The Weekend Hangover is back with all the drama and controversy from round 14 of the 2019 NRL season.
This week, there's news on Des Hasler's press conference, early coach of the year nomination and what NRL coaches think about rep round.
Manly coach Des Hasler had his post-match press conference ‘hijacked’ on Sunday night in one of the most heart-warming moments of 2019.
The Sea Eagles boss was dissecting the win over St George Illawarra when Damien Imbruglio (pictured below) took over the line of questioning.
The young man, who is Down Syndrome, rattled off a few questions to the coach before jumping in Hasler’s seat and finishing off the media session.
The exchange was captured by the Fox Sports cameras and makes for great viewing.
Hasler and Damien have become close since the master coach’s return to the northern beaches.
Lifelong Manly fan Damien Imbruglia was invited by Des Hasler to the press conference. 🥇😁
— Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (@SeaEagles) June 16, 2019
📹- https://t.co/HIHYHEjAeI#ManlyForever pic.twitter.com/BCJPlOCsYB
We nominate our coach of the year
Who would be your coach of the year if we stopped the voting right now?
Des Hasler has done wonders to guide Manly into the top eight after 14 rounds, overcoming the loss of key players to build a competitive team form the ruins of last year.
First-year boss John Morris has done a terrific job at the Sharks, also pushing aside a long injury list to have his team pushing for finals honours.
Craig Bellamy just keeps on keeping on at Melbourne, losing a superstar per season but somehow managing to keep the Storm humming along at the top of the table.
Wayne Bennett and Trent Robinson have pretty much done what we expected at Souths and the Roosters respectively and Brad Arthur is doing an okay job at Parra.
That leaves Ricky Stuart as our early pick for coach of the year.
The Raiders were well off the pace last year and didn’t pick up any marquee signings during the summer.
Stuart instead hand-picked some quality Englishmen and gambled on the likes of Bailey Simonsson and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
He has them sitting in third spot and they will make plenty of noise in the play-offs.
He gets our vote.
What NRL coaches really think about rep round
They won’t go public with their concerns for fear of pooing on what is a feel-good moment for the game, but more than one NRL coach is filthy with the rep weekend concept.
Losing players to Origin is one thing, but now clubs are being asked to give up two, three, four players to New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Lebanon.
And it’s not only the risk of injury that has the coaches on edge.
It’s the - how do we say this politely? - lack of NRL-type professionalism in some of these camps that concerns club bosses.
“We lose all contact and control over them when they enter these camps,” one told us.
"We don’t know what they are up to as far as their preparation and after match rehab goes.
“But no-one will say a thing because it’s not the PC thing to do.”
Brandy's promise to himself before game two
NSW adviser Greg Alexander made a pact not to talk about possible Blues contenders in the lead-up to Origin II.
Brady was worried all the speculation proved a distraction for players.
Ironically, the distractions have come thick and fast anyway.
Club told they’re ‘10 years too late’ in signing superstar
Gold Coast are 10 years too late in signing England international Kallum Watkins.
The 28-year-old centre will join the Titans from July 1 after being released by Leeds, but they’ve made a bad move according to Sporting News league expert Peter Peters.
“This is incredible. I don’t know who’s tipping to the Titans but if it’s Mal Meninga then Mal needs to get a reality check,” Zorba told Sky Sports Radio.
“Manly tried to buy Watkins 10 years ago after seeing him in the World Club Challenge. He was 18 years old and brilliant.
“Since then he’s been a really, really good player but he’s one of those players that needed to come (to Australia) early in his career.
“He is well past his best his best now. If the Titans are thinking he is the answer to their problems then they are way off beam.
“It’s 10 years too late.”
Watkins will get his first chance to prove the doubters wrong when he saddles up for the Titans against Penrith in round 17.
Does Gal have to endure one more trip to his personal hell?
Paul Gallen has played all around the rugby league world over an illustrious 19-year career.
But there is one place he won’t miss when it all ends – Canberra.
“Let me tell you Canberra is the most daunting place, the most disrespectful place to go to as a player,” Gallen said in 2016.
“It’s worse than Queensland. I have never been sprayed more than I’ve been sprayed when I go to Canberra.”
Those were in the days when Gal was targeted by Raiders wrecking ball Josh Papalli.
On Thursday night he was in the sights of young buck John Bateman and, as usual, gave as good as he got – and the crowd gave him plenty as a result.
Gal might think he’s seen the last of Canberra don’t write off one last appearance during the finals.