The Ben Hunt saga rolls on with the 33-year-old more likely to hyperlink up with the Broncos this week, and plenty of key figures within the sport have expressed their displeasure.
Meanwhile, a rugby league legend has urged a Manly teen to get ‘his act in order’ within the wake of the season-ending harm to Tom Trbojevic and can Knights coach Adam O’Brien be the following coach sacked?
Read on for the entire greatest speaking factors out of Round 17.
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Bennett requires NRL ‘accountability’ | 01:01
CALLS TO FIX ‘FLAWED’ SYSTEM AMID UGLY HUNT SAGA
A number of influential voices have condemned the NRL’s “flawed” contract system amid the unfolding Ben Hunt drama, with the Dragons star’s transfer to the Broncos wanting imminent.
Hunt is publicly pushing for a direct launch regardless of his profitable contract working till the tip of 2025 and can meet with incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan on Monday.
The veteran backed up from Origin in St George Illawarra’s embarrassing loss to the Warriors on Friday evening, however Hunt has nearly actually performed his final sport for the membership.
Wayne Bennett mentioned there was “no accountability” when gamers are allowed to interrupt contracts, whereas Billy Slater mentioned golf equipment can’t have it each methods as Mal Meninga and Cooper Cronk known as on the NRL to “fix it” instantly.
Mick Ennis described it as “a stain on the game” and Corey Parker mentioned “it just looks so bad” for Hunt to depart the struggling Fifteenth-placed Dragons for the top-of-the-table Broncos.
“The disappointing thing for me is there’s no accountability with it, that’s the disappointing part for me personally for the game, not just on this incident,” Bennett mentioned.
“We all go and sign contracts, we all go and make deals, I just think there’s got to be something better than what we’re doing right now.”
“It’s untenable and very messy, that’s the thing that upsets every involved in rugby league,” Meninga mentioned.
“We all understand Ben is unhappy at the Dragons and wants to move back home for personal reasons and family reasons.
“Just fix it, get through the next couple of days and have an outcome that both Ben and the Dragons are satisfied with and just move on because it’s become a saga.”
Hunt infamously dropped the ball in golden level of the 2015 grand closing which handed the premiership to the Cowboys.
Cronk backed Hunt’s return to Brisbane for the rest of this season earlier than linking up with the Titans on a two-year deal.
“I think it’s a smart move on Ben Hunt’s part because he’s had a terrific career, 33-year-old, won a World Cup, dominated Origin at stages but one thing he hasn’t done is win a grand final,” Cronk mentioned.
“So going back to Brisbane, where he’s played in one, I think it fits. Obviously Adam Reynolds there but he’d play No. 9 you’d imagine. I think the back-end of this year if you want to achieve the ultimate, I think Brisbane stacks up.
“But I think the whole system that’s in play here needs to be fixed immediately because Ben Hunt is copping a lot of pressure, the Dragons are copping a lot of pressure. The system is flawed and needs immediate addressing.”
Flanagan is reportedly “wasting his time” assembly with Ben Hunt on Monday in an try and hold the star halfback from leaving the membership.
Meninga, who’s a senior advisor on the Titans, mentioned if Hunt joins the membership he’ll begin at halfback not hooker, the place he performs for Queensland and Australia.
“He’s been one of the best No. 7s if not one of the best players in the competition the last three seasons and he’d be a great acquisition for any club,” Meninga mentioned.
“He’d be sensational for the Titans and I think by his presence he’d put them in a situation where they’d be chasing a premiership.”
Queensland coach Billy Slater mentioned golf equipment can’t have it each methods with gamers.
“Clubs are allowed to sack people at the drop of a hat so why can’t players sack clubs at the drop of a hat?” Slater mentioned on the Sunday Footy Show.
“You’ve got to have it both ways, but it’s tough because Justin’s obviously put everything into that, because he’s family’s up on the Gold Coast, you live and breathe that job so it’s disappointing for him.
“The Dragons have done it, they let Josh Kerr go last week and he played for the Dolphins and there hasn’t been an uproar about that.
“When a player isn’t performing for a club, they’re asked to leave, when a club isn’t performing for a player, why can’t it be the same case?”
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Hunt departing Dragons instantly | 02:57
WEBSTER TURNS WARRIORS INTO THE REAL DEAL
The Warriors have remodeled themselves from perennial underachievers to a real high 4 contender within the area of 1 season beneath Andrew Webster.
