Sport Confidential: Rival NRL clubs on alert as Dally M winner tests market
Alarm bells are ringing in the nation’s capital following revelations about Jack Wighton’s contract future. Check out all the latest NRL signing news in SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
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Canberra star and Dally M winner Jack Wighton has appeared on the radar of rival clubs amid revelations that he can leave the nation’s capital at the end of the 2022 season.
Wighton has options in his favour for 2023 and ’24, meaning he will return to pre-season training on Friday with a question mark over his future.
The Raiders star is in the second year of a lucrative four-year deal that pays him in excess of $3 million. His price tag means few clubs would have the financial artillery to pursue him with any force beyond next season.
Yet Confidential has been told that his name has been bandied about in club circles in recent weeks. It is understood he broached the idea of not taking up his options with officials some months ago as he came to the end of a frustrating year, but never followed through with anything formal.
Wighton won the Dally M medal a year ago but struggled to recapture that form in 2021 and his struggles contributed to a disappointing year for the Raiders.
His return to training will coincide with the return of hooker Josh Hodgson, whose proposed move to the Wests Tigers remains in limbo.
The Tigers and Raiders have failed to make headway of any note since the move was first mooted and they remain some distance apart in terms of the financials of any deal.
Confidential has been told that next week will be crucial if there is to be a breakthrough, although it is understood the Raiders are in no hurry to let Hodgson leave given the continuing uncertainty over the future of his understudy Tom Starling.
Starling was back in court on Wednesday to have his bail conditions reviewed but he and the Raiders will need to wait until January before they have any clarity around his court case – he is facing multiple charges following an incident on the NSW central coast earlier this year.
STORM STRIKE HUGE BLOW IN PLAYER MARKET
Melbourne is set to strike a significant blow in the player market with Queensland star Christian Welch to ink a long-term deal to remain at the Storm.
It is understood Welch is set to commit to a new four-year-contract which will see him stay in Melbourne until the end of 2026. The deal is worth about $600,000 a season.
Welch, 27, had been linked with the Dolphins but while they were monitoring proceedings, it is understood the game’s 17th franchise never entered serious discussions with the Melbourne and Queensland front rower.
Welch has established himself as one of the game’s best props and a mainstay of the Maroons outfit. He has also become one of the most influential players in the game through his work with the players union – he is on the board of the Rugby League Players Association.
His new deal is set to see him receive a significant upgrade after he revealed that his current contract was worth $425,000.
“I’ve seen it written that I am on $480,000 and $600,000 but both those figures are wrong. I am actually on $425,000,” Welch told CODE this week.
The Storm have been under siege in recent weeks but the imminent retention of Welch is a huge boost to the club.
Brandon Smith is expected to make a decision on his future once he has met the Sydney Roosters next week while the Storm also have Felise Kaufusi, Jesse Bromwich and Reimis Smith entering the final year of their deals.
Jesse’s brother Kenny and Tui Kamikamica have player and club options respectively which means they can also scope out their price on the open market while a question mark surrounds Nelson Asofa-Solomona as the club attempts to convince him to get the Covid-19 vaccination
TIGERS SNARE MAJOR SIGNING COUP
Wests Tigers supporters finally have something to celebrate. On the same day a smiling Luke Brooks hit the training track at Leichhardt Oval, the club secured a major coup in the player market when they secured Dally M second rower of the year Isaiah Papal’i from Parramatta.
Tigers director of football Tim Sheens insisted Brooks was going nowhere amid interest from Newcastle and the classy No. 7 looked at ease as he kicked off pre-season training under the watchful eye of coach Michael Maguire.
As he and his teammates were slogging it out, News Corp broke the news that the Tigers had secured Papali’i on a three-year deal from 2023.
Parramatta offered about $550,000 a season but were gazumped by the Tigers, who are believed to have tabled an offer worth nearly $2 million.
While Sheens may have clinched the deal, even he acknowledged much of the work was done before he arrived back in the country.
His predecessor Adam Hartigan got the ball rolling and Papali’i was understood to be attracted to playing under Michael Maguire again.
Maguire handed Papali’I is Kiwi debut in 2018 and the pair are likely to reunite for New Zealand at the World Cup before the Dally M second-rower of the year officially becomes a Tiger in 2023.
For the Eels, it means they have now lost a second star back-rower in as many weeks – Marata Niukore will join the Warriors in 2023 after inking a four year deal.
The Eels have no intention of releasing either player early but the damage has been done. Pressure is rising on Parramatta as they confront a mass exodus.
They no longer have the whip hand in negotiations as they stare down the barrel of their finals side being eviscerated by their rivals.
