Brisbane close to David Fifita deal, after talking to his mum
Brisbane are confident of securing David Fifita’s future at Red Hill having sold their long-term plans to the most important person in the Broncos forward’s life.
NRL
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Brisbane are on the verge of securing rising star David Fifita to a long-term deal after pitching the club’s future to his influential mother.
Blindside can reveal Broncos CEO Paul White hosted Fifita and his mother Gwen for dinner last week as the club entered the final stages of negotiation with the NRL’s most in-demand talent.
Fifita, 19, has previously said his mother would make the definitive call on where he played his football beyond next season.
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“I just worry about my footy and whatever my mum wants I will do because she is the one who has always been there and seen everything,” Fifita said.
“She will make the call – and she will make the right one for me. She will be the one that probably would make my decision. She does everything for me and whatever she says goes.”
The Broncos know how close Fifita is to his mother and have left no stone unturned in their quest to re-sign the Queensland Origin forward.
White and wife Angela regularly host players for meals at their home and the Broncos boss wanted to explain how the club sees Fifita flourishing at Red Hill.
Fifita has been bombarded with huge offers to leave the Broncos, including deals worth nearly $1 million-a-season.
Brisbane are privately confident of securing Fifita, who is contracted until the end of 2020, for at least another four years and the deal could be finalised before Christmas.
Fifita has been rocking this stylish head gear at training after suffering a fractured eye socket playing for the Junior Kangaroos in late October.
The injury cost the rising star a Test debut for Australia before he went on an infamous holiday in Bali that ended up in him being locked up in jail for three days.
Fifita has been back on the training paddock with the Broncos and protecting his eye socket with this specially designed headgear during contact drills.
CUTTING IT CLOSE
HEAT all-rounder Ben Cutting has explained Brisbane’s bizarre decision to only give leg-spinner Mitch Swepson two overs at the Gabba on Tuesday night.
Swepson swung momentum back in the Heat’s favour after claiming two wickets in two balls against the Sydney Thunder. He was the only Heat bowler to claim multiple wickets, finishing with 2-11 from two overs as the Thunder racked up 6-172.
Bowlers are allowed a maximum of four overs in Twenty20 cricket and Heat fans were left wondering why Swepson wasn’t given more of a bowl.
Cutting, who bowled two overs for figures of 1-19, said it wasn’t a surprise.
“We had six bowlers so he was probably going to bowl two and I’d bowl two or him three and me one,” he said.
“It just worked out that way.”
TEACHING TITANS
GOLD Coast coach Justin Holbrook has taken his players away for his first camp in charge of the Titans.
The Titans headed to Coffs Harbour on Wednesday for a three-day camp to round out the first block of pre-season training.
Holbrook took charge of the Titans in November after replacing sacked coach Garth Brennan.
The signs have been positive out of Parkwood, with players raving about his personality and training methods.
New signing Jonus Pearson joined the club this week from the Dragons in time for the camp.
TAYLOR’S JUNIOR TITAN
TITANS halfback Ash Taylor has capped off a tough year by becoming a father.
Taylor and partner Montanna Stenner welcomed their first son Oscar during the week.
The 2019 season was the toughest of Taylor’s career as he took time away from the game to deal with personal issues.
He only managed 10 NRL appearances and even spent time in the Intrust Super Cup with Tweed Heads. But he will get to round out a tough year by celebrating the Christmas break with his first child.
SPOTTED
WHICH Queensland rugby league legend was turning heads at the Horn-Zerafa fight with his new partner?
THE LOOK OF LOVE
CHRIS Lynn is in love and that’s one of the reasons for his recent form.
Lynn had a quiet start to the Big Bash when he was out for nine in the Heat’s tournament opener, but he came into the game on a hot streak.
The six-hitting machine was named player-of-the-tournament in a recent Abu Dhabi Ten10 competition. Lynn blasted an unbeaten 91 off 30 balls in one match and reckons he is primed for a big BBL campaign.
Lynn, 29, recently made it public that he was in a relationship with pilates instructor Karlie Armansin.
“I feel really good,” Lynn said. “She would like to think (she is the reason why). She reckons she’s a good-luck charm but I said I’ve been playing cricket longer than six months.
“When life’s good off the field it normally takes care of itself on the field. I’m in a good space there.”
Lynn said he has also been enjoying his time away from the cricket pitch.
“I’ve been playing a lot of golf as well,” he said. “I’ve been getting out in the fresh air, even though it’s not so fresh at the moment with the fires, instead of lying on the couch on your phone all day.”
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NO MORE NO-BALL
THE no-ball drama in cricket is a step closer to being solved after a Brisbane company secured government funding.
Former Test and Queensland fast bowler Peter George’s umpire assistance technology, named MyCall, has scored a $100,000 grant.
The technology provides automatic and instant detection of illegal deliveries, allowing umpires to focus on the action.
Cricket has been plagued by no-ball controversies, with batsman regularly called back to the crease after illegal deliveries were discovered following a wicket.
There was also debate surrounding Pat Cummins in the Gabba Test last month following a line-ball decision.
“With this technology, umpires can focus on the batsman and not be distracted by having to
watch the bowler’s foot in the delivery crease,” George said.
“Fans are the driving force behind sport globally and they are demanding technology solve
problems in the game.”
‘Shattered’ JT puts Cowboys in their place
The Sharks have booked a place in the NRL prelim but Cowboys club legend Johnathan Thurston has laid his former side’s issues bare.
Curse over! Sharks deny epic Cowboys comeback to snap hoodoo
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