Canberra Raiders News

Brett Kimmorley revealed Adam Doueihi pressured him about his position, leading to a conflict with Benji Marshall over game roles.

The Australian

Former Wests Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley says Adam Doueihi made a positional ultimatum during his brief stint as the club's interim NRL head coach where Kimmorley "did not have the balls" to drop one of his star players.

The revelation comes after Doueihi sensationally withdrew from the Tigers' team to play the Raiders in Canberra following a heated argument with coach Benji Marshall, who told the playmaker he would play lock, preferring the departing Jarome Luai and rookie Javon Andrews in the halves.

Kimmorley only had 12 games in charge of the Tigers in 2022 after Michael Maguire was sacked mid-year.

He had a conversation with Doueihi about his starting spot.

"In my time as an interim head coach at the Wests Tigers, as a very green interim head coach, Adam was coming back from an ACL," Kimmorley said on SEN League.

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Adam Doueihi gave an ultimatum to Wests Tigers coach: play in halves or in reserve grade, missing a crucial match.

Zero Tackle

Brett Kimmorley has revealed star Adam Doueihi gave the Wests Tigers interim coach an ultimatum: that he either be selected in the halves in the NRL, or play in the halves in reserve grade.

This took place when Kimmorley took over the helm in 2022 for the backend of the season after Michael Maguire departed the joint venture.

Yesterday, the club confirmed to News Corp Doueihi will not play in the Tigers' do-or-die clash against the Canberra Raiders after coach Benji Marshall made the call to play his Lebanese international at lock, rather than in the halves.

Original reports surfacing from the Daily Telegraph revealed Doueihi has opted not to play at all if he is in the lock position, and won't take part after not training on Thursday, leaving the club without star personnel for a must-win game to save their season.

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Adam Doueihi may seek release from the Wests Tigers after losing his starting position, despite being under contract until 2029.

Zero Tackle

Adam Doueihi may not have request his release from the Wests Tigers yet, but it would hardly be a surprise if it came over the next few weeks.

The halfback and utility option is sitting out this weekend's match against the Canberra Raiders after being told by Benji Marshall he wouldn't be running out in the number seven, with the club instead preferring to hand a debut to Javon Andrews.

The move came as a shock, but Doueihi's decision to sit out the match was a bigger one.

The star is contracted through to the end of 2029 after putting pen to paper on an extension earlier this year, and while he has obvious talent, his injury history and the way the club have stuck by him through long stints on the sideline mean this is all getting very ugly and very quickly.

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