Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Trent Barrett’s secret meeting with Storm star Brandon Smith
He’s indicated that coaching is his future but that didn’t stop two clubs making a play for the former Souths superstar. See who they are and check out all the latest NRL chatter and more.
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Coach Trent Barrett will do anything to hide his recruitment planning and targets at the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Especially when he’s chasing a player of the calibre of Storm forward Brandon Smith and wants to keep it all cute.
On Wednesday morning Barrett was doing a radio interview on the Big Sports Breakfast when host Laurie Daley worked out he was at an airport from the background noise. “Where are you off to Baz,” Daley asked.
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“Just going home to Temora,” Barrett said.
Turns out the Bulldogs coach was actually about to board a flight for Melbourne.
He was spotted by one of our readers.
Barrett told me: “I was just down there catching up with The Fox (Josh-Addo Carr, who has signed with the Bulldogs).”
I told him he had also been spotted with Smith.
“Yep, he just happened to pop in when we were chatting,” Barrett said.
Barrett needs to be careful because Smith is still under contract at Storm until the end of next season. Storm is prepared to release him early on the condition they can get a like for like replacement.
That’s something the Bulldogs might struggle to come up with.
Check out all the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
SAINT
Raiders legend Alan Tongue is delivering the NRL’s Voice Against Violence program in the country areas of NSW. This wonderful ambassador was in Nyngan, Cobar, Bourke, Brewarrina, Lightning Ridge, Walgett and Collarenebri last week to talk about prevention of violence in the community.
SINNER
The rehashed debate about the NRL splitting into two conferences. This was first proposed by your columnist SEVEN years ago. It didn’t progress because out-of-town teams like the Broncos wanted regular matches and big home crowds against Sydney powerhouses like the Rabbitohs, Dragons, Roosters and Eels.
SHOOSH
Which NRL club is under investigation over allegations an on-field trainer heavily abused a touchie? Our sideline source — who heard the spray — said: “If it was a player he would have been sent off.”
SHOOSH
Which Sharks star had to be saved from an ugly situation during two-up at a Shire pub last weekend? A colourful local identity had to step in to help out the player while security guards removed the antagonists.
SHOOSH
Technically Adam Reynolds isn’t a South Sydney junior. He actually played his first football between the ages of six and nine for Leichhardt Juniors. Reynolds was in the age group above Sharks prop Aaron Woods. They might just team up together next year at the Sharks.
SPOTTED
Newtown Jets $800,000-a-year front-rower Andrew Fifita with his hair dyed pink. We’re not sure how this will go down with new coach Craig Fitzgibbon when he arrives in the Shire in October.
SPOTTED
Independent commissioner Peter Beattie in economy (seat 8B) on a Qantas flight from Sydney to Melbourne for the State of Origin launch at the MCG. Times have certainly changed at NRL headquarters since John Grant’s days at the pointy end of the plane.
SPOTTED
A couple of wealthy Nicks in the Sheridan suite at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Anzac Day. Sydney Roosters boss and automotive tycoon Nick Politis is now worth an estimated $2.1 billion. Afterpay co-founder Nick Molnar, a young bloke from Sydney’s eastern suburbs who turned a good idea into an estimated $2 billion fortune, was also there as a guest of Venues NSW.
SPOTTED
Former NRL boss David Gallop was also at the Roosters v Dragons. It was Gallop’s smart idea in 2002 to launch the Anzac Day game instead of the traditional Kangaroos v Kiwis Test. Outside of Origin and the grand final, it is rugby league’s best event.
SPOTTED
Another ex-NRL CEO and now cricket’s player union boss Todd Greenberg, having coffee in Moore Park with Cricket Australia’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley.
SURGERY FOR MATTY JOHNS
Fox Sports star Matty Johns is to undergo surgery to relieve weeks of severe back pain.
The former NRL star was in so much agony a week ago that his wife Trish even called an ambulance to their northern beaches home where he was treated by paramedics.
He has been prescribed strong painkillers to keep hosting his show.
