Doyle: Foran gone too soon
Warriors managing director Jim Doyle has admitted concerns that Kieran Foran is returning to Sydney too soon.
Foran confirmed on Tuesday he would leave the Warriors at the end of the 2017 NRL season to return to Australia where he was finalising a deal to play rugby league in 2018 for the Canterbury Bulldogs.
The 26-year-old was a hot commodity in recent weeks as clubs chased his signature after impressing in his return to league after battling mental illness, gambling issues and suicidal thoughts last year.
On Wednesday, Foran said the Warriors revived his career and that he was a much stronger person now than he was when he left Sydney last year, but in an interview with Radio Sport, Doyle said he was concerned Foran was leaving too soon.
Doyle said returning to Sydney presented challenges for Foran.
‘‘It’s something that he’ll no doubt continue to work on with specific people over there, I am sure the Bulldogs put support around him,’’ Doyle told Radio Sport. ‘‘But certainly he got himself into a pretty dark hole just over a year ago. When he goes back it will be six months from now... and hopefully by then he will be much stronger and learn from the past and not get himself back into that position.’’
Doyle added that Foran had worked hard to stay in New Zealand and that his family had wanted him to stick with the Warriors, but ultimately the pull of his children defined his moves.
‘‘He tried to make something happen because he really enjoys it here, we wanted to stay here. His close family and his mum and everybody told him to stay here, it is the right thing for him. But at the end of the day when it comes down to, which it did, the choice of kids or not on a more regular basis you can’t compete with that.’’
Doyle said they had been working to secure a replacement for Foran.
‘‘We have been very conscious that [Foran] would possibly be going back to Sydney anyway, so that is something that we have been working through for quite some time. We have been talking with a few players.’’
He confirmed they had been working with the agent of 20-yearold Ata Hingano, who filled for Foran earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the fallout out from the various cocaine incidents that have hit the sport over the last week has already had a financial impact on two NRL clubs.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported Infinity Group Australia, a debt and money management company, has informed the management of the Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters they are withdrawing their support.
Infinity was to spend A$700,000 over the next two years with the Sharks. The company also sponsors the Roosters.