Where to next for Jarryd Hayne and which off-field battle will headline round 4 of 2019?
HAYNE ON A PLANE?
A number of National Rugby League clubs went back into pre-season training this week. One of those was the Parramatta Eels, looking to erase their horrible 2018 campaign. And it was one tweet from the Hayne Plane which got people talking about where he will end up.
Have fun student. I’ll miss ya… https://t.co/LDkpKNblP8
— jarryd hayne (@JarrydHayne) October 31, 2018
Hayne’s preference is to stay at the Blue and Gold next season if the money is right, but French rugby is looking the next best option financially. So are the Eels prepared to offload someone like Michael Jennings who ended up playing for Wenty Magpies at one point this season? Only time will tell.
“HAPPY TO BE UNEMPLOYED”
Another one on the unemployment list is Brisbane’s Corey Oates. In a news interview on Saturday he wasn’t phased about not having a contract for 2019. Oates has not made any secret that he wants to be coached by Wayne Bennett, however, a move to Redfern is very much out of the question.
Robert Jennings had a breakthrough 2018 and Campbell Graham was one of the hottest prospects at the Rabbitohs.
Oates is one of three Broncos not named in their 2019 squad this week. Matt Lodge and Tevita Pangai Junior were too omitted. This should be sorted soon with Shane RIchardson flying out to the UK to start negotiations to get Wayne Bennett to the club a year earlier.
https://nothingbutleague.com/2018/11/02/squads-2019-national-rugby-league-squads/
JUSTIN PASCOE STINGING ASSESSMENT OF IVAN CLEARY
It’s an unhappy divorce between Ivan Cleary and Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe as things got personal this week.
“We were committed to the fact that we wanted a coach that had grand final winning experience and we wanted a coach that had a fierce determination to win. Michael certainly demonstrates that”, said Pascoe.
Maybe the Wests Tigers are filthy that they didn’t receive any compensation from the Panthers, something they were passionate about when rumours first surfaced of Cleary returning to the club which sacked him in 2015. Watch the fur fly off-field the week leading up to round 4 when the Panthers and Tigers face off at Panthers Stadium on a Friday night blockbuster.
https://nothingbutleague.com/2018/10/25/2019-telstra-premiership-draw-national-rugby-league/
2019 WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE
It was announced late Friday night that Wigan would take on the Sydney Roosters in the 2019 World Club Challenge. The match will be played at the DW Stadium on Sunday, February 17. Just six days later they will take on Penrith in a trial at Panthers Stadium, followed a week later with a trip to Gosford where they take on Manly. They won’t suffer from travel sickness too much in the first nine rounds with two trips to Brisbane and a Grand Final rematch as part of their schedule. So there should be no excuses for the Roosters to start slow in the new season.
https://nothingbutleague.com/2018/11/03/second-test-preview-england-vs-new-zealand/
