Not only is the sky not falling, this Australian Test team is really good!
Given the hysterics this summer, if you were none the wiser, you could be mistaken for thinking Australia was anchored to the bottom of the world rankings, getting beaten by an innings every match, embarrassing the country with their on-field performances.
That’s not quite the way it was reported . . .
(Coach Rick Stone:) “Culturally, we have made a decision and made a bit of a stand for what we think is acceptable at our place. I know it’s a hard one to pull the trigger on and possibly, it mightn’t make our team any better but we think for the long run, it will be better for our club.”
The breakdown in the relationship between Leilua and the club can be traced back to Stone’s public criticism of the centre in The Daily Telegraph back in February after he returned to pre-season training from the Four Nations tournament a few weeks prior badly out of shape and weighing 111kg.
At the time, Stone fired a rocket at Leilua because of his poor attitude to training and suggested he was no certainty to start the season in the NRL.
Around the same time, Leilua also had a run-in at training with senior player Beau Scott, who accused him of not putting in.
Leilua’s reaction to the criticism was to seek an immediate release which was when his management first put feelers out with other clubs.”
Joey Leilua the “worst signing by any club in the NRL era”? Hmm, he may well be