Kent was one of the loudest and most divisive media figures in the NRL, but he has been close to invisible since being charged with two domestic violence-related offences in May after a 33-year-old woman alleged she had been choked at a home in the inner west.<\/p>\n
Outside the courtroom where he pleaded not guilty to the charges, Kent said it was his turn to be part of the rugby league circus. By anyone\u2019s standards, that was an interesting choice of words.<\/p>\n
He is now working in one of the most sensitive jobs at Mannings Funerals in Rozelle. I contacted the funeral home during the week and it confirmed Kent was working as a part-time limousine driver.<\/p>\n
Funeral director Michael Manning, from Mannings Funerals, said: \u201cHe\u2019s been down a few times to work with us. If he wants a job full-time I\u2019d have no problem with that.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said he has an interest in the funeral business and I\u2019d show him the ropes. He told me he wants to write a book about the funeral business and I\u2019d help him out with that for sure. And if he needs more work, I\u2019d help with that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Paul Kent was charged with two domestic violence-related offences in May.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Kate Geraghty<\/cite><\/p>\n I tried to contact Kent for comment. I have not had a reply.<\/p>\n The rugby league media and, in particular, News Corp have been heavily criticised by the public for being too lenient in their coverage of Kent with comparisons being made to the reporting on NRL players facing similar charges.<\/p>\n Fox Sports will need to decide on its next step. If Kent is found not guilty, can he still sit on a panel and judge others, as has been his role?<\/p>\n The feeling is that is unlikely. He certainly could talk about football, but would struggle with commentary about behaviour or culture.<\/p>\n Latrell Mitchell with Eddie Farah last season.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Veteran physio Eddie Farah<\/strong> is the latest established staff member to leave the Rabbitohs during the Jason Demetriou<\/strong> era, taking the total to at least eight. Most notably, on the playing front, they let Adam Reynolds<\/strong> leave on the eve of Demetriou\u2019s stint as head coach.<\/p>\n The departures can be viewed in two ways: the club is backing the coach; or it is an environment some feel they cannot thrive and succeed in. Time will tell which it is.<\/p>\n The exits started with Travis Touma,<\/strong> who joined Souths from the Roosters 12 months earlier, and continued with Farah, who has been at the club for 17 years. The obvious big movers were club legend Sam Burgess<\/strong> \u2013 who left the club in a messy split just over two weeks ago \u2013 and assistant John Morris<\/strong>, who is off to Wests Tigers.<\/p>\n Other back-room and high-performance staff have left. More could follow.<\/p>\n Burgess and Morris have intimate knowledge of this season\u2019s dramatic slide from competition leaders to missing the top eight, but were not required to be part of the end-of-season review. It is understandable because they had bumpy exits, but it also raises questions about the depth of the season review.<\/p>\n Souths are bracing for an onslaught of coaching speculation with Wayne Bennett<\/strong> and, potentially, Burgess on the coaching market in 12 months. There are already rumours that the board didn\u2019t ratify an extension for Demetriou. This has been denied.<\/p>\n It is still a curious thing that Souths did not put out a media release announcing the retention of their coach. Demetriou initially signed a two-year deal for 2022 and 2023, then a three-year contract extension during the season.<\/p>\n The Burgess return is being pushed already \u2013 before he leaves Australia to take up his new job as head coach at Warrington. Incorrect stories said Souths co-owner Russell Crowe<\/strong> and Burgess fell out over Burgess\u2019 recent decision to quit the club.<\/p>\n Sam Burgess and Jason Demetriou.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n It would be stunning if Crowe didn\u2019t privately endorse Burgess as an option as head coach now or after he has got some experience in the UK.<\/p>\n Some at Souths would walk out if Bennett returned.<\/p>\n Speaking of Wayne Bennett, his close relationship with Crowe, Cody Walker<\/strong> and Latrell Mitchell<\/strong> is detailed in the upcoming biography on Bennett, The Wolf You Feed <\/em>by Andrew Webster. It reveals how enamoured Crowe has been with the seven-time premiership winner, referring to him as \u201cMr Bennett\u201d and whisking him away for weekends on his farm on the NSW North Coast.<\/p>\n Cody Walker and Wayne Bennett during their time together at the Rabbitohs.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cI had always held him [Bennett] in high regard,\u201d Crowe says in the book. \u201cMy respect for him only increased while he was at Souths. He\u2019s a great operator. The coach of coaches.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennett was influential in luring Mitchell to Redfern, going over the head of then football boss Shane Richardson<\/strong> to secure the deal.<\/p>\n Mitchell met with Bennett at his home and afterwards told manager Matt Rose<\/strong>: \u201cNobody has ever spoken to me like that before. That\u2019s who I wanted to play for.