But Cleary will prove hard to look past given his CV and stated desire to get into representative coaching once finishing up in the NRL.
Cleary spoke openly of his interest in coaching either Australia or NSW in an interview with this masthead last year. While Matt King’s two-year deal to lead the Blues (with an automatic third year triggered by a series win) takes the NSW Origin role off the table, Walters’ early exit from the Kangaroos opens up an unexpected avenue for Cleary.
“I have thought about it a bit more lately, I don’t know why,” Cleary said last November.
“I’m not sure whether I really want to or not, but it’s starting to intrigue me a little bit more, yeah.
“Today I’ve just come back after being around the Australian camp. There’s something pretty cool about coaching the best players, good players with guys from other teams that I’ve coached against. It’s a different dynamic.
“Just the whole thing where you don’t have a lot of time [to prepare] and so that’s something I haven’t really done much of. I was assistant coach of the Kiwis in a World Cup, I really enjoyed that as well. One of the things I really liked about it was working with guys from other teams and just trying to get a team together quickly.”
There is no immediate rush for the ARL Commission to replace Walters given the Kangaroos will not play again after the World Cup until the end of 2027. Cleary would have coached his last game with Penrith by that point, though he will remain on the club’s books in a consultancy role.
Australia will open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 15, aiming for a fourth consecutive tournament victory dating back to 2008.
Walters will exit the Kangaroos’ role 12 months early, having signed a two-year extension in June. He led Australia to a 3-0 Ashes victory over England last year after Smith and former NSW Origin mentor Brad Fittler were considered for the national role.
Fittler withdrew from the race believing he could not do the Australian job justice due to his media commitments.
Despite being repeatedly touted as a replacement for Craig Bellamy at Melbourne, Slater has consistently said he is not interested in becoming an NRL head coach.
He walked away from the Maroons job on Friday after five years in charge, declaring: “It’s the right time for someone else to come in and lead our footy team.”
Speaking on The Sunday Footy, Slater hinted that he would consider a potential return as Queensland coach in the future, though the pressure and time commitments of Origin campaigns also played a role in his departure.
Smith has ruled himself out of contention to replace Slater and lead the Maroons, saying the Origin workload would also be too much for him.
The pressure in the Australian job is not as great and the workload is less, given the international calendar is now confined to after the NRL season.
With Queensland Origin assistant Ben Te’o weighing up a move to South Sydney next season, Broncos assistant Matt Ballin has emerged as a leading contender to take charge of the Maroons.
Souths make call on Latrell Mitchell’s comeback plan
Christian Nicolussi
Latrell Mitchell’s long-awaited return for the Rabbitohs has been delayed for another week, but South Sydney’s highest-paid player is closing in on a comeback and much-needed game time leading into the finals.
Coach Wayne Bennett had raised hopes of Mitchell playing his first game since round 10 when he was included in the Rabbitohs extended squad for Saturday’s clash against the Warriors, with Bennett telling this masthead Mitchell was “a chance” if he could complete full training this week.
But Souths have opted to keep their superstar centre on ice for another week. They also confirmed there have been no setbacks in his recovery from an ongoing nerve issue in his lower back. The nerve damage was linked to subsequent upper leg and calf problems for Mitchell which ruled him out of NSW’s Origin campaign.
The Rabbitohs have targeted next week’s round 26 match against the Titans for Mitchell to return to the paddock, though that is still contingent on him handling increased training loads.
Bennett has flagged a potential bench role for Mitchell, who is unlikely to be played for a full 80 minutes against either the Gold Coast or arch-rivals the Roosters in the final round of the regular season.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have announced the re-signing of coach Andrew Webster on a new four-year deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2032. The extension will see Webster’s tenure at the high-flying Kiwi side stretch out to a decade, and make him the longest-serving coach in club history.
Storm veteran announces medical retirement after suffering stroke
Storm prop and Fijian Test captain Tui Kamikamica has announced his medically forced retirement from rugby league after suffering a stroke earlier this year.
