NRL 2024: John Singleton places $100k grand final bet for Panthers to beat Storm | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
High-profile businessman John Singleton is riding a $100k bet on the Panthers, Craig Bellamy has become an NRL coach-killer, a look inside Brian Waldron and David Gallop’s meeting, and more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Larrikin businessman and punter John Singleton will win $400,000 if Penrith Panthers beat Melbourne Storm in the decider. Singo, who has a personal wealth of $820m, put $100,000 on the Panthers at odds of $4 way back in March with bookmaker Lloyd Merlehan at Top Sport.
It’s probably loose change for Singo compared to us battlers, but still the biggest bet he’s placed on rugby league.
“Penrith is the best side I’ve ever seen,” he said.
“They’re like an orchestra, the rest are like bands. They’re in a different league.
“If I had any brains, I’d lay off now and pocket $200,000. But that’s not much fun, is it? I want to win the lot.”
I asked Singo if he gets nervous with so much money riding on the result?
“Of course,” he said.
“That’s why I do it. I haven’t had a bet on any games this year. Just this one.
“Lloyd (Merlehan) is so much in front from all my punting over the years. I’m just trying to get some back.”
Singleton will watch the game from his home on the Central Coast.
“We’re getting on a bit and it’s too hard to get to Homebush. I’ll watch Channel 9 with the sound down and listen to Ray Hadley’s call on the radio,” he said.
Although he has so much riding on the NRL grand final, Singo is a lifelong Newtown Jets fan and has just as much interest in their State Cup final against Brisbane’s Norths Devils. He’ll be watching that game from his Railway Hotel in Gosford.
“I’ll shout the whole bar if Newtown win … free drinks for one hour,” he said.
SAINT
Parramatta’s NRLW team has set a new standard in team culture. At their recent awards night, Kennedy Cherrington and Madeline Jones invited every staff member onto the stage and presented them with a gift on behalf of the players. This included the coaching, strength and conditioning staff, physios, gear stewards, welfare officers and content creators who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
SINNER
The NRL judiciary. We need to blow it up. If it thinks Nelson Asofa-Solomona deserved five weeks for an accidental collision, we are officially in crisis.
SHOOSH
Which failed ex-club CEO is ringing around playing the ‘Don’t you know who I am’ card to try and get a free grand final ticket in a corporate box?
SHOOSH
Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds is under contract to Channel 9, so you can imagine the disappointment when he knocked back requests to appear in the network’s grand final build-up. Obviously he wanted to dodge questions about the role players had in coach Kevvie Walters’ downfall.
SHOOSH
Speaking of Channel 9, there has been much talk behind the scenes of a scathing email podcaster and presenter Marlee Silva recently sent that was not overly complimentary of certain staff members.
SPOTTED
Registered NRL player agent and LJ Hooker mortgage broker Keenan Mickley and his son have been arrested and charged with allegedly attempting to import a commercial quantity of cocaine worth $16m that had been sent from Vietnam.
SPOTTED
Legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis doing a fitness session with jockey Nash Rawiller. Lewis loves working with athletes outside of boxing and for years worked as Kangaroos trainer on tours of England under Bob Fulton.
SPOTTED
How bad is rugby union going in Melbourne compared to the mighty Storm? Last weekend the NSW Waratahs U16s beat Melbourne 106-0. The U19s didn’t do a whole lot better, beaten 80-20.
SPOTTED
Columnist Roy Masters from the independent always SMH not looking all that independent on the official Melbourne Storm table at the Dally M Awards.
THE BELLYAXE
Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy is the NRL’s reluctant coach killer.
The three axed this year – Jason Demetriou, Brad Arthur and Kevin Walters – all lost their jobs after heavy defeats to Bellamy’s Storm.
It began in round 8 when Demetriou’s Souths Rabbitohs were belted 54-20.
He was dumped five days later.
Three weeks on, and Arthur packed up his belongings at the Eels after a 48-16 loss to Storm that signalled the end of his 10-year stint at Parramatta.
And then Walters coached his last game for Brisbane in the Broncos’ thumping 50-12 loss to Melbourne in round 27.
While Bellamy enjoys coaching Storm to victories, he genuinely feels for the coaches so brutally sacked.
Especially as two of them – Walters and Arthur – worked for him in Melbourne on their way to becoming head coaches.
“I’m not comfortable with it at all,” Bellamy said.
“They are good men and good coaches.
“I believe some of these clubs can be a bit harsh. This is just my opinion. I’ve never been an administrator responsible for hiring and firing coaches.
“With the Kevvy thing, he made a grand final last year. They were 20 minutes away from winning it.
“I would have given him next year. It was a tough one. The guy is a Broncos legend.
“Do the people who made the decision understand that?”
The supercoach has an extraordinary record since starting at Storm in 2003.
He has coached it to 10 grand finals and made the semis every season – bar the year
it was stripped of premiership points over the salary cap scandal.
Bellamy knows coaches are under pressure every year to make the finals.
“I don’t want to be critical of anyone, but you’ve asked me what I think,” he said.
“Brad (Arthur) was in a grand final a couple of years ago.
“Whenever it happens to a coach, I really feel for them. I know how hard they all work.”
WALDRON AND GALLOP BREAK BREAD
Two of the major opponents in one of Australia’s biggest sporting scandals have finally made peace – at last weekend’s AFL grand final, of all places.