Their 48-18 win over the Dragons confirmed simply how a lot they’ve improved in each assault and defence since Webster took over the group.
The outcome meant the Warriors have now scored 30 factors or extra in three straight video games for the primary time since 2007.
Cooper Cronk believes Webster deserves loads of reward for the whole reversal of the group’s fortunes in such a brief area of time.
“The Warriors are a completely different team to what they were last year,” Cronk mentioned.
“They defend for high periods of time, normally have high completion rates, they can score points.
“I think Andrew Webster needs a huge rap for what the Warriors are doing because he’s put the foundations in around this team and the players are responding and playing well.”
Cronk famous that so most of the Warriors’ gamers are in profession finest kind which is a testomony to the coach and his employees.
“It’s a good sign for the coach when players are having their career-best years,” Cronk mentioned.
“Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson and Addin Fonua-Blake – there’s a few under Webster – they’re playing at a very high level this year.”
Reborn halfback Johnson had one attempt, two attempt assists, a linebreak and 54 metres in opposition to the Dragons, whereas star fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad completed with 4 attempt assists, 5 linebreak assists, one linebreak, six sort out busts and 191 metres.
Prop Fonua-Blake had one attempt help, one linebreak help, three offloads, 173 metres and 28 tackles, whereas star winger Watene-Zelezniak completed with 4 tries, one attempt help, 5 linebreaks, six sort out busts and 191 metres.
Greg Alexander believes the Warriors have at all times had expertise, however haven’t discovered a coach to deliver the gamers collectively to attain one objective for a while.
“They’ve been searching for a coach to bring together their players and they’ve finally got one,” Alexander mentioned.
“The Warriors know what they’re doing, they look organised… It’s a tip for Andrew Webster.
“I’m locking them in for a top eight finish.”
Warriors skipper Harris revealed the key to the group’s success beneath Webster has been instilling confidence within the gamers.
“He has been outstanding,” Harris mentioned of Webster.
“Right from day one he has filled the players with confidence in themselves and if you are confident in your own abilities then there is so many more things that you can do and you can take your game to a new level.
“I think that’s what he has brought to us as players. He has filled us with confidence and also taught us the other things we need to know and learn how to be a better player and prepare better.
“But the confidence he gives us as a team and as individuals has been massive right from the first day.”
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Warriors slay Dragons in assertive win | 02:42
O’BRIEN UNDER PRESSURE AS KNIGHTS BLOW IT AGAINST UNDERMANNED PANTHERS
Adam O’Brien could possibly be the third coach sacked this season after the Knights didn’t beat an undermanned Panthers aspect lacking all their Origin stars and the injured Nathan Cleary.
James Hooper believes the 20-12 loss to the Panthers has put O’Brien’s tenure at Newcastle on skinny ice and floated three coaches which might be potential replacements for the beneath siege Newcastle boss.
“There is no two ways about it they have been bitterly disappointing, particularly against a Panthers side who had decided to rest all five of their State of Origin stars,” Hooper mentioned on Triple M.
“I think Adam O’Brien is a great fella, but unfortunately as we have seen at the Titans and the Dragons this season, you have got to get results.
“Newcastle aren’t getting them at the moment. The roster is better than the results suggest and for that reason his position will be scrutinised and he is under pressure.
“Names I have heard mentioned around possible replacements include Michael Maguire, who won a premiership with the Rabbitohs in 2014 and John Morris, who is one of the Rabbitohs’ assistant coaches.
“Former Dragons’ coach Paul McGregor’s name has also been mentioned as someone who Newcastle are looking at.
“I think we would be delusional to not think that the powers that be at Newcastle are assessing everything at the moment.”
However, Gorden Tallis believes a few of the Knights’ star gamers must take look within the mirror as a result of they aren’t delivering on their pay packets.
“They haven’t had their best side on the paddock all the time and I think in the halves,” Tallis mentioned.
“I think Kalyn Ponga there is no doubt that he is a fullback. They were trying to get him to play five-eighth and run the footy side and it didn’t work.
“I think they are lacking someone that can steer them around the park. I think Hastings has been pretty good for them, but it is just the halves.
“And their forward pack at times it is just Frizell. I don’t think they have laid the platform at times.
“The Saifiti brothers. They played Origin and he was outstanding and then they go back to club and they don’t go to that next level. He doesn’t turn into that player.
“I think it is a lot of their players aren’t playing to their potential.”