Kamikamica hasn’t played since April when he suffered a seizure in the middle of the night and underwent subsequent surgery to remove a blood clot. Further tests revealed he had a small hole in his heart, which was then closed in another operation.
Kamikamica, 32, is in good health and had hoped to return to playing, either in the NRL or via a move to the Super League.
He will instead now call time on his 142-game career with Melbourne, which included grand final appearances in 2024 and 2025 and was acknowledged with being inducted as a life member of the club on Monday night.
“I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve been able to achieve in the game, representing Storm and captaining my country,” Kamikamica said.
“To play for the Storm and captain Fiji are memories I’ll cherish forever. I want to thank everyone at the Storm for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to play at the highest level. Melbourne will always be a special place for me and my family and I’m looking forward to my next chapter in life.”
‘I wish I got injured instead of him’: Brotherly love ahead of Trbojevic comeback
Adrian Proszenko
Jake Trbojevic has paid tribute to brother Tom as he embarks on another comeback, saying most players in his position would have written off the year.
Tom Trbojevic is a huge addition to a Manly side that remains a mathematical possibility of squeaking into the finals if they beat Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.
The Sea Eagles haven’t won a game since their captain suffered his latest hamstring injury, in round 20. However, the fullback will be a welcome addition to a side that has lost halfback Joey Walsh to a fractured jaw. Another Trbojevic, youngest sibling Ben, also returns from injury.
“I’ll be honest, it is tough, it’s really tough,” Jake Trbojevic said about playing without Tom.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for Tom, obviously being my brother and all that, but the way he goes about things – he is a true professional.
“Everyone says that about people, but he genuinely is. Sometimes I wish it was me who got injured instead of him, because he puts in 10 times more work than anyone else to get his body right, and he’s just been very unlucky.
“It’s very hard to see, particularly being his older brother. Not only that, selfishly I want him out on the field because he makes us better, you know? So, it is tough, but I’m happy for him that he’s very resilient and keeps working hard. These things don’t hold him back.
“A lesser man would probably say, ‘You know what, I’ll just sit the year out and come back next year,’ but he’s fighting. He wants to be out there, he wants to lead this club, and that’s great.”
If Tom Trbojevic’s return is successful he could put himself into contention for Australia selection for the end-of-year World Cup. Much will depend on how he and Manly perform in coming weeks, although it’s unlikely the club will feature in the post-season.
“There’s always a chance,” Jake Trbojevic said. “Tom wants to play for Manly, it doesn’t matter what’s on the line, he wants to be out there. He’s the captain of this club for a reason, and we love having him out there. The Northern Beaches loves having him out there. We’re better for it.
“So, it doesn’t matter what’s on the line—whether it’s finals or no finals—we want him out there, he wants to be out there, and he works extremely hard, so he deserves to be out there. We’re going to go out there, put in a great performance, and he’s going to lead us well. Hopefully, we can keep improving and turn this around.”
Manly winger Jason Saab said Tom Trbojevic’s return would give the team a confidence boost.
“He’s a world-class player,” Saab said.
“He’s had a tough run with injuries this year, but whenever he’s been fit and played the full game, he’s always had an impact.
“We’re a better team when the Trbojevics are playing.”
‘Proud day for NRL’: Storm valued at $150m after sale goes through
Adrian Proszenko
The Melbourne Storm has been valued at more than $150 million after the world’s second-biggest investment firm bought a majority share of the club.
After an exhaustive process to find the right partner, the Storm has completed a landmark transaction with EQT, a Swedish firm with more than $333 billion in assets under management.
The sale puts the Storm alongside Collingwood and the Brisbane Broncos as one of Australia’s top sporting franchises, just after the NRL brokered a $5.3 billion broadcast deal.