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennett says his greatest regret in coaching was not joining Souths in 2012.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I knew Sam Burgess, like I know him now, you couldn\u2019t have stopped me from going there,\u201d he said. \u201cI love being around Sam Burgess. I could live every day with him because I love the energy that he brings.\u201d<\/p>\n Bennett\u2019s relationship with Walker is just as strong. In his first week at Souths, he told the five-eighth: \u201cYou play your best footy when you\u2019re smiling and running the footy, so do that. Don\u2019t worry about the other bullshit that goes on.\u201d<\/p>\n After a shock loss to the Bulldogs on a Friday night, Bennett didn\u2019t talk to his players at all and said he\u2019d see them on Monday. On the Sunday, he phoned Walker, who Bennett knew would be stewing.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, how do you think you went?\u201d Bennett asked.<\/p>\n Walker had already reviewed the match and noted all his errors, which he detailed for Bennett.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you played all right,\u201d the coach said.<\/p>\n \u201cWayne!\u201d Walker said, \u201cSpray me!\u201d<\/p>\n Walker says: \u201cThat happened so many times. He just knows what the team needs at that particular time. He\u2019ll know when to give the boys a rev up, he knows when to change the mood … That\u2019s because he\u2019s been in the game as long as it\u2019s existed!\u201d<\/p>\n ARL Commission chairman Peter V\u2019landys<\/strong> has gone out of his way to label Nathan Cleary<\/strong> a \u201csuperstar human\u201d after a builder who is working on the league boss\u2019s home highlighted Cleary\u2019s dedication to a young girl fighting cancer.<\/p>\n Nathan Cleary makes a line break in Saturday night\u2019s game against the Warriors.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Tragically, nine-year-old Nicola Smith lost her battle with brain cancer in recent days, but after learning of her fight, Cleary helped fill some of her final moments with joy. She was in Bear Cottage in Manly and Cleary made a number of trips to see her. It was not a Panthers initiative; it was all Cleary\u2019s doing. He wore a tribute to her on his boots for the game against Manly in round 24.<\/p>\n \u201cA tradesman who is working at my house and is a Parramatta tragic wanted me to know the kindness and thoughtfulness of Nathan Cleary,\u201d V\u2019landys wrote to me.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is one of many acts of kindheartedness I hear about Nathan. Not only is he a superstar player but a superstar human being. He may even do the impossible and turn the Parra man to a Panther.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter V\u2019landys was full of praise for Nathan Cleary.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Dean Sewell<\/cite><\/p>\n I spoke with Cleary during the week about the impact he has on fans.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the best part about what we do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI know we can make a difference, and it\u2019s nice to bring some joy. I remember what it was like for me as a kid and the impact players had on me.<\/p>\n \u201cI was lucky enough to meet her [Nicola] when she came out to a training session last year. She was a young girl who had been through a tough time \u2014 she was so lovely and had a lot of character. I got to meet the family and I stayed in contact with them. I was lucky enough to see her again earlier this year, and at the time she was defying the odds. They thought her time was going to end sooner than it did, but she was a soldier and kept fighting on.<\/p>\n \u201cMidway through this year I went out to visit her and she was in palliative care. I was so fortunate to spend time with her beautiful family. She was a big Panthers fan, so she meant a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee Hagipantelis<\/strong> has had a slam dunk victory in his battle with former Wests Magpies chairman Shannon Cavanagh<\/strong>, who referred Hagipantelis, a lawyer, to the Law Society of NSW. Among Cavanagh\u2019s complaints was that he was referred to as demented by Wests Tigers chairman Hagipantelis in an interview on SEN radio.<\/p>\n This is what the Law Society concluded: \u201cA preliminary assessment of this complaint has been conducted pursuant to section 276 of the Uniform Law and the Professional Conduct Committee (Committee) closes the complaint pursuant to section 277(1)(h) of the Uniform Law on the basis that the solicitor\u2019s alleged conduct does not amount to either unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct and therefore requires no further investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n Hagipantelis said: \u201cThe complaint was frivolous, vexatious and without merit. It was dismissed without me even being called upon to respond. Engaging the Law Society to deal with disciplinary proceedings prosecuted against the individual by Wests Magpies, not Wests Tigers, was pathetic. The Law Society treated the complainant with the contempt it deserved.\u201d<\/p>\n Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on <\/b>9Now<\/b>. <\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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