Reason behind huge feud in NRL revealed as truth set to come out in new year

A controversy has brewed down under owing to a reunion of the St George Illawarra Dragons side to last win the NRL Grand Final.

They of course last lifted the trophy in 2010 at the expense of Sydney Roosters before going on to beat Wigan Warriors in the World Club Challenge.

The squad reunited this weekend but key man Matt Cooper refused to attend.

He explained why on Twitter: “I want to apologise to my 2010 premiership team for not attending the 10-12 year reunion.

“The reason why I did not attend was I didn’t want to make a scene and ruin a special occasion … knowing former CEO and a player who did not even play in the game were going to be there.”

Cooper would later go on add that he had sent the tweet because it was his “only way to let the players know why I wasn’t there” but did not want to further explain his absence

“With the ‘why’, it has to do with what happened to me when I retired, I’m not ready to share that right now, but the truth will come out next year,” he further explained.

I can see a lot of people are wondering why I sent that tweet, it was my only way to let the players know why I wasn’t there. With the why,it has to do with what happened to me when I retired, I’m not ready to share that right now, but the truth will come out next year.

— Matt Cooper (@mattcooper44) December 3, 2022

It certainly remains unclear what exactly Cooper is talking about. However, while that is the case, it does seem that his problem involves former club CEO Peter Doust.

When told by a supporter to “be the bigger man and ignore said people”, Cooper responded with: “Not if you knew what Doust did to me.”

The Mole of the Wide World of Sports has revealed that this stems from a job offer from the club when he retired which never came.

He has now said to the Mole that he will tell all in a TV interview in the new year when the rugby league shows are in full swing: “I want to wait until next season and the footy shows are back on TV to reach a maximum audience,” Cooper said.