Valentine Holmes is set to miss the start of next season with the NRL Integrity Unit to hand down a one-game suspension and a $25,000 fine for the social media post that showed him with a bag of white powder.
While the official reckoning has not yet come down from the league, multiple sources are reporting that it will be just one match.
One game appears to be par for the course, with a similar incident last year involving Melbourne’s Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis also earning the same suspension.
The Cowboys may end up with their centre available if Mal Meninga has included Holmes in the Kangaroos long list that was submitted to the NRL this week, as that would allow him to serve the ban in international footy rather than club competition.
Holmes is of Cook Islands and Maori descent, and could theoretically also be included for either of their squads in order to serve the ban.
The Kukis will play PNG and Fiji, and Holmes could miss their first game and play the second if he wanted to serve his ban.
Though he has never played for the Maori All Stars team, he is eligible and could serve his ban there at the start of next year, as Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is likely to do.
Ben Gardiner and Jamie Soward have been respectively appointed Samoa’s men’s and women’s coaches in time for the upcoming rugby league Pacific Championships.
Penrith assistant coach Gardiner replaces Matt Parish, who led Samoa to the final of last year’s World Cup before stepping down in August.
Parish’s tenure had been marked by player unrest, including a petition to have him ousted in 2021 following a string of poor results prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new coaching appointments have enticed former Samoa captains Nigel Vagana, Tony Puletua and Willie Poching to return to the fold in mentoring roles.
Gardiner was on New Zealand’s staff at the 2017 and 2022 World Cups and coached the Maori side in this year’s All Stars match.
“It is a privilege and honour to be entrusted with the role of head coach for Toa Samoa,” Gardiner said.
“It is a great opportunity to build connection and relationship as we move into a new era for Rugby League Samoa.”
Soward currently coaches St George Illawarra’s NRLW side, which finished the year in seventh place on the ladder after significant roster turnover in the off-season.
He has also worked with the Dragons’ men’s side as a specialist coach focused on game management and kicking.
“It is an extreme honour and privilege to coach Fetu Samoa,” Soward said.
“There is a large number of Polynesian women in the NRLW competition, and it’s exciting to have many of these players represent Samoa.”
The Pacific Championships begin on October 14 and will include teams from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Cook Islands.
(AAP)
The four NRL clubs set to travel to Las Vegas for next season’s opening round will be kept away from the famous Strip in an attempt to stop off-field scandals from occurring.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the league is set to book hotels 3km away from the heart of the Vegas action with hotels on the Strip deemed a potential source of trouble as well as a more expensive option.
Inevitably, the idea of four whole teams’ worth of rugby league players let loose on Las Vegas has caused some consternation, and the NRL will seek to limit this by putting them up at Resorts World, a 45-minute walk from the heart of Sin City.
It is also considerably cheaper and poses fewer logistical problems, with clubs not required to navigate the busy Strip to get to and from training and gym sessions. With upwards of 120 players and staff to travel, the net savings will run into the millions of dollars.
Brisbane have already announced a link up with the LA Rams and will be based at their facility ahead of their game, while South Sydney are likely to go for either Los Angeles or San Diego as their camp.
The Roosters will also travel via California with Manly the only side to go straight to Vegas.
johnno 2
Roar Rookie
This whole charade is an absolute joke. Is anyone in the USA going to hold any interest after it's over ,on reflection , how many AUSSIEs give a stuff about American football, We have enough issues regarding League in Australia considering expansion to Perth / Adelaide . AFL fans don't care about NRL , it's just another segmental sport in the Australian arena . We need to look after NRL on the east coast and make that as good as possible. AIN'T there enough problems at home ?
Maddi Davis
Roar Rookie
It sure is Tone! Do you think it's the culture? Or the people this sport attracts?
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
So sad
Maddi Davis
Roar Rookie
It's probably the smallest sport in the world yet is a conveyor belt of this kind of behaviour
mushi
Roar Guru
A 6km sprint down the strip will not be good for the hammy
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Early markets, Brandon Smith 2/1 Kotoni Staggs 5/1 Alf Langer 7/1 Mitchell/Wighton quinella 3/1 DCE 100/1 Trbojevic to blow a hammy sprint training up the strip 10/1
mushi
Roar Guru
Player D "you know we're already there"
Robbo
Roar Rookie
In the interest of the success of outcomes of playing the games in Vegas....if you get my meaning.....professionalism is required from all. You would think that they would all be reasonably anonymous in the big picture as well. Let's hope the Ozzie media isn't sneaking around too many corners
Robbo
Roar Rookie
I dont think rugby league is alone in the idea of a lot of fit professional sportsmen with cash and strut, getting loose. Especially in America. Maddi, not sure if your comment is directed at this particular sport, or men's professional sport in general
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Its all good ..... what could possibly go wrong? Id like to see at least 1 'Hangover Movie' story but you know....what happens on tour, stays on tour
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Ha ha ha ha ha ..... love it
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Holmes already knew the fate of the white powder. He sniffed it! :laughing:
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
I see the sad little troll is back
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
That is embarrassing, taking measures to keep players away from trouble, and yet taking them to Las Vegas , and then simply for the almighty gambling dollar. Are the players that juvenile that they can't be trusted? I think I may have answered myself.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
If Turbo treats it like the Corso, he'll be in trouble before he even enters a venue.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
You have a couple of options. One is the full "Hannibal Lecter" the players. Lock them away, or... Two, make it clear to the clubs and the players that any misbehaviour will have a significant financial and sideline consequence. They are seriously taking the P by saying they are separating the players from temptation. I can get RL drunk with my mates at a small country pub, just as easily as I can get RL drunk in Surfers Paradise. It's the behaviour that determines the outcome of the evening :thumbup:
Bernie
Roar Rookie
mushi, if you must ask hard questions like that, you're obviously not going to be asked to go.
Bernie
Roar Rookie
player A "ok, i'm not missing out, i'm going" .... player B "well if you go, i'll go" .... player C "geez, hold on, can i come too?"
Bernie
Roar Rookie
i once took the MGM courtesy car around the corner to the next venue, simply cause i had no idea where we were. i didn't even have time to drink my complimentary bottle of water.
mushi
Roar Guru
Outside of the clearly inaccurate assertion the entire section is based on that they’re removed from the strip (from wiki the open sentence “Resorts World Las Vegas is a resort, mall, and casino on the Las Vegas Strip”). The costs rationale doesn’t add up. To get millions in savings for 120+ staff is let’s say 15k per staff member. If they’re only there for say 4 nights the gap between the Resorts World best rates and next band up of other 5 star strip hotels is going to be under A$1000 total for the stay (remember Vegas hotels are comparatively cheap due to trying to keep you in house because you don’t have to leave a vegas hotel to get in trouble – let alone a complex of three of them!). So they’re banking on 14k in travel cost savings? Again they’re still on the strip so the best angle you get is they’ve got more access points (the complex takes up the block). But 14k? Even if the sensible comparison is the bellagio’s location is 45min walk away (rather than crossing the road from the Wynn) are we saying we pay nrl back office staff around 1k per hour they walk? I hope we’re not sponsoring them for training for the city to Surf.