Fox League stars bring back the ‘90s for NRL Retro Round. PLUS, why James Maloney’s Origin sin bin was baloney
FROM Wayne’s World to The Terminator, the Fox League team has embraced the upcoming NRL retro round to celebrate all that was good about the 1990s.
FROM Wayne’s World to Austin Powers, the Fox League team has embraced the upcoming Retro Round which will celebrate all that was good about the 1990s.
Sport Confidential’s own Paul Kent suited up as Garth while Mick Ennis was Austin Powers. Yvonne Sampson did her best Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction impression, too.
“The similarities between Garth and PK end with the air guitar,” Ben Ikin said.
“Garth is sweet, a good listener and slightly humorous. PK is not.”
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The theme will be brought to life in the week of July 23-29 and across round 22, when Fox League shows will celebrate retro heroes with special guest appearances.
They will reflect on some of the game’s biggest moments and characters from the ’90s.
“I never thought in my playing days that I’d end up being dressed as Austin Powers for a promo shoot, but it was great fun,” Ennis said.
“It took about two to 2½ hours to get into costume and then I was in it for about four hours.
“I was walking through the halls at Foxtel to the lunch room and kept forgetting that I was dressed as Austin Powers and was getting some strange looks.”
JIM SIN BIN CALL WAS RUBBISH
BLUES five-eighth James Maloney was left flabbergasted by the decision to march him to the sin bin during a crucial period of Origin III.
While the Blues managed to race in 12 points to two during the time Maloney spent in the bin during the final 10 minutes of the opening half, the five-eighth was critical of the decision.
“I couldn’t see how it was a sin bin,” Maloney said.
“They have binned guys when guys are running through the line and a blokes hit them with the shoulder.
“When I’m back in front of him and I just stop. What do you want me to do, get out of his way and clap him to the ball just because it’s Bill Slater? Please.”
Maloney was ruled to have obstructed Slater as the Maroons fullback chased a kick in a try-scoring opportunity.
The ball bounced off the post and Maloney and Slater came into contact.
The video referee opted against awarding a penalty try, instead binning Maloney.
“I was going for the ball,” Maloney said.
“I stopped because it could’ve hit the post. I didn’t grab him at any point.
“They did well without me.”
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THE Blues are on the lookout for some bling to add to their collection after taking the shield from Queensland.
Plans are in the works for NSW to give a special memento to players for winning the series. A ring, much like players receive for a premiership win, is a likely option.
“We will do something,” NSW chief executive Dave Trodden said.
“That decision will be made after we discuss it with Brad Fittler and the board.”
The Blues players received a ring after their last series win in 2014.
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THERE were prime ministers aplenty on hand to watch the Maroons win on Wednesday night. Joining Malcolm Turnbull was the PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and his Solomon Islands counterpart Rick Houenipwela.
JT THE INFLUENCER
JOHNATHAN Thurston was humbled after Queensland’s Q Magazine last week named him the most influential person in Queensland.
“If he were to pick up the phone and dial any one of the 99 influencers on The Courier-Mail’s list of most powerful, they would take his call,” the magazine argued, quite reasonably.
Thurston was also Queensland’s Australian of the Year in 2017 after his work in the Indigenous community and eight months after using his grand final speech to call for a new stadium in Townsville, the state and federal governments agreed to put in $250 million.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk finished second. Wayne Bennett was equal 76th with his chief executive Paul White.
PLAYING THE CRONK NAME GAME
COOPER Cronk is only even money to take on the Gold Coast on Sunday because wife Tara Rushton is due to give birth to their first child any day.
The quiet tip is they are having a boy.
Cronk is playing the waiting game, no doubt sifting through a spread sheet on baby names and what they all mean.
The most popular boy’s name last year was Jackson, followed by Liam, Noah and Aiden, but it’s unlikely Cronk and Rushton will follow suit. But never say we are not here to help.
Striking Jackson, Liam, Noah and Aiden from the list, here’s a market on names to consider:
$4 Billy $7Craig
$9 Mal $13 Kevvie
$14 Dally M $18 Clive
$21 Trent $26 Alfie
$51 Bozo $1001 Cameron
NO ROOM FOR KEV IN WAYNE’S WORLD
WAYNE Bennett’s proposal, which is being considered by the Brisbane Broncos, is another snub to the man who many believe should be the coach to succeed him, Queensland coach Kevin Walters.
Bennett has proposed moving on to a newly created role as the Broncos’ general manager of football, similar to what Phil Gould does at Penrith, when his contract ends at the end of next year.
As the new GM, Bennett has recommended current assistant Jason Demetriou to take over as the Broncos’ coach.
Walters has long coveted the job but quietly left his role as an assistant this season when he did not agree with the direction the football department, led by Bennett, was heading.
It continues the in- again, out-again nature of their friendship, which endured a long history as player and coach before Bennett first sacked Walters as an assistant in 2006.
SAILOR BOLTS WITH BLUES
IT doesn’t take those old Queenslanders long to jump ship, does it? Former Maroons flyer Wendell Sailor hitched a ride back from the ground with Blues officials on Wednesday night.
We’re told riding with the shield holders was more about time saving while waiting for an Uber than Sailor turning blue.
KLEMMER CONCERNS RAISED BY REFS
DAVID Klemmer has to be careful of his knee-raised running style now it has come under the spotlight of the match officials. With his first hit-up in Origin on Wednesday night, referee Gerard Sutton said to his counterparts: “Watch for the knees.”
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MICK Crocker played in 13 Origins for Queensland. And the former Maroons hardman fired almost as many questions after taking his spot in the post-game press conference on Wednesday night.
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RESPECT is hard-earned at the Dragons, apparently.
This week the club put out a press release confirming Leeson Ah Mau was leaving at season’s end to join the Warriors for three years.
But that’s not all. The release said: “Ah Mau to depart Dragons + Round 18 parking reminder.”
Seems if Ah Mau was any further out, he’d be in the carpark, too.
Originally published as Fox League stars bring back the ‘90s for NRL Retro Round. PLUS, why James Maloney’s Origin sin bin was baloney
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