The Lets Trot Show podcast has issued an apology after removing a post promoting an interview with banned former Panthers star Taylan May.
Penrith cut short his contract at the club last month as the 23-year-old continues to fight domestic-violence charges stemming from an alleged incident involving his wife on April 8.
He has been subject to the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy since he was charged in May, and is unable to play until at least March 2025 when the matter is due back in court.
May has pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and two counts of stalking.
Lets Trot Show host, former Panthers international Josh Mansour, issued an apology after an interview with May was promoted on the podcast’s Instagram feed.
The social post has been taken down and plans to air the podcast have been shelved.
“I wanted to personally come on here and address last night’s post regarding Taylan May and the Let’s Trot show,” Mansour said in a video message.
“I wholeheartedly apologise for the lack of foresight and timing to interview Taylan, especially before court proceedings could take place.
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“My intention was to get a better understanding of Taylan as a person and his upbringing around rugby league.
“The timing was poor, and it was poor judgement on my behalf, and I own that. Given the allegations, please understand I would never condone domestic violence in any shape or form.
“I will learn from this and be more aware next time, and hope my community can forgive me.”
Mansour said the podcast chat was based around May’s football career and “our platform was not used to express opinion or deliver messages regarding Taylan’s personal life in any way”.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
Billy Walters takes aim at ‘fake fans’ as Broncos keep finals dream alive
To miss the finals this year would be a failure for Brisbane but hooker Billy Walters has faith last season’s grand finalists can go on a winning run and do some damage in September.
Walters also took a shot at “a few fake fans” who have questioned whether his father Kevin Walters is the right coach to lead the Broncos into the future.
The 10th-placed Broncos, on 24 points, must win their remaining three games to get to 30 points and get in front of St George Illawarra (28 points) and the Dolphins (26 points).
They have a far superior for and against to the Dragons so finishing on the same points as them would be sufficient to play finals. They also play the Dolphins in round 26.
First up is Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
The Broncos had a superb 42-18 win over North Queensland before last week’s bye but will be without prop Payne Haas (foot) and fullback Reece Walsh (hand) for the Eels clash.
Tuesday’s training suggested Tristan Sailor would take Walsh’s spot with Selwyn Cobbo another addition on the wing.
Billy Walters agreed, when asked, that missing finals would be a failure but he said that hadn’t happened as yet.
“There’s always the excuse of injuries but a lot of teams have had a lot of injuries this year and they’ve still managed to pull wins. I think missing finals is probably a bad year for anyone,” he said.
“We haven’t missed finals yet. We’re still a chance mathematically.
“If we keep getting wins we’ll just keep building confidence and … once you get to finals it’s a whole new season. We’ve still got a big game against Parramatta this week. Get that done and the sky’s the limit for us
“If we sneak into the finals, I definitely feel like we’d be a team that other teams wouldn’t want to face.”
If the Broncos miss finals it will be the third time in four years under Kevin Walters’ stewardship and the first occasion of that since coach Wayne Bennett’ missed three finals out of four in 1988, 1989 and 1991.
Bennett coached Brisbane to 21 finals series in a row after that. Walters said those calling for his father’s head were wide of the mark.
“It’s pretty red hot from a few, I suppose, fake fans to say Kevvie’s not the right man for the job,” he said.
“He took this team from a wooden spoon (in 2020) to within five minutes of a grand final (win in 2023) so I think it’s pretty red hot to try and turn around after one season with the injuries we’ve had to say he’s not the right man for the job.
“He’s definitely the most passionate Broncos man going around and he knows how to win and it’s definitely been on the players this year, not on Kev, that the results haven’t come. So definitely, he’s the right man for the job.
“It would probably be a bit disheartening if we do win all three of these games and still miss out on the eight, but again that’s on us. We dropped too many games during that Origin period and we’ve got no one else to blame.”
Tigers fans ready to boo Brooks
Adam Doueihi wants Luke Brooks to be given a rowdy reception at Leichhardt, happy for Wests Tigers fans to boo the Manly five-eighth on his return.
Brooks will play against the Tigers for the first time on Thursday night, with a quirk of the draw meaning Manly have not played the Tigers until round 25 this year.
In his last outing at Leichhardt, Brooks’ name was chanted by fans after he left the field in his 200th match following a 66-18 flogging of North Queensland.
He decided weeks later to knock back a deal to stay at the Tigers for a 12th season, and has flourished with the weight of the world off his shoulders at Manly.
