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Wests Tigers center of excellence, Benji Marshall error, Dragons, premiership, photo

Wests Tigers center of excellence, Benji Marshall error, Dragons, premiership, photo

The usual suspects at the Wests Tigers have been busily launching a ticker-tape parade about the club’s new much-vaunted $78 million Center of Excellence in Concord.

Parading around like they’ve won the grand finale – can someone please tell them the Wests Tigers are in 16th position on the NRL ladder and now firm favorites to collect the club’s first-ever wooden spoon.

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There’s also been an early loose carry in the new digs hailed as the best rugby league training facility in the world with the organization dropping the ball when it comes to club legend and premiership-winner Benji Marshall’s playing career.

In a spiel about Marshall’s playing feats at the Wests Tigers, the club has somehow managed to stuff up who he won a premiership with.

Lowly Titans embarrass meek Manly | 02:18

For the record, the incoming Wests Tigers head coach in 2025 won a premiership with the Wests Tigers in 2005.

The flick pass to Pat Richards, anyone? It was also the club’s one and only premiership.

Instead, in the initial fit out of the new Center of Excellence – the Wests Tigers Marshall bio states he won a premiership with the Dragons.

Whoops. Benji Marshall did not win a premiership with the Dragons. Photo: NRL Roast TwitterSource: Twitter

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confused? Don’t worry, so were we.

The Wests Tigers have since confirmed the error and are in the process of getting it fixed.

Like Jack Gibson always said, winning starts Monday and winning starts in the front office.

Matty nails Buzz impersonation | 00:51

Anyway, they’ve also got a barber shop at the new Center of Excellence so at the very least the Tigers playing squad can sport fresh fades and the organization staff will look sharp.

In all seriousness the Center of Excellence is a great result for the club as a training facility and will no doubt help them on the training and recruitment front.

And once they fix up the Marshall faux pas then hopefully the only way is up.

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South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dylan Edwards on Latrell Mitchell’s form, are Rabbitohs contenders, Matty Johns

South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dylan Edwards on Latrell Mitchell's form, are Rabbitohs contenders, Matty Johns

Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards admits that Latrell Mitchell looks like he’s going to have an impact “every time” he gets the ball, ahead of their crunch clash on Thursday.

Mitchell has been in sensational form for South Sydney since returning from an almost three month injury lay-off against the Eels in early July.

The 25-year-old has been as his rampaging best with 42 tackle busts in just seven games, as well as 10 try assists, and four tries of his own.

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But his best performance of the year may have come against the Eels on Friday night, where he ran for an incredible season-high of 211 meters.

Rival fullback Edwards, who is a chance to return against Mitchell’s Rabbitohs on Thursday, was full of praise for the former Origin star.

“It looks like something’s going to happen every time he touches the ball,” Edwards said on Sunday Night with Matty Johns.

“(He’s) Pretty hard to tackle at the moment.”

South Sydney have made the most of Mitchell’s stellar form, winning six of their last seven to rise up the NRL ladder.

That one loss came in a golden point thriller against Cronulla, with Mitchell missing multiple field goal attempts that would’ve handed his side a key two-points.

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But Matty Johns still wasn’t convinced by the emerging premiership contenders, comparing them to a “nice Sunday drive” on his SEN radio show last week.

Johns believed that the Rabbitohs needed to maintain a higher level of intensity for 80 minutes, but his wish became a reality on Friday night.

“I’ve been waiting for this for South Sydney, an 80 minute effort and they certainly did it,” Johns said.

Crucially Cody Walker found his best football. The crucial thing for Cody is watching how he played his football game, is that Cody had more of a focus on the middle of the field if that makes sense.

“Linking with (Damien) Cook when Cook took off, rather than just trying to create numbers for his outside men.

“It was a performance where Cody just focused on Cody, and I thought that brought his best football out.”

Five-eighth Cody Walker scored two tries and forced two dropouts during what was one of his best games in Rabbitohs colors in recent memory.

Walker scored the opening points of the night after a clever link-up play with hooker Damien Cook caught Parramatta napping.

South Sydney Rabbitohs press conference | 06:28

Later on, the 32-year-old was in the right place at the right time as the ball fell to him, and allowed him to double his try scoring tally for the night.

Eels great Nathan Hindmarsh thought that Walker’s brilliance along, with Mitchell’s dominance, helped spur Souths on to a win over a “lethargic” Eels.

“Latrell playing back at his best, and then he can dominate the edges like he did on the weekend, so that leaves Cody with the opportunity to do what he does around the ruck,” Hindmarsh said.

“They just had tried. They had more intent than the Eels did, the Eels looked lethargic at times, well most of the time to be honest with you.

“Souths had this in them. They did it to the Eels earlier on in the season, they’re a dangerous side South Sydney.

