Mal owns up to error
MAL Meninga has apologised profusely to jettisoned forward Sam Thaiday after the former representative’s attack on the Kangaroos coach on Tuesday.
Thaiday tore into Meninga after failing to receive a phone call to be told of his axing from the 24-man squad for the World Cup.
He was one of two incumbents omitted from the team because of form, and made his feelings known in an angry social media post on Tuesday.
Meninga called the Brisbane star immediately after learning of his comments.
“It’s my fault. There’s no excuses. I apologised to Sam, I had a good yarn to him. I couldn’t be more apologetic to be honest,” Meninga said.
The 32-year-old Thaiday was considered instrumental in helping rebuild the Kangaroos culture, including the penning of an ode in last year’s Four Nations tour in Europe.
Despite playing in the midyear Test against New Zealand, he was dropped from the Queensland State of Origin team after their Game 1 loss.
The Maroons won the last two games to claim the series.
However, Meninga insisted it was still an oversight to not speak to him.
“I put my hand up. There’s no excuses for that,” he said.
“I agree with his comments and part of what I wanted to achieve around the Kangaroos was around the rise and part of that respect.
“I just forgot. That’s not an excuse. I should’ve shown respect. He’s been a warrior for the big game in general and he needed that respect.”
Meninga and Thaiday have a long history dating to when the former Maroons coach handed the Broncos second-rower his Origin debut in 2006. He hoped the phone call would save their relationship.
“I hope that he appreciated the phone call,” he said.
“He vented, I understand that, too. He’s had a tough year, particularly representatively. He had every right to vent.
“I phoned him because I was deeply apologetic.”