Sport Confidential: How Souths will look in a post-Reynolds world, Cotric relishing Raiders match up
Adam Reynolds could just be the start. Faced with a super tight salary cap, Souths may have to let go of more players, plus SBW boxing return and D-Day for Warriors. It’s Sports Confidential.
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South Sydney will now turn their attention to trying to re-sign Queensland players Dane Gagai and Jaydn Su’A in the wake of Adam Reynolds’ official departure from the club.
The club is also expected to throw their faith behind an untried rookie to take over from Reynolds’ No.7 jersey.
Despite knowing they were little chance of retaining their skipper, the Rabbitohs put off contract talks with a host of other players to allow Reynolds time to work through the decision.
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That has meant the likes of Gagai and Su’A have been exploring the open market as the club waited to see if Reynolds would take up the one year offer. Brisbane and Manly expressed an interest in Maroons back-rower Su’A while Gagai met with Eels officials last month.
The Rabbitohs are confident they can keep at least one of the representative players but the club’s tight cap could restrict them from tying down both players.
As it stands the Rabbitohs are unlikely to go to market to replace Reynolds. Instead they are expected to allow youngsters Blake Taaffe and Lachlan Ilias to compete to partner Cody Walker under new coach Jason Demetriou.
Veteran Benji Marshall is yet to decide if he will go around again although retirement looms large.
Local product Dean Hawkins – who has had a taste of first grade this season – is also playing for a new deal.
Cronulla, meanwhile, are expected to shift their attention to incumbents Matt Moylan and Shaun Johnson after missing out on Reynolds.
POST-REYNOLDS RABBITOHS
Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnston, Campbell Graham, Dane Gagai, Josh Mansour, Cody Walker, Lachlan Ilias/Blake Taaffe, Thomas Burgess, Damien Cook, Tevita Tatola, Keaon Koloamatangi, Jacob Host, Cameron Murray. Interchange: Jai Arrow, Hame Sele, Jed Cartwright, Liam Knight.
If you’ve got it, flaunt it
Is this the best sporting body in Sydney?
He may be in the twilight of a wonderful career but 32-year-old Sydney Swans star Josh Kennedy still looked in peak fitness at a recovery session at Bondi beach this week.
Kennedy will help lead the youthful Swans against Collingwood at the SCG on Saturday.
‘I’m surprised’: Cotric laments Raiders fall
Former Raider Nick Cotric says he is “surprised” by where his ex-team sit on the competition as he looks forward to squaring off against good friend Curtis Scott where he expects the duo to “rip each other’s head off”.
Cotric left the Raiders last year where he rose to become a NSW and Kangaroos star. A big money three-year deal led to the 22-year-old to take up Canterbury’s offer.
While the Bulldogs have had their own struggles this year, no-one could have anticipated how poorly the Raiders’ start to the year would have been.
Certainly not Cotric who was part of Canberra’s 2019 grand final side.
“I don’t know what’s happening there,” Cotric said.
“It’s different. Every year is a different year. It doesn’t matter how you went last year or the year before, each year is different. It’s surprised me a little bit. You lose a couple of close games and you get towards the bottom.
“(There is) a little bit (of emotion). I started my career and respect everyone there. It was a tough decision.
“I’ve been enjoying it. The biggest change is Sydney is a bit different to Canberra. I’m getting used to traffic and living by myself – I was living with my parents in Canberra.”
Cotric nominated firebrand Scott as the person he is most looking forward to playing when the duo cross paths on Saturday afternoon. They are expected to feature on the same side of the field.
“We are going to try and take each other’s heads off,” Cotric said.
“It’ll be good. He loves talking a bit of garbage. It’ll be a good match-up. I can’t wait. He is a good mate of mine
“We spoke the other day just to see how everyone is going. Not really footy.”
JOC’s saviour set to head Down Under
Rugby’s great redemption story, James O’Connor, is planning to bring the overseas-based group he credits for his turnaround to Australia.
O’Connor is part of Saviour World, a “new age men’s wellbeing” organisation that has put the controversial Wallaby on the straight and narrow.
The 30-year-old was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2013 for a drunken outburst at Perth Airport, then spent a night in a Paris jail cell for cocaine possession in 2017, yet led Queensland to their first Super Rugby AU premiership last weekend.
O’Connor found Saviour World at a time his life lacked direction, but some of the group’s methods – including sitting in ice-cold streams, shirtless group breathing exercises, carrying heavy rocks on the beach, and drinking a daily morning juice consisting of apple cider vinegar, lemons and water – have raised eyebrows.
It’s understood O’Connor has the rights to start a Saviour World business in Australia and will be recruiting soon.
SBW’s low-key boxing return
While Paul Gallen stands to earn more than $1 million fighting Justis Huni next month in a major pay-per-view event, Sonny Bill Williams is set to return to boxing without a television audience.
Williams is set to reject an offer from Stan Sport to broadcast his boxing comeback, instead preferring a low-key return after five years out of the ring.
The 35-year-old is also conscious that he needs time to shed his ring rust and his first couple of opponents will be less credentialed, and doesn’t want to harm his reputation by charging people to watch.
Williams is likely to fight within two months, having just completed fasting for Ramadan.
Stan Sport is attempting to take on Foxtel’s Main Event as a pay-per-view boxing broadcaster, and are understood to be happy to leave Williams to do non-televised fights early on, but expect to sign him for pay-per-view fights when he inevitably takes on AFL legend Barry Hall.
A much-awaited fight between Williams and Gallen looks unlikely to happen this year.
Rugby coaching merry go round
Sacked NSW Waratahs coach Rob Penney is already close to lining up a job in Japan.
Meanwhile, Sydney University coach Rob Taylor is being mentioned as a contender for the vacant position for 2022.
