By Christian Nicolussi
Cyclone Alfred has forced the NRL to take the drastic action of moving Friday night’s Dolphins-South Sydney clash 900km south to CommBank Stadium.
Earlier on Tuesday, the AFL cancelled two games set down for Queensland this weekend due to the predicted wild weather – and the NRL wasted no time following suit for safety reasons.
With the category 2 cyclone forecast to make landfall in northern Brisbane late on Thursday or early Friday, Souths had been given approval by the NRL to fly to Queensland on Wednesday rather than Thursday.
But things escalated once the Queensland government decided to shut down all public transport at the end of the week.
The NRL said the safety of players, fans and the community were the highest priority when considering the venue change. The Dolphins will now fly to Sydney on Wednesday night.
Souths chief executive Blake Solly said in a statement: “The advice we received from the Queensland government was to move the game, and we have been able to accommodate the move.
Guns out: Jamie Humphreys is set to wear the Rabbitohs’ No. 7 jerseyCredit: South Sydney Rabbitohs
“With us now hosting the Dolphins in Sydney for round one, it means our return game against the Dolphins in round 17 will be played in Queensland. We have worked closely with the Dolphins, the NRL and Venues NSW to ensure the game goes ahead, and we thank them for their positive approach to moving this game to Sydney.”
On the field, Wayne Bennett will coach against his former club, who now have first-year head coach Kristian Woolf in charge.
Bennett has turned to a $150,000-a-year bargain buy in Jamie Humphreys to wear the club’s coveted No. 7 jersey.
Sydney’s English recruit Lewis Dodd, who earns four times more than Humphreys, will miss the game because of suspension – and he may have to wait a while longer to make his NRL debut should his rookie teammate shine.
Jamie Humphreys takes on the Dragons defence in Mudgee.Credit: Getty Images
Cody Walker, Jai Arrow, Campbell Graham and Junior Tatola are all back for Souths, while Lachie Hubner, a former Dolphin, will wear injured skipper Cameron Murray’s No. 13 jersey.
Humphreys, 23, played his one and only NRL game for Manly last winter when he scored a try and made his friends a small fortune after they had backed him to be the first try scorer.
Then he impressed in the Charity Shield when he scored a try, set up two, and proved there were no dramas with being a left-footed kicker playing on the right side of the field.
Arrow will have the job of protecting Humphreys in defence, but said Humphreys was so big and powerful, “he might end up being my bodyguard”.
“He’s that big, I’m sure he’ll be the one looking after me,” Arrow told this masthead. “I’m glad he’s defending next to me, and not [teammate] Cody Walker, that’s for sure.
“I thought our skipper, Cameron Murray, had a great physique. But Jamie’s ... an absolute specimen. Jamie’s now got his opportunity to make it his team. He’s a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. He’s excited for this opportunity.”
Manly fans might be wondering why Humphreys did not play more first grade in front of them, but he was always going to struggle to topple Daly Cherry-Evans and Luke Brooks in the halves, while Lachlan Croker, Jake Simpkin and Gordon Chan Kum Tong were the No. 9 options.
Humphreys was meant to feature in the NRL Pre-Season Challenge at the start of 2023 but broke his jaw a week before when trying to stop towering prop Taniela Paseka at training.
Sea Eagles officials were never entirely sure if Humphreys was best suited to the halves, hooker, or even lock forward because he weighed more than 95kg. There was even talk about loaning him to the Super League so he could play regular first-grade football.
Cherry-Evans praised Humphreys for his willingness to learn – and the endless hours spent lifting weights in the gym.
“He won’t let anyone down; he’s tough, he has that level of toughness, which is easily overlooked when someone like him is so handsome – he really looks after his body and his diet,” Cherry-Evans said.
Manly coach Anthony Seibold added: “Jamie’s a good kid, a hard worker, we wanted to keep him, but he got a better opportunity financially and position-wise at Souths.”
Humphreys grew up in the Cronulla area and played junior football with Sharks pair Kade Dykes and Sam Stonestreet. Former Cronulla favourite Adam Dykes was his coach.
He was a beach sprint champion and was one year crowned club man of the year at Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club. Even back then, parents would comment on Humphreys’ physique, and asked family members if he was already lifting weights when only eight and nine years of age.
Humphreys moved to England with his family for five years when he was a teenager, and spent time in the London Broncos system. He is the second eldest of eight children, the son of former Wests Tigers and Manly CEO Stephen, and grandson of late Balmain and NSWRL administrator, Kevin Humphreys.
Souths, who had shown interest in Humphreys a couple of years ago, signed him as a back-up playmaker and hooker for two years.
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