Buzz saint, sinner, shoosh: St George Illawarra planning poaching raid on Cronulla Sharks stars
Premiership-winning Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan is planning a daring raid on his former club, in his new role as St George Illawarra recruitment boss.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Shane Flanagan brought Briton Nikora to the Cronulla Sharks as a Kiwi rookie and Holden Cup player back in 2016.
Six years later Flanagan is keen on signing him again – this time in his new role as the recruitment boss of the St George-Illawarra.
The 24-year-old Kiwi international is off contract at the end of the season and has already spoken to his New Zealand Test coach Michael Maguire about switching to the Wests Tigers.
The Dragons are also interested. Much will depend on Jack Bird’s future. Bird is looking at other options after rejecting the Dragons’ offer for a new deal worth around $500,000-a-season.
The Sharks want to keep Nikora but are reluctant to get into a bidding war with rival clubs. He played particularly well in the trial against the Bulldogs last week.
NRLW FLOGS AFLW IN TV RATINGS
Women’s rugby league had a super impressive start last weekend in TV ratings.
The NRLW triple header in Newcastle flogged the AFLW in the combined Fox Sports and free-to-air figures, easily doubling their audience.
The three NRLW games had an average audience of 168,000 on Fox Sports and Channel 9 compared to the AFLW with an average of 70,000 on Fox Sports and 7 mate.
Independent commission says this is an encouraging sign for rugby league.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
“I’m not surprised by the figures at all,” V’landys said. “Women’s rugby league is so much more entertaining. I’m not having a crack at the AFLW players because it’s the same with the men. Our game is better than theirs in all forms. Victorians will disagree with me but look at the TV figures.”
The NRL is now preparing to increase the number of teams from six to eight.
“I’ve always been a big supporter of the women’s rugby league,” V’landys said.
“In fact I’ve often questioned why we’ve been so slow in the past.
“This is a huge growth opportunity from grassroots to NRLW.
“The clubs are now really engaging in it and are applying to have a team, rather than having to be asked.”
FITTLER CAUGHT IN BITTER NSWRL WAR
You’ve got to feel sorry for Freddy Fittler. The Blues State of Origin coach is torn between his mentor Nick Politis and his boss, NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden, in the boardroom brawl that has rocked the game and forced Politis to walk away.
Freddy and Politis go back more than 25 years to 1996 when the Penrith Panthers star joined the Sydney Roosters. They have remained close since and Freddy still works as a Roosters ambassador.
Freddy is also aware it was Politis who got him the job as NSW coach in 2017 when Trodden wanted to keep Laurie Daley in the role. It’s a tough position to be in because Politis and Trodden are no longer on speaking terms.
All the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column
SAINT
Rugby league has always been a game of the people and at its best in a crisis. This was reaffirmed with the decision by the NRL to cancel the official season launch to put $500,000 into helping victims of the horrific floods and to assist in the recovery that grassroots clubs are facing in NSW and QLD.
SINNER
Tevita Pangai Junior left the Broncos and got out of Brisbane to get a fresh start after several years of questionable behaviour. He joined the Canterbury Bulldogs via the Penrith Panthers and it took only one trial game to show he is still a loose cannon and a liability.
SPOTTED
The Newcastle Knights have been heavily backed to win the dreaded wooden spoon. The TAB has slashed their odds from $19 to $10 as a result of their trial form. The poor old Wests Tigers remain favourites to run last at $3.50.
SPOTTED
The Newcastle Knights’ latest signing is a player agent who used work alongside Chris and Gavin Orr at Pacific Sports management. Adam Doyle replaces Alex McKinnon in charge of recruitment for junior pathways.
SPOTTED
A couple of spritely old South Sydney Rabbitohs legends George Piggins and Bobby McCarthy catching up for a footy chat over coffee at Pacific Square in Maroubra Junction.
SPOTTED
Another Buderus playing for the Newcastle Knights – the nephew of club legend Danny Buderus. Max Buderus, 21, is playing Jersey Flegg this year. He plays halfback or five-eighth.
