Sport Confidential: Raiders clap back at Corey Parker, Cowboys reject Jack Gosiewski release to Broncos
The Cowboys are working hard to defend their roster, fending off rival clubs from a poaching war for one of their young stars, as well as rejecting another player’s release request from the club.
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The Cowboys face a huge battle to retain Kulikefu Finefeuiaki with Queensland rivals the Dolphins launching a $1.8 million poaching bid for the young gun.
Sport Confidential understands the Dolphins have upped the ante, tabling a three-year deal worth around $600,000 a season for the blockbusting back-rower.
Finefeuiaki goes into Friday night’s derby against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium as a man in demand with at least three clubs eyeing off the explosive forward.
The 20-year-old is off-contract at season’s end and while he is happy at the Cowboys, he faces a battle for a regular starting spot behind star back-rowers Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki.
That has opened the door for the Dolphins, who, according to coach Wayne Bennett, have “millions to spend” under the salary cap and could trump the Cowboys in a bidding war.
But the Cowboys are refusing to give up hope of retaining Finefeuiaki, just as they did when they staved off rival offers for Luki and Nanai.
The 105kg forward made his NRL debut last season, impressing with his bench impact in 12 appearances, leading to his starting debut against the Titans in round 22.
An Ipswich junior, Finefeuiaki plays his 16th NRL game against the Broncos, who got a close-up view of his hard running and tackle-busting power in last month’s trial in Mackay.
“We’ve got a plan to keep him, absolutely,” Payten said.
“He is still only 20, he doesn’t turn 21 until the end of the season (in December).
“Kulikefu is still learning his trade and understanding what it’s like to be professional.
“He has an abundance of ability so we’re excited and hopeful that we can keep him.”
NRL’S NEW SPICIEST FEUD
It hasn’t taken long. Canberra coach Ricky Stuart and Broncos legend Corey Parker are off the Christmas card list.
Stuart’s Raiders have hit back at Parker with a cheeky social-media post after the Queensland Origin great’s comments about Canberra went down like a lead balloon in the nation’s capital.
Now a Fox Sports commentator, Parker wrote a column for CODE Sports explaining why he wouldn’t want to play for the Raiders, also adding Canberra, in his view, isn’t a great place to live.
It is understood Stuart was furious with Parker’s assessment. When Parker attended GIO Stadium to cover their recent clash against Wests Tigers, the Raiders gave ‘Cozza’ a chilly welcome on social media, posting an image of him with the comment: “Great to see Canberra tourism ambassador Corey Parker in the house!”.
There are suggestions Raiders players will refuse interviews with Parker, but the former Broncos skipper says he has no issue with Stuart or the club.
“I saw a sign on the wall (in the Raiders dressing shed) that said, ‘F*** them’, and clearly that’s aimed at the media,” Parker said.
“There’s no issue with Ricky from my end.
“The Raiders put me on their Instagram the other day as their minister for defence.
“If Canberra are listening to my opinion, heaven help us.
“I wrote an article saying the Raiders weren’t a club I would go to for various reasons, but it’s nothing personal against Ricky or the club.
“If I see him and he brushes me, I guess that’s how it is, but if I was a player again, I would love to play under Ricky because I can see he cares about his players.”
COWBOYS REJECT RELEASE
The Queensland derby has been given some extra spice with the Cowboys denying Jack Gosiewski an immediate release to the Broncos ahead of their Friday night blockbuster.
The Cowboys back-rower sought permission to negotiate with rival clubs, sparking the interest of the Broncos, who are looking to bolster their forward stocks on the eve of the round 4 XXXX derby at Suncorp Stadium.
It is understood Gosiewski wants to be closer to his ill mother. The 29-year-old joined the Cowboys last year and has come into their starting 17 in recent weeks as North Queensland reel from a series of injuries.
Gosiewski has spoken with Cowboys coach Todd Payten and while the club is sympathetic to his plight, North Queensland football boss Micheal Luck has closed the door on an urgent Broncos transfer.
Luck says a release down the track remains an option, but added the Cowboys remain hopeful of keeping Gosiewski as they battle their own injury dramas.
“Jack has asked us for permission to negotiate,” Luck said.
“We are totally understanding of Jack’s personal situation.
“We’ve committed to Jack that we will work towards a solution.
“At this stage, we won’t be releasing him. That’s not to say it won’t happen it all, but right now, Jack will be with us.
“There’s some compassionate grounds and we’re more than prepared to work with Jack to give him what he needs to spend more time with his mum.”
Brisbane have taken a hit as well after the loss of Brendan Piakura and Payne Haas. The Broncos are believed to be interested in bringing Gosiewski on board if he can secure a release from the Cowboys.
Gosiewski has been named on North Queensland’s bench for the Broncos derby and is handy back-row support for Heilum Luki and Jeremiah Nanai following the departure of Luciano Leilua.
“Toddy (Payten) has been great,” Luki said. “He will give Jack whatever dispensation he wants to be as close as he can to his mum.
“At the moment, it’s a position we aren’t thick on, we’ve released Luciano and Heilum has been injured.
“Jack has something to offer us, he has been great for us, he was good last week and we’re expecting him to be good against the Broncos.”
The Broncos went to the open market a fortnight ago in a bid to add an extra back-rower to their stocks as insurance for youngster Piakura.
Brisbave have around $300,000 to spend and Gosiewski is in the right price range. Another option is former NSW Origin enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr, who joined Brisbane’s feeder club Souths Logan a fortnight ago and is building match fitness in the Queensland Cup.
