Unimpressed Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga hopes the club’s owner will explain himself to the players following last week’s bombshell remarks that NRL veterans Blake Green and Gerard Beale will be cut loose.
The Kiwi club’s roller-coast season negotiated more lows and highs last week, capped by a Green-inspired 26-16 win over Brisbane in Gosford.
The halfback vented afterwards that he was “irritated” at owner Mark Robinson’s interview with TVNZ 48 hours earlier, while interim coach Todd Payton said the timing was “not great”.
Tevaga said also hit out Robinson’s assertion, that Green and Beale would depart at the end of 2020 as the Warriors try to cut ties with controversial player agent Isaac Moses.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s not nice to read. It is what it is and at the end of the day he does own the club,” Tevaga said.
“But it was evident in the way they played that they used that as motivation to put in a good performance.”
Robinson has chosen to stay with the team at their relocated base in Terrigal, NSW for a month.
Tevaga expects the successful Auckland businessman and long-time rugby league backer will look to explain his comments to the squad soon.
He said Robinson is a straight-up, honest operator whose method has always been to get things done without a suger coating.
“We haven’t had a chat with him yet but I’m sure he will say something.
“He did chat to me briefly and he said things were taken the wrong way. He didn’t mean it in that way,” Tevaga said.
“(But) It’s not a nice thing to say or to read about, especially if it’s during this time.
“I have no dramas with him and I don’t think any of the team does but, yeah, we’ll see if he addresses it in the next couple of days.”
Adding to Tevaga’s agitation was the sudden move by the ownership two weeks ago to sack coach Stephen Kearney, particularly given the father-figure status he’d adopted for players suffering from homesickness.
“That was really upsetting, I was really sad with how things were handled there,” Tevaga said.
“It is what it is. The boys know it’s a business so we have no power over that.”
Lock Tevaga is poised to play his first game of the season on Friday against the Titans on the Gold Coast, having overcome a knee injury suffered during their Tamworth lockdown period in May.
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
DB, He subjourned a player ie: Tim Mannah to lie to the NRL Integrity Unit...simple as that. It was proven in an investigation by said Unit and by testimony from Tim Mannah. I do believe if Green and Beale cut ties with Moses and his organisation they will be playing as Warriors next year
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Having a single owner club has its pluses and minuses.just cause you are a successful businessman doesn’t necessarily equate to running a successful RL club.The Warriors club are tied to the whims and agenda of the owner.Whats seems logical to you an I may be far removed from Marks ideas.
Sylvester
Guest
These sorts of discussions should probably remain in-house, but it's obvious Robinson is a straight-shooter. Add to that, players aren't really used to be called out publicly. But it sounds like the Warriors want to send a message that they're not going to be held to ransom by players or their managers.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Seems a bit odd doesn't it. What is this Moses bloke up to if people are willing to take this kind of stance. It's almost the polar opposite to the old days when the BLF would refuse tradies access to sites unless they were in the union.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Is it actually legal for the club to discriminate against the players for their choice of representative? It's one thing when it's rumours, but to come out and say we won't consider these people for a job because we think their representative who negotiates for them is too powerful doesn't seem at all right.