The Dolphins are reportedly eyeing off Wallabies centre Izaia Perese and the Reds’ former Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu to have a second crack at the NRL in what would be a cross-code coup for the expansion team.
Perese’s rapport with coach Wayne Bennett is seen as a drawcard for the Redcliffe team, according to a News Corp report, and at 24, he would be a much-needed younger player in a roster which has been littered with veterans in the club’s early recruitment drive.
Vunivalu, who scored 86 tries for the Storm in 111 games during a five-year stint which included the 2017 and 2020 grand final wins, has been hampered by a succession of injuries since switching to the Queensland Reds and will be a free agent at the end of the year.
At 26, he still has several years in front of him as a top-class winger in either code. He was signed on a lucrative deal by Rugby Australia and joined a Wallabies squad camp immediately after his switch but the former Fijian league international is yet to make his rugby debut for Australia.
Perese was a schoolboy rugby prodigy who went on the Wallabies spring tour in 2016 as a development player and spent three seasons at the Reds before switching to the Broncos when Bennett was coaching at Brisbane.
He played two NRL matches in 2019 but was sacked after he was charged with a cocaine and MDMA offences, Perese escaped conviction when he faced court the following year despite pleading guilty to supplying a dangerous drug and admitting to possessing $5600 from its sale.
After a stint in French rugby, he returned home and his encouraging form for the Waratahs last year earned him another chance with the Wallabies and he played two Tests on the end-of-season tour.
“I just thought about it [the journey] this last week, I had a chat with Mum about it,” Perese told reporters last November when he received his recall to the national squad. “It’s quite funny how I’m back here now, it’s all meant to be, union’s my game, they gave me a second chance and I just think it’s amazing.”
RA would be expected to fight to ward off an NRL raid, with Perese considered a major part of Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s World Cup plans.
“He’s powerful, explosive and got a genuine point of difference,” said Rennie when he called up Perese for the Wallabies.
Crichton no to rugby, yes to Roosters
Angus Crichton is a player that Rugby Australia would love to get back in their code but the NSW Origin forward is set to re-sign with the Roosters.
Crichton is off contract at the end of the year after only extending his deal by one season, prompting suggestions the former schoolboy rugby star would try his luck with the Wallabies.
But he told Fox League that his next contract with the Roosters was all but sorted.
“It is pretty much done and we are just waiting on a few things to be finalised, but it is done,” he said.
“I love where I am at right now and I feel like I still have so much more to give and so much more to improve on and I look forward to doing that here at the Roosters.”
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Tedesco sorry for Squid Game incident
Roosters and NSW skipper James Tedesco has expressed his remorse at the NRL season launch on Thursday for an off-season incident when he yelled out Squid Game in reference to the South Korean TV show during a night out near a woman of Vietnamese heritage.
He was investigated by the NRL Integrity Unit and fined $10,000 for bringing the game into disrepute.
“It was disappointing as a leader and a role model for the game. The way I handled it I spoke to who was affected and owned up to it,” he told reporters.
“I was obviously disappointed but happy with how I approached it all and it was all sort of settled. It was more about owning up to that and taking responsibility.”
Reynolds reckons Panthers won’t defend title
Josh Reynolds believes Penrith will not be able to defend their premiership, tipping a fully-fit Roosters team as the title favourites.
The former Canterbury, Wests Tigers and NSW five-eighth, who now plays for Hull FC, said the return of Luke Keary to play alongside Sam Walker would give the Roosters the edge.
“I don’t think they [Penrith] can win it again and that’s nothing on Penrith. I just think it’s a totally different beast being the hunted. Winning the comp the year before and then having to be up every week because everyone comes after you,” he told the Big Sports Breakfast.
“Even though to an extent that did happen last year, it’s a whole lot different and you got to be up every game.”
Reynolds said the Dragons would be finals contenders in 2022 after an impressive win over Souths in last weekend’s Charity Shield.
“The Dragons really surprised me. I really like their team, the way they play. They don’t play the exact same plays as a lot of all the other teams. I feel they’re a bit off the cuff,” he said.
“Ben Hunt looked like he was in control and I think the Dragons play best when he is doing that.
“I think for Dragons fans they can be excited. They haven’t been over the moon with the last couple of years so it will be good to get some wins on the board for the club.”