“The specialist says that from years of playing I’ve got a spine like a broken old man,” Johns said. “There’s bulging discs, nerves out of place, everything’s going on there, it’s bloody painful. But as my old man used to say, you gotta keep turning up.”
The surgeon has assured Johns he will make a complete and quick recovery.
BULLDOGS’ BID FOR MEEHAN
Canterbury has failed in an attempt to sign boxer and ex-Roosters star Willis Meehan.
The 25-year-old was once rated the most promising young forward in the game but left the Roosters in 2015 while he was dealing with a number of off field issues.
The then 19-year-old was stood down by the club after he was charged with headbutting a man and stealing his watch near The Star casino. He was sentenced to 150 hours of community service.
Meehan made a boxing comeback in March after a two-year absence and knocked out his opponent in one round. He also troubled Paul Gallen in a spa before his fight with Lucas Browne.
The heavyweight was keen to have another crack at the NRL. He is a much-improved person these days, according to good sources.
Bulldogs recruitment boss Peter Sharp contacted the NRL but was told Meehan would need a clearance from the integrity unit.
SAM’S SUITORS REVEALED
The Newcastle Knights and Wests Tigers were the two NRL clubs trying to entice champion forward Sam Burgess out of medical retirement.
Burgess quit the NRL in 2019 but his advisor, Fox Sports star Braith Anasta, last week revealed two clubs had made approaches regarding a comeback.
Burgess, who is now 32, has rejected the offers. He has been filming the Channel 7 show SAS Australia in Lithgow for the last two weeks.
According to Anasta, Burgess is interested in coaching opportunities rather than playing.
If cleared by the NRL, he is likely to rejoin the Rabbitohs next year on new coach Jason Demetriou’s staff.
FRIEND’S ORIGIN CALL
The Queensland Maroons want retired Roosters warhorse Jake Friend as part of their State of Origin campaign this year.
Coach Paul Green has known Friend since he was a 14-year-old elite junior at the Queensland academy of sport with other young rugby league hopefuls.
Friend played only three matches for the Maroons during his career but probably would have played 30 if it wasn’t for a handy player called Cameron Smith.
He was voted as the Maroons player of the series last year.
Green has yet to define a role for Friend but has plans to use him at various stages of the series to help out, especially with the younger members of the squad.
HEAVYWEIGHT PHONE CALL
Former Panthers star Lou Zivanovic got a surprise international phone call before his wedding extravaganza on Hayman Island last weekend.
It was none other than heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson, a great mate of one of the guests at the wedding, Jeff Fenech.
Tyson had heard all about the boxer that Zivanovic has mentored and sponsored – rising featherweight star Brock Jarvis, who could soon be fighting for a world title.
Tyson even offered to be in Jarvis’ corner if he fights in America.
COACH AND CALLER
Apart from his expert commentary on Fox Sports and 2GB, Shane Flanagan is doing some nice work in putting back into rugby league in Cronulla juniors.
The 2016 premiership-winning coach has been spotted helping out at the Como Crocodiles, the Gymea Gorillas and the Kurnell Stingrays.
He has been doing sessions with coaches on skills and development in all age groups, but stressing the importance of allowing the kids to have fun.
DOCTOR ON CALL FOR NRL
Dr David Heslop is the unsung hero the NRL turned to last year to rescue the game when all looked lost due to COVID-19.
Heslop devised the rigidly tight biosecurity protocols that ultimately convinced the NSW and QLD governments to allow the season to resume and continue right throughout the extended season.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys and CEO Andrew Abdo thought so much of Heslop’s contribution, his future in the game has been made permanent.
Heslop has been appointed chairman of the game’s restructured medical advisory panel so he can continue to provide policy advice directly to the commission on Covid, concussion and every other medical issue in the game.
TABLE FOR TWO
There were a couple of very handy old Wests Tigers players out to dinner in Leichhardt on Friday night who Michael Maguire would love to have back at his struggling club.
We spotted Sydney Roosters superstar James Tedesco and Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses enjoying dinner at the fabulous Grappa Italian eatery.
No doubt the performances of their old club was a topic of conversation.
Originally published as Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Trent Barrett’s secret meeting with Storm star Brandon Smith
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