NRL News: Taupau set for Eels switch, JWH escapes ban for Fulton forearm, Rudolf opens up on Pride debate

Manly front-rower Marty Taupau is set to jump ship to Parramatta after requesting an immediate release ahead of the transfer deadline on Monday.

The Samoa international is without a club going into next year and The Daily Telegraph reports that he wishes to walk out on the Sea Eagles to give himself a shot with another NRL club, though to be the Eels.

Parra have cap space for another player, and need desperate help in the forwards both now and next year, with Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali’i, Ray Stone and Oregon Kaufusi departing from their rotation for next year.

Manly’s finals hopes hang by a thread after last night’s defeat to the Sydney Roosters, and they need to win next week to stand a realistic chance of making the eight. Their opponents: Parramatta.

JWH dodges ban for Fulton forearm

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves can avoid suspension despite the match review committee charging the Roosters prop over his forearm to the head of Manly rookie Zac Fulton.

JWH was placed on report by referee Grant Atkins for driving his forearm into the debutant while he lay on the ground after tackling the Kiwi veteran in the 62nd minute of Manly’s 20-10 defeat.

He was handed a grade-one dangerous contact charge and under the NRL’s complicated system, which was supposedly streamlined at the start of the season, he could be banned two matches if he unsuccessfully challenges the charge at the judiciary but he can pay a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea.

Atkins told Waerea-Hargreaves his actions were unacceptable and the front-rower, who has a lengthy history of judiciary dramas, was lucky not to be marched to the sin bin.

“Jared can’t do what he did, that is unacceptable, that is why it is against you,” Atkins said.

Fulton’s head was pinned to the 4 Pines Park turf as the 20-year-old back-rower, the grandson of Immortal Bob Fulton, became the first third-generartion player in premiership history to play for the same club.

Antoher Roosters forward, Egan Butcher, was charged for a high shot on Sea Eagles hooker James Segeyaro in the final minute. Butcher was binned for the hit and is facing a week out or double if he challenges the charge.

Manly debutant Alfred Smalley was charged with a grade-two careless high tackle for his hit on Sam Verrills in the fourth minute. Smalley is also looking at a ban of 1-2 matches.

Fulton had a head gash after the match but in a colourful interview with Nine on the sideline, he said that was from a hit-up in the dying stages.

“It was everything I could have dreamed of,” when asked about his debut. “I was doing it for all my family up the coast, out in the city and right here watching me.

“It’s something special [making an NRL debut]. My Dad played 50-odd games, my grandfather was an Immortal, I just tried to make him proud.”

The Roosters’ other starting prop, Lindsay Collins, is facing a lengthy stint out after suffering another head knock in his first game back from his Origin III concussion.

In the 27th minute of the win over Manly, he clashed heads with Morgan Boyle in a tackle and appeared to be knocked out before he hit the ground.

He was to play no further part in the match, his head clash classified a category one, the most serious grading.

“He was okay in the sheds but it obviously looked quite bad,” said Roosters coach Trent Robinson.

Collins suffered a serious head knock at the start of last season and needed to leave the field in a medi-cab.

Rudolf opens up on Pride debate

Sharks forward Toby Rudolf has supported the idea for the NRL to institute a Pride Round next year while speaking about his own same-sex experiences.

In a refreshingly open interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, the prop said he identified as heterosexual but spoke about experimenting in the wake of the Manly pride jersey debacle this week.

“What I will say is I was raised by quite a few gay and lesbian community members. My uncle is gay and my godmother is gay, and there’s so much love in that community,” he said.

“Sexuality is very fluid. I’ve been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight women and kissed many gay women.

(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)

“I’m not a one-stop shop. Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone. You could say I’m open to both genders but only attracted to one of them.”

Manly boss Scott Penn wants to speak with the NRL about introducing an inclusion round next season, confident all of his players would participate after a year of dialogue.

The Sea Eagles owner flew back into Sydney from the US on Thursday, before meeting with the seven Manly players who boycotted the 20-10 Round 20 loss to the Sydney Roosters.

ARL chair Peter V’landys revealed this week he was open to the idea of a pride or inclusion round, stressing the decision was one for the Commission.

Fox to broadcast World Cup

Foxtel will screen every match of the World Cup at the end of the year after securing the Australian broadcast rights.

Fox League and Kayo will show all games – 31 men’s, 15 women’s and 15 wheelchair – of the tournament which kicks off on October 15, culminating in the finals on November 19.

There will be 16 nations competing in the men’s tournament and eight in the women’s and wheelchair events.

Australia beat England in the men’s final in Brisbane in 2017 while the Jillaroos are also the defending champions in the women’s competition.

“We know that RLWC2021 is going to be the most watched World Cup and it is very pleasing it will be broadcast in Australia on Fox Sports, keeping the rights within the NRL family and with a network that Australian audiences are comfortable and familiar with,” World Cup CEO Jon Dutton said.

“This is a great outcome for International Rugby League and Australian fans.”

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