http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/sp...featuring-josh-massoud-and-liam-cox-round-25/
Tackle 1 – Did Winterstein delay expose a Hayne hypocrisy?
One is the game's highest paid player, the other on a base contract worth absolutely nothing.
The gap between
Jarryd Hayne and
Frank Winterstein couldn't be wider. So too the NRL's attitude toward welcoming them back to the code.
While Hayne was embraced with open arms when he signed a $1.3 million-a-year contract with the
Titans, Winterstein was put through weeks of purgatory before being cleared to pull on a
Sea Eagles jersey last weekend.
The injury-stricken Sea Eagles approached the NRL to register Winterstein a fortnight earlier; believing they could use that same loophole through which Hayne slipped back into rugby league without delay.
Hayne was allowed to play this season because the NRL ruled the June 30 deadline only applied to currently registered players.
And since he'd most recently played
rugby sevens with Fiji, Hayne was deemed a viable exemption.
When asked about the Hayne exemption on Tuesday,
Todd Greenberg even admitted he'd personally helped lure the superstar home.
"We should make no apologies for the ability for the ability for us to attract the best athletes back inside the game," Greenberg said.
"I make no apology about that. I actively sought Jarryd out to come back to the NRL."
So we can understand why Manly thought the same latitude would be granted to Winterstein, who, like Hayne, was making the jump from rugby sevens after missing the cut for Rio 2016.
Much to the amazement of Manly's coaching staff both the
NRL and
NSWRL sat idle and initially refused to register the 29-year-old journeyman.
The delay went on for two weeks, with manly desperate to blood the forward through NSW Cup before using him in first grade over the closing rounds.
As the stand-off continued, Winterstein's manager upped the ante in his communications with the NRL and pointed-out the Hayne double standard.
He was told Hayne puts bums on seats and boosts TV ratings. He argued that, unlike Hayne, Winterstein has a child to feed and desperately needed the match payments.
Eventually the impasse was cleared last Friday, forcing Manly to rush Winterstein straight into first grade after an eight-year absence from the NRL. In response, the NRL says it had questions to be resolved about Manly’s second tier salary cap – and that explained the delay.
But had Winterstein not been registered last week, it’s likely Manly would have come out winging with the story.
There's plenty in the game who remain cynical about Hayne's registration to an NRL-run club.
With the league keen to sell the Titans, his addition can only make that a more attractive - and lucrative proposition.
Tackle 7 - Thanks... but Cedars for Arthur
Parramatta's season from hell has skittled
Lebanon's bold plan to appoint
Brad Arthur as coach for the
2017 World Cup.
Arthur was approached several weeks ago to lead a team into the 'Group of Death' against
Australia, England and
France.
He was excited about the prospect of working with the likes of
Tim Mannah, Robbie Farah, Mitchell Moses, Josh Mansour and
Michael Lichaa - who have all declared their availability.
But with Parramatta in need of serious attention after its most tumultuous season on record, Arthur this week decided the timing simply wasn't right.
Ricky Stuart and
Brad Fittler have also been mentioned as alternatives, as both are close to the influential Farah.
Meanwhile Arthur is set to ramp up his recruitment drive after the Eels were given a clearer idea of their salary cap position over the past week.
We're hearing
Rabbitohs prop
Nathan Brown could be their first signing. The club is also looking at
Raiders halfback
Sam Williams to add depth to their play-making ranks.
