Penrith demand puts Puletua in the balance for Kiwis

[mightypanther]

Penrith demand puts Puletua in the balance for Kiwis
By Brad Walter
October 13, 2004
Sydney Morning Herald


http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/12/1097406574940.html


Kiwis second-rower Tony Puletua is at the centre of a club versus country row after Penrith yesterday told the New Zealand Rugby League he would be coming home after Saturday's Test against Australia for off-season surgery.

Puletua needs a shoulder operation but the NZRL wants him to delay it until after the tri-nations series, which ends with the final in England on November 27.

The Kiwis camp accepts fellow Panther Joe Galuvao (shoulder and ankle) and Bulldogs winger Matt Utai (ankle) require surgery as soon as possible, but NZRL officials insist Penrith had previously said the decision to tour would be left up to Puletua.

Puletua, 25, has made it known he wants to play in England but unless he has the operation as scheduled on November 21 he will miss the beginning of next season, as the recovery time is up to 16 weeks.

 

[Big Mick]

f**k New Zealand.

We need him fit for next year.

 

[*Sandy*]

Yeah but by that article it states he wants to play. Mentally that could be just as bad. I would rather have him back on field fit both physically and mentally. Players who are not happy with their club don't perform as well. T is very passionate about playing for NZ and he works for that opportunity every season. They can't take that away from him.

 

[panthersballboy]

I say let him play if he wants to. I agree with PK that it might affect how he feels about the panthers if they stop him from playing and NZ definately need the man mountain.

 

[SP]

If it were me, id play for my country, i wouldnt care about what my club says.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Oh i didn't know it was that bad. I'd rather him be sweet for next year! This is a hard decision for T because playing for your country is a great honour.

 

[Kiwipanther]

I would rather he didn't play, the risk of long term injury must be pretty high as well...........live to beat the Aussies another day T. Panthers come first before country.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Yeah he is only 25 so he has many more chances of playing Test matches ahead of him.

 

[Munky]

If my club stopped me playing for Australia, I'd tell them to **** off and ask for a release to prove my point.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Well it looks as though Penrith have made Puletua and Galuvao stay in Australia and not play over in England. They will have surgery for their shoulder and ankle respectively on November 21.

 

[Fibroman]

If I moved to England when I was a teenager, and played all my footy in England, and felt a part of that country and that culture, I would probably put my loyalties in the direction of England rather than Australia.

The point I'm making. Puletua was born in New Zealand, but is now an Aussie, and a Panther, which might hold more importance to him than the name of the country written on his birth certificate.

Just an opinion.

 

[*Sandy*]

Let's hope T is OK with it then.

We can only go on what is given to us via the media outlet and then that depends on how they want to interpret it Fibro. From what I've seen of T playing for NZ he always gives 100% and more. If that's what he wanted then mentally it will be tough.

Imagine telling Gowie he had an appointment with a scalpel. :lol: He would be MIA in Green and Gold.

 

[mightypanther]

NZ in tug of war with Panthers over Puletua
12 October 2004
NRL Official Website


http://www.nrl.com.au/news.cfm?id=10026


The New Zealand Rugby League and NRL club Penrith are at loggerheads over the availability of second-rower Tony Puletua for the Tri Nations rugby league tournament.

Puletua and his Panthers teammate Joe Galuvao have been booked into surgery on November 21 for ankle and shoulder operations respectively, forcing them out of the UK leg.

Along with Bulldogs winger Matt Utai (ankle), Galuvao and Puletua will play Saturday's Test against Australia at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland but will take no further part in the series, also involving Great Britain.

The NZRL has accepted that Utai and Galuvao require surgery as soon as possible but the organisation believes Puletua's operation could be delayed until the tournament ends in late November.

NZRL general manager Peter Cordtz told AAP tonight that the Kiwis would be seeking independent advice to verify medical information from Penrith.

"Given we both have a vested interest in how this plays out, seeking some independent advice seems the reasonable thing for us to do before we take the next step," said Cordtz.

Cordtz hinted the next step could involve a battle with the Panthers to prolong Puletua's tour, but he stressed not at the risk of the players' welfare.

"Tony is a critical member of our team - as important to our campaign as he is to Penrith's," said Cordtz.

"We really will look long and hard at the best way to make sure he's part of our campaign.

"We don't have the pool of talent to draw on as the Australians or British.
"We've resigned ourselves to losing Joe ... but to lose Tony and Joe would be a massive blow to our campaign."

NZRL chairman Selwyn Pearson today said a letter from Penrith specified the decision to tour would be left up to Puletua but club chief executive Mick Leary confirmed the damaging forward's series would end on Saturday night.

Leary defended his club's decision to recall his star forwards from the already under-strength Kiwis camp.

"What they have to realise is that we pay them," said Leary when questioned on the club versus country debate.

"They're on contract to Penrith, not New Zealand."

Leary said that Puletua and Galuvao faced a 12 to 16-week rehabilitation period and with Australian centre Luke Lewis likely to miss the start of the 2005 season following shoulder surgery, the Panthers needed all hands on deck.

"We'd love the Kiwis to be playing for their country and we encourage it," added Leary.

"It's just an unfortunate situation whereby they both need operations.
"If you leave it until after the tour they're just not going to be ready for the start of our competition."

New Zealand team doctor Chris Hanna told AAP tonight: "I just feel we need a clear picture of what the options really are.

"We don't want to put Tony's health at risk. His well-being is our main concern."

Pearson said tonight that the NRL clubs placed too much pressure on their players to withdraw from end-of-season international tours to undergo surgery.

He argued it was hurting the game at an international level.

"It's now up to the likes of (ARL chairman) Colin Love and (RFL chairman) Richard Lewis and co. to do whatever they can to make this international program meaningful," said Pearson.

"If that means saying to the players `you've got to stump up for your country', then have your minor surgery after the Test matches.

"If that chops into the NRL or Super League season proper then so be it."

The Australians will train at Oki Jubilee Stadium tomorrow and fly to Auckland on Thursday night.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

Yeah there is a few topics in here about this..

 

[kaza_79]

From Panther's point of view, he is on their payrole. what if he makes his injury worse by playing and then can't play at the beginning of next season.

 

[Big Mick]

We pay him to play, not New Zealand. They don't like it. They can get stuffed, not penrith.

 

[douglasallen91]

hmm when does tony comes off contract, if penrith stop him touring the odds would be shorter on him leaving the panthers

 

[carlnz]

Penrith said the decision was up to him, now they have turned around and said no he is not going...T wants to play...Big Joe and T was one of the main reasons Penrith won last year, and what a way to thank him..

F U Penrith, I hope you guys lose again next year, I hope he doesnt want to play hard at all next year....stopping a player for playing for his country...Penrith will be the most hated team in NZ..and hopefully the NRL..

 

[*Sandy*]

Whoa ... that's not looking good! :shock:

I still want to know what *TONY* wants to do.

Not what Mick Leary wants him to do or what NZ want him to do.


What's with our CEO anyway. When are they gonna hire someone with expertise? :? They are not going to are they. I hope Mick Leary knows how to rumble with big wigs!

 

[carlnz]

Tony has confirmed he wants to play the tests