NRL 2021: Cameron Munster reveals he signed for the Storm in Melbourne strip club Kittens
He danced his way around the Rabbitohs last night, and Cameron Munster his revealed it was a different kind of dancing that secured his signature with the Storm.
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The Brisbane Jets have upped the ante in the fierce battle to become the NRL’s 17th team after adding key duo Brian Canavan and Scott Sattler to their bid team.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Canavan, the NRL’s former head-of-football, and Sattler, Penrith’s 2003 grand-final hero, have been recruited to add some firepower in the Jets’ quest to be named Brisbane’s second team.
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo will fly to Brisbane in the next month to meet bid consortiums from Redcliffe, Easts Firehawks and the Jets as they eye expansion for 2023.
Backed by $100 million in assets, Redcliffe are the frontrunners, but the Jets have assembled an ‘Awesome Foursome’ bid team led by Nick Livermore, Steve Johnson, Canavan and Sattler.
Canavan has more than 40 years’ experience in rugby league, serving at League Central between 2016-2018, while Sattler was the Titans’ foundation football manager, playing a key role in putting together the club’s inaugural roster in 2007.
Sattler signed the likes of Scott Prince, Preston Campbell, Luke Bailey and Anthony Laffranchi to the Titans and he will oversee the Jets’ football department if they clinch a licence as Queensland’s fourth team.
Canavan, meanwhile, has extensive experience as a rugby league administrator after various stints at the Broncos, Roosters and Titans.
“Brian is one of the most experienced administrators in rugby league,” said Livermore, whose Bombers consortium merged with the Ipswich western-corridor team last month to create the Jets super bid.
“Any bid that has someone of Brian Canavan’s ability is extremely powerful.
“He understands what the ARL Commission are looking for better than anyone when it comes to participation and growing the game.
“He is working closely with Scott Sattler on our training facility and setting up our pathways and feeder programs. He is very much at the football end of the spectrum. If we are awarded the licence, Brian and Scott will play key roles in the set-up of the club.
“Very few people boast Brian‘s resume. He understands football, pathways and development programs like no-one else and he is certainly the ace in the pack for us.”
PVL THE PEACEMAKER
PETER V‘landys is famed as a Mr Fix It. Once again, the ARL Commission boss has put out another fire in rugby league – this time the raging inferno between the Melbourne Storm, the Broncos and chief executive Dave Donaghy.
The protracted saga took a nasty turn a fortnight ago when the Storm and Donaghy headed to the Victorian Supreme Court as Melbourne tried to enforce a non-compete clause preventing Donaghy from starting as Broncos CEO.
The parties were due to meet again in court on March 17 ... until V‘landys stepped in.
The ARLC chairman was fed-up with the legal bunfight and after personally calling Storm chairman Matt Tripp and Donaghy, the peace-pipe had been smoked. Donaghy will start at the Broncos on May 1.
“I was glad it was sorted out,” he said.
“I just didn’t want the game’s monies to be spent on legal fees so I assisted them in reaching a resolution.
“I didn’t want any more money to be wasted on legal bills and in these sorts of situations, generally there is a case of miscommunication. Both Matthew Tripp and Dave Donaghy are professional operators and they have mutual respect for each other, so I assisted in the process.
“They are both good blokes and they could see this dispute was not good for the game. That‘s the reason I wanted to help out.
“It‘s like a family issue, you settle it and you move on.
“Dave gave great service to the Storm and thankfully he can now move forward with the Broncos.”
MENINGA EYES ALL BLACKS CLASH
THE much-hyped Kangaroos versus All Blacks cross-code clash is back on the table.
With this year‘s rugby league World Cup in England in October-November in grave doubt due to COVID, Australia coach Mal Meninga hasn’t ruled out the Kangaroos taking on the All Blacks as a Plan B at Suncorp Stadium.
As exclusively revealed by this column last year, New Zealand Rugby and the ARL Commission were in talks with leading events promoter Dean Lonergan to stage a cross-code blockbuster in Queensland.
The parties were offered $8 million each and while the NZR were itching to play the hybrid game, it never eventuated because the ‘History’ concept hinged on a sellout 52,000 capacity at Suncorp. The COVID crisis killed off any chance of full capacity.
If the World Cup is cancelled this year, Meninga is exploring two contingencies. One involves domestic Tests against New Zealand and Tonga. The other option is finally taking on the All Blacks in the contest of a lifetime.
“What I do know is if there‘s no World Cup, we will still have some international games over here at the end of the year,” Meninga said.
