Sharks demand explanation for four-tackle set in costly defeat
By Adrian Proszenko, Billie Eder and Dan Walsh
Cronulla have demanded answers from the NRL following several controversial decisions in Friday night’s loss to the Gold Coast, including a four-tackle set that will likely result in referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski getting dropped.
The Sharks’ 20-16 loss to the Gold Coast in Coffs Harbour was their third successive loss. The result was overshadowed by an officiating mistake four minutes into the second half that resulted in Przeklasa-Adamski calling fifth tackle when only four had been completed.
The Sharks were unable to get a result from the premature attacking kick. Cronulla were also concerned about several other calls, including Will Kennedy being denied a try after Titans fullback Keano Kini slid in feet-first.
Cronulla chief executive Dino Mezzatesta congratulated the Titans on the win, but sought a “please explain” from the NRL about the contentious decisions.
“We don’t want to come across as sore losers or whingers because we lost the game, but at this level, at critical moments, you should be able to ask the question,” Mezzatesta said on Saturday.
“There were some real pivotal moments in that game. Leading with the feet was just one of them. Has the rule changed? I didn’t think you could lead with your feet. So if you lead with the feet and strike another player in the face, what happens? Is that OK? If you lead with the feet and strike the ball, is that OK? I’m confused on that one.
Nicho Hynes leads a dejected Cronulla side off the field after their loss to the Gold Coast.Credit: Getty Images
“The other one was calling the fifth and last on the fourth tackle. Throw in a forward pass, which on any other day would be questioned. You certainly want some consistency. I think we’re entitled to an explanation.”
NRL head of football Graham Annesley said: “The whole game, and the match officials’ performances, will be reviewed on Monday, as is standard procedure.”
There was further bad news on Saturday for the Sharks. Siosifa Talakai is facing a one-game ban for a grade-two careless high tackle for making shoulder contact with Sam Verrills’ chin. The utility will miss next week’s clash against Wests Tigers with an early guilty plea, but risks also sitting out Cronulla’s following game against North Queensland if he challenges the ban.
Talakai went to the sin bin for his shot in the first half, with Gold Coast capitalising on his absence for a crucial try. After the match, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon questioned the severity of the shot, given Verrills was able to finish the game.
“I don’t know if he just rocked him so hard that the head came up,” Fitzgibbon said. “I’d have to take another look at it, but he played on. If he hit him in the chin that hard, I would’ve thought it was a real issue.”
Titans winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira can accept a $1000 fine as an early guilty plea for tripping Sharks fullback Kennedy in the second half.
with AAP
Jack’s back for one more year
Jack de Belin has opted against rejoining Wayne Bennett at South Sydney to re-sign with St George Illawarra.
The Dragon has moved a step closer to finishing his career as a one-club player after signing a one-year contract extension.
Jack de Belin will stay at the Dragons for another year.Credit: Getty
“Jack has impressed the coaching staff with his form this year and we are pleased to be able to retain him for another season,” Dragons coach Shane Flanagan said.
“He has been a consistent presence through the middle of the field while his work mentoring our next generation of forwards continues to benefit the entire squad.”
De Belin had been seeking a longer-term deal and had fielded interest from South Sydney, but ultimately opted to stay put. The 33-year-old has made 220 NRL appearances in the Red V and also featured in three Origins for NSW and three Tests for Papua New Guinea.
Townsend signs one-year contract to join Roosters in 2025
The Roosters have secured the signature of premiership-winning halfback Chad Townsend, who will finish up with the Cowboys at the end of the year.
Townsend will join the Bondi club on a one-year deal for the 2025 season to add depth to the Tricolours halves after Luke Keary announced earlier this year he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Hours before the signing was officially announced, Roosters skipper James Tedesco said Townsend’s signature would be a “win” for the club and the North Queensland skipper would be a valuable mentor for young halfback Sam Walker and emerging five-eighth Sandon Smith.
“Having two young guys like Sam and Sandon, it’s handy to have an experienced leader like Chad,” Tedesco said.