Papali’I was a revelation this year after joining the Eels on a cut-price deal, having been cast aside from the Warriors.
The Eels now face an anxious wait regarding their other high profile players off-contract. Clint Gutherson, Reed Mahoney and Junior Paulo are yet to decide their futures with Mahoney linked to a move to Canterbury.
Those players and their manager now have more leverage. The last thing the Eels can afford is to watch more players follow the lead of Papali’i and walk out the door.
“The club worked with Isaiah and his management team to remain with the Club beyond his current contract including a significant upgrade for 2022, however he has chosen to take up an offer with another club,” the Eels said in a statement.
“Isaiah made a terrific contribution and has provided great value to the club in 2021 and both Isaiah and the club are committed to another strong year in the blue and gold in 2022.”
As Parramatta licked their wounds, the Tigers were celebrating.
“Isaiah is an exceptionally talented young forward who has shown himself to be a player with a fantastic attitude, work-ethic and drive,” Sheens said.
“We firmly believe that his best football is still ahead of him and we’re very excited to see him progress in next steps of his rugby league career with Wests Tigers.
“Off the field he is a student of the game. A lot of the work was done before I got here so credit where it is due.”
Sheens also reiterated that Brooks would remain at the Tigers and revealed that the time was fast approaching when the future of Canberra hooker Josh Hodgson would need to be resolved.
The Tigers want Hodgson but have failed to strike a deal with Canberra for his release.
“I told you weeks ago it wasn’t going to happen,” Sheens said of Brooks.
“He trained yesterday and trained again today with a smile on his face. Let’s bury the speculation. At the end of the day I was comfortable we were keeping him.
“He looks in good spirits. He doesn’t need any more publicity or pressure from anyone.”
As for Hodgson, Sheens said: “It is in Canberra’s court. They have to make a decision.”
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MITCHELL Pearce has implored Newcastle to do everything in their power to ensure Kalyn Ponga stays at the club beyond next season amid whispers that the Dolphins want to make the Queensland superstar their marquee man.
Ponga has until the start of June to tell the Knights whether he plans to take up the final two years of his contract, which already makes him one of the highest paid players in the game.
The Dolphins are circling and with Pearce on his way to France to play for Catalans, the last thing the Knights can afford is for Ponga to also walk out the door.
Pearce certainly made it clear that Ponga was a crucial piece of the puzzle in his absence as he urged the Knights to move heaven and earth to keep him at the club.
“It speaks for itself,” Pearce told Confidential.
“I think Kalyn has got another 10, 11, 12 years left in him. He’s a must to stay up there. Hopefully he does.
“At the end of the day he has to do what is best for him (but) it’s a big thing for the club to hold onto him. He captained them a couple of times at the back end of the year. He’s a natural leader.
“He’s talented. He’s a freak.”
Pearce also made it clear that he would love to get the chance to work with Tyrone May if, as expected, the former Penrith half signs a deal with Catalans.
May was sacked by the Panthers following a social media post after their grand final win and has been linked with a move to the south of France, where he would use Super League to help rebuild his career.
“I like trying to help people out,” Pearce said.
“He’s a really good player.”
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HARRY Garside and girlfriend Ashley Ruscoe won the award for best-dressed couple at the Tim Tszyu fight on Wednesday night.
The Olympic bronze medal-winning boxer rocked a smart suit and tie while Ruscoe, a personal trainer who competed in the reality TV show The Amazing Race stunned in a red dress.
Garside was in the front row at Qudos Bank Arena along with Paul Gallen – the pair will fight on the same card on December 10 in Newcastle when Garside makes his pro debut before Gallen takes on NRL star Josh Aloiai.
Garside and Gallen also posed up for photos with Australia’s glamour female boxer Ebanie Bridges.
Other notable identities in the audience of 10,752 were Aloiai and fellow NRL stars Jarome Luai, Josh Addo-Carr, Cody Walker, Damien Cook, twins George and Thomas Burgess, James Roberts, Will Smith, Zac Lomax and Liam Knight.
Departing Newcastle star Mitchell Pearce sat next to his father Wayne, and behind them was former NRL and football boss David Gallop.
Several media heavyweights were also ringside, including News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller, Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley, and News Corp’s National Sports Editor Matt Kitchin.
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TONGUES were wagging after a photo surfaced of ex-St George Illawarra skipper Gareth Widdop training at his former home ground this week. Zac Lomax posted a photo on his social media of Widdop putting some kilometres into his legs on the Dragons’ training paddock. But he won’t making a return to the Dragons any time soon. Widdop is in Australia to spend time with his children before returning to fulfil his commitments with Warrington. Widdop wanted to make a switch back to Australia but clubs could not match the money on offer in England.
