Off the Record: Rugby League Rumour and Gossip #44
Bennetts’ look
England coach Wayne Bennett could use his international position to advantage his NRL club. We’ve been told that Bennett is looking at bringing in two Englishmen to the Brisbane Broncos next year. The supercoach is getting to know Super League‘s best in his new role as national coach. The Broncos already have two English players on their books in Greg Eden in Jack Reed, but both are expected to be playing elsewhere in 2017.
Watson gone?
We’re hearing talk that Ian Watson won’t be coaching Salford next year. Watson has done a great job at the AJ Bell Stadium this year, considering the off-field distractions that have surrounded the club. But word is he will get the axe come the end of the season and the Red Devils will have a new coach in 2017.
Black and White dinosaur
We mentioned that last week that Tony Williams is set to leave the Bulldogs and could be swayed on a Super League move. Now it appears Hull FC may be eyeing off the former NSW and Australia forward, according to reports down under. Surely T-Rex won’t be short on admirers in the UK. Watch this space.
British grunt
The Broncos aren’t the only club looking to recruit from Super League as word comes to us that St George Illawarra are keen to replace the departing Mike Cooper with another English prop. The Dragons have had some success with English players in recent years, with Gareth Widdop and Tyrone McCarthy currently on their roster. Newcastle are also after some British beef up front, with Nathan Brown keen to snare a front-rower to go with Joe Wardle from Huddersfield. Hull KR forward James Green is one name being considered.
Akila about
Could Fijian flyer Akila Uate be enticed to England in 2017? The winger is out of favour in Newcastle and Nathan Brown is keen to offload him. Uate has played his whole NRL career with the Knights and a change of club could do him the world of good. On his day Uate is a dynamic finisher and a geniune crowd-pleaser.
Party on Garth
Penrith assistant Garth Brennan missed out of the Huddersfield job, which coincidently went to his former rival for the Newcastle hot-seat – Rick Stone. But one of our NRL moles tells us that Brennan, a highly-regarded coach, is still keen to head overseas to try his hand. With Steve McNamara presumably a lock at Hull KR, Brennan may go after an assistant role with a Super League club or could even end up with a head coaching gig in the Championship.
Told you so
We told you last week that Fev prop Jack Ormondroyd is on his way to Leeds, which has since been confirmed by other media. We also told you that James Coyle is departing Whitehaven, which the club has since announced.
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