BY DAN

Ricky Stuart revealed the extent of the terrible situation Corey Harawira-Naera is in when he told the Mole that he was unlikely to play again. If the Zac Hosking chase was an early Christmas present this instead is an undeserved lump of coal.

We said we wouldn’t dwell on this until there was something official from the club or from Corey directly. Well, Coach Stuart has offered that in blunt terms:

It is really sad for the kid… it’s a tragedy actually. The medical reports we are getting is that he is very unlikely to play again.

Sticky to the Mole

Like everyone we are devastated for Harawira-Naera. The event itself was scary but the hope had always been that he’d be able to return to the field. That road is long, and reporting like this just states the extent of the challenge. If true then it’s a chance of financial security ripped from a person who’d done his best to (re)earn it.

I guess there’s potential for Stuart to be speaking out of turn. Certainly I would prefer this information wasn’t revealed through an intermediary as trustworthy as a toddler with a glint in his eye and something hidden behind his back. Indeed we’ve harped on the factual nature of the Canberra Times reporting on this, and would prefer Stuart had been more certain about the situation.

But then again these things are rarely straightforward red-light/green-light scenarios. It’s risk and reward. And right now the risk for Corey seems too great. Indeed Stuart has been in this game for a long time, and his own experience as a player as well as 20-odd years coaching would surely be enough for him to know when and where to reveal this information. We’ll assume Harawira-Naera was on board with this discussion, and agreed with the assessment.

Stuart said the club would be supporting him and looking for a pathway for him after football. This is the literal minimum the club and the game can do for him. These players destroy themselves for our entertainment and when the extent of that impact is revealed we as a game and community have a responsibility to make good, so far as we can. The club is seeking salary cap relief, and given the (admittedly reducing) uncertainty around his situation you’d think the NRL would come to the party.

What the Raiders will put this money towards is anyone’s guess. I’m hopeful about Zac Hosking as a low-risk signing and solution at backrow in the short term. The 150-200k of relief they’d likely get wouldn’t be relevant for that signature (but rather the opportunity to make right back edge his own). While that kind of top up may be enough to tip a ‘maybe’ into a ‘yes’ for an elite player, they offered Jack Wighton the best part of 400k more than other offers and that wasn’t enough. Don Furner should chase the money – the flexibility it offers is important. But don’t expect miracles. It’s more likely this money goes to keeping existing players happy than bringing in someone new.

I hope Harawira-Naera is at peace with this situation, and hope he has the support he needs to transition to a post-football career, should that occur. I hope players’ unions’ efforts to get longer medical support are also sufficient (and that people now realise how important that is). Corey will likely need to keep close attention on this for life, and he won’t always have access to the best medical professionals elite sport can offer, no matter how long the club keep him around.

I will remain hopeful that a medical miracle will see him on the field again, but this information is simply too forthright to assume the better will come. We wish you well Corey.

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