The Lurker rounds out your week with the best rumour and gossip from around the NRL including the NRL's anger at the Brisbane Broncos and Sydney Roosters while question marks hover over Issac Luke.
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Broncos don't Reed off NRL season launch script
THE NRL have had their differences with the Broncos over the years and the new season hasn’t started well for relations between the two organisations.
The NRL are far from happy with the Broncos after the club sent centre/winger Jack Reed to the season launch a few days ago.
Officials specifically requested that clubs send their captains for the function - which featured a host of photo opportunities and interviews.
Broncos skipper Corey Parker was a notable absentee and without bagging Reed, he would probably be about 10th in line at Red Hill to captain the Brisbane side.
The Broncos’ attitude was duly noted by the heavy hitters at the NRL - and is the first of what is certain to be plenty of clashes between the men who run the game and Wayne Bennett in 2016.
Roosters Pearce ploy backfires
THE Roosters are also in the NRL’s bad books after the Mitchell Pearce circus earlier in the week.
Pearce flew back into town after his stint in a Thai rehab facility after his now infamous video blooper in January and proceeded to do a tour of all the major media organisations.
NRL officials were fuming that Pearce was everywhere on TV, radio and print media, creating a new media frenzy that only served to again highlight his disgusting behaviour on the drink.
The media goodwill tour was an attempt by the Roosters to turn public opinion before Pearce faced the music at the NRL - but in the end it backfired.
The NRL came down heavily on the star halfback, fining him $125,000, with $50,000 of it suspended for two years, and banning him for eight games.
Lukewarm debut for Issac
WORD is that Issac Luke won’t be playing anywhere near the full 80 minutes for the Warriors against the Tigers tomorrow due to lack of match fitness.
Luke joined the Warriors after the summer break several kilos heavier than last year and still hasn’t quite shed all the extra weight.
That’s why coach Andrew McFadden named rookie Nathaniel Roache on the bench and he’s expected to get at least 20 minutes of action.