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SOME eyebrows were raised when boom Dragons youngster Tyrell Sloan was still listed as a development player when the NRL released their official contract list. Sloan has been touted as the starting fullback for St George Illawarra in round one but as a development player he is unable to play in the top grade until round 11. However, the Dragons are close to finalising a deal which will bump up the 19-year-old into the top 30. That will give the Dragons just one spot to fill.
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NSW is expected to step up the fight for Josh Schuster by selecting the Manly back rower in an Emerging Blues squad next month.
The NSW Rugby League are planning a get-together of the Blues’ best and brightest in early-December and coach Brad Fittler is expected to include Schuster among their ranks.
The Sea Eagles forward was on the verge of selection in an extended NSW squad for this year’s series only to suffer injury.
He can take solace in the fact he will be among a group of emerging NSW stars to gather in coming weeks as Fittler casts an eye to the future.
Remarkably, his selection comes a matter of weeks after he was named in an extended New Zealand squad for next year’s World Cup by Kiwis coach Michael Maguire.
At the time, Schuster told The Daily Telegraph that while it was an honour and privilege to be selected by the Kiwis and Maguire, his dreams and aspirations were to play for the NSW Blues and Australia.
Fittler has now given him hope that dream could be closer than he thinks.
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SPOTTED
Shaun Johnson and Stacey Jones on a private charter flight heading to Queensland to link up with the Warriors ahead of pre-season training.
ALL EYES ON
Can the Wallabies produce something? They take on Wales on Sunday morning as they look to bounce back from consecutive losses to Scotland and England.
FLASHBACK
There was nothing great about Nathan Lyon on this day five years ago. The spinner was under fire after a lean spell with the ball. Lyon went a mammoth 540 first-class deliveries without a wicket, a dry run of 90 overs.
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AUSTRALIA and New Zealand have committed to the World Cup after the tournament was postponed by a year.
Organisers and the ARL Commission were at loggerheads after the governing body in Australia refused to endorse the Kangaroos to feature in the end of season tournament this year. Tournament officials wanted to stage the competition without the defending champions or the Kiwis but eventually opted to postpone the event.
Players will not need to quarantine nor will they be subjected to stringent protocols if the Covid-19 situation is contained by the time the tournament starts in October.
They will take commercial flights instead of the charter planes which were booked this year.
World Cup chief Jon Dutton confirmed all nations had signed participation agreements.
“It is about 100 days since we took the difficult decision to postpone the tournament,” Dutton said. “It is about rebuilding relationships and welcoming the best athletes to our shores.”
About 170 commercial agreements had to be reworked because of the delay. That included locking in training and match day venues.
“There has been minimal disruption,” Dutton said. “We expected a lot worse. We are relaunching with confidence and with great optimism.”
Dutton plans to meet NRL and club bosses when he travels to Australia early next year.
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CRICKET Australia has approached the Melbourne Cricket Club to have women’s cricket pioneer Betty Wilson immortalised in bronze.
Wilson, the first ever cricketer to make a century and take 10 in the same Test, the trailblazer counted Aussie icon Sir Donald Bradman among her fanboys.
Sunday would have marked Wilson’s 100th birthday and CA confirmed they have submitted a formal request to the MCC, manager of the MCG, asking for a statue of Betty Wilson to be considered at the venue.
CA believes Betty Wilson should be immortalised alongside the likes of Betty Cuthbert and Shirley Strickland for their contributions to their respective sports.
Speaking about her teammate, Australia’s oldest living women’s Test cricketer, Norma Whiteman, 93, said: “Betty Wilson, as far as I am concerned, was the best player I have ever played with,” she said.
“Her ability with bat and ball was as good as I have seen in those days.
“In our days, it was all about natural ability and nowadays, there a lot of coaches and support staff involved, which is great to see.
“It’s wonderful to see the progress and interest the game has received.
“I never miss a game now.”
Asked what Betty would think about receiving a statue, Whiteman said: “She would be as proud as punch!”
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CHRIS Smith has rejected a train and trial deal from the Broncos to link up with his former club Penrith. Smith was set to slog it out over summer in the hope of landing a deal at Brisbane. Instead, he has returned to the Panthers after making his NRL debut for the club in 2015.
He played just one top grade game for Penrith before stints with the Roosters and Canterbury. Smith, 27, has played 33 matches.
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Manly is on the verge of ensuring the Trbojevic clan stay together for the long term. Confidential understands that the Sea Eagles are ready to extend the contract of the youngest of the Trbojevic trio – Ben – until at least the end 2024.
The 20-year-old played four games for the Sea Eagles in 2021, following in the footsteps of his older brothers Tom and Jake.
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