‘Rookie’ angers club

Press, 3 June 1989, Page 92

‘Rookie’ angers club

Paul Nahu, disenchanted with his rugby league “rookie” season at North Sydney, was a surprise late addition to the Bay of Plenty squad for its two-match southern tour. But the North Sydney secretary, Bob Saunders, made it clear last evening that his club expected Nahu to fulfil his commitments. Nahu requested a release from his one-season agreement with North Sydney early this week, claiming he was not happy with the amount of play he had been offered.

“I have learned a lot of things from the training but I came over here to play football not to watch,” said the former junior international who last season had a Kiwi trial as a centre.

His time in Sydney had cost him money, said Nahu, whose return was prompted by a desire to bid for a place in the Kiwi team to tour Britain and France. But Mr Saunders said that Nahu “hasn’t ended his rookie season” when asked if club and player had parted ways. Nahu had “played in or

gone on in every reserve grade game this season,” he said. Asked if the other Norths “rookie,” Jarrod McCracken, from Auckland, would be staying in Sydney, Mr Saunders replied, “Mr Nahu is also staying on here.” Mr Saunders said any further comment should come from the N.Z.R.L. executive diirector, Mike Knowles, who was not available last evening. Officials with the Bay Of Plenty team said Nahu was permitted to play against Canterbury last evening and West Coast tomorrow.