The Perth Bears will need to cast their net beyond the NRL ranks to fill their roster for their inaugural season and Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard is shaping up as a potential recruit.
Pollard, who made his Wallabies debut in the 2022 Test against Argentina in San Juan, played league as a junior and is reportedly keen to give the NRL a crack.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the 23-year-old is eager to explore the possibility of linking with the Bears.
The former Australian under-18 hooker is off contract with his Super Rugby franchise at the end of this year.
Billy Pollard of the Brumbies dives to score a try. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Six years ago he had several NRL clubs knocking down his door to try to get him to hope across the codes and he met with Wayne Bennett, who attempted to get him to play for South Sydney.
“I did have an opportunity to go to Souths, but by that stage I was probably looking at union. He told me wherever I go, if you want to be the best you have to train like it and to act like it, 24-7,” he said last year.
Pollard played for the Asquith Magpies in league as a junior, which is a feeder team to North Sydney’s NSW Cup side.
His father and grandfather also played for the Bears so the family connection with the club runs deep.
The Bears still need to form a board and then appoint a chief executive and coach after officially getting the green light last week to join the NRL in 2027.
Brad Arthur, Sam Burgess and Mal Meninga have expressed interest in becoming the expansion team’s foundation coach.
Drama at Nine with journo sidelined over manager feud
Controversial player agent Isaac Moses is in the firing line again after he threatened to pull his star client Mitchell Moses from an appearance on 100% Footy on Monday night due to a feud with a Nine journalist.
Moses told producers of the show that the Eels halfback would not turn up if senior league reporter Michael Chammas took up his regular place on the panel.
The Sydney Morning Herald newshound has been a vocal critic of Moses for several years and tensions rose again recently following the way the manager handled the Lachie Galvin situation at the Wests Tigers.
Nine reluctantly agreed to replace Chammas on the panel with fellow Nine reporter Danny Weidler and Moses, who is in the frame for NSW selection after a strong comeback from injury with Parramatta recently, appeared on the show.
Isaac Moses, who has twice been deregistered by the NRL over major rule breaches, had booked the appearance for his player on 100% Footy without the knowledge of the Eels.
Mitchell Moses needs a big performance on Friday night against Newcastle to lock down a halves spot for NSW with Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai also in the mix for game one on May 28.
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/LFY12N5 News: Wallabies rising star keen on Bears switch, drama at Nine after reporter taken off air over manager feud
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