Sam Burgess’ hair-pull on Billy Smith explained, shock as NRL Mad Monday passes without incident
South Sydney’s season is in danger of ending and the reason for skipper Sam Burgess tugging on the locks of Sydney Roosters rookie Billy Smith can be revealed. PLUS, the biggest Mad Monday shock yet.
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- Roosters star set to miss big match after judiciary call
- It’s now do-or-die for Souths after brutal reality check
SAINT
PETER Beattie’s decision to stand down as chairman of rugby league’s independent commission was an honourable and unselfish call for the good of the game, unlike his predecessor John Grant, who painfully overstayed his use-by date and had to be dragged out. Despite a couple of slip-ups, Beattie did a good job as chairman.
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SAINT II
THE death of Mad Monday for NRL clubs. No nude footy players on page one. No one asleep outside pubs or vomiting in the gutter. No assaults. And no complaints to the RSPCA.
SINNER
Big Andrew Bogut’s foul-mouthed spray after our cruel basketball loss to Spain at the World Cup in China. Yes, the ref screwed us over and his emotions boiled over, but that is no excuse for behaving like our tennis brats.
SHOOSH
WHICH NRL club is brazenly rorting the salary cap by asking their major corporate partners to become third-party sponsors of star players? It is exactly the same as what brought down Parramatta Eels and Cronulla. And surprise, surprise, the same player agent is involved in all of them.
SHOOSH II
IT wouldn’t be a finals series without speculation over the future of hall-of-fame commentator Ray Warren. Channel 9 is hopeful the old legend will go around again next year but is putting no pressure on the great man.
SHOOSH III
WHICH long-term assistant coach can’t get a start at a certain NRL team because the CEO and football general manager refuse to deal with his agent?
LISTEN! Matty Johns, Brett Finch and Paul Kent have a look at the first week of the finals, Ben Ikin’s run-in with Sticky, why the Titans are such a mess and Russell Crowe’s book of feuds.
SPOTTED
ST George Illawarra Dragons players on a harbour “Mad Sunday” cruise after arriving home from the Gold Coast game against the Titans. We are very happy to report that all the boys were well behaved.
SPOTTED II
EX-Knights coach Nathan Brown training hard in Newcastle with club legends Paul “Chief” Harragon and Danny Buderus. The pair is preparing to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and funds for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
SPOTTED III
MANLY legend Graham “Wombat” Eadie, who is recovering from heart surgery, enjoying a round of golf at the Mirage Country Club in Port Douglas.
SPOTTED IV
THE mad Mark “Jacko” Jackson rumbling with a poker machine at the Envy Hotel on the Gold Coast. Golfer Wayne Grady was having a beer in the same pub.
SAM BLAMED ROOKIE FOR FACEBOOK SCANDAL
The real reason Sam Burgess exploded and pulled the hair of Sydney Roosters rookie Billy Smith can finally be revealed.
It goes back to May last year when the South Sydney Rabbitohs skipper was implicated in a lewd photo scandal on social media that NRL rookie Smith inadvertently got dragged into it.
The 23-year-old woman who complained to the Rabbitohs and the NRL integrity unit was later identified as one of Smith’s close friends.
The Roosters player was even interviewed by integrity unit investigators at the time.
He was cleared of having any role in the publication of the photos, or having any knowledge of the women’s Facebook chat on Burgess’ verified social media account, in which a man exposed himself.
The Rabbitohs were well aware of Burgess’ anger towards the young Roosters star before last week’s game at ANZ Stadium.
The brain-snap hair pull cost Burgess a start in Friday night’s semi-final against the Roosters.
His leadership was desperately missed. Burgess has missed eight of the Rabbitohs’ last 10 games through injuries and ill-discipline.
ARTHUR PUNTS POTTER FROM PARRA
PARRAMATTA Eels have punted assistant coach Mick Potter for next season.
Eels general manager Mark O’Neill says it was Brad Arthur’s decision, which is surprising considering the team have gone from wooden spooners to fifth on the ladder this year.
“Pottsy is a terrific bloke and has done a wonderful job,” O’Neill said. “I was consulted but it was Brad’s call. Assistants are appointed by the head coach.”
