Revealed: Gus’ feud with Roosters supremo; Sharks crunch numbers over Hynes — Jimmy Brings
THE Wests Tigers are making a play to return another one of the most famous surnames in the history of the club to Concord in Mitchell Pearce.
The son of champion Balmain Tigers captain Wayne Pearce, “Junior Junior” is currently playing for French club Catalans Dragons in the Super League but has become a target for Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall.
The Wests Tigers initially looked at trying to bring Pearce, 33, to the club prior to Christmas before the negotiations cooled.
But with Mitch Moses opting to remain at Parramatta on a five-year $6 million deal, the Wests Tigers are now actively looking at alternative options.
Pearce fits the bill given he’s won a grand final with the Roosters in 2013 and has a wealth of NRL playmaking experience.
A strong organiser who has a quality all-round kicking game and is also a dangerous ballrunner, Pearce ticks plenty of boxes in terms of what the Tigers are in desperate need of.
Since debuting in the NRL in 2007 at age 17, Pearce has played 309 NRL matches (238 with the Roosters and 71 with Newcastle).
A chip off the old block, Pearce is a fitness fanatic who has always trained hard and kept himself in cherry ripe condition.
There has long-been a suggestion Pearce would return to the NRL for a cameo season with the Sydney Roosters if he was to have one last crack in the NRL.
Pearce is believed to have revelled spending time in France since making the move at the end of the 2020 season.
The halfback missed the opening five games of the Super League season with a calf injury before making a return last weekend.
Pearce has played 23 games for Catalans and is signed for next season meaning the Tigers would need to negotiate an exit strategy.
Like we always say with Wests Tigers, we can’t knock them for trying.
GUS’S LATEST NRL FEUD
NICK Politis and Phil Gould are two of the most influential figures in rugby league.
Powerful and well-connected, it’s no surprise the clubs run by these figureheads share a common thread of creating success.
When Politis signed Gould to coach the Roosters from Penrith in 1995 it was the beginning of a tight-knit rapport most thought would always remain.
But over the course of the last 18 months two of the NRL’s heaviest hitters haven’t been on speaking terms.
The genesis of the feud was Latrell Mitchell breaking Joey Manu’s cheekbone at the end of the 2021 season.
Mitchell was suspended for six games and the Roosters were left fuming as Manu’s face took six months to regain full feeling.
Politis took offence at some of Gould’s television commentary in the aftermath of the incident.
Fox League has been told the pair hasn’t spoken since.
Which is significant considering all the successes they’ve enjoyed over the years.
From bringing Brad Fittler to the Roosters in 1996 to when Ricky Stuart won the Tricolours first premiership in 27 years in 2002 and Gould was coaching director, Uncle Nick and Augustus have been through a hell of a lot together.
Why’s it an issue now?
Because Gould and the Roosters are back at war over the defection of Joseph Aukuso Suaalii to the Wallabies and Rugby Australia in 2025.
Plenty of people agreed with Gould’s take on Suaalii’s departure to rugby union on a three-year $5 million plus deal.
But Gould’s “don’t let the door hit you on the a$#e on the way out” line will have only driven a bigger wedge between the once tight-knit allies.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson didn’t miss returning serve at Gould at his weekly pre-game press conference on Wednesday.
Then Gould doubled down on a podcast declaring “I fear no one” and “don’t shoot the messenger”.
The gloves are well and truly off in rugby league’s latest high-profile feud.
SHARKS MOVE TO LOCK IN DALLY M STAR
THE Cronulla Sharks are busily crunching the numbers to ensure they get Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes committed to the black, white and blue for the remainder of his career.
Hynes kicked the door off the hinges in his opening game of the season against arch rivals St George Illawarra submitting an absolute masterclass.
By the time Hynes had finished carving up the Sharks playmaker finished with seven linebreak assists, four try assists, two tackle busts and four offloads.
The Sharks understand how important the Dally M Medallist is to what they’re trying to achieve and will continue working away at striking a deal.
We’re tipping it will happen and will most likely take Hynes through until the end of the 2028 season.
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