NRL 2022: Tristan Sailor takes first step to Broncos, Dolphins rubbish Morgan rumours
Pat Carrigan recently signed a two-year contract extension, but that doesn’t mean he is guaranteed to keep the number 13 jersey. FULL SPORT CON
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The Broncos have begun extension talks with promising lock Kobe Hetherington as the battle for the Brisbane No. 13 jumper intensifies.
Brisbane recently secured first-choice lock Pat Carrigan to a two-year extension and now Broncos bosses are making moves to ensure Hetherington remains at Red Hill for an extended period.
With Carrigan sidelined with a knee injury, the door has opened for Hetherington, who will start at lock on Friday night against the Bulldogs, the club his famous father Jason represented.
Hetherington is already contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2023 but Brisbane are keen to extend the tough-tackling forward for a further 12 months.
“We’ve started talks internally on an extension for Kobe,” Broncos head of football Ben Ikin said.
“Kobe is a great young player, he has been in our system for a while and we will be doing everything we can to keep him at the club.
“He reminds me of a Jake Trbojevic or Victor Radley, he comes in hard and low in defence and hits the ball carrier through the middle.
“Kobe is a terrific young guy, works hard, plays hard, you can see his father’s influence on him. He has an excellent attitude so we see a very promising future for him at the Broncos.”
The son of Broncos legend Wendell Sailor will make his rugby league return in Queensland through one of Brisbane’s feeder clubs after being acquitted of sexual assault charges.
Tristan Sailor has signed with the Souths-Logan Magpies for the remainder of 2022 and will feature in the Hostplus Cup within weeks.
Tristan, 23, was last month found not guilty of two aggravated sexual assault charges in a Sydney court following an incident in 2020 while contracted to the St George Illawarra Dragons.
After a lengthy trial, it took a jury just two hours to find Sailor not guilty of the charges.
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Sailor made his NRL debut for the Dragons in 2019 and had five appearances next to his name before being stood down under the NRL’s ‘No-Fault Stand Down’ rule in October 2020.
He did not have an NRL contract for the 2021 season and has spent the past 18 months attempting to clear his name.
With the court case finalised, Sailor is now free to return to the field and has chosen to do so with the Magpies, who have an affiliation with the Broncos.
If Sailor impresses with the Magpies, he could put himself in the mix to earn a train-and-trial contract with the Broncos ahead of the 2023 pre-season.
Wendell Sailor scored 110 tries for the Broncos during a 189-game career which saw him become one of the NRL’s top wingers before he switched codes to rugby union.
MUNSTER ON BRONCOS RADAR
Forget the Dolphins. There could be another Queensland NRL club in the market for Cameron Munster with Broncos coach Kevin Walters refusing to rule out making a play for the Maroons Origin star.
The Broncos have a halves crisis. They will field their fourth scrumbase pairing in seven games on Friday night against the Bulldogs and the prospect of a Munster-Adam Reynolds combination would have Broncos fans salivating.
Munster is off-contract at the end of next season and while he has been strongly linked with the Dolphins, the Broncos are another genuine option.
Former Queensland coach Walters has strong ties with Munster, having handed the Storm superstar his State of Origin debut in 2017.
While his immediate focus is on his halves options this season, Walters left the door ajar for Munster to wear Broncos colours.
“Every club would love to have Cameron Munster,” he said.
“He is still contracted to the Storm until the end of next year. But that’s not one for me, that’s one for others around me to discuss.
“If there are good players on the market, you look at them, but we don’t need to discuss that right now - Cam Munster playing here - we have Tyson Gamble in the No.6 jumper and I am excited for him to get his opportunity.”
BENNETT’S COLD SHOULDER TO RECRUITMENT RUMOUR
Super coach Wayne Bennett has hit out at speculation he made a secret approach to retired Cowboys legend Michael Morgan to make a shock comeback for the Dolphins.
Rumours sweeping league circles suggested the Dolphins had sounded out Morgan about the prospect of coming out retirement to be a foundation signing for the Dolphins in their entry to the NRL next year.
Morgan dropped a bombshell on the NRL world exactly 12 months ago when he announced he was quitting the game due to a chronic shoulder injury.
The Cowboys received salary-cap dispensation from the NRL after medically retiring Morgan.
Morgan, who turned 30 in December, still had two years to run on his five-year, $5 million contract, but walked away after a superb career that netted 168 NRL games, 12 Tests and 12 Origin matches for Queensland.
He will also be remembered for his magical pass which helped inspire the Cowboys’ maiden premiership win over the Broncos in the 2015 grand final.
