Knights reject poaching attempt of star forward

Newcastle have rejected a bid by Super League club Warrington to allow star forward Lachlan Fitzgibbon to join them immediately.The Wolves want Fitzgibbon, who signed a three year deal with the club to start in 2024, to make the switch now to help them with their Super League title hopes.With both clubs in precarious positions on their respective ladders, the Knights declined the approach in the belief that they can still make the finals with a strong run in the latter stages of the season.The Knights are in 14th spot on the ladder, but a big win over the Bulldogs followed by the bye last weekend has them just three points away from eighth position.In England, Warrington are in fifth spot on the ladder, but only four points behind leaders Catalans Dragons, who suffered a shock loss to Huddersfield, who are third from the bottom.Fitzgibbon, 29, had offers from both rival NRL clubs and England but opted to take the long-term deal at Warrington in a move that will possibly see out his career.

Monster ban for 'unacceptable' act to trigger sacking

The controversial career of fiery former Queensland Origin and Kangaroos prop Josh McGuire is almost certainly over after he was handed a 12-game suspension for using "unacceptable language" on the field in a recent Super League match.Warrington prop McGuire got a seven-match ban for a similar charge a few months back and club officials are seething about his behaviour.It is believed his latest comment was a highly offensive remark about a rival player's young relative.A polarising figure who often found himself in strife in his 14-year career with the Broncos, Cowboys and Dragons, 33-year-old McGuire moved to England this year hoping for a fresh start.But the tough prop's switch to Warrington has not been a success and the Wolves are believed to be on the verge of terminating his contract on disciplinary grounds.The tough forward missed last weekend's big Magic Weekend defeat to Hull, supposedly with a foot injury.A veteran of more than 250 top grade games, McGuire served two five-match suspensions while at the Dragons in 2021 and was fined $12,000 by the NRL and suspended for one game after breaching the game's COVID-19 biosecurity protocols for attending Paul Vaughan's infamous team barbecue.If Wolves do sack him, it is doubtful he will get another chance at a rival English club or back in the NRL.

Thomas Mikaele On The Move

The Tigers have all but lost giant prop Thomas Mikaele to English club Warrington for next season.Wolves officials were at Magic Round last weekend and held talks with Mikaele's management.The 24-year-old is off contract at season's end and the Tigers are keen to keep him.Mikaele made his NRL debut for the club in 2019 and his best football is clearly still ahead of him.But the Tigers will find it hard to match the three-year deal that Warrington has put to the Kiwi-born forward.Warrington has been desperate to bolster its small pack for next season and has already signed one of the biggest men in the game - massive former Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano from Catalan.

Gun Hooker's NRL Hopes on Hold

The Warrington Wolves have poured cold water on reports doing the rounds that 'gun' hooker Daryl Clark has been given permission to negotiate with NRL clubs. Rated the best hooker in England, Clark is on the radar of the Titans and several other clubs down under. But a Warrington source has told me his fate will depend on the wishes of the club's next coach, who is yet to be appointed. Wolves are on the lookout for a coach following ex-Dragons coach Steve Price's decision to move back to Australia at the end of the current season.