Parramatta Eels coach Brad Arthur stands by Kieran Foran - for now

Troubled Parramatta star Kieran Foran walked into a meeting this week with Eels coach Brad Arthur fearing he would be sacked, but walked out with a determination to make it back to the top.

Arthur is a matter-of-fact individual and coach, and he laid it on the line to Foran. The message was simple: he wants Foran back to his former self and to start becoming the leader and individual that he knows better than most.

Arthur wasn't brutal with Foran, as he knows all too well the delicacy of Foran's situation. Arthur is a father figure to the player, and the Eels No.7 has enormous respect for his coach. That's why he listened and agreed with Arthur in his assessment, and Foran is making every attempt to become the best person and footballer he can be.

Determined: Kieran Foran. Photo: Getty Images

There were suggestions in the past few days that he wouldn't play again.

There is no doubt that in his darkest moments he has questioned more than just his football career. You will recall he had to be rushed to hospital after a prescription medication overdose. But Foran wants to play rugby league, he says it's an important part of his life.

It would be wrong to say the sport is looming as his saviour because only Foran can fix his issues. "I have no intention of quitting footy," he said. "Probably the opposite, to be honest. I need football in my life."

Foran is very aware that if Arthur feels the need to question his behaviour again, the outcome of that meeting may be what he feared would happen when he entered this week's meeting.

He has been using his time away from football productively from a family viewpoint. He has been dedicating himself to his children and has been working through other issues.

Foran is considering opening up in an interview to set the record straight in numerous areas. Having been privy to what he has been through, it's a story that will resonate with plenty of people.

Wanted man: Cronulla's Jack Bird. Photo: Getty Images

Sharks step up Holmes, Bird chase

The Sharks have a number of high-quality forwards off contract, including Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis, Chris Heighington and Sam Tagataese, but there is already some serious planning in place to ensure that Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes will be long-term Sharks. They both have next year to run on their contracts, but the Sharks are about to launch a bid to sign each of them to long-term deals at the club.

Coach Shane Flanagan wants to build his team around them as the club heads towards 2020, and deals of three to four years for each player will be talked about. Bird is pivotal to the club; he will be a main playmaker in years to come and is shaping as quality support for the leader-in-waiting, Wade Graham. His strength and confidence have been an eye-opener in Blues camp this week.

Holmes is nothing short of brilliant. The confidence he showed against the Cowboys on Monday night said it all. "Jack and Val are two guys the Sharks can build a club around, not just for the next couple of years, but for the next generation of the team," Gallen said. "They are both exceptionally talented players – and will play vital positions.

"Right now Val is best on the wing, but he can play anywhere in the backs and fullback is an obvious fit down the track. Birdy is just a footballer ... and he will play in the middle somewhere – he is that strong and skilful ... It amazes me for someone that young. He is going to develop into a very dominant player in the game and that is not too far away. Look at the steps he has already taken this year."

Graham underlined his strength and leadership qualities as he dealt with a tough week. No one at the Sharks would want to relive the ASADA years, but it helped Graham through an extremely difficult week as he saw his Origin dream slip away. Graham's view is a simple one. "I have been through a fair bit," he said.

In the Sharks' sheds, moments after he was first selected, Graham opened up about how the darkest days of the drugs drama changed him as a person.

"It toughened me up," he said. "I think about the tough days – they were a big [part of my career] ... To come through the other side, it hardened me as a man. I learnt some tough lessons about life and about being a man and I learnt about people as well. I'm happy to have the chance to have goals and to look forward."

Meanwhile, Ben Barba showed courage to take the field against the Cowboys on Monday. He was violently ill in the lead-up and needed an anti-nausea injection. Mitch Brown was on standby. Michael Ennis was hit by the same bug, but was treated and had an excellent game.

Another reason why JT is simply the best

It's impossible not to be in awe of the way Johnathan Thurston conducts himself with fans. Away from the headgear giveaways, he doesn't refuse an autograph or a photo request, even after a tough loss like the one the club suffered at the hands of the Sharks on Monday night. With blood smeared on his jersey and in need of stitches, Thurston dealt with every fan who wanted a piece of him – and even in the Shire there were plenty.

He then delivered a fantastic non-cliched statement when I asked him for a comment about the new stadium that is going to be built in Townsville, and why he pushed so hard for it: "I've chose to raise my family there and I want what is best for the community," he said.

"The area is really struggling ... we've got nearly the highest unemployment rate in the country ... It's going to create 1600 new jobs and revitalise the area ... that's what we needed. It's a win for the North Queensland fans and there is no doubt they will be very happy about that."

