Timanu Tahu reportedly agrees to 1 Year – Updated*

*Controversial star Timana Tahu will recommence his NRL career with Penrith on Monday after the club confirmed he has signed a one-year deal.Updated.

Timana Tahu has agreed to a two-year contract with Penrith – but first he’ll be thrown to the Wolves. Reports in The Daily Telegraph say Tahu and the Panthers are finalising several minor details before announcing the signing on Wednesday morning at a media conference. Tahu, who walked out on Parramatta in 2010, drove down from Newcastle on Tuesday to meet Panthers CEO Mick Leary and accept the offer. But he is unlikely to be selected for Friday night’s local derby against the Eels at Parramatta Stadium. Despite suggestions Tahu might confront his former side, it is understood that he will play for Penrith’s feeder club, Windsor Wolves, against Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers at Windsor Sports Complex on Saturday night. A solid showing in that game would ensure he is considered for Penrith’s round three match against Cronulla at Centrebet Stadium on March 26.

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Timana Tahu reinvented in the backrow

The Panthers are planning on re-inventing Timana Tahu as a backrower but the troubled player must first apologise to the teenager who accused him of racial vilification last October.The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Tahu will meet the north coast teenager this week as Penrith is unable to sign the wayward star until his dispute with Caleb Binge is resolved. Binge, who is now in the Broncos’ junior system, accused Tahu of calling him a “black c***” during a tournament but all attempts, including intervention by the Human Rights Commission, have failed to resolve the issue as Tahu has refused to face his accuser. But his return to the NRL with the Penrith Panthers has forced the issue. With former Parramatta halfback Dennis Moran, now a Country Rugby League welfare officer, the instigator and playing peacemaker, it is understood Tahu has agreed to a meeting with Binge in Brisbane on Wednesday to resolve the dispute.

Eels turn age into experience

They may not have the glitz of a Timana Tahu or a Krisnan Inu, but Parramatta backrower Ben Smith claims NRL opponents can write off the Eels’ `Dad’s Army’ backline at their own peril. The off-season acquisition of veteran three-quarters Chris Walker, Paul Whatuira and Chris Hicks to fill a barren backline was met with some derision by critics, who claimed the trio had passed their used by date following Super League stints. Walker and Hicks are both 30-plus, while Whatuira turns 30 mid-year, with the trio essentially coming in for the departed Tahu (released), Inu (Warriors) and Eric Grothe (retired). The lack of star power out wide threw up the possibility that Smith would go back to his younger days and return to the centres, but he confirmed he would remain in the backrow with Eels coach Stephen Kearney more than happy with his options out wide.

The Judiciary

Queensland halfback Johnathan Thurston will need to win a case at the NRL judiciary to play again before State of Origin II on June 16. Thurston has been hit with a grade one detrimental conduct charge for his expletive-laden complaint to referee Jason Robinson about a forward pass in the final minute of North Queensland’s 24-20 loss to Manly on Saturday night. The Test No.7 will miss Monday night’s ANZ Stadium clash with South Sydney regardless of whether he enters the early guilty plea or unsuccessfully defends the charge at the judiciary. With Origin players to be stood down from round 14 games – when the Cowboys meet Canberra – Thurston’s only chance of playing again before game two of the series is to win a case at the judiciary. The struggling Cowboys, currently 14th on the NRL ladder, have until 12pm on Tuesday to decide whether they will fight the charge.

Can you reinvent the Eel ?

Daniel Anderson certainly thinks so and will endeavour to do just that in an effort to keep his troops fresh and to go that step further in this years premiership. After last years mid season form reversal any changes to the line up would almost be deemed unnecessary, but when you throw the names Timana Tahu ($120,300 CTW), Justin Poore ($250,800 FRF) and Shane Shackleton ($192,500 FRF/2RF) into the mix it would be a brave man that says the Eels won’t be sniffing around come finals time. As with most coaches (DT included) not all positions are spoken for within the squad, Tahu will almost certainly dislodge Krisnan Inu ($143,500 CTW/FB) or Joel Reddy ($132,400 CTW) whilst Poore could unsettle stalwart Nathan Cayless ($257,400 FRF) or crowd favourite Fuifui Moimoi ($194,600 FRF). As mentioned at the NEX Kris Keating ($190,300 HLV) is fighting hard to regain his spot in the halves keeping both Daniel Mortimer ($268,000 HLV) and Jeff Robson ($227,300 HLV) honest, although having the confidence from the back end of last season with the inclusion of play-offs, it will be difficult to break. “We have to get the best out of them while playing with the players that we already have here so that’s what I mean we’ve got a different dynamic.” Anderson said “It would be naive to think that we’d be able to start the same and finish the same but obviously we’d like to be more consistent in our application as a team.”

Flick of the wrist for Hindmarsh

As stated previously, Nathan Hindmarsh ($367,700 2RF) is having significant problems with his left wrist, an issue he was hoping to rectify after the Four Nations tour of the UK. Unfortunately for Hindmarsh and the Eels the off season wrist reconstruction could be something he deals with for quite some time. “He’s unable to (play) at the moment just because it’s too painful when he collides with people,” Anderson told reporters on Monday. “It’s not going to be something that goes away in two weeks, it’s going to be something he’ll carry through the competition.” The worrying news on Hindmarsh came after back rower Ben Smith ($189,600 CTW/2RF) booked in with a facial specialist on Wednesday to learn the extent of a suspected cheek bone fracture suffered in Saturdays trial against Penrith. Jarryd Hayne -sternum ($228,300 FB/CTW) and also Daniel Mortimer – head gash ($268,000 HLV) have been ruled out of next weeks trial but are considered only precautions. One player coming back into the fray will be Timana Tahu ($120,300 CTW),  who is showing no signs of the hamstring issues that have plagued his past. Anderson will attempt to get as many minutes out of Tahu as possible and is confident he will be back to his representative best.

Trial games to Parra, matter!

It was reported earlier at the NEX that Nathan Hindmarsh ($367,600 2RF) could be missing for an indefinite number of games due to a wrist injury, luckily this seems not to be the case as he listed in a very strong Parramatta side this weekend take to on the Panthers. All the guns except for Timana Tahu ($120,300 CTW) are listed to play, and Tahu most likely would have been there if it wasn’t a 2 match suspension for a tackle on Israel Folau in ’07, that has yet to be served. He is expected to be named for the Roosters clash in Gosford Saturday week leaving Krisnan Inu ($143,500 CTW/FB) and Joel Reddy ($132,400 CTW) 80 minutes to stake their claim for a regular season berth. The forwards will also have their share of battles for starters, with Nathan Cayless ($257,400 FRF) and Fuifui Moimoi ($194,600 FRF) being pressured by new recruit Justin Poore ($250,800 FRF). The team list for the Eels is as follows –

Luke Burt, Nathan Cayless, Eric Grothe, Jarryd Hayne, Nathan Hindmarsh, Krisnan Inu, Kris Keating, Matt Keating, Tim Mannah, Feleti Mateo, Fuifui Moimoi, Daniel Mortimer, Justin Poore, Joel Reddy, Jeff Robson, Shane Shackleton, Ben Smith.