RUGBY LEAGUE
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ON Wednesday morning Orange Hawks president Frank Sheehan confirmed the rumours - Wise Kativerata, the club’s 2016 captain-coach, has stepped down as the two blues’ mentor.
He’s done so for good reason though, after jumping at an opportunity with the Fiji National Sports Commission which Sheehan labelled “too good to refuse”.
Kativerata jets off on Friday morning to start the role, which is said to include working in close conjunction with the Australian Sports Commission, NRL and Australian Rugby Union to identify and nurture rugby league and rugby union talent in Fiji.
“Wise has been given a wonderful opportunity with the [Fiji National] Sports Commission,” Sheehan said,
“I’m not actually 100 per cent sure on what the job will entail for Wise ... but it was just too good an opportunity for him to refuse.
“Obviously as a club we would never stand in the way of an opportunity like this, just like we’d never stand in the way of a player [moving on to higher levels].
“So we wish Wise the best of luck in this endeavour and congratulate him on the appointment.”
In short, without Kativerata Hawks are left with no permanent coach just two months out from the 2016 Group 10 Rugby League season.
It also leaves the two blues devoid of Kativerata’s invaluable experience as a player and a coach - he played in the NRL with Parramatta, St George-Illawarra and South Sydney and has captain-coached a number of sides in the country, along with work with the Australian Institute of Sport.
Considering the club has also lost 2015 captain-coach Brock McGarity along with prop Mitch Davis, one of the more senior players in the side, to Orange CYMS, question marks remain as to whether any of the current crop of players would be qualified enough to step into the role - outside 2015 co-coach Jared Brodrick.
Sheehan said that won’t be an issue for his club, and confirmed a permanent coach will be appointed as soon as possible.
In the interim, stewards will oversee the club’s preparation.
“We’ve appointed temporary coaching staff for the moment,” Sheehan said.
“I’m not really at liberty to say (who they are) until I talk to them, but we will appoint permanent coaches and reveal who they are as soon as we can.
“We can move forward without Wise. We’ve still got NRL experience in the club, and we’ve got all of our major signings sorted.”