“Unfortunately, I know what it’s like to be involved in something where officials possibly should have known better and to see that person take zero responsibility with players left to carry the can more than a decade later. They are able to live their life without the burden of what happened with no impact on them or their family.
“How’s Katoa going to be in the next 10-20 years? No one yet has taken any responsibility for this. There’s now an investigation. Well, the NRL need to come down like a tonne of bricks on the person or those responsible and a year is the minimum ban. This could maybe cost him his career. But forget that, it could have cost him his life.
“We had the greatest 2025 season, and unfortunately, it will end like this. Someone needs to be held responsible.”
Walsh calendar criticism unfair
Superstar Reece Walsh is being painted as being too big for his pink boots by some for not taking part in the Broncos’ 2026 calendar. But his non-appearance deserves closer explanation. The 23-year-old is the game’s hottest commodity and having seen the Walsh phenomenon first hand in the United Kingdom on the recent Kangaroos tour, the promotion he did for the game was priceless.
Yet, there is a price on the calendar and a price that a player gets per calendar sold. We have done some digging, and it’s less than 5 cents to a player per calendar sold.
Walsh boosts the coffers of the game and the Broncos with his huge social media presence. Along with other Kangaroos including Nathan Cleary, Walsh spent hours on tour engaging with fans. He had tour head of security Dale Hall on high alert as he climbed into grandstands to be with fans. To suggest that he feels he is better than a team calendar or his teammates is unfair.
Reece Walsh celebrates with teammates after scoring a try for Australia.Credit: AP
Agents on notice
Rugby league player agents have been ordered to pay back “train and trial” players after the NRL declared that the agents had been illegally taking a cut of their salaries.
Agents generally do a good job for their clients but the fact an unknown number have charged battling players for training is a concern. This column has seen the email sent to agents from the NRL’s player manager accreditation boss Paul Massey. It says: “the charging of a commission earnt by a player via training wages is prohibited … it is not the responsibility of the player to prove that fees were charged … if you know fees were charged to players on training wages then you must act to reimburse the player.”
Agents who don’t will be sanctioned. The boss of the RLPA Clint Newton said: “It could just be the tip of the iceberg. This just proves why we need an immediate agent review to stop our most vulnerable players being taken advantage of.”
Newton has a number of ongoing cases in this area and couldn’t say more – but he has given a response to the important TV broadcasting rights discussion.
“First, we’re really pleased with some elements of the NRL draw and the reduction in five-day turnarounds, it’s something we had advocated for a while now and it’s a credit to the NRL for listening,” he said.
“We also want to be heard on the TV deal. We believe player voices will again be important to the upcoming broadcast negotiations. We will be engaging with our delegates and PAG [Player Advisory Group] to develop principles and expectations from the players to ensure the broadcast maximises revenue and continues to prolong their careers.
“There will be some flexibility to those positions and principles provided the NRL and broadcasters prove they are striking the right balance between the extreme demands of playing the game and increased revenue. We need the fans’ favourite players playing at the highest level for as long as they can to ensure the product keeps getting better and better.”
Poor old Bears
The old North Sydney Bears theme song tells us that they are back on the road again, but right now, the Perth Bears are dodging some significant potholes.
The unsuccessful Jayden Campbell multimillion-dollar play was multi-faceted and designed to snare him. It was just like a $1.5m move to get Harry Grant – but it was also an attempt to quiet the increasing concerns coming out of the NRL who own the Bears. They have been asking some serious questions about recruitment. In fairness, the Dolphins had a similar issue and have built nicely.
We have been told the Bears have at least eight players locked away. Management have also been working overtime to secure a pathways agreement with North Sydney. What would seem a given has only just been locked down. It ensures the Bears have a presence in Sydney.
There is also a major blockage when it comes to the Perth Bears logo. It still has not been settled on. There is a feeling from those who will be involved daily with Perth that a new logo will be needed. But there are some significant figures in NRL land who are pushing hard to have the newcomers use the old Bears logo. Their romance around that is understandable, but it seems like Western Australia, rugby league and romance are uncomfortable bedfellows. The Bears are already outsiders in Perth with the local press keen to kick them into hibernation. A new logo for a new team makes sense. The Perth Bears could also have a heritage style logo or Jersey which acknowledges the North Sydney Bears.