Former NRL chief executive David Gallop and ex-Melbourne Storm boss Brian Waldron unexpectedly came face-to-face for the first time since the 2010 salary cap scandal that resulted in the club being stripped of two premierships – the 2007 and 2009 trophies.
Gallop also fined the club $1.7 million and stripped it of its competition points – the only year that coach Craig Bellamy has failed to make the top eight.
Waldron was always considered the architect of the Storm rorting, once described by News Corp boss John Hartigan as the “chief rat”.
Subsequent exchanges with Gallop put his relationship with the now – Venues NSW boss to a point where most thought they’d never talk again.
Their fallout would be the equivalent of Andrew Abdo v Blake Solly – multiplied by 10.
Both Gallop and Waldron were guests of the AFL at the MCG last Saturday, and found themselves in the same suite alongside politicians and heavy-hitters.
Gallop declined to comment when we phoned him on Friday, and Waldron also was reluctant to talk.
These days he’s running a successful sports merchandise business.
“I saw David in the room and just felt it was an opportune time to say hello after all these years.” Waldron said. “It was nice to chat.”
Neither would confirm that they have planned to catch up for a lunch.
EXPANSION CONCERNS
The NRL’s expansion plans are not going as smoothly as anticipated.
There was an independent commission meeting last week to look at the initial bids and proposals from the organisations wanting to become the 18th, 19th and 20th teams.
We’re reliably informed that outside of PNG, the other bids have fallen short – even the Western Bears. They have much work to do to convince the commission they deserve a license.
No team will get a start until the NRL has rock-solid evidence they will be financially viable.
(LOVE) BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Matildas superstar Mary Fowler will be preparing for her own Manchester City v West Ham game in the north of England when her partner — superstar Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary — is striving to win his fourth straight NRL title.
Fowler’s game kicks off at 11pm on Sunday; not long after full-time at Accor Stadium.
No doubt she will have downloaded the NRL international app to watch her handbag try to create history against Melbourne Storm.
While Cleary will be going for his third Clive Churchill Medal, Fowler was this week named the PFA young women’s footballer of the year. It is the second time she has been awarded the player-voted honour.
BLOWN AWAY IN THE TALENT STAKES
The Penrith Panthers are always given due credit for staying competitive every year, despite annually losing great players to rivals clubs.
They’ve relied heavily on emerging talent from their thriving junior nursery to replace the likes of Viliame Kikau, Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Api Koroisau, Spencer Leniu, Taylan May, J’maine Hopgood and Kurt Capewell.
But what about Melbourne Storm? Nine players from their 2020 premiership-winning team played against Storm this year – Brandon Smith, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Nicho Hynes, Dale Finucane, Josh Addo-Carr, Felise Kaufusi and Justin Olam.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui would have made it 10, but for his ACL injury. And they also lost a bloke called Cameron Smith.
It’s been a remarkable rebuild in that Storm has such a small junior nursery in Victoria compared to Penrith.
Bellamy credits Melbourne‘s general manager of football Frank Ponissi and recruitment boss Paul Bunn in a big way.
“It’s been very enjoyable watching these players develop,” Bellamy said.
“This side has really connected together well and done themselves proud.”
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE GF
There’ll be one extra spectator at Accor Stadium for today’s NRLW and NRL grand finals.
The peregrine falcons that keep watch over the venue have a new addition to the family – a chick who arrived this week just in time to watch the Roosters and Sharks in the NRLW and Panthers take on the Storm in the NRL. The stadium’s security staff spotted the new arrival last week.
OUR GUYS RULE THE AIRWAVES
It was not a good grand final week for SEN’s afternoon host Jimmy Smith, who had a massive ratings collapse in the latest radio survey, tumbling 41.6 per cent.
At breakfast, the Big Sports Breakfast (2.8) regained its lead over Vossy and Brandy (2.6) on SEN.
And on Sundays the Weekend Big Sports Breakfast with Ray Thomas and Bulldog Ritchie had another great survey with a 4.3 – a record high.
As for the Sunday afternoon NRL ratings, the 2GB Continuous Call team has fallen in a heap.
They’ve dropped from 9.8 in the previous survey to 6.8, their lowest figure in decades.
It is certainly a concern for the management at Nine Entertainment.
Triple M has finished a clear winner in the combined Sydney and Brisbane rugby league markets on Sundays.
DEVIL OF A TIME
There will be a huge rivalry inside the Channel 9 commentary box for the state cup final between the Newtown Jets and Brisbane’s Norths Devils.
Gus Gould, who played in the 1981 grand final for the Jets against Parramatta, will be sitting alongside the great Cameron Smith, a Norths Devils old boy before he joined Melbourne Storm and became one of rugby league’s all-time greats.
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL 2024: John Singleton places $100k grand final bet for Panthers to beat Storm | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
Broncos’ Bellamy blunder: How Brisbane fumbled Bennett successor
It’s the sliding doors moment that cost Brisbane the signing of Craig Bellamy and put Melbourne on the path to a two-decade dynasty. See the inside story of how the Broncos botched their Wayne Bennett succession plan.
Grand Final late mail: Massive boost for Panthers as star cleared
The Penrith Panthers have received a massive boost on the eve of their grand final clash against the Melbourne Storm, with a star forward cleared to play after overcoming injury.