Jul 17th, 2017

Parramatta has joined the race for Penrith forward Leilani Latu. (AAP)

Jul 17th, 2017

THE Eels have joined the Knights and Warriors in the hunt for Panthers big man Leilani Latu.

Last week I revealed that ball-playing giant Latu is signed until the end of 2020 but wants out of the Panthers.

In the wake of that, the Eels have jumped in and are willing to match whatever money the Knights and Warriors put on the table.

Coach Brad Arthur wants more size and fire power up front and has already signed Roosters hit man Kane Evans - getting Latu as well would give him one of the most dangerous packs in the comp.

Panthers insiders tell me club supremo Phil Gould is prepared to cut Latu loose - the City Origin forward has had limited game time this season and has put on weight as a result.

Tyrone Peachey is another who isn’t happy at the Panthers - but Gould is unlikely to grant the classy utility a release.

Smith linked to New Zealand world cup job

Brian Smith is close to accepting the challenge of whipping the Kiwis into shape for the end-of-season World Cup.

Smith has been something of a recluse since being sacked by the Roosters at the end of 2012, apart from a brief stint with English club Wakefield last year.

He is currently living in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney with little contact with the game.

But Smith still commands plenty of respect within the game, having coached over 600 top grade matches since the 1980s.

Senior Kiwi officials believe he is just what they need to oversee inexperienced coach David Kidwell, who has been struggling to get the best out of a talented outfit on paper.

Stand by for an announcement in coming weeks.

Bennett still causing trouble for Knights

The Knights aren’t all that happy with former coach Wayne Bennett - and not just for leaving the club in the mess it now finds itself in.

Desperate to give their fans some good news, the Knights’ administration was planning a big announcement this week of the signing of promising Broncos prop Herman Ese’ese.

But Bennett beat the Knights to the punch last week, breaking protocol by declaring to the media that Ese’ese had decided to change colours.

The Knights will go ahead with the announcement this week, but it will now barely create a ripple in the media after Bennett beat them to the punch.

Rochow on the move again

The much-travelled Robbie Rochow is the latest target for the big spending Tigers - even though he joined the Storm for the remainder of this season just a few weeks ago.

Back-rower Rochow quit Souths to rejoin the Storm - where he started his top grade career in 2010 - before stints at the Knights and Rabbitohs.

I’m hearing he met with Tigers coach Ivan Cleary last week and if he goes to Concord it will be his fourth club in three years.

Such are the comings and goings of modern day footy that this sort of player movement is not that unusual any more.