Club wants to axe Nines
Panthers boss says tournament too risky for top- level players
ONE NRL club boss has called for the Auckland Nines to be dumped, last night declaring: “We have $ 8 million worth of footballers we want to win the comp with, not a Nines.’’
On the same day Penrith general manager Phil Gould continued his attack on the Nines via Twitter, Panthers boss Brian Fletcher was just as adamant the February event posed too much of a risk to the number of stars forced to par- ticipate. As part of the NRL’s Nines’ criteria, a club must send one of their top- five paid players, as well as 12 of their top 25 players.
Penrith had six players involved in the Four Nations – Kangaroos winger Josh Mansour suffered an ACL injury while in England – which meant coach Anthony Griffin had an even smaller pool of players to choose from.
Several coaches have already declared they will place little emphasis on the Nines, in- c lu ding Wests Tigers’ Jason Taylor.
The injury debate has always been a hot topic before the Nines – but never has a club boss urged for it to be flicked.
“You can’t afford to send these players. A lot of our blokes were involved in the Four Nations, some are returning from injury, so the more you look at it, do we need to be there? The answer is ‘ no’,’’ Fletcher said. “I don’t think the selection criteria needs to be changed. I think you simply don’t need the Nines.
“How will it go next year when there’s a World Cup at the end of the year? We’d rather play some trials at home and then get on with the season.
“What benefit does the Nines have on our season?’’
Manly coach Trent Barrett slammed the Nines as “dangerous’’ last year after he lost a string of players, including Jamie Buhrer to a broken jaw, and Jake Trbojevic to concussion. In 2014, the Cowboys' Lachlan Coote suffered a season- ending ACL injury.
A five- year deal between the NRL, promoters Duco Events and major sponsor ATEED ( Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) to stage the Nines at Eden Park ends next year.
To ease the pain of losing a top- liner, Fletcher proposed if a player suffered season- end- ing injury, a club should be allowed to bring in a player for the same value that would be exempt from the salary cap.
Big- money recruit James Tamou and young gun Nathan Cleary headline the Panthers’ Nines squad. Griffin was happy to give Cleary a crack at the Nines, despite the teenage halfback only entering his second season in the top flight.
“He’s done a good job of getting himself ready, so I’ll let him have a run around over there,’’ Griffin said.