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Second week back at it in 2019 and the juicy gossip has been non-stop.

 

From a couple of clubs trying to sneakily off-load players, to a big name player on the grog when he shouldn't be, I've got it all covered.

Read on for all the info.

  • The Storm have been left red-faced after failing to unload unwanted trio Sam Kasiano, Patrick Kaufusi and Cheyse Blair.

    The club secretly wrote to the major English clubs, offering them the trio in a bid to get some room to move with the salary cap.

    But there were no takers - and now all three players’ noses are out of joint, knowing they are unwanted by their own club.

    The Storm are in damage control - denying they ever tried to shed the trio.

    I’ve seen the email though - and the move to get rid of the trio was very real.

  • The Sharks are also in a tricky position with the salary cap after being forced to shed a player before the premiership kickoff by the NRL as punishment for their sins.

    It’s been written that hard-running forward Ava Seumanafagai has been made the sacrifical lamb - and it’s right.

    But if English clubs fail to sign Seumanufagai in the next few days, the Sharks have been forced to consider a back-up plan.

    And I’m hearing next bloke in line to be cut loose is star five-eighth Chad Townsend, one of the heroes of the club’s maiden premiership win in 2016.

    A local junior, Townsend is extremely popular in the shire but with several clubs looking for experienced halves, would quickly be snapped up.

  • Officials at the recent All Stars game were fuming with one of the code’s biggest names.

    Out of action because of injury, the player was drinking heavily on the sidelines and finished the night in a tired and emotional state.

    His lack of respect took some of the class off an otherwise successful night that was a showpiece for Aboriginal and Islander football.

    The player’s club has also been made aware of the incident and were far from impressed that he was drinking while in injury rehab.

  • I was interested to read Manly owner/chairman Scott Penn is in New York 'on business'.

    From what I've been told, Penn is now based full-time in the Big Apple and will only make the odd trip back to Australia.

    How you can keep on top of things all the way from NY is beyond me.

    It's heaped plenty of pressure on CEO Lyall Gorman, who has been known to go MIA when the heat is on.