Bennett admits the Dolphins need to sign some outside backs and Morgan’s outstanding NRL resume would have made him a viable playmaking option to help the Dolphins in their formative years.
Bennett was Brisbane’s coach on the night of Morgan’s grand-final heroics and while he has great respect for his ability, he insists the former Cowboys skipper will not be a Dolphin.
“That is absolute garbage. Michael Morgan’s name has not been mentioned once,” Bennett said.
“If Michael is like Sam Burgess (former Souths enforcer) with his shoulder, then he would be no chance of coming back to the NRL.
“These guys have a life to lead after football and their shoulders get so bad they can’t even lift things. I saw what Sam Burgess went through.
“I wouldn’t even consider signing Michael Morgan. He was a wonderful player at his best but I’m not going to chase a guy who has been medically retired.
“Imagine if I paid $600,000 for him and he lasted a few more games?
“I would love to recruit guys like Sam Burgess and Matt Gillett, but their shoulders are stuffed, that’s the reality with that type of injury.”
TITANIC BATTLE FOR FIFITA
THE Titans are keen to take David Fifita off the market before NRL rivals get the chance to plot a poaching raid on Gold Coast’s $1 million man.
Fifita is off-contract at the end of next season, meaning the battle for his signature will intensity from November 1 when NRL suitors can table formal offers for the Queensland Origin star.
But if the Titans have their way, Fifita will be locked in for the long haul.
Often criticised for his inconsistency, the blockbusting back-rower is still one of the most explosive players in the game and Fifita will always command interest because of his tackle-busting talent.
The Titans have yet to kick-off extension talks, but they plan to up the ante in the coming months, especially with expansion rivals the Dolphins now another threat in the Queensland market.
Titans culture boss Mal Meninga is confident the former Broncos young gun will not walk out on the Gold Coast.
“We’ve got him until the end of 2023 but clubs can start talking to him sooner rather than later,” Meninga said.
“We’re really keen to keep him at the club. We know he’s very happy there and has mixed in really well. He is part of the club.
“We’re hoping with the right mentoring and relationships at the club that he will find it very hard to leave.”
Fifita insists he is happy on the Glitter Strip.
“Brissy is only down the road so I’m not far away from my family,” he said.
“I’m here at the moment and enjoying it. I’ve still got a couple more years.”
DOLPHINS BOLSTER ROSTER
THEY may have missed out on Queensland Origin star Kalyn Ponga but the Dolphins have continued to bolster the club’s future by signing one of the NRL’s young guns.
The Dolphins have poached St George Illawarra junior Jack Bostock on a three-year contract to become a foundation player at the NRL expansion club from next season.
Bostock is a gun centre that has been playing for the Steelers in the SG Ball competition in NSW.
The Dragons low-balled Bostock last year, opening the door for the Dolphins to pounce and they managed to secure their man.
Bostock will be on the Dolphins’ development list next year before moving into the top 30 squad for 2024-25.
The Dolphins are set to hit back at their critics by signing six players in the next eight weeks.
The NRL’s expansion newcomers have come under fire for their inability to land a marquee player, with 10 top-line stars having knocked back the Dolphins, including Harry Grant, Brandon Smith and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
The latest blow came on Wednesday when Newcastle superstar Ponga stayed loyal to the Knights on a five-year deal.
But the Dolphins have been in talks with a posse of established NRL players and believe they will have another half-a-dozen signed by June.
The NRL’s 17th team have 10 players on their books so far and have another six months to finalise their 30-man full-time roster.
ZERAFA EYES REDEMPTION WITH TSZYU II
AUSTRALIAN boxing’s bad boy Michael Zerafa has called out Tim Tszyu to settle the score once and for all in the wake of Pretty Boy’s brutal belting of Issac Hardman on Wednesday night.
Zerafa sparked outrage when he sensationally withdrew on the eve of his mega fight against Tszyu last July. Fox Sports bosses were furious and black-listed Zerafa, forcing his fight against Hardman to be showed on the Fite TV streaming network.
But after hammering Hardman, Zerafa’s Pay TV ban is over and it is understood his next bout, a world-title shot later this year, will be screened on Foxtel’s Main Event channel.
Zerafa was accused of being too scared to fight Tszyu. The 34-fight veteran says that is rubbish and is relishing the prospect of one day fighting Tszyu at a time when the pair are on the cusp of world-title shots.
“I know there’s a feud between me and Tim, but we are both doing great things for the sport and that’s what it’s about,” he said. “Credit to No Limit (Tszyu’s promoters) and Tim, if they win a world title before me, all the best.
