City's footy stars going naked to pay wages, bills

THIS Ipswich team is having to think outside the box to make ends meet.

RUGBY league clubs each year have fundraising events to help pay the players and cover the mounting costs of keeping their clubs financial.

Events normally include the good old meat raffle, doubles and framed jerseys.

The Fassifern Bombers have thought outside the square and are raising funds through a naked football calendar.

The players will take their clothes off, with vital parts covered with footballs and water bottles.

Goal post pads will also be delicately placed to make the photos family friendly and protect the players' modesty.

So far the female fans are all together in voting Scott Ireland as the calendar front cover and Mr January.

Fassifern try scorer Scott Ireland is tipped to be Mr Jaunuary in the club's special calendar. Picture: Rob Williams

Other players in contention include Chris Miles, Matt Sledge and Neil Wilks.

Companies and fans can get involved by buying advertisement sections.

Worthy inductees

THE Rugby League Hall of Fame has six new members with their announcements earlier this week.

The inductees include Bronco tough man and ornament to the game in Petero Civoniceva, New Zealand's greatest player in Mark Graham, the raging Bull Gordon Tallis, and Canberra Raiders tricky halfback Ricky Stuart.

Othes are Manly Sea Eagles mercurial 5/8 Cliff Lyons, and his partner in crime and the greatest try scoring forward in Steve "Beaver" Menzies.

Crusaders set pace

SUPER Rugby started with 15 teams and now we are down to eight for this weekend's quarter finals.

The Waratahs, who will play the Highlanders, will be the only team representing Australia.

New Zealand have four teams - the Crusaders, Hurricanes, Chiefs and Highlanders - battling for the honour of champions.

South Africa will be represented by the Lions and Sharks while Argentina will have the Jagares.

If you go on form, great Crusaders should win, having swept all before them this year, only losing two games.

Quick thoughts

HERO of the week: Tim Cahill will be remembered as one of the greatest soccer players Australia has produced. We will miss him karate chopping the corner post after scoring a fantastic goal.

Villain of the week: Rugby league fans complain about the suspensions handed out in their code. Now it's rugby union suspending Ed Quirk for two weeks for what most people call a love tap.

Did you know? Cathy Freeman is the only person to win both the Young Australian of the Year and the Australian of the Year.

Bomber's best: I put the kiss of death on the Eels and Broncos last week.

This week I see Tigers, Magpies, Swans and Bombers all saluting in the AFL.