NRL News: Warriors veto Storm's Walsh bid, Raiders re-sign Ricky, Fittler, Slater reject Roos roles

Melbourne will widen their search for a replacement for Ryan Papenhuyzen after the Warriors denied the NRL mid-season switch of young gun Reece Walsh.

The shaky stocks of the Storm’s outside backs took another hit when star fullback Papenhuyzen shattered his knee cap, joining George Jennings and Reimis Smith as season casualties.

The Storm tried to lure the 20-year-old, who has been benched for their clash with Canberra, and had high hopes given Walsh had already signed a three-year deal with Brisbane and the Warriors out of finals contention.

But Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said they would have to look elsewhere before the August 1 signing deadline.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“That’s been hit on the head,” the coach told AAP on Friday ahead of their clash with Souths in Sydney.

“That’s been knocked back by the Warriors so we’ve moved on. 

“My job is not to go out there and try and find a replacement, my job is to coach with what we’ve got here and the other people on the  recruitment side will look after that.”

In some welcome news for Storm fans, who have watched their team lose their last three games, hulking winger Xavier Coates has returned to training.

Suffering a serious ankle injury back in early June, Coates was included in the captain’s run and will be back in the line-up before the NRL finals.

“He will probably be another two or three weeks, he’s only just started running,” Bellamy said.

“He looks OK with his running but the physio obviously doesn’t want to take any chances.”

Sticky signed up until 2025

Canberra have kept the faith with Ricky Stuart, extending the coach’s contract through to the end of 2025.

Stuart, who has been at the helm since 2014, was already contracted for 2023, with the extension to take him past a decade of service at the Raiders alongside his 203 games as a player from 1988-98.

“The board believes that Ricky provides the best direction and stability our club needs at this time,” Raiders chairman Dr Allan Hawke said in a statement.

“With professionalism and passion for the organisation, club, members, fans and supporters, Ricky continues to be the best-fit for the role.”  

“The board also wants to provide a clear and decisive direction in the head coaching position, to provide clarity and assurance to current and future players who may be looking to extend or sign with the club.”

The Raiders remain a game outside the top eight after missing the finals in 2021, ahead of a crucial clash with the Warriors this weekend.

Ricky Stuart transformed the Raiders into premiership contenders in 2019. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Fittler, Slater turn down Kangaroos roles

Origin coaches Brad Fittler and Billy Slater have turned down the chance to be national selectors as they didn’t want to compromise their positions with their respective states.

The ARL Commission had wanted to shake up the panel by bringing in Slater and Fittler for former selectors Darren Lockyer and Laurie Daley but they have rejected the offers.

A preliminary extended squad is due to be selected soon for the end-of-season World Cup which will be culled at the end of the NRL season to 24.

Fittler and Slater, who got the better of his counterpart in his debut Origin series with a 2-1 victory, are also commentators on Channel Nine so they are busy enough as it is.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is trying to get clarity from several players with dual eligibility about whether they will commit to Australia or another nation for the World Cup.

Roosters lock Victor Radley has already pledged his allegiance to England, teammate Daniel Tupou will represent Tonga despite playing for NSW in Origin while fellow Blues winger Brian To’o has stated he wants to line up for Samoa.

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Papenhuyzen’s injury in black and white

Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen would have been a strong chance to be in Australia’s World Cup squad but will not play again in 2022 after fracturing his kneecap in 10 places in a sickening collision with Canberra’s Jack Wighton last weekend.

It continues a rotten run of luck for the Storm star who has been close to an Origin debut on a few occasions over the past two years only for a string of leg injuries, a concussion layoff and a bout of COVID to get in the way.

Papenhuzen sent scans of his X-ray to the NRL Physio, Brian Seeney, which revealed the extend of the damage to his kneecap, clearly showing the three surgical screws which have been inserted to repair his shattered patella.

Lam, Naiqama leaving Roosters nest

The Sydney Roosters have granted playmaker Lachlan Lam an immediate release to join the Leigh Centurions, where he will link with his father in England’s second-tier Championship.

Lam had been stuck behind Sam Walker, Luke Keary, Drew Hutchison and Joey Manu in the playmaking stakes at the Roosters and managed only 31 first-grade games across four years, 20 of which came in the side’s injury-plagued 2021 season.

He did not feature for the Roosters’ first-grade side this year but was one of the best players afield in Papua New Guinea’s Test victory over Fiji last month.

Lam will reunite with his father, former State of Origin player Adrian, who is the Centurions’ head coach.

“Lachlan is a proud local junior and we release him of the view that this is a unique opportunity for him to not only play in England but to join a team coached by his father Adrian,” said Roosters head of recruitment Daniel Anderson.

“We thank Lachie for his contribution to the Sydney Roosters over the years and wish him all the very best in the future.”

Lam joins ex-NRL players such as Blake Ferguson, Nene Macdonald, Krisnan Inu and Caleb Aekins at the Centurions.

The Roosters have also lost outside back Kevin Naiqama, who signed with English Super League side Huddersfield on Friday.

Naiqama returned from England, where he had been contracted to St Helens, this season but has made only eight first grade appearances for the Roosters.

Huddersfield will be his sixth professional rugby league side.

“He’s a huge signing for us,” head coach Ian Watson said.

Dufty gone, Potter keen to stay at kennel

Interim Canterbury coach Mick Potter says he wants to make his stay at the club a permanent one, even if he loses out to Cameron Ciraldo in the battle to get the top job.

Matt Dufty meanwhile has been granted an immediate release to join Warrington who have already signed teammate Paul Vaughan and Dragons veteran Josh McGuire for next season.

Potter has been in charge of the Dogs on a temporary basis for the best part of two months and declared for the first time on Thursday he would be open to taking it on a full-time basis.

The Bulldogs have picked up just four wins this season – two of them coming under axed coach Trent Barrett – but Potter has Canterbury playing with freedom in attack.

Potter’s public declaration comes the day after Ciraldo, who is currently an assistant coach at Penrith, was pictured meeting with Canterbury sponsors.

“It’s a really tough one and I think I could take it on,” Potter said of the head coaching vacancy.

“I think it would be a really good challenge. I know there are another couple of tough seasons to come for the Bulldogs but I think I could handle it.

“I think it would be a big challenge for me personally, but I’d be up for it.”

After assuming the interim role, Potter, 58, had indicated he was only filling in for the club he served with distinction as a player for six years.

Bulldogs interim head coach Michael Potter (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

He had planned to step back to coaching at NSW Cup level once a replacement for Barrett had been found.

Despite Potter’s late pitch for the role, Ciraldo is still expected to get the head coaching gig after he turned down the Wests Tigers role last month.

Potter, who has extensive experience coaching at the top level with Wests Tigers, Fiji, Catalans and St Helens, could also be the perfect sounding board for Ciraldo, 37, as he embarks on his first head coaching job.

“If I can play some part with the club going forward that’s great,” Potter said. “But I know what they are after and I think he (Ciraldo) would be a good fit for the club.

“Going forward, I would love to stay involved in the club and do something in a football capacity. Whether it be (as an) assistant or something in the football department, I’ll have a discussion later. I think I can do various roles.”

Potter will be without fullback Jake Averillo for Sunday’s game against the Gold Coast after he tested positive to COVID-19.

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