“But hopefully one day me and Tim can fight each other for a world title. I never dogged it, that’s the truth. Let’s get it on eventually.
“I wish Fox showed this fight (against Hardman), but things happen for a reason. After this fight, I’m back on Main Event if all goes well and I will be back making noise.
“I have at least another four or five years and I just want to win a world title.”
NEXT BIG THING HEADS ABROAD
THE man that has long been tipped to be an NRL coach-in-the-making is heading abroad.
Reigning Hostplus Cup premiership-winning coach Rohan Smith will leave the Norths Devils immediately after being appointed head coach of Leeds Rhinos in the Super League.
The son of experienced NRL coach Brian Smith, Rohan has spent the past five seasons at the Devils and piloted the club to a dominant title win last year.
He has now chosen to go to England to take the next step in his coaching career.
“It’s been a great experience at a historic club and I’m very grateful for the opportunity and for everyone who has been involved over recent seasons,” Smith said.
“One of the best things about rugby league is the relationships you build with players and other coaches.
“Our family has made friendships here that we will carry forever. And I know that the players remained focused on what’s to come in 2022. They have an exciting season ahead and I wish them the very best.”
The Devils are in the mix to defend their premiership, having won three of their opening four games, and will confirm a new coaching setup in the coming days.
HUNI CALLS OUT SONNY BILL
HE hammered Paul Gallen and now Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni is ready to hammer another NRL great in Sonny Bill Williams.
On the comeback trail from the hand injury that ruled him out of the Olympics, Huni on Thursday announced his return to the ring against Joe Goodall on June 15 at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.
But Huni has not ruled out eventually trading blows with Sonny Bill, who chalked up his ninth consecutive win last month with his first-round disposal of Barry Hall in a 115-second debacle.
There have been preliminary talks between Gallen and Williams on a $4 million NRL super fight but if Sonny Bill is keen to beat the best, the classy Huni is unquestionably the biggest test in Australian boxing.
Huni’s trainer and father Rocki said Australia’s top dog would relish a showdown with Sonny Bill, but only if he gets a much more lucrative payday than the 15 per cent cut he got for the Gallen fight.
“If the money is right, we will take a fight with Sonny Bill in a heartbeat,” Rocki Huni said.
“Justis is the Australian champion and a much better fighter than Sonny Bill, so we won’t be taking less money this time.
“Sonny is a good athlete, so it would be a good fight, but we don’t want a deal like we had with Gallen. He got 85 per cent of the money and we got 15 per cent.
“If Sonny is prepared to go 50-50, absolutely we will take that fight.
“We are looking beyond Australian fighters soon. Justis fought ‘Gal’ and that was great for boosting his profile in Australia more than it would have done if he fought a lesser-known boxer.
“But Justis’ long-term goal is to win all the world titles and that’s still his burning ambition.”
COWBOY’S FAMILY TIES
BOOM Cowboys backrower Jeremiah Nanai isn’t the only talented athlete in his family.
Nanai’s cousin Suamili Nanai this week qualified to represent Australia in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this year.
Nanai, a combat systems operator who is an instructor at the Surface Maritime Warfare Centre at HMAS Stirling in Perth, introduced weightlifting into his training regimen while playing rugby.
He soon excelled, and earned the nation’s top ranking in the over-109kg class in 2020 before claiming gold last year in the Oceania Championships.
Nanai, 27, will represent Australia in the men’s 109kg+ division in what will be his Games debut.
STAGGS TIPPED TO DESTROY DOGS
IN-FORM Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs has been backed to destroy the battling Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Punters have loaded up on Staggs with TAB to have a field day against Covid-ravaged Canterbury.
“Kotoni Staggs has been far and away best backed to score a try, to score two-plus tries and to score first,” said TAB’s Rohan Welsh.
“Such is his form, he’s nearing Trbojevic, Tedesco and Alex Johnston type territory for try scoring money this weekend.”
After four straight losses, the Broncos are being backed to get back into the winner’s circle against Canterbury.
Before betting was suspended on Wednesday amid the Covid outbreak at Belmore, the Broncos held 85 per cent of the head-to-head market.
However punters have taken a stab at the Bulldogs when betting reopened with them as $4 outsiders.
RECOVER LIKE A PRO
WEEKEND Warriors on the Gold Coast can look after their bodies like professional athletes thanks to a new recovery facility.
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Originally published as NRL 2022: Tristan Sailor takes first step to Broncos, Dolphins rubbish Morgan rumours
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