Tahu on leave until mentally right

Timana Tahu should not return to training with Parramatta until he is ready
mentally, the NRL club's coach Daniel Anderson says.
Tahu caught Anderson by surprise by failing to return to training with the Eels on
Wednesday in the wake of his walkout from the NSW State of Origin team camp last
week.
Eels chief executive Paul Osborne has given the star centre time off until Friday as
the Eels prepare for a Monday night match against Newcastle.
The 29-year-old quit the Blues camp over a racially disparaging remark from
assistant coach Andrew Johns, who is also a coaching consultant with the Eels but
whose position at the club is now under review.
Tahu has had little contact with Anderson or club team-mates since the controversy
erupted, but did catch up with Eels CEO and close friend Osborne on Wednesday.
"I've got a couple of texts earlier in the week and that's about it," Anderson said.
"It's no use me continually ringing him ... I'm not a person who is going to demand
he return to training because he won't be in the right mental frame.
"I expect that when he is in a comfortable frame of mind to come here to training,
then he trains.
"I would like him to come back to training when he feels he can make a contribution
to our team.
"I'm not sure what routine is going to enhance his moving forward.
"If Friday is the start of that process and he feels he can play Monday then we'll
welcome him into the team.
"If it doesn't work out that way then we'll take that as well, we'll see how it goes.
"We'll take Friday first."
Osborne said Tahu had requested the time off.
"He only just got back from Newcastle. He wanted to spend another day with his
family," he told AAP.
"His kids have all been sick.
"He's going really good, he's going great. He wants some positive outcomes, that's
all."
Osborne said the club would begin working on the next step in the Tahu-Johns
relationship on Thursday.
Anderson said he had spoken with Johns, who had expressed his regret.
"It wasn't a significant conversation," the coach said.
"He's very upset and I think he is keen to try and meet Timana and have a chat with
him.
"I've had a great contribution here from Joey ... I also have a very valuable member
of our playing roster.
"It's a relationship between a consultant member of the coaching staff and a player
here, of course that's a relationship we have to identify (if) it's possible to
continue."
Anderson said it was too early to gauge the reaction of the Eels' players to the
situation.
"It's difficult for us. It's only Wednesday, we haven't seen Timana," he said.
"I don't know if hardly any of the players have spoken to him.
"I know that they would be very encouraging in their support for him.
"We haven't done enough as a team to recognise that yet."