“For me the disappointing thing for the Eels (was) not to score any points.”

While Souths would need an incredible win, and for the Storm to lose, to move into the top four, a win on Thursday will have a crucial say on how the ladder shapes up at the end of the season.

While Melbourne currently occupy fourth spot, they have three tough games to play against finals hopefuls Brisbane, the Roosters, and then the Eels.

However, it doesn’t get much easier for the Rabbitohs who have their own dates with destiny against the Cowboys and Roosters to finish the regular season.

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NRL 2022: Cameron Ciraldo Bulldogs coach, pundits react, Bulldogs roster, Who is the Bulldogs coach?, Matt Burton contract, player signings

NRL 2022: Cameron Ciraldo Bulldogs coach, pundits react, Bulldogs roster, Who is the Bulldogs coach?, Matt Burton contract, player signings

Rugby league legend Mark Geyer has made a bold prediction following the Bulldogs’ appointment of rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo — while Fox League’s Andrew Voss is concerned the club’s “gamble” could backfire.

Ciraldo inked a five-year contract to join the Belmore club from 2023 onwards in a deal reportedly worth around $800,000-per-season.

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The 38-year-old was the hottest property on the coaching market following the axing of multiple coaches including Trent Barrett, but in the end NRL supremo Phil Gould got his man.

Ciraldo has been Ivan Cleary’s assistant for several years and former Panther Mark Geyer believes his appointment means Matt Burton’s tenure with the Bulldogs will almost certainly extend past 2023 after knocking back his player option for 2024.

“He’ll be the youngest coach in the NRL, 38-years of age and signs a five-year deal as I said it’s a major coup, but what it does is makes Matt Burton, now his signature will be a lot longer, he’ll sign on for longer,” Geyer said on Triple M.

“That means that Kikau won’t get cold feet, it means Reed Mahoney won’t get cold feet, the Fox (Josh Addo Carr).

“It’s a massive signing, a lot of people will be saying look he hasn’t done much but, he’s been an assistant coach but what he’s done is he’s very articulate in the way he prepares.”

Geyer also believes the Bulldogs are set for a “special” rebuild, going as far to say they could be premiership contenders within five years.

“It’s all about the team with Cameron Ciraldo it’s never about him so I think this is a major, major boost for the Bulldogs in the next five years,” he said.

“Cameron Ciraldo will, I’m not going to say it but they’re going to do something special in five years but they’re going to be close I would say.

“I reckon they’re going to be close to pulling off the biggest prize of all within five years.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield echoed Geyer’s remarks — but explained assistants who have been mentored by elite coaches don’t always become successful bosses themselves.

“At 38 he’ll be the youngest coach in the NRL but a terrific talent, he’s been a great right hand man for Ivan Cleary at the Panthers with all their success in recent years,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.

“He’s their minister for defense there, he’s the one who designed all the strategies to keep their line intact which has been so outstanding in recent times.

“Look the only thing I will say is just because you’re out of a Penrith system or Melbourne system it doesn’t automatically make you a great coach.

“I wrote this morning about Trent Barrett only having a 40 per cent win record despite the rap on ‘Baz’ (Barrett) when he came out of Penrith and Garth Brennan too.

“You look at guys like Adam O’Brien who came out of Melbourne and had a year under Trent Robinson.

“It doesn’t mean you’re going to be an immediate success but I’ve got this feeling that Cameron Ciraldo will prove that theory wrong, he’s got what it takes.

“I think it’s enormous for Canterbury and that he knows the pathways so well at Penrith, he’s been there over a decade on their coaching staff.

“He knows how to bring young players through, I think it’s a huge move for the Bulldogs.

“Put them (Kikau and Mahoney) in with Matty Burton and the rest of the team I think they’re going to be a real top eight chance next year.”

While many are backing Ciraldo to be a success, rugby league commentator Andrew Voss stated he wouldn’t be “signing a rookie coach for five years”.

Five-year coaching contracts have in the past gone pear-shaped — Anthony Seibold’s short-lived Broncos deal being the most recent.

Voss explained there are only a handful of coaches across the league that could warrant the long-term contract signed by Ciraldo.

“Any five-year deal, there’s an element of a gamble in it, even with a player.”

“But five years for an untried coach?” Penrith Panthers legend Greg Alexander asked.

Voss continued: “What if they haven’t played finals in a couple of years? I think five years is too much.

“Five years for a rookie coach? Trying to think of a coach you’d sign for five years, I think you’ve got to have the runs on the board.

“(Craig) Bellamy, (Trent) Robinson, (Ivan) Cleary, I don’t think there’s too many more.

“I’m not signing a rookie coach for five years.

“But, I wish Cameron Ciraldo all the very best.”

Originally published as Why Phil Gould’s $4 million gamble on Cameron Ciraldo could backfire

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