Sport Confidential: NRL expansion changing how players tackle contracts
Why players have changed their tune on NRL contracts, two into one won’t fit for Blues and more in a big Sports Confidential.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Queensland star Kurt Capewell is weighing up if he will accept a one-year deal which will shake-up the player market.
Capewell has a one-year offer at the Panthers despite being in demand from a host of clubs including Brisbane, Canterbury, North Queensland and Manly. By taking up Penrith’s one-year deal it sets Capewell up to be part of any potential expansion franchise.
It also keeps him at the competition frontrunners where he is expected to again be picked for the Maroons this year. The gamble could have a big financial windfall if the new team sees Capewell as a marquee signing.
Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
A host of clubs are open to the prospect of keeping players on one-year deals as some players look to explore the changing landscape should a new Queensland team be accepted into the competition in 2023.
Capewell caught the eye of Cronulla while starring for Ipswich. The Jets are one of three club’s competing for an expansion spot.
That process will ramp up next month and a decision is expected before the end of the season.
Capewell would be a handy acquisition for any new team given his utility value and his standing as a Maroons player.
Other big names, including Mitchell Pearce and Angus Crichton, have inked one-year extensions this year but that is unrelated to the new teams. But off-contract players, including Queenslander’s Dane Gagai, Jaydn Su’A, and Anthony Milford, may settle for one-year contracts with an eye on forming part of an expanded competition.
CUMMINS’ RECORD
Ben Cummins has the urge to tell people to grow up.
The people who still heckle him on the streets after that six-again signal in the 2019 grand final. But Cummins has not let that moment define him.
Somewhere deep in the mountains while trekking in PNG weeks after the grand final when he finally decided to leave his home Cummins made a decision to continue.
“People still make remarks about it,” Cummins said. “Like you see us on the field we look composed and talking in the one tone – it takes a lot of practice. Sometimes I want to tell them to grow up and maybe I should, I don’t know. Sometimes I just pretend I haven’t heard it. That’s something you have to wear. It doesn’t make it easy. You can’t forget.
“I didn’t know if I wanted to go back on the field or if the game wanted me back. I had personal demons and then wasn’t sure if the league would take the risk. I had a lot of negative thoughts but I thought I had more to give. I had a really good year refereeing and I was not going to let that one incident define me.”
Cummins will be rewarded for his persistence when he walks out onto the field on Friday night to control his 494th match when the Dragons play Cronulla – overtaking Bill Harrigan’s record.
Along the way he has controlled grand finals, Origins and Test matches – including the Four-Nations match many years ago when he forgot his boots as a touch judge.
Cummins dreams about footy too.
“Most of the dreams are about forgetting my whistle,” Cummins said.
He has kept his routine too. Cummins will study the team list and ensure he knows every player by name. Pronunciations are big for him so if he is unclear he will seek out a club official on game-day to double check.
As for his future?
“I would love to go on,” Cummins said.
PIVOTAL BATTLE FOR BLUES SPOT
We don’t get to see a genuine Origin one-on-one positional shootout much these days but that is what will happen on Sunday when Cody Walker faces Jarome Luai, according to Blues adviser Greg Alexander.
Walker is the incumbent but Luai is closing in on a debut jersey ahead of Origin I on June 9. The pair will face off on Sunday in Dubbo.
“Whenever you get the chance to come up against someone who you’re in a battle with for that position there is always plenty of interest,” Alexander said.
“They go into the game knowing if they get over the top of their opposite number it could play a part in selection process. That’s just how it’s been forever.
“I know the game has gone away from the one-on-one battle which used to happen. You get over the top of your opposite number, it helps you for selection and helps you win the game.”
In Luai’s favour is his in-form club combination with Nathan Cleary, who will be the NSW halfback. Walker and Luai were part of the extended NSW squad last season, with Walker earning his start in game two and three after playing the opener off the bench behind Luke Keary.
“Cody is the incumbent after missing the jump in the first game but he got his chance in the second and had a terrific game,” Alexander said. “He has been in great form. Nathan will be the halfback and Jarome is Nathan’s five-eighth at club level – that works in his favour. Apart from that his individual form has been very good.”
Luai has produced more try assists, line drop outs and line-break assists this year but Walker has scored more tries. Alexander also indicated Jack Wighton should not be discounted as a halves candidate despite Canberra’s sketchy form.
GAL FOCUSED ON FIGHTS
Paul Gallen was not asked by Cronulla bosses to help in the bungled recruitment of Adam Reynolds.
Gallen is widely credited for helping put together the 2016 Sharks premiership team, but revealed he wasn’t approached by the administration to help land Reynolds, who stunned fans by instead signing for Brisbane Broncos.