James Graham believes the Knights didn’t beat an understrength group for the second match in a row and that spells dangerous news for the membership and O’Brien.
“They played an understrength Roosters team and they should have beaten them and then they played an understrength Panthers team and should have won,” Graham mentioned.
“I know Penrith played exceptionally well and they have great systems and completed 100 per cent in the first half.
“But the Knights should be going there and getting the job done against a team that is so undermanned.”
‘How did the Knights lose?!’ | 00:17
YOUNG GUN URGED TO ‘IMPROVE’ AMID ‘HUGE TEST’ FACING SEA EAGLES
It was at all times going to be a tricky ask for the Sea Eagles to beat the Storm in Melbourne, particularly with out star fullback Tom Trbojevic.
However, for almost all of the competition, Manly have been proper in it.
Led by Trbojevic’s alternative Reuben Garrick, Manly have been hard-nosed and made loads of decided defensive stops up till the 58th minute when the sport hung within the steadiness at 10-6.
That was when the Storm turned on the jets, benefiting from a second half error rely of 7-1 in opposition to the Sea Eagles, and scored three tries within the final 22 minutes to seal the sport.
While there have been some moments coach Anthony Seibold and the Manly trustworthy would have been happy to see, together with the defensive efforts and the general play of Garrick, there have been additionally a couple of disappointing points.
One of these was the efficiency of Josh Schuster, the $800,000 man but to play near his price ticket this season.
After lacking a couple of weeks earlier within the season as a result of poor conditioning and copping the ire of captain Daly Cherry-Evans, Schuster has to date had a season he’d prefer to overlook.
His software, which has been questioned at instances this season, wasn’t the place it wanted to be in opposition to the Storm together with his affect minimal, with the damaging ball runner solely recording three runs for 32 metres.
He additionally missed seven tackles, together with a poor try which led to a Nelson Asofa-Solomona attempt.
“Not a lot effort put in there by the entrance line of the Manly defence… That was too simple in a sport that has given up nothing,” Greg Alexander said on Fox League.
With Trbojevic to miss the rest of the season, Manly desperately need Schuster to show more if they want to play finals footy.
“There’s no point in sweating in Turbo not being there. Reuben Garrick is such a classy number 1 anyway,” Yvonne Sampson said on Fox League.
“It’s a huge test for Manly. They won the pre-season challenge and we thought, OK they are going to be a good side this year, with everything hinging on Trbojevic,” Cooper Cronk said.
“Garrick was solid, Cherry-Evans was game tonight… but I think Schuster can improve. He’s got x-factor.
“He needs to come up with a bit more consistency in his performances. Still have the x-factor, but he needs to contribute more for Manly to be successful.”
NRL great Mal Meninga agreed with Cronk, strongly believing the Sea Eagles season banks on Schuster’s play.
“Josh Schuster needs to get into the game but first and foremost; he needs to get those errors out of the game.
“He started well tonight, but then he faded out of the game and then when he starts to fade out of the game, he makes some poor decisions and he obviously misses tackles.
“He needs to get his act in order for Manly to have any hope at the end of the year.”
Sea Eagles Press Conference | 05:20
SLOPPY SOUTHS’ STUNNING SLIDE AS DEFENCE DESERTS THEM
Souths were title favourites after six straight wins earlier in the year, but have now lost four of their last five to be on the verge of slipping out of the top eight in a stunning fall from grace.
Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis believe Souths put in their worst performance of the season in their 31-6 loss to the Cowboys.
“As good as the Cowboys were Souths were very poor,” Anasta said.
“They had six wins in a row and now they have won only one of their last five.
“Latrell Mitchell out for a long time now and Cody Walker nowhere near his best tonight.
“The whole team were very ordinary. I would say their worst performance of the year.”
“I have to agree, I thought their kicking game to start the game was dreadful and a number of miss-directed passes particularly in the first half from their key playmakers,” Ennis said.
“Souths have been mesmerising at times over the last couple of seasons, but today they were anything but that.
“The attack was ordinary, but no Latrell Mitchell hurts that, but boy defensively they were really poor today.”
Greg Alexander believes the Rabbitohs need to address their sloppy defence to get their season back on track.
“They have had some points racked up against them over the last month,” Alexander said.
“They have only won one game from their last five. They have given up 30 plus points in all their losses so things aren’t working or ticking over at South Sydney.”
South Sydney Rabbitohs Press Conference | 05:29
Source: www.foxsports.com.au