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'We want them back': Georgallis and Bulldogs players push for duo's return
Caretaker Canterbury coach Steve Georgallis has told the club's board Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor should be welcomed back to Belmore after an NRL appeals committee overturned their deregistrations.
Georgallis, who took over when Dean Pay and the club parted ways this week, sought opinion from senior Bulldogs players, who have endorsed the pair's return after the Port Macquarie schoolgirl scandal.
Bulldogs powerbrokers will meet with the players and their representatives on Friday to discuss whether they want to return to the NRL cellar dwellers this season.
Harawira-Naera has been subject to intense interest from the Raiders, Dragons and Warriors, and will be available to return to the field as soon as next weekend after having his deregistration amended to a 10-game ban and $15,000 fine.
Okunbor will miss 14 games and accept a $22,500 fine after having consensual sex with a schoolgirl he met on a community visit before the club's final pre-season trial on the mid-north coast.
Neither player was subject to a criminal investigation.
Asked whether the pair would return to the Bulldogs, Georgallis said: "We've talked about it as a playing group. I asked the players what they thought and they said, 'yes, we want them back'.
"And they asked me what I thought and I said, 'yes, I want them back'. I referred that to the board.
"It would be great if they can sort out [on Friday] - if they have any issues with the club - and we can get them back as quick as possible."
The Bulldogs will have to back pay the contracts of the pair to April 1, when they had their deals torn up.
The scandal cost the Bulldogs a chance to sign a $2 million deal with restaurant chain Rashays, which was on the verge of being announced as the club's major sponsor before round one.
The club is still to confirm a primary backer at the halfway point of the coronavirus-interrupted season.
Georgallis is no stranger to interim roles having taken over from Matthew Elliott at the Panthers in 2011 before the club appointed Ivan Cleary as a permanent successor for the following year.
Penrith assistant Trent Barrett remains a firm favourite to take over at Belmore next season, but Georgallis won't give up on the chance to one day be an NRL head coach.
"Those 11 games [at Penrith] I really enjoyed and the feeling of being at the top of your game," Georgallis said. "I feel the circumstances for me to take the interim coaching job here are not ideal with Dean going.
"Obviously Dean's not going to be the first coach to be under pressure or resign, it's going to happen in the future.
"If you said to me, 'would you like to take over a struggling club?' Yes, of course I would with the opportunity to coach first grade. It doesn't come up very often."
The Bulldogs are two wins adrift of their nearest rival at the bottom of the ladder, but can bridge that gap against the Dragons in Wollongong on Saturday.
St George Illawarra are the only team to have lost to Canterbury this season.
Asked about his message to the group this week, Georgallis said: "I'll be honest, we're coming 16th, we're last on the table so let's get back to enjoying our football. Just bring that little bit of fun back into the game."
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we...rs-push-for-duo-s-return-20200717-p55d0e.html
Caretaker Canterbury coach Steve Georgallis has told the club's board Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor should be welcomed back to Belmore after an NRL appeals committee overturned their deregistrations.
Georgallis, who took over when Dean Pay and the club parted ways this week, sought opinion from senior Bulldogs players, who have endorsed the pair's return after the Port Macquarie schoolgirl scandal.
Bulldogs powerbrokers will meet with the players and their representatives on Friday to discuss whether they want to return to the NRL cellar dwellers this season.
Harawira-Naera has been subject to intense interest from the Raiders, Dragons and Warriors, and will be available to return to the field as soon as next weekend after having his deregistration amended to a 10-game ban and $15,000 fine.
Okunbor will miss 14 games and accept a $22,500 fine after having consensual sex with a schoolgirl he met on a community visit before the club's final pre-season trial on the mid-north coast.
Neither player was subject to a criminal investigation.
Asked whether the pair would return to the Bulldogs, Georgallis said: "We've talked about it as a playing group. I asked the players what they thought and they said, 'yes, we want them back'.
"And they asked me what I thought and I said, 'yes, I want them back'. I referred that to the board.
"It would be great if they can sort out [on Friday] - if they have any issues with the club - and we can get them back as quick as possible."
The Bulldogs will have to back pay the contracts of the pair to April 1, when they had their deals torn up.
The scandal cost the Bulldogs a chance to sign a $2 million deal with restaurant chain Rashays, which was on the verge of being announced as the club's major sponsor before round one.
The club is still to confirm a primary backer at the halfway point of the coronavirus-interrupted season.
Georgallis is no stranger to interim roles having taken over from Matthew Elliott at the Panthers in 2011 before the club appointed Ivan Cleary as a permanent successor for the following year.
Penrith assistant Trent Barrett remains a firm favourite to take over at Belmore next season, but Georgallis won't give up on the chance to one day be an NRL head coach.
"Those 11 games [at Penrith] I really enjoyed and the feeling of being at the top of your game," Georgallis said. "I feel the circumstances for me to take the interim coaching job here are not ideal with Dean going.
"Obviously Dean's not going to be the first coach to be under pressure or resign, it's going to happen in the future.
"If you said to me, 'would you like to take over a struggling club?' Yes, of course I would with the opportunity to coach first grade. It doesn't come up very often."
The Bulldogs are two wins adrift of their nearest rival at the bottom of the ladder, but can bridge that gap against the Dragons in Wollongong on Saturday.
St George Illawarra are the only team to have lost to Canterbury this season.
Asked about his message to the group this week, Georgallis said: "I'll be honest, we're coming 16th, we're last on the table so let's get back to enjoying our football. Just bring that little bit of fun back into the game."
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we...rs-push-for-duo-s-return-20200717-p55d0e.html
