Nov 11th, 2019

Nov 11th, 2019

Are the Cowboys playing games with Latrell Mitchell in a bid to put the pressure on Valentine Holmes to return from the USA to Townsville?

My spies up north tell me that the Cowboys are somewhat interested in Mitchell following his bust-up with the Roosters - but wannabe New York Jet Holmes is their real target.

Holmes is currently weighing up whether to return to the NRL after missing out on a spot on the Jets' roster, landing a contract on their training squad.

Holmes' management knows the Cowboys cannot afford both their man and Mitchell on big dollars.

The Cowboys went out of their way last week to declare their interest in Mitchell - but I am hearing Holmes, who hails from North Queensland, is the man they prefer to sign.

Latrell Mitchell has been linked to the Cowboys, who really want Valentine Holmes. (Getty)

BROWN SCORES NEW COACHING GIG

It hasn't taken former Knights coach Nathan Brown long to land a new gig.

The Warriors have signed Brown as a guest coach - specifically to work with their young hookers.

With Issac Luke leaving the club, the Warriors are short on experience in the key dummy-half role and Brown, who was one of the game's top rakes in the 1990s, will be a handy man to have on board.

There is no clear winner in the battle for the No.9 jersey at the club, with ex-Panther Wade Egan, Nate Roach, Karl Lawton and Jazz Tevaga all in contention.

All will benefit from one-on-one sessions with Brown.

Former Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown. (AAP)

BENNETT FINISHED AS ENGLAND/GB COACH

My spies in London tell me that Wayne Bennett's stint as England/Great Britain coach is about to come to an end after this weekend's Test against PNG.

The English went to Bennett in 2016 in a desperate bid to end Australia's stranglehold on the Ashes but it never happened.

To make matters worse, Bennett's Lions side lost a series to the Kiwis last weekend for the first time since 1998.

But what really rankled the English authorities was the negative, conservative NRL-style of play that Bennett brought to the team.

The English are at their best playing a high-risk, expansive game but were put in shackles by the veteran coach.

The decision to end their association will be a mutual one - Bennett turns 70 soon and has enough on his plate with Souths.

Wayne Bennett. (AAP)

MANLY ROSTER MYSTERY SOLVED

Two names were conspicuously missing from Manly's list of 30 players that was announced last week.

Former Test forward Tony 'T-Rex' Williams and boom rookie Josh Schuster were originally named in the squad but then left out hours later.

But both are likely to be reinstated to the squad before the season starts, with Manly only actually naming 28 players.

The last-minute chopping and changing came about as a result of the cloud over the future of talented young hooker Manase Fainu.

The youngster is still behind bars following a stabbing incident last month and has been charged with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The Sea Eagles are still hoping Fainu will be cleared and have left a spot open for him - or his replacement should the case not be resolved any time soon.

Schuster is rated one of the best young talents in the game and will play NRL at some stage of 2020.