“No, I never spoke to Reynolds, I didn’t have any input into it, that’s not part of my role down there,” Gallen said. “I had no insight into any of the negotiations at all.”
While the Cronulla board wants Gallen to take a seat at the table to help turn the club around, he’s made it clear that won’t be happening in 2021 as he focuses on his boxing career, starting with the Australian heavyweight title fight against champion Justis Huni on June 16.
“I’m not doing anything this year, they’ve asked me to do it, I’ve devoted my life to that club for 20 years, I want to help and be there for the club as I have been but it’s my time at the moment,” Gallen said.
“My time is doing fights like this, setting my family up so my kids don’t have to do this. I’m not sure how long it will last for but I told Cronulla I’ll have a look at that early next year.”
CRICHTON: PLAYERS MUST ‘ADAPT OR PERISH’ WITH NEW RULES
Angus Crichton says NRL players must “adapt or perish” under the NRL’s tough new rule changes, adding that boss Peter V’landys is not crazy for wanting to protect their brains.
There has been a fierce reaction from fans and officials regarding the strict new measures on high tackles introduced last weekend.
“I can see why people are blowing up, and I can see why V’landys and the NRL and the refs have come in and are making a statement,” Roosters backrower Crichton told Sports Confidential.
“What V’landys is saying, he wants to hand back our players to their families at the end of their career and for them to have a healthy brain and be able to function well, that’s not a crazy thing for him to say.
“And then you’ve got the fans saying ‘If they don’t want to play the game how it’s always been played, they shouldn’t play’, I also understand that argument.
“All we can do as players is adapt to the new rule changes and see how we can change our discipline and tackling style to make sure we don’t get any high tackles or contact with the head in our game.
“If you’re going to get angry and kick stones and not adapt to the situation, you’re going to get sent off. So it’s adapt, or perish.”
Former ARLC chairman Peter Beattie has come out swinging in support of fellow commissioner V’landys, who revealed the vitriol he had received this week after leading the crackdown on foul play. Beattie had a simple message for those attacking the man who replaced him as chairman.
“The trolls need to understand the commission is 100 per cent behind Peter,” Beattie said.
“Anyone who is targeting him is just wasting time. He is the best leader the game has had and has given the game leadership it has wanted for a long-time.
“This is all about the long-term future of rugby league.”
MURAL HONOUR FOR FRIEND
Recently retired Roosters skipper Jake Friend has been immortalised alongside some of the club’s legends in a mural at Waverley this week. Friend was painted already existing artwork which features Arthur Beetson Brad Fittler, Anthony Minichiello and Boyd Cordner.
“I get to drive past here as I live down the road,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said. “They got him smiling which was rare. It must have been after a game not during a game.
“It’s an amazing mural, I know there’s a few around and we’re really lucky to have a mural like this in the eastern suburbs.”
NO DISTRACTIONS
Murmurs keep getting louder that Scott Robertson will replace Ian Foster as All Blacks coach next year, but Wallabies boss Dave Rennie says that won’t affect his rival during this year’s Test matches.
Robertson has won four successive Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, while in Foster’s first year as head coach New Zealand lost their first Test against Argentina.
Numerous overseas suitors have made Robertson hot property, while Foster is off-contract at the end of this year.
“Fozzy is an experienced coach, the same noises were being made prior to his appointment, he’s had now nine years with the All Blacks and had a huge amount of success,” Rennie said.
“I don’t think that will sidetrack his thinking, I’m sure they’re really clear on their plan. They’re like us, they’d be watching a lot of Super Rugby and getting a lot of planning done so I don’t think it will be a distraction.”
Rennie is busy plotting strategies for the Wallabies’ series against France in July, and admits that having to play three Tests in 11 days (July 7, 13 and 17) means he won’t be able to pick the same XV in all games.
“With the four-day turnaround we won’t get much work into them, we’ve got guys with the potential to play 80 minutes three times over that period but there’ll be guys who’ll have job-sharing,” Rennie said.
BIDDING WARS
Confidence is sky-high that Australia will land the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with serious questions around the credibility and capability of any rival bids including that of Vladimir Putin.
Russia announced a shock bid for the tournament last year but they’re under a WADA ban for any global tournaments for systematic doping offences.
While Putin’s empire is appealing against the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision, few expect them to seriously challenge Australia, while another contender, the United States, have financial problems.
“Final bids have to be confirmed by the end of May, World Rugby run that process, Russia have put their hand up and they went public with that last year, the US is in there, I don’t think a combined Celtic bid is going to crystallise, so World Rugby have to get back to us on our bid submission,” Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said. “We’re not being complacent.”