“In what form that we have an international program, I‘m not sure. But the (ARL) commission will give us some advice.
“I wouldn‘t rule out us playing some games against New Zealand or the Pacific teams. Who knows? We might even get the cross-code game going against the All Blacks.
“That game is in the mix as well, so it depends on the timing and what the All Blacks‘ schedule looks like.”
MUNSTER'S MAD CONFESSION
STORM larrikin Cameron Munster has made the startling admission he agreed to sign with the club while at a Melbourne strip club.
Munster is one of the NRL‘s most loved characters because of his unique character and he willingly offered up a gem of a story in a podcast with former Storm player Brett Finch this week.
Munster toured the Storm‘s setup as a teenager and was introduced to coach Craig Bellamy and superstars Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk.
He was blown away by what the Storm had in store for him, but it was a visit to well-known strip club Kittens later that night that clinched the deal for the Rockhampton product.
“We actually went to watch the Storm game on Anzac Day and they showed me the facilities during the week before I played for Queensland Cup,” Munster told Finch.
“Everyone was so humbling, so welcome. At that time I was so starstruck meeting the big three and Bellamy but they were so welcoming and happy to say hello.
“No one knows this Finchy but I signed my contract at Kittens. After the game they took me there... at the time I was pretty starstruck when we walked in, I was like ‘where’s the pen and paper’.”
We’re tipping some people close to Munster had a kitten when he dropped that line.
TAUMALOLO EYES BOXING DEBUT
JASON Taumalolo, Matt Lodge, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Payne Haas and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui are just some of rugby league’s big boppers being lined up for the next instalment of the NRL All Stars boxing event.
The inaugural event, held last month in Townsville, was a smash hit with 4000 fans watching the likes of Josh Papalii, Ben Hannant, Scott Prince, Todd Carney, Sam Thaiday, Willie Mason, Justin Hodges and Sandor Earl trade blows.
Taumalolo was among an enthralled audience and the Cowboys 115kg wrecking ball is being lined up to fight either Darcy Lussick or Hannant, who showed great courage in his narrow loss to Papalii.
The second NRL All Stars fight night is slated for October this year, most likely back at the Townsville Entertainment Centre, and Taumalolo is open to jumping into the ring with the permission of the Cowboys.
However, there is one major stipulation – that he is not asked to fight Polynesian comrade Papalii.
“I would think about getting in the ring for sure,” Taumalolo said.
“I have done a bit of boxing training, but I‘ve never had to use it against anyone.
“I really enjoyed the night, I was there watching the guys put on a show so it‘s something I will definitely think about if I’m asked.
“I don‘t know if I could fight Josh (Papalii). We are really good mates so I don’t think I could punch Josh in the face, I like him too much as a bloke.
“It seems like fun and games until you get punched in the face, then it‘s a different story.”
TALLIS' TIES TESTED
BRONCOS legend Gorden Tallis is having his loyalties severely tested this season.
Tallis is one of Brisbane’s greatest ever players, a former club captain and is best mates with new Broncos coach Kevin Walters, who he was desperate to see given a crack at the helm of Red Hill.
However Tallis is also a Titans ambassador after opting to support the Gold Coast club due to his friendship with co-owner Rebecca Frizelle.
Tallis claims these days “I am a Titan” and his ties to the club have become even stronger after his wife, Jemma Elder, was appointed as a Gold Coast board member at the end of last year.
Tallis and Elder’s son Billy has also caught the Titans bug.
Tallis took Billy, 2, to a Broncos’ training session at Red Hill recently where he addressed the playing group.
As the Broncos players came on to the training paddock, Billy stood on the sidelines yelling “Go Titans!”
Apparently “The Raging Bull” was left with red cheeks.
BRONCOS FIND NEXT LATRELL
THE Broncos have unearthed a teen sensation that has earned comparisons with the freakishly talented Latrell Mitchell.
Selwyn Cobbo is the next young fullback coming through the ranks at Red Hill that has a bright future in the game.
At 18, Cobbo is a tall and strong custodian who is already the fastest player over 40m at the Broncos.
His YouTube highlights reel show an instinctive player with a fend and running style like Souths star Mitchell.
Hailing from Cherbourg, Cobbo is the nephew of former Queensland Origin star Will Chambers and will turn out in the Intrust Super Cup for Wynnum-Manly this year.
Cobbo cannot play NRL this season and is in a production line of fullback talent at the Broncos behind Jamayne Isaako and Reece Walsh.
He is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2022, but has already caught the eye of rival clubs who are watching Brisbane‘s No.1 development with interest.