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But it’s the lack of a key signing which is causing the biggest headache at the NRL as they know the importance of a successful first couple of years. All sorts of names have been linked to the Perth team – the hottest rumour doing the rounds in the last week was a $1.5 million play for Grant which would’ve made him the highest-paid player in the game. Instead, has extended his contract at Melbourne until the end of 2028.
The big problem for the Bears is the lack of additional incentive for players to move their families across the country. As a consequence Perth will need to pay overs for any player of any significance and that will only hurt them down the track if they screw up their salary cap from day one.
PNG loophole an option for Haas
In the background to all the talks involving Payne Haas and R360, there has been a quiet play to use the tax-free money from new NRL franchise Papua New Guinea to keep him in the game. And it’s something the NRL is aware of and support. The NRL also thinks Haas has been listening to their messaging.
Brisbane star Payne Haas.Credit: Getty Images
“Payne is a smart young man,” Peter Vlandys said. “He’s asked for the money [from R360] up front. That’s what you have to do – or get a bank guarantee. If they are not wiling to do that you have to face the reality that you won’t get paid.”
At the time of writing, the well-researched reports were that Haas was going nowhere – but that was flying in the face of everything that was being said behind the scenes by those who are charged with doing a deal with R360. Perhaps the scepticism about how financial the organisation is led to reports of him staying put.
DCE already winning at Roosters
Roosters new boy Daly Cherry-Evans has made an immediate impact on the club. Apart from some early discussions over his role in the team, he won the club’s golf day at Monash. He had 44 points to take out the day.
No Vegas promo tour
The push into Las Vegas is now the focus of the NRL. But plans to take players on a promotional tour have been scrapped. Placing players in and around the build-up to the Las Vegas F1 was being considered. The football managers from the four teams attending are on a logistics trip.
Good vibes from Addo-Carr
Parramatta winger Josh Addo-Carr signed a new contract extension for the 2027 season on Saturday and continues to give back to the game. He is hosting a junior clinic next Sunday at 12pm at Bressington Park at Homebush. The contribution Addo-Carr made to the Kangaroo tour cannot be underestimated. He drove the spirit and vibe in the team through his voice, music and laughter. In a group that had to come together in a hurry, he was the superglue that created the unity.
Lomax still in Eels colours
Zac Lomax appearing in Parramatta 2026 promotional calendar.
Players changing clubs have a flow-on effect – and it’s not just on team rosters – it impacts the marketing and promotions people as well.
The recently released Zac Lomax appears on the Eels’ 2026 calendar and while a Sea Eagles membership drive sign outside Manly Leagues Club featuring Cherry-Evans was still around this week.
Daly Cherry-Evans promotional sign outside Manly Leagues Club.
No hurry on new Walters deal
The Australian Rugby League Commission will make its own inquires about how the Kangaroos functioned before making a move to offer Kevin Walters a contract extension. On the surface it seems an easy decision, but despite winning the Ashes 3-0 and overseeing an incident-free tour there was no rush to lock him up.
The official reason is that he is contracted for several months and there is a view there is no rush to appoint a coach for the World Cup as it is just under a year away.
There is no question about who the team manager will be for the World Cup – Tim Rutherford – as he is seen as the right man by the ARLC. If Rutherford is too busy in his day-to-day job with the NRL, the previous team manager for the last 10 years, Tristan Hay, would be an obvious option.
Walters has expressed a clear interest in doing the job again and while the side was not in superb form the fact they defended as well as they did indicated it was a committed group who wanted to play for the coach. There is no question Willie Peters should have the role as an assistant again, if he wants it. He received glowing reports and those have reached the ARLC.
Gorden Tallis did his role well but with a young family it’ll be interesting to see whether he can afford five or six weeks away at the end of a long year as a prominent media commentator where he is required to spend at least three nights a week away from home.
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