Storm chair Matt Tripp – who remains a co-owner alongside Bart Campbell, Gerry Ryan, Tom Carroll and Brett Ralph – said the deal will elevate one of Australia’s top-performing sports clubs even higher.
“I’m really proud that a firm like EQT, who are a serious blue-chip investment company, has chosen us as the team in Australia that they want to invest in,” Tripp said.
“That’s a credit to our people and the work that’s gone on over the last 27 years and the 13 years I’ve been involved as a club.
“I’ve watched people work tirelessly at the Storm. Off the back of that, EQT recognised that and wanted to be part of that. It’s a really proud day for the club and the NRL more broadly. I think the NRL should be happy that a club has attracted the attention of a company like EQT.”
The deal, which will result in EQT earning board seats, is subject to Australian Rugby League Commission approval. Tripp will remain chair, while other key positions will remain the same.
“Absolutely status quo,” Tripp said. “I’m still the largest shareholder after EQT and I’m as committed as I’ve ever been. It wouldn’t matter if I owned one per cent of 100 per cent, I’m still as passionate and my desire to drive this club doesn’t waiver …
“These guys own the IMG Academy, which will be really beneficial for us.
“It’s one of the biggest academies in the world, they effectively groom and produce through their pathways academy in the US the best of the best in gridiron, basketball, baseball and the like.
“In terms of sports science and everything that goes on that is best in class, we feel we can benefit from that and our new partners will assist us.
“They are also huge investors in the AI space and data and hopefully some of that can be transformed into improving areas of the club.”
No Red V lifeline as Sloan seeks Super League answers
Dan Walsh
Dragons flyer Tyrell Sloan says he has been “left in the dark” about the future of Castleford coach Ryan Carr, as St George Illawarra rule out extending an NRL lifeline to him and teammates Damien Cook and Mat Feagai if they look to back out of their Super League deals.
Sloan conceded after the Dragons’ two-point win over Wests Tigers on Sunday that he has had second thoughts about his move to Castleford given the uncertainty around Carr’s position. Carr was a key reason Sloan signed a two-year deal with the club last month.
Carr, who coached Sloan as an assistant and interim head coach at the Dragons, has been absent from Castleford for the past two weeks after the club launched an investigation into the 38-year-old with little detail or public explanation as to why.
Castleford head of football Chris Chester has spoken to the Dragons trio and told them they remain in the club’s plans for next season regardless of Carr’s situation.
St George Illawarra have moved on in their roster planning for 2027 and have privately conveyed that they do not have room for Sloan, Cook and Feagai in their salary cap after a significant recruitment and retention spree.
“It definitely puts a big dent in things for me, I’ll be honest,” Sloan said. “Carry was a big reason why I signed over there.
“Obviously we had a relationship here at the Dragons and I don’t really know the situation with him. We’ve been left in the dark.
“I’m really excited to go over there if Carry is there, but I just don’t know if that’s going to be the case there. Hopefully I’ll find out soon what’s going on and they make a decision.
“I have thought about [trying to stay in the NRL], but I also have to keep playing good footy here to finish the season on a high.”
Sloan, 24, has been playing with a new lease on life since Dean Young took charge of the Dragons, scoring eight tries in his past eight games.
His time under predecessor Shane Flanagan was far less consistent with several demotions to reserve grade, and 18 months ago he was given permission to explore an early exit from the joint-venture.
Immortal Andrew Johns has argued Sloan is “too good a player to be leaving the NRL at this age”, but the Indigenous All Stars representative acknowledged his form in previous years hadn’t left him with many options.
“I didn’t really have much [many options] in the NRL, and nothing really made sense, you know, to play in another jersey in the NRL,” Sloan said.
“But Joey’s always been really good to me since I came into first grade and to be getting a fair rap from someone who has done everything in the game, I hold that in such respect. At the moment, I’ve got the Super League deal and at the end of it, I’ll only be 26. I’ve been in first grade since I was 18 so no matter what happens, I’d say I’ve got a lot of NRL left in me.”
