Injury Worry
Bati coach Joe Rabele was not inside the coach’s box during the side’s Friday night’s 50-0 loss to England at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium and did not attend the post-match conference.
Calling the shots in his place and answering questions at the conference was former Leeds Rhinos and Toronto Wolfpack coach, Brian McDermott.
McDermott is set to guide Fiji in next weekend’s opening World Cup match against Australia after answering an SOS call to help the Bati as coaching director.
A close source yesterday said that Rabele was keeping a low profile.
When contacted yesterday Fiji National Rugby League acting chief executive officer Don Natabe said they would be sending out a press release on the issue soon.
The release was yet to be received when this edition went to press last night.
Wests Tigers assistant David Furner was initially named Bati coaching director during the mid-season Test against Papua New Guinea but was unable to travel to England, he then asked McDermott to fill the position.
“Dave Furner gave me a phone call. Dave is the coaching director, but he couldn’t come over here and he gave me a call to see if I could step in,” McDermott, who coached the USA at the 2017 World Cup said.
“In the few short days that I have been with them, they (Fiji Bati) are fantastic people, really good to be around and they work extremely hard so I am looking forward to the next few weeks,” he said.
Having steered Leeds to four premierships and led the Wolfpack to Super League promotion in 2019, McDermott’s experience would be invaluable to the Fiji Bati team, aiming for a fourth consecutive World Cup semi-final appearance.
He was coaching director at Featherstone until recently and worked closely with Rovers coach James Webster, the brother of new Warriors coach Andrew Webster.
James Webster was in the coach’s box alongside McDermott as a Bati side missing NRL grand final stars Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau and Maika Sivo endured a heavy defeat and worrying injury toll.
Canterbury halfback Brandon Wakeham, Redcliffe Dolphins prop Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu and Mounties second-rower Kaylen Miller failed to finish the match and there are concerns some may be ruled out of the World Cup.
“We incurred a hell of a lot of people coming off the field, some of them injured for the next two or three weeks, I would imagine,” McDermott said.
“In my short time with the players I have realised that they are a very tight group, a very passionate group and are very loyal to each other.
“They are very genuine with it as well; it is not just words on a wall. There is a whole group of people, staff included, who are despondent but if that is how ugly we can be we can work on it.”
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