People's champion: Johnathan Thurston.

Fox on the hunt

There are significant tensions between Nine's Wide World of Sports and Fox Sports because they are now head to head in league coverage. The commercials that Fox runs relating to its lack of ads during play are a direct go at Nine and there has been debate about the use of players who have allegiances to networks.

But things are about to get really nasty. Nine is aware its former head of sport, Steve Crawley, now at Fox Sports, is set to make a play for the "face" of the Nine broadcast, the highly respected Yvonne Sampson. Crawley is a huge Sampson fan, and with good reason. She is composed, knowledgeable and intelligent. Sampson is believed to be off contract shortly after the football season ends and Fox is already positioning itself to make an offer.

Sampson previously shared the hosting duties with Cameron Williams, but since he moved on she has been given the role. There was a time when Peter Sterling was doing the job as well, but he has told the network he prefers to be a panellist.

Sampson recently became the first female to anchor State of Origin coverage and did a magnificent job. Sampson is also the first female host of the Sunday Footy Show. She has the respect of her co-workers and is able to handle some of the biggest personalities in the game, including Phil Gould, Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, and bring the best out of them.

Sampson is leading the way at Nine where a number of sports reporters and presenters have made it big. Erin Molan is a co-host on The Footy Show and the Nine newsroom boasts rising on-air talent Danika Mason and Julie Snook.

Nine would be reluctant for Sampson go to Fox. Nine bosses were first made aware of the Fox interest several weeks ago.

Stewart watched

The Manly club has been keeping a close eye on the wellbeing of superstar fullback Brett Stewart. The club has noticed that he has not been himself, and he would be the first to admit his football has not been where he'd like it to be. Stewart has been through a lot in his career and there is a fear that it's catching up with him. Those close to Stewart have heard what this column has been hearing, and they have assured us that he is in a good head space.

The annoying thing is that there are plenty of fans who have turned on him. He deserves better than that. That said, the next month of football will be crucial. Stewart certainly deserves time to prove he still has the magic and desire that have been his career trademark.

Tough year: Brett Stewart. Photo: Getty Images

Captain snooze

It can be tough dating a sports star; just ask Kieren Jack's partner, Charlotte Goodlett, who is a news producer for the Nine network. Last Sunday morning she had an early start for the Today Show. Jack, the Swans co-captain, had a game that day and, ever the professional, he didn't want to be disturbed. So Goodlett ended up sleeping on the couch. And Jack's Swans ended up getting rolled by GWS.

Expect a different pre-game routine next time the couples have a conflicting work schedule.

Judgement day

Supreme Court judge Geoff Bellew is a high achiever, but Wednesday was a big day, even by his lofty standards. He oversaw a verdict in the Roger Rogerson case before rushing to his daughter's school to conduct a mock trial, something he had agreed to several weeks ago.

He then completed issues surrounding the Rogerson trial before dashing madly across town to NRL headquarters where he performed his role as judiciary chairman. He arrived at the NRL at 5.59pm, one minute before the scheduled start of the Wade Graham case.

Bellew didn't miss a beat at the judiciary hearing. His 10-minute summation made the point very strongly to the panel that the only thing they needed to concentrate on was whether the tackle was careless. And, despite arguments from Graham's counsel that the tackle was unavoidable, the decision was obvious.

Eagles reunion

Spotted during the week at a Dee Why cafe was the retired Anthony Watmough with three current stars, Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon and Foran. Also there was the players' manager, George Mimis. Foran was looking the best he has been in weeks.

Enjoying the limelight: Sam Thaiday. Photo: Jonathan Carroll

Grin and bear it

What was going through John Cartwright's mind as Trent Barrett was delivering the best coach blow- up of the year on Sunday as the Sea Eagles capitulated against Penrith? No doubt it was, "been there and done that".

But what caught people's eye was that Cartwright let a smile slip across his face as Barrett was going off in the coach's box – and he copped heaps on social media as a result.

"Yeah, plenty of people have said that to me, but I can promise you it was not a smile," Cartwright said. "It was a wince. You could ask my kids, they have seen that look plenty of times before."

Barrett is finding out just how tough the gig is, but talk that he is under pressure is way off the mark.

Thaiday's day

It's hard not to be impressed with Sam Thaiday as a media talent – and we are sure he is making history at the moment. Thaiday has a radio program on a Saturday morning on Nova in Brisbane, called Thank God it's Thaiday. It's not a football-based show, it's focused on popular culture.

Danny Weidler is a Nine reporter.