“It’ll be good, back at Leichhardt where he has played all his footy,” Doueihi said.
“Hopefully it is not a warm welcome for him.”
Asked if it was only natural that the Leichhardt crowd would boo the 29-year-old, Doueihi quipped: “I hope so, for the 80 minutes.
Luke Brooks. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
“It’s all part of the sport and the fun and games.
“We had good fun with Brooksy here. I am really good mates with him, (it) will be good to go up against him and try and get the win.”
A Manly win on Thursday night would wrap up a top-eight spot, and give Brooks the chance to end the longest wait to play finals football in the NRL.
And Doueihi said he was genuinely happy to see Brooks end that long drought, noting a change in his demeanour while watching the Sea Eagles this year.
“He is a really tough fella. I am glad to see him doing well with the change. He is showing everyone the footy he can play,” Doueihi said.
“Everyone could see he had this potential in him. We had a glimpse of that as soon as he debuted, he was touted as the next Joey Johns after his first game.
“It’s pretty hard to live up to that, especially when the team is not going well around him. It makes it hard for him.
“To see him playing good footy at Manly is a really big effort for him and I’m proud of him.”
A Tigers win would also ensure their last-round clash with Parramatta will determine the wooden spoon, regardless of Eels results before then.
Once renowned for their ninth-place finishes just outside the finals, the Tigers are now trying to avoid becoming only the second team in 30 years to collect three straight wooden spoons.
“We’ve spoken internally about trying to avoid that spoon,” Doueihi said.
“I’ve been here for the past two seasons, and it’s not a good feeling having that next to your name.
“To put ourselves in a chance not to win it this year is definitely a motivation towards a strong finish to the season.”
Roosters re-sign Origin forwards Leniu, Watson
The Sydney Roosters have received a boost on the run to NRL finals by re-signing State of Origin forwards Spencer Leniu and Connor Watson through 2027.
Leniu has spent his first campaign at the Roosters in the headlines, banned for eight games for directing a racial slur at Ezra Mam in the round-one defeat of Brisbane in Las Vegas. He later apologised.
The triple premiership-winning former Penrith prop has since earned his Origin debut, playing all three games of NSW’s series win under first-year coach Michael Maguire.
Leniu has averaged 91 run metres per game and began a role starting for Trent Robinson’s side in recent weeks, having traditionally been used as an impact player off the bench.
The 23-year-old has become particularly prized for his brutal kick-off returns and scored his first try for the Roosters in last week’s 34-18 defeat of Parramatta.
Leniu had been contracted through to the end of next season but would have been free to negotiate with rival clubs from November prior to signing his new two-year contract.
“We’ve loved welcoming Spencer to the Roosters,” Robinson said.
“He has the trust and respect of his teammates, and I’m looking forward to watching him continue to build as a player and person over the next few years.”
Watson has signed his own two-year deal to continue a strong comeback season from the knee injury that ruled him out of the entire 2023 season.
The Roosters showed faith in Watson by offering him a contract last November despite that long-term absence and have since reaped the rewards, the utility bouncing back to career-best form.
Watson made his Origin debut in the final two games of NSW’s series win and would likely have been picked for the series opener had he not been sidelined with a throat injury.
The 28-year-old has been starting at lock since June, with Victor Radley preferred on an edge since the Origin period.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep working with such a talented group of players and staff and I’m excited to continue to bring my best every day,” Watson said.
Watson is set to miss the weekend’s clash against Gold Coast after leaving the win over the Eels with a head knock.
with AAP
Wests Tigers
v
Manly Sea Eagles
NRL : Head To Head
Thu, 22 Aug 2024, 19:50
New Zealand Warriors
v
Canterbury Bulldogs
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 23 Aug 2024, 18:00
Brisbane Broncos
v
Parramatta Eels
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 23 Aug 2024, 20:00
Canberra Raiders
v
Penrith Panthers
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 24 Aug 2024, 15:00
Melbourne Storm
v
Dolphins
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 24 Aug 2024, 17:30
South Sydney Rabbitohs
v
Newcastle Knights
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 24 Aug 2024, 19:35
Gold Coast Titans
v
Sydney Roosters
NRL : Head To Head
Sun, 25 Aug 2024, 14:00
St. George Illawarra Dragons
v
Cronulla Sharks
NRL : Head To Head
Sun, 25 Aug 2024, 16:05
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