RUGBY league comes together for the Beanie for Brain Cancer round, the Roosters’ Steve Smith invitation, TV ratings a concern
RUGBY league comes together for the Beanie for Brain Cancer round, the Roosters’ Steve Smith invitation, TV ratings a concern and the NRL’s dodgy crowd counting.
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RUGBY league comes together for the Beanie for Brain Cancer round, the Roosters’ Steve Smith invitation, TV ratings a concern and the NRL’s dodgy crowd counting.
SAINT
Rabbitoh Greg Inglis is on the verge of becoming the next captain of Queensland and Australia. What an inspired choice. The fact such a tough, successful footballer was prepared to express his own struggles with depression and anxiety will have helped many others privately battling their own mental health issues.
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SINNER
THE NRL’s decision to appoint referee Bernard Sutton to Friday night’s Broncos v Roosters game was a complete “up yours” dig at those concerned how the Broncos had won 14-straight under him at Suncorp. It became 15 straight via a controversial game-deciding penalty, leaving Sutton to face another social media storm that could have been avoided.
SHOOSH
WHICH struggling NRL club is about to fine one of its star players for refusing to do media and promotional work? A clause in an NRL player’s contract reads: “Players must punctually attend appointments arranged by the club to make appearances in public or on radio or television.”
SHOOSH II
WHICH former NSW Blues legend has called Cronulla Sharks prop Andrew Fifita to try to talk him into backflipping on Tonga to play State of Origin this year?
SHOOSH III
WE’RE hearing the great Timmy Cahill is a certainty to make the Socceroos squad for the World Cup in Russia when Bert van Marwijk cuts his 32-man squad down to 23.
SPOTTED
PLAYER agent Steve Gillis is in the UK trying to get Rabbitohs forward Jason Clark a Super League contract. He also spent a day at Chester races with Marwan Koukash, the former owner of Salford Red Devils.
SPOTTED II
TODD Greenberg’s wife, Lisa, on a brisk walk with long-time family friend Brett Kimmorley through Oatley shopping precinct this week.
SPOTTED III
RUGBY league Immortal Bob Fulton and his lovely wife, Anne, in business class 1A and 1B on a Virgin flight from Cairns to Sydney on Friday.
SPOTTED IV
BILL Harrigan getting make-up and hair done before Controversy Corner on Fox Sports on Monday night.
CALLANDER CLAN SUPPORT BEANIE ROUND
THIS is the family that lost one of rugby league’s most courageous figures last year when Channel 9’s Matty Callander passed away after a long battle with brain cancer.
Next week, Kenny Callander and his grandkids will be out in force with the wonderful Mark Hughes Foundation for the NRL’s Beanie for Brain Cancer round.
It’s all about honouring a commitment to Matt, who, while he was dying, convinced the NRL to make this an annual fundraising round to help others struck down by the hideous disease.
Last year, Matt was part of the team that raised almost $2 million. Next weekend promises to be even bigger.
“We’ve ordered more than 200,000 beanies — twice as many as last year,” Hughes said. “We couldn’t keep up with the demand last year and ran out.
“The response has been extraordinary and totally inspired by Matt Callander.
“He brought everyone together and showed incredible courage while he was sick to be such an important part of what we achieved.
“He kept a smile on his face every day. His whole family dug in to help.
“It’s now our role to ensure Matt’s legacy lives on forever.”
The beanies are available at the grounds next weekend, at Ritchies IGA stores or online at the Mark Hughes Foundation website: markhughesfoundation.com.au
CHANNEL 7 PLAYING CATCH-UP
HAVING missed out on Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist, Channel 7 is playing catch-up in the race to sign Australia’s best commentators for the summer of cricket.
Other than Ricky Ponting, Fox Sports have beaten them to the punch on the most sought-after names — including Warne, Gilchrist, Mark Waugh, Michael Vaughan, Mike Hussey and Allan Border.
But we’re told Seven is close to finalising its line-up. The Sunday Telegraph understands only one of Channel 9’s former commentators — Michael Slater — will be joining the Seven Network.
Others on its team include Glenn McGrath, Greg Blewett, Damian Fleming, James Brayshaw and Hamish McLaughlin.
Jim Wilson and Mel McLaughlin will have hosting roles.
Interestingly, Fox Sports and Seven have shown no interest in former Australian captain Michael Clarke.
MORE FAME TO CLAIM
THE NRL’s Hall of Fame will be expanded in future years to include officials, referees, media and coaches.