Taylor had a brief stint at Leicester last year as attack coach and is highly rated by players who’ve worked under him.
D-Day looms for Warriors
The Warriors will know by next week if they will need to spend the rest of the season in Australia.
Because of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding travel restrictions, there are fears the Warriors will continue to be based on the Central Coast to play out their campaign for a second straight year.
It had been hoped they would return home in time to play St George Illawarra on July 2 but now that is unlikely.
Top ref set to equal long-time record
Ben Cummins will equal Bill Harrigan’s record for most matches officiated when the Roosters play the Cowboys on Saturday night.
Harrigan said “records are made to be broken” ahead of Cummins’ taking to the field for the 393rd time.
Cummins almost walked away from the game and fled the country after his ‘six-again’ call during the 2019 grand final.
Harrigan worked as Cummins’ referee boss for two seasons and was an assistant boss when Cummins’ made his debut in 2006.
“Eventually it was going to happen sometime,” Harrigan said.
“At the time when I broke Col Pearce’s record, there was no big deal about it. I didn’t know about it until later. It wasn’t made a big deal back then.
“With the amount of scrutiny they go through now, I’m glad I’m not out there.”
Harrigan retired as arguably the game’s best referee in 2003. He left the game six years before the two referee system – which was scrapped last year – came into being.
“I’m still tickled pink that I did it in an era when I was on my own and I refereed when it was five meters, ball was in the middle of the scrum and markers could hook for the ball,” Harrigan said.
“Then it went to 10 metres, markers couldn’t hook, in-goal touch judges and video refeeree’s were introduced. I came through the best time.”
Great chance for a catch up
Club bosses will be locked in meetings with the NRL’s top brass on Friday in the lead-up to Magic Round.
Clubs are expected to be briefed on a host of issues including expansion and the broadcast negotiations.
Plan doesn’t meet with universal approval
The Rabbitohs aren’t alone in their reluctance to commit to staging a public press conference after matches at Magic Round.
It is understood at least two other teams have tabled reservations about the plan.
Smith hits the airwaves
Cameron Smith has made his first big move since retiring with the ex-Storm skipper signing on with SEN.
Smith will co-host a show each Wednesday called ‘The Captain’s Run’ alongside ex-Bronco Denan Kemp. He will also join Andrew Voss’s breakfast show each Monday and Thursday.
Competition in big trouble
The North American Rugby League competition is already in trouble with six teams pulling out of this year’s competition.
The clubs are based in the western division and include Las Vegas, San Diego and San Franciso. They withdrew because of insurance concerns.
Celebration time for big anniversary
THE NRL’s most popular employee Jimmy Stavrianos celebrated 30 years in the game’s front office with an anniversary bash last week.
Immortals Mal Meninga and Andrew Johns led the video tributes.
Canberra will return in 2022
The Raiders have agreed to take another match to Wagga Wagga next year and are in talks to extend the deal. The Raiders hosted Newcastle at the venue last Saturday.
ALL EYES ON
Are the Raiders going to implode or will their season get back on track against the Bulldogs?
Ex-skipper Josh Hodgson makes his return off the bench.
A loss to the hapless Bulldogs would spark huge concerns for Canberra.
FLASHBACK
Will Hopoate quit rugby league on this day 10 years ago to do a Mormon mission.
Hopoate announced he would turn his back on $1.5 million from the Sea Eagles to complete the two-year mission.
“I wouldn’t be as happy if I stayed,” Hopoate said.
“This is what’s going to make me more happy at the end of the day.”
BLAST FROM THE PAST
Anthony Quinn 210 top grade games (107 Newcastle, 103 Melbourne) from 2002-2012 plus three games for NSW.
Fresh out of school, Anthony Quinn was suddenly playing alongside the likes of Andrew Johns, Robbie O’Davis and Danny Buderus. The Knights had just won the premiership in 2001 before Quinn made his debut in round one the following season. While he was on high playing for his junior club, the reality of first grade quickly set in.
“I was marking up against John Hopoate,” Quinn said. “I can remember plenty of words said. There’s an image of him squeezing my head for dear life.”
Quinn scored a try in his opening three games and played 26 matches in his first season. He was studying at TAFE and working as an apprentice electrician.
“If we played Friday night I would go in for work and then head back to Danny’s and Mark Hughes’ house for a sleep and a feed and then head to the game,” Quinn said.
After five seasons and 103 games, Quinn quit the club to take up a deal with Melbourne in 2007. He met Storm coach Craig Bellamy while playing Country Origin and instantly the pair connected. Quinn finished his first season at the Storm with two tries in a grand final win against Manly.
“I didn’t want to leave but there were changes happening at Newcastle,” Quinn said. “The grand final went so quick. It was one of those matches where we were able to enjoy it while we were playing. Manly had the same feeling the next year.”
Quinn was picked for the Blues a year later and then battled neck and back issues which restricted him to 14 games in two years and threatened his career. A wake up call came in 2011 when he was overlooked for Melbourne’s round one side – the only time in his 12-year career where he did not start the season in the top grade.
“Knowing what I know now, I didn’t push myself as far as I could’ve gone to earn selection,” Quinn said. He was told by the Storm at the end of 2012, that he would have to fight to keep his spot in the top grade. While the Storm offered a deal,, there was a chance to return to Newcastle.
Quinn, who works as an athlete wellbeing and engagement advisor at the NSWIS and as part of the NRL’s match review committee, played just four games for the Knights before he was struck by a serious injury.
“I had an infected elbow,” Quinn said. “I was supposed to come back via reserve grade but I noticed my eyes weren’t right. I ended up having double detached retina’s and lost 50 per cent of vision in my right eye.”
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