DAVE Taylor’s remarkable comeback story will hit a snag and be delayed for a couple of weeks.

And what’s the latest on Des Hasler’s future at Belmore?

Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper has The Mail.

COAL TRAIN RETURN DERAILED

Round 19

The resurrection of the “Coal Train”, Raiders forward Dave Taylor, has all the hallmarks of becoming one of the most endearing yarns of 2017.

Seemingly on the scrap heap after being released by Super League club Les Catalans last year, Taylor had a chance meeting at Sydney Airport with Ricky Stuart and has somehow parlayed it into a contract with the Canberra Raiders.

The only kicker now is that Taylor must serve a two-match suspension for his previous off-field indiscretions before the NRL and the Raiders can green-light his return.

Dave Taylor leaving Raiders headquarters in Canberra. Picture Source: News Corp Australia

Then it’s game on for the Blackwater Crushers junior. And the ball is entirely in his court.

Taylor needs to continue to earn the trust of his teammates by leading with his actions and making the right decisions. Along the way he’s helped pay the bills by working at a pub in Queanbeyan since joining the Raiders.

As an emerging forward Taylor was considered a future representative star but never truly delivered on his potential. Perhaps the coach who will finally get the absolute best out of him is Stuart.

Tough and uncompromising, Stuart has a strong track record at being a players’ coach who can work with all personalities.

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover are joined by Raiders director of recruitment Peter Mulholland to discuss Canberra’s season-eve wheeling and dealing as well as all the big headlines from the off-season transfer bonanza.

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Look at the job he’s done with one-time bad boys BJ Leilua and Junior Paulo. For very different reasons, Jack Wighton and Jordan Rapana are two other examples of players who have improved their games immensely under his tutelage.

Provided Taylor stays on the right course, the Raiders could have just salvaged an almighty impact weapon for the season.

DES’S NEW DEAL

The Canterbury Bulldogs are still working towards green-lighting a two-year extension for coach Des Hasler but there’s no decision imminent for the time being.

Hasler’s contract extension was once-again one of the key subjects at a Bulldogs board meeting on Tuesday night, where chief executive Raelene Castle continued to work overtime trying to find a suitable outcome for both parties.

Plenty of people close to Hasler believe a deal is close to being done.

Canterbury Bulldogs coach Des Hasler. Source: News Corp Australia

JT’S SMITH TRICK

Is Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor up to one of Brian Smith’s old favourite tricks in relation to young gun outside back Moses Suli?

Despite the fact Suli has trained on the left wing for the majority of the pre-season, Jordan Rankin’s name appeared on the Wests Tigers team sheet on Tuesday.

Suli was named as a reserve in jumper No. 21 and also named to play NSW Cup. But we’ll be stunned if Suli doesn’t run out for his NRL debut against South Sydney on Friday night.

In Taylor’s defence, he is probably just trying to take some heat off a rookie on debut.

It was one of Smith’s favourite tricks during his time as a head coach at Parramatta, Newcastle and the Sydney Roosters.

JT spent a season under Smith in 2001 at Parramatta and then took over as caretaker coach of the Eels in 2006 when Smith ended his tenure.

Moses Suli during Wests Tigers training. Source: News Corp Australia

CLUBS CIRCLING SHARKS FORWARD

Premiers Cronulla have got a fight on their hands trying to retain off-contract prop Matt Prior.

Aside from the Newcastle Knights, there are other clubs circling the unsung forward who was one of the Sharks best during their giant-slaying September run last year.

Prior isn’t the only player who the Sharks need to try to get signed pronto. NSW Origin players Wade Graham and Jack Bird are both pivotal to the future of the black, white and blue club.

Graham has been groomed as the club’s next captain for the last three seasons while Bird is an out and out game breaker.

Where Bird plays beyond this season will be crucial for the Sharks. The Blues utility needs to be on the ball more.

He shows all the signs of developing into a Braith Anasta-style ball-playing lock forward. Bird could also be equally as comfortable playing five-eighth.

CHICKO DEAL ALMOST DONE

Still at the Sharkies and negotiations are ongoing about trying to resolve the James Segeyaro standoff with Super League club Leeds.

Segeyaro helped save Leeds from relegation when the Rhinos went on a nine-match winning run last season.

But a contract standoff has prevented the livewire dummy-half from getting an NRL contract registered with the premiers.

Segeyaro maintains he verbally informed Leeds of his impending termination and should be a free agent. There are legal options available for the talented No. 9 but they would mean he has to sit idle on the sidelines until the court process plays out.

All things being equal, the Rhinos and Segeyaro are expected to soon reach an agreement.

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