SPOTTED
The SCG’s heritage committee continues to face a huge public backlash over the snubbing of rugby league immortal Arthur Beetson in the naming of grandstands at the soon-to-be-completed Sydney Football Stadium. There is now an online petition that will be presented to the board of Venues NSW.
SPOTTED
Who would have thought 35 years ago the when the Big League Annual was launched that the magazine would be selling copies into Europe. Editor David Middleton has had recent sales in Germany, Switzerland and Spain. You can order a copy at rugbyleagueannual.com.au
SPOTTED
Nothing could stop Main Event’s Ben Damon from being ringside for Nikita Tszyu’s professional debut on Thursday. The voice of Australian boxing has a bulging disk in his back and climbed out of his hospital bed the morning of the fight, hopped on a flight to Brisbane and took his seat on the commentary team.
FLETCH HEALTH FEARS
Bryan Fletcher has thrown a scare into the Fox League camp on the eve of the kick-off with several hospital stints this week due to a mystery blood disorder.
There are fears amongst the Matty Johns Show crew that Fletcher could start the season on the sidelines. When contacted, Johns urged friends and strangers alike to reach out to Fletch in an attempt to lift his spirits.
“If people contact me through Fox Sports I’m more than happy to pass on Bryan’s personal phone number,” Johns said. “I know he’d appreciate the support … at any hour of the night.”
You can also use the hashtag #reachouttofletch on social media and Matty says he will read out the best messages on his first show on Thursday night.
CRUISY GIGS
Who better than a couple of NSW State of Origin stars to help kick-start the cruise industry after more than two years of Covid. South Sydney Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook and Canterbury Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr will appear in TV advertisements and marketing campaigns for P&O cruises. It is hoped the major cruise vessels will be operating again around June.
COCK FIGHTING
Super coach Trent Robinson is always looking for a motivational edge for his Sydney Roosters.
This is why he turned to Australia’s No.1 boxer, world champion George Kambosos, to address his players on the eve of the premiership kick-off.
“George is such an inspirational story,” Robinson said, “He was the little fat kid who got bullied at school then went into boxing and became a world campion through his determination and work ethic. To pass on his pure focus and engage the group for an hour was fantastic.”
George Kambosos and his dad Jim are Sydney Roosters tragics.
They have known chairman Nick Politis and board member Mark Bouris for years.
Robinson said his players couldn’t get enough of it.
“They stayed back and asked George so many questions,” Robinson said, ““He didn’t just tell a fight story – it was his life story. And it was really motivating.
“You listen to how he trains and performs under the ultimate pressure.
“To be knocked down in the 10th round but then win the last two rounds for a world title … that’s toughness you want from your footy team.”
Kambosos is tipped to defend his world title belts in Melbourne on a Sunday afternoon in June in a mega $10 million pay day, the fight to be beamed live into the United States on a Saturday night on prime time.
The boy from the Shire is now a household name in American boxing after his stunning upset victory over Teófimo López in November last year.
FOUR DECADES OF BOLTS
Veteran broadcaster Ray Hadley is celebrating a 40-year association with rugby league. Back in 1982 2UE needed extra around the grounds reporters, so Hadley, who was a young race caller, was asked to work as an around-the-grounds reporter for Col Pearce & Ian Maurice from Wollongong Showground as Illawarra played their first game in the NSWRL against Penrith. The Panthers won 17-7. By 1987 Hadley was 2UE’s league caller and 40 years later still calls Origin and the grand final on 2GB. He’ll rack up his 32nd grand final this year and 90th Origin game. Remarkably, his employer Channel 9 continues to ignore his standing in the game to call on TV.
Originally published as Buzz saint, sinner, shoosh: St George Illawarra planning poaching raid on Cronulla Sharks stars
‘Blowhard’: Cornes backlash turns prickly
Kane Cornes has been roasted by a high profile colleague over comments that have left NRL commentators in disbelief.
Parramatta legend: ‘24 Panthers don’t have a hope against ‘83 Eels
Penrith have claimed their place in the rugby league record books, but Parramatta great Ray Price has rejected suggestions they’ve gone past his Eels, claiming they had “every position and we every tactic covered”. WHO IS BETTER? VOTE NOW.