O’Neill said no decision will be made on a replacement until after the season.
Potter, a Dally M player of the year winner, has coached at Wests Tigers, Newcastle and Parramatta.
CAUGHT IN COMBAT
Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley has been caught in the middle of a dispute between two of his nearest and dearest — Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and commentator Brett Finch.
“I love ‘em both,” Crawley said, “I went to Finchy’s wedding and Sticky’s 50th birthday party last year.”
Stuart was furious after Finch blew up and called for a 20-week suspension in the Fox Sports broadcast when Hudson Young was caught eye-gouging for the second time this year.
“Finchy’s a players’ commentator who can sometimes be a bit inclined to go easy on them,” Crawley said, “It takes a lot for him to criticise anyone, so when he does I sit up and take notice.
“And Ricky’s the best at looking after his players. They’ll sort it out.”
Finch insists he won’t be changing his ways.
“If Steve Crawley has any advice, I obviously take it on board,” he said. “Other than that, I’m just doing the job to the best of my ability.”
@NRLKnights I have been a loyal supporter of the club, good times & bad since 88 when I was 11. This season leaves me with a change in attitude towards the club.
— MJ Burkill (@mjburkill) September 10, 2019
The effort of the players & the management of the club has been unacceptable.
I won't be renewing my membership.
KNIGHTS’ FANS FURORE
THE Knights are facing a massive social-media backlash from their loyal supporters after a terrible season and the pathetic capitulation to Penrith last weekend.
The above example from a fan, MJ Burkill, shows the mood on Twitter.
MARY’S FATE ISN’T GUS’S CALL
ST George Illawarra chief executive Brian Johnston says Phil Gould will not make a decision on the future of embattled coach Paul McGregor.
Gould has been hired to conduct a review of the Dragons’ football operations and has publicly stated McGregor will be remaining as coach next season.
The Dragons board meets this week to discuss the team’s dismal season.
“The decision on the coaching and chief executive positions at St George Illawarra are made by the board,” Johnston said.
“Everything will be discussed next week when the board meets.”
COURTING CONTROVERSY WITH MARGARET
NEXT year’s Australian Open is the 50th anniversary of tennis legend Margaret Court becoming the first woman to win the grand slam (all four majors).
Normally this would be a major celebration of one of Australia’s greatest sporting feats.
Also, Serena Williams will be in Melbourne trying to equal Court’s record of 24 majors.
It is an extremely delicate issue due to Court’s much-publicised anti-gay stance and the lobbying last year to have her name removed from Margaret Court Arena.
Even broadcaster Channel 9 has been consulted on the issue.
Open officials want to acknowledge the milestone but are fearful of an international backlash.
A decision is expected to be made by the board of Tennis Australia next month.
CECCHIN THE RIGHT CALL
THE appointment of Matt “Chicken Legs” Cecchin to Saturday night’s Sea Eagles-Sharks semi at Brookvale Oval was made by Head of Football Graham Annesley, not referees boss Bernard Sutton.
We’re told the popular Cecchin was originally to miss out on one of the four NRL finals games before Annesley stepped in to convince Sutton he was the right man for the job.
LYON KING
AT 37 years of age and three seasons after quitting the NRL, Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles veteran Jamie Lyon is still blitzing them in bush football. He scored three tries to captain-coach Ballina to victory in the Northern Rivers grand final last weekend.
STEADY, TIGER
WESTS Tigers star Ryan Matterson is desperately missing life at Sydney Roosters. He has told officials he does not enjoy playing under Michael Maguire and that his game is not improving under the coaching support staff. He also wants more money. Apart from that, everything’s sweet.
HOORAY HODGO
DESPITE a rough initiation to NRL coaching as the interim mentor at Gold Coast Titans, Craig Hodges is highly regarded throughout the game.
This is why Melbourne Storm is so pleased Hodges has been appointed head coach of Brisbane Easts, one of their feeder clubs.
“Craig’s a good operator and we’re really happy about it,” Storm football general manager Frank Ponissi said.
Originally published as Sam Burgess’ hair-pull on Billy Smith explained, shock as NRL Mad Monday passes without incident
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