NRL News: Gus confirms he’ll join Fittler’s brains trust - 'Blues need a win', Widders steps down as Eels coach

The NSWRL board is expected to rubber-stamp Brad Fittler’s return as NSW coach on Wednesday with Phil Gould returning to the Blues fold in a bid to prevent Queensland winning three straight series.

Gould confirmed on 100% Footy on Monday night that Fittler had approached him to replace Greg Alexander as his key advisor and the Canterbury general manager, the most successful Blues coach in Origin history, is willing to lend a hand.

“I can’t remember any time in my life where I asked Brad Fittler to do something and he didn’t say yes straight away and went and done it, and I try to repay that,” Gould said of his former Panthers and Roosters captain. 

“He’s never really asked me for much in his life and he rang me last week and to say Greg Alexander was stepping down from his role, that he’d like me to get involved with the Blues.

“I think it is only simply to talk to him and whatever he needs. He really didn’t explain what he wanted me to do and I am certainly not chasing a job.

“I am not looking for a job. He was talking about a paid position, I’m certainly not chasing a paid position with NSWRL. If Brad Fittler needs something from me, I’ll say yes. 

“He is yet to be appointed. That comes this week. He spoke to me about his plans for other people he is going to bring into the coaching staff and inner sanctum around Origin, which I think is really important for the Blues because they have lost two in a row. 

“You can’t go on like that. They have got to get a win. He needs a win.”

Roosters assistant Matt King is likely to also join the NSW staff after Paul McGregor stepped aside.

Gould said Fittler was certain to keep the head coach’s role but whether it’s for one year or more remains to be seen. 

Blues coach Brad Fittler. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I don’t think there is any doubt Brad Fittler will probably be appointed but for how long. I think he was looking for a couple of years,” he said.

“They have lost two in a row. It will be hard to keep your job if you have lost three in a row. That’s the nature of the beast and he understands that.

“I don’t think he deserves to lose the job after what he’s done but it is certainly an important year coming up for them.

“I’m not sure of the qualifications now whether or not the coaches who are coaching in clubland could do this job, which narrows the field of people available to do it.”

Widders steps down as Eels NRLW coach

Parramatta are on the hunt for a new NRLW coach after Dean Widders stepped down from the role he has held for three seasons.

The former NSW Country representative cited difficulties balancing the position with his job in the NRL’s education and well-being team.

“It’s been an incredible honour to coach the inaugural Parramatta Eels women’s team,” Widders said.

“When we entered the competition a couple of years ago there were six teams and now there are 10 with talks of further expansion, which is a testament to the strength, talent and increasing popularity of the NRLW.

“I am immensely proud of this team, the resilience of our players and the impact they are already having on female athletes especially in western Sydney.”

Widders guided the Eels to the 2022 NRLW grand final from fourth spot on the ladder and a 1-4 record.

But Parramatta struggled the most of the existing sides when the premiership expanded to 10 teams and a longer season in 2023.

Injuries to key recruits Elsie Albert and Rachael Pearson as well as a long suspension to captain Kennedy Cherrington also contributed to the side’s last-placed finish. 

They won only one of nine games this year and suffered the biggest defeat in NRLW history, a 56-6 belting from Cronulla, in the final round. In total, the Eels won five of Widders’ 21 games in charge.

Parramatta have already begun an in-depth review into the 2023 campaign.

NRL ready to manage heat on grand final day

The NRL is confident they have the room in their grand final schedule to deal with Sydney’s impending weekend heat.

Temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday afternoon, with the peak to come at around 4pm when the NRLW grand final between Gold Coast and Newcastle kicks off.

A State Championship match between South Sydney and Brisbane Tigers is scheduled for 1.20pm.

Temperatures are expected to dip back below 30 degrees for the men’s 7.30pm kick off between Penrith and Brisbane.

It’s not the first time heat has been an issue for the game this year.

The NRL was at risk of having its first premiership game delayed due to hot conditions in March, when conditions at Belmore hovered into the black zone on the heat stress index before kick off.

That match was able to go ahead after the mercury dropped several degrees to 32 before the game, between Canterbury and Wests Tigers.

It’s unlikely Sunday’s conditions would put matches at a similar risk of being pushed back, since the low humidity that is forecast will drive down the heat stress index reading.

However, drinks breaks at the 20-minute mark of each half and extra trainers on the field are among measures that can be on offer for players.

“We are ready for any circumstances as we are throughout the whole season,” NRL head of football Graham Annesley said. 

“As part of our standard operating procedures, we have very extensive heat guidelines.

“We have a policy that is a standard procedure for game day where there is a belief that the conditions may require some intervention.”

In the most unlikely event that conditions are worse than forecast and considered dangerous for players, Annesley said the league would be able to delay the kick off of matches if required.

“I’m confident it won’t happen at this time of year,” Annesley said. 

“A lot of people think it’s just based off temperature. It’s temperature, humidity, it can even be wind conditions and so forth. So I’m confident it won’t happen. 

“But we’ve got plenty of room in the agenda for grand final day. 

“We’ve got two-and-a-half hours between the kickoff for the first two games, and then literally from 4pm to 7.30 between the start of the women’s game (to the men’s).”

with AAP