HOLD THE PHONE SAMMY
THE 2021 Telstra Premiership kicked off on Thursday night and former Broncos skipper Sam Thaiday has joined forces with the telecommunications giant to help small businesses across Australia.
In the first week of May, Telstra will hand over their premium advertising signage at NRL and AFL games to allow Australian small-business owners to reach huge audiences
Whether it’s a family-run fish-and-chip shop from the NSW South Coast, or a tattoo parlour in Melbourne, the businesses will take over Telstra signage in stadiums and will also get on-screen plugs from NRL and AFL commentators.
The COVID crisis crippled thousands of Australian small businesses and Thaiday will take part in advertising campaigns to help kickstart the backbone of the local economy.
“I’m so happy to be working alongside Telstra to help out the little guys. It’s the Aussie thing to do,” Thaiday said.
“In these uncertain and tough times, Telstra is giving a great opportunity for small businesses to get ahead and reach audiences that dreams are made from.
“This can really be life-changing for small-business owners and I can‘t wait to share the journey with them.”
STORM SALARY CAP SNUB
THE Melbourne Storm have had another cheeky dig at their detractors following Cameron Smith’s retirement.
In the club’s official press release confirming Smith’s retirement, the Storm listed their former captain’s achievements.
Among the statistics was a claim Smith won five premierships at the Storm in 2007, 09, 12, 17 and 20.
It is well known that the Storm were stripped of the 2007 and 09 titles by the NRL following massive breaches of the salary cap.
The club has refused to admit they don‘t own the titles, even printing champion shirts last year with six NRL rings pictured on the design (they also won the 1999 premiership) after their grand final win against Penrith.
The record books state Smith won three NRL titles at the Storm in 2012, 17 and 20, however he and the club believe his tally includes the 2007 and 09 triumphs.
FOLAU DECISION UP TO QRL
THE major sponsor of Queensland’s top rugby league competition has not closed the door on Israel Folau playing this season.
Folau has been linked with a return to the Intrust Super Cup as he searches for a path back to the NRL.
The revelations of Folau’s possible appearance in the competition raised questions about what sponsors would think of the controversial cross-code star playing in the league.
Intrust Super issued the following statement to Sport Confidential.
“Intrust Super respects the QRL‘s registration process and is confident that any decision to register a player would not only enhance the competition, but also align with community expectations and the QRL’s values regarding diversity and inclusion.”
COAL TRAIN BACK ON TRACK
THE Central Queensland Capras are weighing up a bid to bring Dave Taylor back to the game.
Taylor made a cameo appearance for the Capras in an NRL legends exhibition match last month, with footage of “The Coal Train” going viral.
A former cult hero, Taylor’s career came to an abrupt end in 2017 when he decided to hang up the boots after 11 games for Canberra that year.
At 32, Taylor isn’t too old to play the game at Intrust Super Cup level and while he may need to work on his fitness, Capras coach Guy Williams said his experience could be handy at the rebuilding club.
“I’ve been thinking about him for the last few weeks and thought I have to give him a call,“ Williams said.
“I’ve been meaning to reach out to him to see how he’s going and how he’s travelling.
“At this stage he’s not playing but if I could get him in as a player, or just around the club, it would be great.
“He has got something and is a likeable guy.”
BRONCOS PNG POWER
BRONCOS rookie Xavier Coates can’t believe his wing partner on Friday night against the Eels will be none other than his boyhood idol David Mead.
While Coates loved watching Queensland legend Greg Inglis, he also had a soft spot for Mead because of their shared Papua New Guinea heritage.
Coates made his Test debut for PNG aged 18 in 2019 and he never imagined he would play with the 32-year-old Mead until the former Titans was handed a lifeline by the Broncos this year.
“It’s unreal to think we are now at the Broncos as wingers together,” he said.
“I was playing junior footy down the Gold Coast and I would go down to Skilled Park and watch David play for the Titans.
“He was a PNG international and because I have PNG blood, all I wanted to do was play rugby league like him.
“At school, I would Google David’s name and watch his highlights.
“At first I was starstruck when he turned up here. We have formed a close bond. He is teaching me a lot of cultural things about my heritage. I’ve learned PNG people share a lot of the same values and cultural beliefs. Listening to David’s stories about PNG culture are fascinating.”
TINO DRIVES A GOOD BARGAIN
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has already blown the Titans away with his attitude. Big Tino has been given a club sponsored car and the first thing he did was text Titans bosses to express his appreciation. The car is spotless and full of fuel when he returns it for a grease-and-oil change.
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