NRL 2023: Riley Price to debut against Dogs, Dolphins raid Dragons to poach James Walsh
Canterbury great Steve Price has opened up on his mixed emotions as son Riley prepares to make his NRL debut against Steve’s beloved Bulldogs. Read SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
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Canterbury club legend Steve Price knows the rugby league gods work in mysterious ways as he is about to watch his son Riley make his NRL debut for the Cowboys — against his beloved Bulldogs.
Riley Price, 21, will follow in his father’s footsteps when he takes to the field for the first time off the bench for the Cowboys.
To do it against Canterbury where his dad is a life member, skipper, premiership winner, former director and head of football just adds to the occasion.
“It’s crazy how that’s worked out,” Steve told Sport Confidential.
“I can’t believe it. He was born when I was playing there. I made my debut at that club now he is making his debut against them.
“If you could ever write a script…”
Riley is also a forward who has been part of North Queensland’s top squad since midway through 2021. Steve said he had second thoughts about Riley, whose uncle is ex-Test centre Brent Tate, pursuing a rugby league career.
“He has had a choice,” Price said.
“We’ve been open to let him do what he wants to do. His whole life he has loved being around footy and wanting to learn even if it was in the backyard, club or school level.
“I’ve always been the other way and directed him away from footy but he has been the one who has wanted to keep at it.”
Price is becoming accustomed to being a spectator. He and wife Jo’s daughter Jamie-Lee Price has become a netball star playing for the Giants.
“I didn’t know how I would be until it happened,” Price said. “I spoke to my mum after Jamie made her debut in New Zealand. I really got emotional when she took the court and mum said “know you know what it feels like’. It’s an amazing feeling. Having gone through it you know how hard it is and what an achievement it actually is.
“You hope it’s the first of many opportunities.”
Price will be at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
DOLPHINS RAID DRAGONS TO POACH ANOTHER YOUNG GUN
The Dolphins have snuck under St George Illawarra’s guard to grab another one of their rising stars, agreeing to a deal with SG Ball back-rower James Walsh.
The teenager has scored some barnstorming tries for the Steelers and it is understood the Dolphins have signed him from next season as they continue to build on the good work they have done through the early rounds of 2023.
VIDEO: WATCH JAMES WALSH IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
It’s not the first time the NRL’s newest club has raided St George Illawarra: Dolphins debutant Jack Bostock will this weekend be unleashed on the Dragons club that helped deliver the NSW Origin prospect to the NRL.
Bostock, 19, will make his NRL debut for the Dolphins in Saturday’s clash with St George Illawarra in his home town Wollongong.
A classy centre in the juniors, Bostock will make his debut on the wing for the injured Tesi Niu (knee) after being wooed to Redcliffe by super coach Wayne Bennett when the Dragons let down their guard.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins continue to waste little time locking in some of their best-performing players. Fresh from extending Jeremy Marshall-King’s deal by another season already, the Dolphins have done the same with the versatile Connelly Lemuelu. Lemuelu arrived on a two-year deal but has already agreed to an upgrade and extension. His new contract will take him through to the end of 2025 which is the same length of deal the Dolphins have given Marshall-King.
NRL UNVEILS SHOCK PLAN FOR THREE TRANSFER WINDOWS
The NRL has pitched a plan to resolve rugby league’s contract crisis by introducing three staggered transfer windows which totally revamps the November 1 trade deadline.
Sport Confidential can reveal the plan is the brain child of club bosses and has been put to the Rugby League Players Association for their consideration as part of ongoing collective bargaining talks.
The three-tiered plan would include transfer windows which would open depending on how many years a player has held a top 30 or development spot contract.
The plan includes the window opening with:
• At least six years experience free to negotiate with rivals on November 1;
• At least three to five years experience free to negotiate with rivals on April 1;
• Rookies to two years experience free to negotiate with rivals on June 30.
As it stands all players are free to negotiate come November 1. However, this has long been contentious amongst fans.
Under this plan players whose deal expires at the end of next year including Payne Haas, Nick Cotric, Taniela Paseka Chad Townsend, Moses Leota and Dylan Edwards would be allowed to talk to rival clubs from November 1.
