September 2, 2026 — 3:30pm
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Television host Braith Anasta has handed in his player manager accreditation ahead of the NRL’s crackdown on conflicts of interest in the game.
The NRL announced “more stringent quality assurance mechanisms in relation to conflicts of interest” under the seven-year $5.3 billion broadcast rights deal it unveiled in July.
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta has represented several NRL players.NRL Photos
The governing body is set to deploy a media watchdog to monitor perceived conflicts at its broadcast partners, Foxtel and Nine Entertainment (publisher of this masthead).
Anasta, the host of Fox Sports’ flagship panel show NRL 360, is among a range of on-air personalities at both companies who have dual roles in the code.
The Canterbury Bulldogs premiership-winner has represented players Cameron Munster, Lachlan Ilias and Jonah Pezet as well as inaugural PNG Chiefs coach Willie Peters through Searoo Sports Management, where he has been the general manager.
But he will relinquish those duties to Searoo Sports founder Justin Caines after voluntarily handing in his agent’s accreditation to focus on his on-screen career.
Caines is the sole director and shareholder of the company and is also an accredited player agent. Anasta was contacted for comment.
Anasta’s two jobs have invariably crossed over when his players have been discussed on the program he fronts three nights a week, for instance with Munster’s contract negotiations and in relation to Ilias’ relegation to reserve grade at St George Illawarra by coach Shane Flanagan last year.
While not naming Anasta, who was a vocal critic of Flanagan, Dragons chairman and Nine board member Andrew Lancaster in April took aim at “personal agendas” in the coverage of the coach’s demise.
Anasta fired back on his show before apologising the following week to Lancaster, who as CEO of WIN Corporation represents the interests of billionaire Bruce Gordon, the largest single stakeholder in Nine and a 50 per cent owner of the Dragons.
As one of the most prominent faces in the game and a player agent, the 44-year-old has been seen as a poster boy for potential conflicts of interest from broadcasters.
Phil Gould has high-profile dual roles with Nine and Canterbury.Nine
However, he is far from the only television figure to be employed elsewhere in the game.
Fox Sports’ stable includes Matthew Johns and Gorden Tallis, who are part owners of Gold Coast Titans; Cooper Cronk, who is a Queensland Rugby League director; as well as Luke Keary, who is on the coaching staff at the Sydney Roosters. Panthers board member Greg Alexander and Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters are also Fox commentators.
Nine have Canterbury general manager of football Phil Gould, Perth Bears board member James Bracey as well as retired greats Darren Lockyer and Cameron Smith, who have positions at the Broncos as a director and leadership consultant respectively. Billy Slater was coach of Queensland but has stood aside, and Johnathan Thurston has been on the Maroons coaching staff.
Gould has gained attention in the past over his commentary around emerging playmaker Lachlan Galvin, who switched to the Bulldogs midway through last season after a dispute with Wests Tigers.
The NRL’s so-called “media cop” is yet to be appointed but Australian Rugby League Commission chairman and interim NRL CEO Peter V’landys has made tackling conflicts a priority.
The NRL also this year introduced new anti-tampering rules that club officials and staffers with broadcasting gigs could be sanctioned under if they slip up.
The rules prohibit public and private comments that could be seen as courting a player when clubs are not permitted to negotiate with them.
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The Australian Rugby League Commission, which owns the NRL, has also been considering proposed reforms to how player agents operate, including changing the minimum age for players before they can be approached by managers, and decreeing that agents can’t represent both players and coaches.
League officials will also look at ensuring shareholders in player agencies are registered as agents.
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Chris Barrett is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners