RENI THE EEL
Parramatta are the new favourites to sign former Bulldog and Shark Reni Maitua. Up to half a dozen clubs have expressed interest in Maitua but the Eels are quietly confident they will get their man. The 28-year old won't be able to return to the NRL until a two-year drug ban is completed in May, however.
FORGET QUADE
He won't admit it but Eels coach Daniel Anderson has told the club's board he doesn't think Wallabies star Quade cooper is worth the hype or the money. But that isn't likely to stop the Eels from making a massive bid to entice Cooper to switch codes in 2011 in another slap in the face to the besieged coach.
MUSICAL COACHES
So why did the Eels approach Stephen Kearney to sound him out about replacing Daniel Anderson for 2011? Bizarrely, it all goes back a few months ago when Ivan Cleary was on thin ice at the Warriors. Eels officials were worried the Warriors would make a move to sign Anderson - who coached them to a grand final in 2002 - setting in motion the chain of events that saw Eels boss Paul Osbourne fly to Melbourne to meet up with Kearney recently.
The Mole Pg 6, RLW, August 25
JUSTIN POORE, WHO LINES UP FOR HIS 150th game this Friday against Souths, is set to be a captaincy candidate for the Perth Reds' proposed NRL return in 2013. Poore has played three times for NSW but is originally a Sandgroper, having been born on Australia Day, 1985.. The Reds are keen to tempt players with WA roots like Daniel Holdsworth and Kevin Proctor back to the west. Meanwhile, off-contract winger Eric Grothe has had 'a couple of nibbles' from other clubs, according to his manager. And Eel Dominic Nasso has made the Italian squad for this year's internationals against Wales and Lebanon.
-Steve Mascord, From The Sheds, RLW, August 25
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