However the likes of Hudson Young, Tyrell Sloan Toby Rudolf, Mikaele Ravalawa cannot explore other options until April 1.
Whereas rising stars Paul Alamoti, Tolutau Koula and Isaiah Tass would need to wait June 30 before opening discussions with other clubs.
Last year a host of players including Reed Mahoney, Brandon Smith, Marata Niukore and Viliame Kikau signed for rival clubs with a season to go on their contract.
The transfer window remains an ongoing discussion point to finalising the CBA. Players have long supported the current system.
RLPA chief executive Clint Newton said the players union was willing to listen to any proposal but they would be reluctant to agree to any changes without fully investigating the potential ramifications.
“This is a complex problem that has many things that will shoot off it by making a change,” Newton said.
“Therefore it requires far more sophistication to it than only looking at date changes. That is because there are a whole range of things that come with it around anti-tampering and enforcement of rules.”
Newton also pointed out that the competition had never been closer through the opening four rounds, in part because the weaker clubs had been able to strengthen their rosters under the existing system.
“I get it is an issue,” Newton said.
“However, does anyone want to look at that this supposed issue is creating a competition that has never been closer.
“Does anyone want to look at that? Does anyone want to look at the clubs who would have otherwise struggled, good luck trying to go and change your roster around if you only have a few months to do it at the end of the season?
“You’re still going to have speculation, you are still going to have clubs under pressure.”
There is no appetite to implement a draft system.
SEIBOLD SQUARES OFF AGAINST GREAT MATE
When Anthony Seibold left the Brisbane Broncos a few years back, the first person to offer him a job was Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, then with England.
The second was Newcastle’s Adam O’Brien. As Seibold prepares to go head-to-head with O’Brien on Saturday in Mudgee, he has paid tribute to his good mate for giving him the chance to dip his toe back in the NRL following his ugly exit from the Broncos.
“We worked together from 2012-2015 at the Storm,” Seibold said.
“We had a great relationship there and became really good mates. When I finished at Brisbane the first person to offer me a job was Eddie.
“The second person was Adam. My title was coaching mentor — I was supposed to be a sounding board to Adam and a mentor to the assistants.
“For the last eight weeks of the competition (that year), when Newcastle went up to Twin Waters (in Queensland), Adam said would you like to come up and get your hands dirty coaching.
“I went up there for eight weeks with the family and helped on the grass again. Fortunately, they got into the first week of the finals.
“The week after that I was back in England with Eddie.”
Now Seibold is back in the NRL and ready to lock horns with his good mate again in Mudgee this weekend.
“I was really thankful for Adam because it kept me engaged with rugby league,” Seibold said.
“He is a great friend of mine. I really rate him highly as a coach, love him as a mate. I haven’t spoken to him too much recently but I care a lot about him.
“Obviously, we are up against each other this week and it is about the contest again. He is a good man. Him and Sharyn, often I would stay at their house.
“They are great people.”
PAIGE TURNER: GOLF PARTY DRAWS A CROWD
The hottest ticket in Augusta next week may not necessarily be for the US Masters. On Wednesday night (Thursday morning AEDT), golf influencer and social media star Paige Spiranac will host her very own Las Vegas-style party just down the road from Augusta National.
Spiranac was in Australia recently as an ambassador for Pointsbet, spending time with Manly and playing a round of golf with a handful of the Sea Eagles’ biggest stars.
She’s an even bigger deal in America, where tickets for a VIP table at her “par-tee” are going for up to $US30,000. The cheapest tickets for her shindig cost $US50.
Remarkably, Sport Confidential has managed to get their hands on one! Stay tuned for a full report next week.
CLEARY WEIGHS IN ON STADIUM SAGA
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has backed the plans for a new Panthers stadium but stopped short of holding his breath waiting for the promise to come through.
Stadiums have again been in the headlines this week since a new NSW government was elected last Sunday.
“Oh man, we’ve got to talk politics,” Cleary joked when asked about his side getting a new stadium to play in.
“I don’t like talking about the stadium because it’s sort of like you’re about to get a Christmas present and it gets taken off you again.
“That’s happened around five times. Look, in short I think it’s really important. This community deserves one. But maybe there are plenty others out there that do as well. I know if there was one here, it would be supported and do enormous things for western Sydney and this area.”
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