The one concern from Australian officials is somehow being backstabbed in the voting process, in the same way South Africa went from being in the box seat for the 2023 World Cup, only to be blindsided in the count and lose the tournament to France.
ANASTA’S ACE
Braith Anasta sank a hole-in-one for the first time in about 20 years as the former rugby league star took to the golf course on Wednesday.
Anasta, a Fox League expert, watched his ball drop into the hole at Lakeside Camden where he was a guest of Drummond Golf Casula at a Wests Tigers junior fundraiser.
“It’s an unreal feeling,” Anasta said. “It rattled me for a hole or two later. It’s incredible. It’s made my year.”
Anasta has landed about four hole in ones but he said that was before his 20th birthday. He was once an avid golfer who competed at a NSW PGA Championship but said these days he rarely has a hit.
“I forgot what hitting a hole in one felt like,” Anasta said. “I never thought I’d get one again.”
It didn’t make everyone’s day though. There was also a closest to the pin competition and the person Anasta inched past is an avid Wests Tigers supporter.
“He was telling everyone I did it to him again,” Anasta said with the fan making reference to Anasta’s 2010 miracle field goal for the Roosters against the Tigers in the finals.
Anasta donated the signed NSW jersey back to be auctioned.
DRESSED FOR SUCCESS?
King Gutho or more like Where’s Wally? Parramatta skipper Clint Gutherson was only missing the red and white stripes to pull off the Where’s Wally look at training this week.
ALL EYES ON
How many players will be sin-binned or sent off this round? We know Peter V’landys won’t back down so have the players’ received the message yet or is it going to be another bin-a-thon?
FLASHBACK
Jarryd Hayne was in the headlines five years ago as he took his first steps on his path to the Rio Olympics after being named in Fiji’s 12-man squad. The move came just six days after quitting the San Francisco 49ers. Hayne did not make the final squad.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
JOSH MILLER — 122 top grade games (113 Canberra, nine St George Illawarra) from 2004-2012.
As a lifelong Raiders fan Josh Miller told his mum he would play first grade for Canberra when he was 10. Eleven years later it became a reality when coach Matt Elliott told him he was going to make his debut in round nine against Brisbane. There was only one catch.
“Matty told me he had mixed news for me,” Miller said. “ ‘You’re definitely playing but you’re on our right edge’. Everyone knew who was on Brisbane’s left edge and that was Gorden Tallis. I didn’t sleep for three nights before the game. I was shitting myself.”
The pair took little time to cross-paths but not exactly in the way Miller was anticipating.
“I scored a try with my first touch,” Miller said. “It was a bat-back and I closed my eyes and picked up the ball to score about 30 seconds in. Gorden gave me a pat on the head. I didn’t know if it was a sign of congratulations or if he was going to kill me.”
Miller had to wait five years to score another NRL try. He played 10 games in his debut year but was suddenly at the crossroads at the start of 2005 when Elliott had a frank conversation with him.
“He said he didn’t see me as a first grader,” Miller said. “He told me I had all the heart in the world but I was too small. I said ‘tell me what I need to work on and I’ll do it’. We went through tape and I played reserve grade. It riled me up.
“Matty was a great coach. He made me chase it even harder.”
Miller finished the season as Canberra’s player of the year. He joined the likes of Laurie Daley, Ricky Stuart and Gary Belcher to be multiple winners of the now-named Mal Meninga Medal when he took out the honours again in 2009.
His 2006 season lasted just one game when he tore his ACL which Miller said “brought me back down to earth”.
But he re-bounded to become a mainstay at the Raiders and a noted hit-man.
That was until the end of the 2011 season when he was forced to leave his beloved club to link with St George Illawarra.
“It was heartbreaking,” Miller said. “It’s the hardest thing I ever had to do.”
The most difficult aspect for Miller, who has remained in Wollongong and operates DragonFit gym, was playing against Canberra.
“That was hard walking into an opposition room,” Miller said. “I’ll always be a Raider to the bone but I was grateful for the opportunity at the Dragons.”
Miller retired at the end of 2012 because of repeated head knocks.
“It was the right time for me to go,” Miller said. “I have no regrets. I’m healthy, I’m a fit and I have a family now I am really happy. I’m blessed to have the career I did.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Sport Confidential: NRL expansion changing how players tackle contracts
Gus’ ‘doctored’ claim ignites NRL conspiracy
The NRL Grand Final’s controversial no try scandal has taken a wild turn despite the game releasing the angle the decision was based on.
Kangaroos selection shocks: NRL legends’ Test careers appear over
Mal Meninga has dropped a major selection bombshell by overlooking both James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga for Kangaroos selection, with the list of surprise omissions and debutants not ending there. See the full squad.