“He’s been around the game for a long time now, he’s had success, won a grand final, he’s led different teams to success. I think that’s a win-win for all of us, [to] have Chad’s experience here if we need him. But just guiding the young halves with his experience and leadership is going to be a big positive for us.”
Tedesco, who is in his seventh season with the Roosters, expressed his desire to also extend his deal with the club. The 31-year-old fullback is off contract at the end of 2025 and free to explore his options from November 1.
“I’d like to stay, obviously,” he said. “My body is feeling good and in a good space. Happy with how the footy has been going, so hopefully we can extend that. But to be honest, I haven’t really given it too much thought. I think maybe by end of the year or so we can get something sorted, hopefully.”
James Tedesco and Chad Townsend could be teammates in 2025.Credit: Getty/NRL Images
Last Wednesday was the first time since 2016 Tedesco wasn’t part of the Blues outfit, after Michael Maguire opted with Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.
But Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga said that didn’t rule out selecting Tedesco in the No.1 jersey for the Pacific Championships later in the year.
“Loyalty and club form is really important as well,” Meninga said.
“Just because you don’t play Origin, it doesn’t mean you’re going to miss out. Origin finishes at the middle of July and then the competition goes to the end of October, so a lot of things can happen in that sort of 10-week period.”
But while Tedesco wants to be back in the green and gold, he doesn’t believe loyalty alone should get you a spot in the squad.
“I don’t think that’s what it should come down to. I think it’s just whoever’s best fit for the fullback role will get the job. That’s how I see it,” Tedesco said.
“Definitely [want to keep fullback spot], [but] I haven’t really given it too much thought. It’s been one of the positives not playing Origin, just putting my energy into the Roosters and lead by example for the club. I’ve been really enjoying that, and obviously we’re going really well at the moment, so I’m just going to put my energy into that and my focus on the Roosters, and then we’ll see what happens at the end of the year.”
Townsend could finish career at Roosters with one-year deal
North Queensland halfback Chad Townsend is deep in negotiations with the Roosters about a one-year contract for 2025.
Townsend, off contract at the end of the year, is keen to play on for one more season. The premiership-winning No.7 is keen to return to Sydney and the Roosters believe he could provide playmaking depth once Luke Keary retires at the end of the current campaign.
North Queensland playmaker Chad Townsend.Credit: Getty
Townsend recently met with Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo and general manager of football Phil Gould, but the Bulldogs are comfortable with the options they currently have on their books. The 33-year-old’s most likely destination is Bondi Junction, where he will be able to help mentor Sam Walker and Sandon Smith.
The recent form of the former Sharks and Warriors halfback has been solid, helping guide the Cowboys to four consecutive wins to remain in play-off contention. Townsend believes a move to Sydney will also assist in a burgeoning media career.
RA clears ex-Wallabies for NRL switch
Rugby Australia has executed deeds of release for former Wallabies Mark Nawaqanitawase and Carter Gordon, allowing the pair to switch to the NRL this year.
As the Roosters roster overhaul continued with the re-signing of Angus Crichton on a $1.65 million, two-year deal and Sitili Tupouniua agreed to terms on a four-year Bulldogs contract, the Tricolours are expected to be granted an NRL exemption for Nawaqanitawase to join the club after his Olympic campaign.
Nawaqanitawase’s release from his Rugby Australia contract has been formalised but will not come into effect until after July 27, the date of the men’s rugby sevens final in Paris.
The former Wallabies flyer will be announced in Australia’s Olympic sevens squad later this week, while the Roosters lodged paperwork for his eventual NRL registration on Monday.
Gordon, who signed with the Titans on an estimated $600,000, two-year deal, is free to make an NRL move immediately under the terms of RA’s release.
The Roosters are poised to land Mark Nawaqanitawase after his Olympic Sevens bid.Credit: Getty
Gordon is unlikely to play NRL this year, but the Titans want to fast track his rugby league development as part of their top squad this year.
The Wallabies playmaker has had little experience in the 13-man game, but coach Des Hasler jumped at the chance to get the 23-year-old to Robina before next year.
Nawaqanitawase’s signing on a two-year contract offers reinforcements for a Roosters backline losing Joey Manu, Joseph Suaalii and Luke Keary next season, but coach Trent Robinson does not expect him to be NRL-ready in 2024.
