Manly set for backflip over forward’s future
He was previously told he could find a new club.
The Manly Sea Eagles have reportedly had a change of heart over the future of hooker and forward Karl Lawton.
Lawton was reportedly among a group of players who were told they could leave the club before the end of their current contracts if they were to find a new home.
It came amid Manly’s reported struggles with the salary cap, although that was very publicly shut down by club CEO Tony Mestrov, who said no issues of the sort existed.
Manly do have an extremely top-heavy salary cap, with big-money deals in the water for the Trbojevoic brothers, Josh Schuster, Daly Cherry-Evans and now Haumole Olakau’atu who has committed his long-term future to the club in recent times.
Lawton, who isn’t believed to be on much in the way of salary, will now reportedly remain with the club according to Wide World of Sports.
A hooker who can also play in the second-row, Lawton has proven valuable at times in recent seasons for the Sea Eagles, although has spent time battling injury over the last two years.
Shoulder surgery ended his 2023 season, but the report suggests he has returned to training at the start of pre-season on the Northern Beaches as Anthony Seibold prepares his side in an attempt to improve on the 2023 effort and make the finals.
Lawton, who is off-contract at the end of 2024 as it is and can negotiate with other clubs now, played just ten first-grade games for the Sea Eagles last year.
Adding to the questions over whether he will stay at Manly is the breakout of Gordon Chan Kum Tong who will become the club’s back-up to Lachlan Croker in 2024, as well as the continued emergence of Ben Trbojevic, who could fill both centre and second-row roles if he was named on the bench.
It could leave Lawton with, at best, a NSW Cup role in 2024.
NRL airing ad in U.S. to promote sport ahead of Allegiant Stadium games
The National Rugby League is airing a new ad with the tagline “No pads. No helmets. No fear.” to “promote the game in the United States,” according to Adrian Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The 30-second package of “big hits and spectacular tries” highlights the “physicality of the NRL.” The spot features a number of NRL stars “involved in spectacular hits,” before the “focus turns to try-scoring feats.” The ad, which is now being shown on Fox, “ends with the words ‘This is rugby league.’” The NRL will hold a double-header at Allegiant Stadium on March 2 featuring Manly Warringah Sea Eagles-South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters-Brisbane Broncos. The league has “already sold 15,000 tickets”
PART OF THE GAME: Nine News’ Alex Heinke noted the NRL ad is “simple but effective” as it displays the rough and often violent nature of the sport. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said of the importance of showcasing that violence of the game in marketing the sport, “It’s a part of the game. It is a contact game whereas in the NFL, you have shoulder pads and helmets. Our sport doesn’t have that so it’s a different type of contact.” Nine News’s Danny Weidler: “This is just the first in a series of commercials. In others, players will be used to explain the game.” Abdo said there “will be lots of fun ways for us to take the game, simplify and explain it to someone who’s never watched it live” and the league will be “using the clubs and the players to help tell those stories”