Under the category of officials, there will be support for the likes of Ken Arthurson, John Quayle, Bill Buckley and the old senator Ron McAuliffe, the Queenslander who devised State of Origin.
Bill Harrigan and Col Pearce would deserve consideration from the refereeing ranks. From the media — Frank Hyde, Ray Warren, Rex Mossop, Tom Goodman, George Crawford, Ian Heads and Peter “Chippy” Frilingos would be worthy candidates. And from the coaching ranks — Jack Gibson, Wayne Bennett, Craig Bellamy and Arthur “Pony” Halloway, who won eight premierships in the 1930s and ’40s.
SMITH’S OPEN INVITE
THE Roosters have extended an open invitation to cricketer Steve Smith to attend any game as a guest in Nick Politis’ chairman’s suite. The suspended Australian skipper is a fanatical Roosters fan and a member of the club last year.
He tweeted after a game last season: “Latrell Mitchell is Greg Inglis 10 years ago #superstar.”
Politis told us: “We’d love to see him. He’s welcome at any game.”
CHEERS BULLDOG
DEAN “Bulldog” Ritchie celebrated his 50th birthday on Saturday at his favourite watering hole, Forestville Rugby Club, with a sporting celebrity guest list which included Lou Zivanovic, Laurie Daley, Des Hasler, Robbie Slater, Benny Elias, NFL legend Colin Scotts, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold and NSWRL boss Dave Trodden.
RATINGS DIVE A WORRY
ALL Aussie footy codes are experiencing tough television ratings times.
A-League figures were down 18 per cent on the previous year. In the NRL, Fox Sports is slightly up but Channel 9 is down eight per cent. It’s a bigger struggle in the AFL, with ratings down about 12 per cent.
The Super Rugby on Fox Sports is doing best of all … up about three per cent.
The most positive #nrltalkupthegame story is the incredible support from rugby union-mad New Zealand for the Warriors.
Ratings on Sky TV for Warriors matches are up by an incredible 22 per cent.
NBA TOPS — YOU BETCHA
BETTING interest in the NBA continues to grow to NRL levels as we get down to the finals series. The TAB reports game one between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semis this week held $786,000 in 100 markets.
That’s as much money as the 2pm NRL game on Fox League between the Dragons and Raiders will hold. The big drivers in NBA popularity are global stars like of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James creating massive interest, especially with the younger punters.
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COUNTER MEASURE
THE NRL has found an interesting new way to boost season crowd numbers by counting double-header attendances TWICE. That’s right, according to NRL records, the Storm v Titans attracted a crowd of 31,118 last Saturday evening at Suncorp. And then the Broncos v Sea Eagles attracted another 31,118 in the same seats at the same venue.
They also counted the crowd twice in the double-header at ANZ Stadium in round three. This is a blatantly misleading way to #NRLtalkthegameup.
BRONCOS NEED BENNY HERE
WE’RE hearing of concern at the Broncos about coach Wayne Bennett spending time away for the Great Britain-Kiwis Test match in Denver on June 23.
While he won’t miss a Broncos game because it’s a stand-alone rep footy round, there are those who believe he would be better served staying home and planning his run home to the finals, and that’s if his team make it.
Bennett no longer holds as much sway at Red Hill.
He’s lost support over his handling of the Matt Lodge debacle and is being questioned over recruitment blunders in signing Anthony Milford on a $1 million deal and Jack Bird on $800,000, while letting Ben Hunt leave.
SAM IN GI’S BOOTS
SAM Burgess has replaced teammate Greg Inglis as an official ambassador for ANZ Stadium. “GI” has cut back on some of his commercial commitments as he‘s recovered from a serious knee injury and personal health struggles.
Burgess will be at ANZ on Tuesday for an 800-guest dinner. NSW coach Brad Fittler, Luke Brooks, Aaron Woods, Mitchell Moses, James Tedesco and Josh Mansour, plus Wallabies legend Phil Kearns and Israel Folau will also be there.
LIGHT ON FOR BARBA
THE mail is getting stronger that Cronulla’s 2016 grand final hero Ben Barba will be back at the Sharks for the 2019 season. Coach Shane Flanagan told the audience at a Cronulla Lions Club lunch on Friday he hoped to know in a month if Barba will return home.
Originally published as RUGBY league comes together for the Beanie for Brain Cancer round, the Roosters’ Steve Smith invitation, TV ratings a concern
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