The one and only Phil “Augustus” Gould has long been feared and loathed as one of the biggest figures in rugby league.
Often polarising because of his strong opinion, Augustus launched an all-time tirade on Channel Nine on Monday night branding the entire game “stupid”.
The both-barrels spray sent powerful figures in the game into meltdown because of Gould’s dual positions as Canterbury-Bankstown kingpin and Channel Nine commentator.
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The NRL is currently analysing the comments with a fine tooth comb and is expected to hit Gould with a breach notice and a heavy fine.
Why? For breaching the game’s code of conduct.
In a straight off the hip with a Smith and Wesson spray, Gould said: “Our game’s so stupid. You can lose the ball over the line and it costs you 20m and seven tackles. Why?
“I don’t know because it’s stupid. But I can just take a line drop out and it goes out on the full no consequence.
“It’s nothing at all – what sort of stupid game is this? Who sits and makes up these rules?
“Api Koroisau try what the hell was that – what the hell was that?
“We are so stupid with our rules. Our game is stupid.”
‘You get looked after! You get PAMPERED’ | 02:36
The stupefying spray led to a number of people bringing the hot take to the attention of the NRL with the powers that be now poring over it.
The NRL rules clearly stipulate club officials, coaches and players are not permitted to engage in public commentary that is damaging to the game.
We’d love to hear the Augustus’s response when the breach notice lands.
It’s not the first time head office has been pushed by influential figures in the game to sanction Gould over his public commentary.
The grey area is because he’s also the kingpin of Canterbury-Bankstown.
CROWE’S POWERPLAY AS WAYNE CHATS REVEALED
The Gladiator has been on the phone to the Supercoach.
Fresh off his latest movie set Russell Crowe has arrived home in Australia to find South Sydney a dysfunctional rabble.
Who do you call to try and clean up the mess?
Wayne Bennett – the 74-year-old career coach with seven premiership rings in his kit bag who took the Bunnies to the 2021 grand final .
Off the back of South Sydney’s botched attempt to parachute the 13th Immortal Mal Meninga in as a caretaker coach for the rest of this season Crowe understandably wants to try and correct the red and green car crash.
Don’t be fooled into believing the Bunnies BS about no one at the club knew anything about the Meninga approach – key people at the club were all over it and green lit The Art Dealer Steve Nasteski doing his thing.
It blew up in their faces when it was leaked publicly and the Bunnies missed a golden opportunity.
Crowe arrived back in Australia a fortnight ago and has had several telephone conversations with Bennett since.
With coach Jason Demetriou now sacked nine months after inking a three-year extension at Heffron Park the runway has been cleared for South Sydney to officially launch operation S.O.S Wayne.
‘The club gave Jason every opportunity’ | 00:36
The smart money says it will happen given Bennett’s love of the club and ability to quickly heal a broken roster.
How the Bunnies figured putting Ben Hornby in as caretaker 48 hours before facing triple premiers Penrith was a smart play is anyone’s guess.
Hornby is a good man and will do his absolute best but talk about being tossed a live hand grenade.
Some of South Sydney’s recruitment and retention decisions since Bennett’s final season in 2021 just make you shake your head.
The one positive move the Bunnies have nailed is securing Jack Wighton on a four-year deal.
The famous Jack Gibson lines about winning starts in the front office and winning starts Monday have never been more fitting than for Souths right now.
It was there for all to see when the Bunnies needed two board meetings on Tuesday before finally pulling the trigger on Demetriou’s tenure.
Demetriou’s axing comes a fortnight after chairman Nick Pappas released some fluffy cupcake quotes which were the equivalent of telling the coach he had the full support of the board.
You’d like to be in the trenches with Pappas. Rock solid.
Is it any wonder the Rabbitohs are last on the NRL ladder given some of the dysfunctional politics clearly spilling over from the ownership group to the board room to the executive team.
The Gladiator and chairman Nick Pappas don’t like each other and rarely speak.
The Gladiator is also not a fan of CEO Blake Solly hence the recent play to bring Shane Richardson back to South Sydney.
At the same time the day-to-day management of the club have become very cosy with Australia’s very own tech bro Mike Cannon-Brookes.
Affectionately known in South Sydney’s inner sanctum as “MCB” there’s a power play going on at Souths to give the tech bro more sway than his current 25 per cent ownership.
As it stands at the moment Crowe owns 25 per cent, James Packer owns 25 per cent, MCB owns 25 per cent and the South Sydney members own 25 per cent.
Where it all ends is anyone’s guess.
Souths confirm Bennett in their sights! | 01:01
Rewind to August last year when Clive Churchill Medallist Sam Burgess was sacked by the club for delivering some home truths.
Burgess refused to back down from his frank appraisal about how Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker had been given too much control and the Bunnies were nowhere near the same postcode as a premiership window.
Back then Crowe asked Burgess if he could put the club first and present a united front.
Burgess said they weren’t about to be winning anything given the current state of play and refused to bend on his views.
South Sydney then sacked the club icon.
Burgess and Crowe had a blow-up at the time with The Gladiator hanging up the phone because big Sam refused to concede.
The two have since patched things up long ago and remain great mates.
Make no mistake, once South Sydney land the signature of Bennett to come in and fix the mess big Sam will be the club’s next head coach beyond Wayne.
Burgess is currently contracted to Warrington for 2025 and is tipped to extend for 2026 as well.
Not everyone at Souths likes this play – hence the power struggle going on between Crowe, chairman Pappas, CEO Solly and MCB.
It’s incredible how quickly South Sydney have imploded since making the move from the club’s spiritual base in Redfern to the flash new facility at Heffron Park last year.
Source Agencies
