News St Helens boss questions Wayne Bennetts motives.

Mr Invisible

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https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/saints-boss-eamonn-mcmanus-issues-16535911

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus will call for an RFL investigation if reports that England coach Wayne Bennett is targeting prop Luke Thompson are true.

A story emerged in Australia today suggesting that Bennett will use this week’s meet up with his England squad to try and entice the highly-rated Thompson to his club South Sydney.

Saints officials had already been made aware of possible Rabbitohs interest in the 24-year-old, who is contracted until the end of 2020 and was handed his England debut by Bennett last year.

And McManus says that presents a major conflict of interest for the national team coach.

McManus said: “My view on it is that if there are any approaches to Luke then it is a complete abuse of power. It’s something that we foresaw when Wayne Bennett was appointed English coach. You’re letting the fox into the chicken coop. This is a coach at an NRL club, not just an Australian who is coaching England as his full-time job. The RFL are paying him handsomely to coach our players, not poach our players. If there is any truth in this then I will be speaking vigorously to the RFL about it. Luke Thompson has got 18 months left on his contract and our intention is that he fulfils it and we want to extend it. We’ve invested 10 years in the lad and he’s one of the best players in a very good side. We believe he can win things and be a key player at St Helens for a very long time.”

McManus says that retaining homegrown players remains a top priority for St Helens who are currently six points clear at the top of Super League and in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

He added: “Our policy is based entirely on producing and retaining players - we are not a buying or a selling club. If there are two or three positions we need to fill with overseas players then we do so, but the core of our club and all out best and highest paid players have been produced here. We made some short-term sacrifices in order to get long-term benefits and we’re starting to see the results of that now. That’s not something we want to break up now.”
 

Mr Invisible

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Hmmm you do have to question his ethics on this one and I completely agree with McManus. I'm amazed Souths are okay with their coach jetting off mid season to meet UK players with no incentive in it for Souffs.
 

TABOO

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Hmmm you do have to question his ethics on this one and I completely agree with McManus. I'm amazed Souths are okay with their coach jetting off mid season to meet UK players with no incentive in it for Souffs.
Well it seems there is an incentive for the club if its for strategic recruitment - right or wrong.
 

CroydonDog

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Meh - so can a coach of another Club that isn't coaching England fly over there to meet with a St Helens player? If the English coach was coaching, say, Hull, would be be banned as well?

Just good use of networking if you ask me.

As long as no anti tampering rules are being broken approaching a currently contracted player (and I assume there is no agreement between ESL and NRL there).
 

Raysie

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Same thing goes for Maguire and the Kiwis. Use the coaching and put in players like Marshall to win over players to the Tigers.
 

Mr Invisible

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Meh - so can a coach of another Club that isn't coaching England fly over there to meet with a St Helens player? If the English coach was coaching, say, Hull, would be be banned as well?

Just good use of networking if you ask me.

As long as no anti tampering rules are being broken approaching a currently contracted player (and I assume there is no agreement between ESL and NRL there).
It's more that he is employed as the English RL coach, and is payed by English Rugby League for that purpose. They are complaining that whilst over there his actual intention is to recruit players for his own team (hence a conflict of interest given he is getting paid by ERL to coach the side, not poach their players.

Same thing goes for Maguire and the Kiwis. Use the coaching and put in players like Marshall to win over players to the Tigers.
Except he's not getting paid to be over there and using that trip with the intention to scout more players.
 

CrittaMagic69

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Like Dean Pay poaching former u20's NSW reps. Life ban.
 

_G-Dog_

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Freddy does the same thing for the Rorter$ in Blues camp..

if Bennett was doing this while at our club we would be sticking our fingers up at eveyine else..
 

Alan79

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It's not a good look. But I've heard that someone from the Broncos was in Barbas ears prior to the All stars game when he quit at half time before checking in to rehab. There's not a lot of honour when it comes to recruitment decisions. It wouldn't surprise me if the main reason Bennett took on the English coaching job was to boost the chances of recruiting stars.
 

doggieaaron

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Ffs what a sook its life champ players get approached make them happy pay them right problem solved deal with it champ
 

Kempsey Dog

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Ricky Stuart should be England coach lol
 
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