Rabbitohs unfazed by Maguire Knights rumours
Tue 01 Sep, 2015, 12:47pm
By Chris Kennedy*, National Correspondent, NRL.com
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Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire has told his team he's not going anywhere.
Bemused South Sydney players say they never had any concerns their 2014 premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire would be poached by Newcastle with two years remaining on his contract.
Maguire has spoken to the playing group to allay and concerns after he was reportedly approached about filling the role left vacant after Rick Stone was moved on late in the year.
The rumours were also shut down earlier in the week by club chairman Nick Pappas, who referred to it as "a limping dog of a 'story'" and added "Madge ain't going nowhere".
Rabbitohs forward Jason Clark said their mentor had addressed the concerns with the players.
"We are not unsettled about that; Madge will be here for two more years, he came and spoke to us personally and he said he will be here, he is here to do the job and we are happy about that," Clark said.
"It was in-house and positive and we are just worrying about this week. He just dusted it off and said not to worry about it."
George Burgess said the players weren't buying the rumours even before Maguire sat them down.
"We all know that Madge wasn't going anywhere so no one really worried about it I don't think," Burgess said.
"He just told the boys, but we are all pretty certain on it anyway."
A tight-lipped Glenn Stewart added: "That's all been sorted out internally, none of the boys are concerned with that and we're fully focused on this year."
Young back-rower Kyle Turner insisted all the players' and coaching staff's focus was on the current year.
"Madge has told us he's with us, he's just focusing on this year and this year alone. We're just focusing on what we can," Turner said.
"The next two years he's with us I'm pretty sure and his main focus is us boys, he's helping us all he can."
http://www.nrl.com/rabbitohs-unfaze...rumours/tabid/10874/newsid/89398/default.aspx
