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KIERAN Foran is prepared to give up his Kiwi Test jersey for the World Cup to ensure he is in the best shape of his career to help launch a Canterbury Bulldogs fightback next year.
Despite the disappointment over the sacking of his mentor Des Hasler at the Bulldogs, Foran remains fully committed to Belmore and his fourth club in four seasons.
So much so that he will ring New Zealand Test coach David Kidwell this week to break the news he will pulling out of the World Cup campaign to work on injuries.
It is a massive blow for the Kiwis, who are already without champion front-rower Jessie Bromwich and Gold Coast Titans forward Kevin Proctor, both stood down after being caught using cocaine after the Test match against Australia in Canberra in May.
Foran’s decision to reluctantly skip the World Cup may open the door for a fairytale comeback for Benji Marshall.
“I tore my quad during the season,” Foran told The Sunday Telegraph. “My back’s been pretty stuffed too. I’m busted.
“I saw the Canterbury medical staff last week and we’re getting scans to work out the best treatment and best way forward.
“Medically I can’t play in the World Cup.
“I played under strength for much of the year at the Warriors and I just wasn’t strong enough for NRL football. I’ve got to get my body right. I really need a big off-season.”
Foran admits he got upset over speculation about Hasler’s future after he signed with the Dogs, with the axe finally falling on the mentor last Tuesday. But he has no plans to play anywhere else in 2018.
“I’m fully committed to the Bulldogs,” Foran said.
“I’m close to Des and I feel for him as a friend. He’s a great footy coach and his record speaks for itself.”
Foran signed with the Bulldogs midway through the season for two reasons — to play under Hasler and to be back in Sydney closer to his two children.
“I guess I saw it coming from all the speculation,” Foran said of Hasler. “Sometimes things don’t work out as planned, which is disappointing personally.
“But the Bulldogs have made their decision and all I can do is play. We’ll get behind the new coach and hopefully have a really strong year.”
The Dogs are desperate for Foran to make his mark from the opening rounds of the competition. That explains the early meeting with the medical staff last week to get his body right.
The playmaking role has been the club’s biggest weakness and is one of the reasons why officials didn’t stand in the way of fan favourite Josh Reynolds moving to the Wests Tigers on huge money.
Every week they struggled with no structure and the worst attack in the club’s history.
Without Foran, Bromwich and Proctor, World Cup organisers are concerned about the possibility of the Kiwis becoming tournament easybeats. They are currently $6 with the TAB to win the tournament but are likely to drift further after Foran’s revelation. The Kangaroos are close to unbackable favourites at $1.25
There has even been suggestions of pressure being applied to Kidwell to reverse his decision on the two forwards, which was considered over the top in the first place. They have already been suspended, heavily fined and stripped of leadership roles at the clubs.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/84024fe294a0f30e4c4f6643cc95ed55
Despite the disappointment over the sacking of his mentor Des Hasler at the Bulldogs, Foran remains fully committed to Belmore and his fourth club in four seasons.
So much so that he will ring New Zealand Test coach David Kidwell this week to break the news he will pulling out of the World Cup campaign to work on injuries.
It is a massive blow for the Kiwis, who are already without champion front-rower Jessie Bromwich and Gold Coast Titans forward Kevin Proctor, both stood down after being caught using cocaine after the Test match against Australia in Canberra in May.
Foran’s decision to reluctantly skip the World Cup may open the door for a fairytale comeback for Benji Marshall.
“I tore my quad during the season,” Foran told The Sunday Telegraph. “My back’s been pretty stuffed too. I’m busted.
“I saw the Canterbury medical staff last week and we’re getting scans to work out the best treatment and best way forward.
“Medically I can’t play in the World Cup.
“I played under strength for much of the year at the Warriors and I just wasn’t strong enough for NRL football. I’ve got to get my body right. I really need a big off-season.”
Foran admits he got upset over speculation about Hasler’s future after he signed with the Dogs, with the axe finally falling on the mentor last Tuesday. But he has no plans to play anywhere else in 2018.
“I’m fully committed to the Bulldogs,” Foran said.
“I’m close to Des and I feel for him as a friend. He’s a great footy coach and his record speaks for itself.”
Foran signed with the Bulldogs midway through the season for two reasons — to play under Hasler and to be back in Sydney closer to his two children.
“I guess I saw it coming from all the speculation,” Foran said of Hasler. “Sometimes things don’t work out as planned, which is disappointing personally.
“But the Bulldogs have made their decision and all I can do is play. We’ll get behind the new coach and hopefully have a really strong year.”
The Dogs are desperate for Foran to make his mark from the opening rounds of the competition. That explains the early meeting with the medical staff last week to get his body right.
The playmaking role has been the club’s biggest weakness and is one of the reasons why officials didn’t stand in the way of fan favourite Josh Reynolds moving to the Wests Tigers on huge money.
Every week they struggled with no structure and the worst attack in the club’s history.
Without Foran, Bromwich and Proctor, World Cup organisers are concerned about the possibility of the Kiwis becoming tournament easybeats. They are currently $6 with the TAB to win the tournament but are likely to drift further after Foran’s revelation. The Kangaroos are close to unbackable favourites at $1.25
There has even been suggestions of pressure being applied to Kidwell to reverse his decision on the two forwards, which was considered over the top in the first place. They have already been suspended, heavily fined and stripped of leadership roles at the clubs.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/84024fe294a0f30e4c4f6643cc95ed55
