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Ryles to sever his French connection and become Smith's first big catch
FORMER Test prop Jason Ryles is set to return to the NRL next season as new Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith's first big-name recruit. The move coincides with an offer by ''ashamed'' Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch to release any player after last weekend's 34-20 loss to Wakefield but Sin Bin understands Ryles had already been looking to come home.
Smith, who started work at the Roosters on Tuesday, has been a long-time fan of Ryles and almost persuaded the former St George Illawarra skipper to sign with Newcastle this season rather than move to France. With the Roosters having lost Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley, Iosia Soliola and Shane Shackleton, Smith is believed to have identified to need to sign an experienced prop and centre.
Former Storm international Matt King, who helped Warrington to Challenge Cup success last month, is also understood to be eager to return to the NRL next season but the Roosters would be unable to fit him in under the salary cap. Ryles still needs to finalise a release from Catalans but that may not be a problem after Gausch's post-match comments in the dressing room at Perpignan last weekend.
''It's pathetic. For the first time in four years, I am ashamed. I announced this evening in the locker room that all the players were free to go,'' Gausch told French newspaper L'Independant. ''It is better to leave it up to them rather than do anything myself .''
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/r...519592236.html
FORMER Test prop Jason Ryles is set to return to the NRL next season as new Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith's first big-name recruit. The move coincides with an offer by ''ashamed'' Catalans chairman Bernard Guasch to release any player after last weekend's 34-20 loss to Wakefield but Sin Bin understands Ryles had already been looking to come home.
Smith, who started work at the Roosters on Tuesday, has been a long-time fan of Ryles and almost persuaded the former St George Illawarra skipper to sign with Newcastle this season rather than move to France. With the Roosters having lost Craig Fitzgibbon, Mark O'Meley, Iosia Soliola and Shane Shackleton, Smith is believed to have identified to need to sign an experienced prop and centre.
Former Storm international Matt King, who helped Warrington to Challenge Cup success last month, is also understood to be eager to return to the NRL next season but the Roosters would be unable to fit him in under the salary cap. Ryles still needs to finalise a release from Catalans but that may not be a problem after Gausch's post-match comments in the dressing room at Perpignan last weekend.
''It's pathetic. For the first time in four years, I am ashamed. I announced this evening in the locker room that all the players were free to go,'' Gausch told French newspaper L'Independant. ''It is better to leave it up to them rather than do anything myself .''
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/r...519592236.html
