Former New Zealand Warrior Issac Luke believes that the Cronulla Sharks are 'off' their teammate Will Chambers.
Fox Sports reportedย how Luke has heard from sources that there is a divide within the locker room of the Sharks.
This follows a controversial week for Chambers, who has been involved in mutliple on-field sledging incidents in recent times.
His first incident occurred against the Sharks 22-40 loss to Manly. Chambers collected Dylan Walker and subsequently sprayed him as he lay on the ground. The altercation was reportingly of a personal nature, relating to Walker's past.
Wonder what Chambers is saying to Walker here...๐ฌ
๐#NRLSharksManly
๐ https://t.co/UR5pRJbZPl
๐บ WATCH on @kayosports: https://t.co/jMMpXCgNTF
๐ฒ MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/GC37HgTeDm pic.twitter.com/6av0o6mL5A— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 2, 2021
The negative attention Chambers received didn't deter him, as he doubled down the following week against the Warriors. He targetted Kane Evans in another sledging incident, this time provoking multiple punches and a contrary contact charge for Evans.
Kane Evans is facing 2๏ธโฃ games and $3k worth of fines after a WILD game against the Sharks. ๐ณ
He was put on report THREE times, including for throwing a punch at Will Chambers. #9WWOS #NRL pic.twitter.com/ROxJwt8HtR
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) August 8, 2021
Luke took to Twitterย to explain why Evans reacted to Chambers. He alluded to the incident likely being another personal attack at a player. In a since-deleted tweet, he stated:
โKane Evans incident has a lot more to it than everyone thinks. Rumour has it that his own teammates are off him. Donโt know if itโs true, if it is I wouldโve done the same.โ
He later clarified "...chambers teammates were off him after what was said."
The recent incidents have generated some debate over whether sledging is good for the game. On SEN 1170 Breakfast, host Andrew Voss raised that very question.
โHere is a talking point from the weekend, Will Chambers has come under fire from his coach and New Zealand officials for personal sledging of Kane Evans,โ Andrew Voss host said.
โIโve got to say, Will Chambers, I thought couldnโt get any more animated than he did the previous week where he went on for two or three minutes sledging with his team down a bucket load of points."
โBut on Saturday, heโs gone again and heโs claimed a victory."
While not voicing his own opinion, Voss did acknowledge the impact that sledging had on Kane's game over the weekend.
โOn a hit up, makes a mistake, Chambers comes in, gives him a verbal, Kane then throws two clench fist palms and gets sin-binned, and then later got sin-binned again."
โIs what Will Chambers did wrong? Is it not in the spirit of the game? Or is he smart?
โWarriors coach Nathan Brown said after the game, โHe was a little smarter than us on thatโ, whereas others have said, โHe has crossed the line, heโs gone too farโ."
On NRL 360, Paul Kent speculated that Chambers was using players personal lives to try and target and impact opposition players. In particular, using Walker's previous charges of assaulting his fiancee. The charges were all dropped and Walker denied all wrongdoing.
โI think it got personal and I donโt think it crossed the line,โ Kent said.
โIf you react to it youโve lost the battle. Ina politically correct world there are things you canโt say but heโs obviously referring to recent events in Dylan Walkerโs past and it obviously had an impact on him."
Kent believes that sledging is a part of the game, and has a rightful place within the league.
โSledging is a personal thing and people, I tend to think everything is fair game. If you canโt handle it then bad luck."
โThe best insults contain a truth โ thatโs why it hurts. Will Chambers knows the right guy to pick in Dylan Walker."
Sharks interim coach Josh Hannay was critical of Chambers after the incident. He believed that it didn't look good for the player or the rest of the club.
โI didnโt enjoy it,โ Hannay said.
โI think when youโre behind on the scoreboard Iโm loathe for our guys to be too chirpy.โ
โEveryone knows that Will likes to be chirpy out there and get under peopleโs skin."
โHe probably let his emotions get the better of him there.โ
The timing of these incidents couldn't come at a worse time for Chambers. Having only recently returned after missing games due to COVID protocols, his future still remains uncertain. Being out of contract at the end of the season, these recent indiscretions could impact the veteran centres future.
The Sharks or any other club are reportedly yet to show any genuine interest in his services for 2022 and beyond.