Manu is the latest outside back to go down at Bondi. He requires surgery on a broken hand that will sideline him for a month. Manu joins Suaalii (suspended for this week’s clash against St George Illawarra), Junior Pauga (suspension), Billy Smith (ankle), Lewis Murphy (scaphoid) and Rob Toia (knee) in stands.
Sitili Tupouniua is on his way out of the Roosters.Credit: NRL Photos
Veteran Michael Jennings and rookie Ethan King shape as Robinson’s options to replace Manu this Sunday against the Dragons.
Despite Nawaqanitawase being cleared to join the club, the 23-year-old’s signing has been made with an extended lead-in to 2025 in mind given he hasn’t played rugby league since his junior days.
“I haven’t got an NRL focus for him,” Robinson said.
“I have a transition into rugby league focus and getting training if possible, and playing some reserve grade would be ideal. Then it’s up to him how he adapts. But the focus is definitely not NRL. It’s not next week.”
Meanwhile, Tupouniua has agreed to a long-term deal with the Bulldogs after his management agreed to a deal that will see the Roosters contribute part of his salary. Tupouniua still has three more years to run on his deal at the Roosters worth around $650,000.
The Bulldogs have decided to honour those years and have agreed to another season on top, keeping the 27-year-old at the club until the end of 2028.
Manly also opened discussions with Tupouniua but did not table a formal offer.
Saifiti told he’s free to leave Newcastle
Former NSW Origin prop Daniel Saifiti has been told he is free to leave Newcastle at season’s end if a rival club takes up the lucrative final two years of his contract.
Saifiti’s future has been discussed repeatedly over the past 12 months given he is one of the Knights’ highest-paid players, earning more than $800,000 a year in 2025 and 2026.
Daniel Saifiti in action for the Knights.Credit: Getty
Newcastle’s top-heavy salary cap is being reevaluated following the arrival of vaunted talent scout Peter O’Sullivan from the Dolphins, and Saifiti has been told he can officially go to market.
Saifiti signed his most recent Knights extension in 2021 when he last played Origin for the Blues, and may well prove an attractive front row signing for rival clubs if Newcastle are chipping in a portion of his salary from next year.
Sam Walker on the run for the Roosters.Credit: NRL Photos
Roosters set to open Walker talks
The Roosters are also set to begin long-term extension talks to keep rising half Sam Walker off the open market.
Walker has been in career-best touch throughout the Roosters rise into the top four, a year after being dropped.
The 22-year-old has long been seen as the club’s long-term playmaker but is contracted until the end of 2025, putting him on the open market from November 1 this year.
Walker has consistently been linked with a return to his native Queensland, as the expected introduction of a Perth franchise in 2027 also puts his name up in lights as a potential marquee signing.
Walker has stressed repeatedly that his preference is to stay at the Roosters and guide the club’s next roster regeneration.
Formal negotiations between the club and his management have been flagged after the Roosters indicated a desire to tie down one of the game’s best young halves on a multi-year deal.
The Roosters have several recruitment and retention balls up in the air given the generational overhaul at the club, which will see Luke Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves finish their careers this season as Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii move to rugby union.
Despite Waerea-Hargreaves’ exit, the Roosters at this stage are not expected to pursue Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu.
The Dragons and Raiders are both prepared to offer lucrative five-year deals, worth as much as $4.5 million a season, to secure Utoikamanu, while Melbourne are also interested but would need to move players to fit him into their salary cap.
Meanwhile, Queensland and Sharks assistant Josh Hannay has met with Eels powerbrokers for a second time as the NRL strugglers close in on the appointment of a new coach.
Having been tied up with State of Origin and club duties, Hannay pitched his case for a maiden NRL head coaching job on Sunday.
Parramatta are expected to finalise Brad Arthur’s permanent successor this week with Hannay, Melbourne Storm staffer Jason Ryles and Dragons assistant Dean Young remaining in the race.
The Eels are anchored at the bottom of the ladder after their 11th loss of the season against the Knights on Saturday.
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