In other Broncos news, club legend Corey Parker fears Brisbane could struggle to retain star centres Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs in the face of a salary-cap crunch ready to bite hard at Red Hill.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Broncos have a whopping 14 players – almost half their full-time squad – coming off contract at the end of 2025.
The contingent includes Cobbo, Staggs, skipper Adam Reynolds, Kobe Hetherington, Xavier Willison and boom hooker Blake Mozer, all of whom will be free agents from November 1 this year.
Another highly-rated top-liner coming off contract is Reece Walsh’s understudy Tristan Sailor, who faces a potential positional roadblock at the Broncos and may seek regular game time elsewhere.
Penrith’s hat trick of premierships have cost them a number of star players and now the Broncos are confronting similar salary-cap pressures following their charge to last year’s grand final.
In the past 12 months, the Broncos have outlaid more than $5 million on mega multi-year upgrades for Ezra Mam, Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Walsh, who is tipped to formally sign within the month.
The Broncos remain confident they have crunched the numbers to retain the likes of Cobbo and Staggs, but Parker admits Brisbane could be blown out of the water in a bidding war – especially for Cobbo.
“The reality is the Broncos face losing someone, they won’t be able to keep everyone,” Parker said.
“The Broncos will struggle to keep Selwyn because he is a rising star, everyone has seen what he can do and his best football is ahead of him.
“I would hate to see Selwyn or Kotoni leave, but the reality is the 16 other clubs are going to go hard for them.
“It’s a huge headache for Brisbane to decide which player to prioritise.
“Selwyn is a huge attraction on the open market.
“He can play fullback, wing and centre, so if you are his manager, you would be selling him on the open market as a fullback and suddenly his earnings potential goes towards the $1 million mark.
“Kotoni signed a four-year deal back when the Broncos got the wooden spoon and there was some suggestion he might play five-eighth at the time. I don’t know if ‘Tones’ gets that same money based on the salary cap now.
“At the moment, the Broncos have shown their hand by upgrading Reece, Patty and Ezra, but is there enough money left for Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs?”
The Broncos lost Kurt Capewell, Tom Flegler, Herbie Farnworth and Keenan Palasia to rival clubs this season and it will take some salary-cap mastery to avoid more departures at Red Hill.
Champion skipper Reynolds is tipped to retire at the end of next year, which could free up around $600,000 to retain the likes of Cobbo, Staggs and Sailor.
BROWN EYEING TITANIC MOVE
Former Dragons, Knights and Warriors coach Nathan Brown is in talks with the Gold Coast Titans to join Des Hasler’s rebuilding mission.
Brown has left his pathways position at Parramatta ahead of a family move to the Gold Coast and has been in negotiations with the Titans for a number of months about a potential new position at the club.
The parties are yet to reach an agreement as the Titans review the set up of their football operations amid a shocking start to the NRL season.
The Titans recently parted ways with long-time junior pathways boss Jamie McCormack and there could be a further shake-up of the system if a deal is struck with Brown.
It has become clear that the Titans’ roster is in need of work, with too much money invested in the forward pack and not enough in the all-important spine.
Upon taking charge of the Titans, Hasler gave the bulk of former coach Justin Holbrook’s support staff a year to prove they were worth retaining.
But it has become glaringly obvious changes are needed at Parkwood and Brown could be one of the first acquisitions.
Titans CEO Steve Mitchell pleaded for patience and said the club wouldn’t be making wholesale changes.
“We’re two games in. Des has been in the game for 45 years as a coach and player. He knows the way this journey rolls,” he said.
“He’s patient. He will go to work and get some things right that he knows are fundamentally important to our game. He will run a course.
“This is a long season and we’re at the very start of it.
“We don’t make wholesale cuts.
“This is about getting a playing group together over seasons ahead and building a really good core base to be successful with.”
COWBOY LASSOS NEW DEAL
Injured Cowboys forward Coen Hess is on the verge of securing a contract extension at North Queensland.
Hess won’t play an NRL game this season after suffering an ACL injury during the trials competition.
It was a bitter blow for the former Queensland Origin forward, who resurrected his career in recent years following a flat patch.
Off-contract at season’s end, Hess found himself in a tough position. But the Cowboys will show faith and hand him a multi-year extension.
Coach Todd Payten said Hess was in good spirits around the club despite his tough situation.
“He is still on crutches but his attitude is great,” he said.
“He’s always good to have around the group, he’s always got a smile on his face and makes blokes laugh.
“He is pretty pragmatic about what’s happening and that’s a great attitude to have
“He’s got a long way to go, but it’s important for myself as a coach to have him around the group.
“We’re talking about getting him to a couple of away games and I want him to get some work done off the field away from footy as well with his ambition around strength and conditioning.
“He’s an important cog in our team and we’ve got to support him as best as we can.”
TITAN A COOKED CHOOK
Roosters premiership-winner Sam Verrills has spoken about his relegation to the bench at the Gold Coast Titans.
Verrills started at hooker for the Roosters in the 2019 NRL grand final triumph over Canberra.
He was released by the Chooks last year following the signing of Brandon Smith and secured a deal at the Titans, where it was thought he’d be a walk-up starter in the No. 9 jersey.
But that’s now how things have eventuated, with new Titans coach Des Hasler opting for Chris Randall as starting hooker this season.
“It’s what Dessie wants,” Verrills said.
“If it’s going to make the team better then I’ll be happy to do what we’re doing.
“Randy is such a solid defender and player. He takes a bit of sting out of the game.
“It’s whatever Des wants and I’m happy to do what he wants.
“I came off the bench at the start of my career. I’m still getting a lot of game time and it’s the way the team’s rolling at the moment.
“Obviously I want to be a starting player but I’m happy to come off the bench at the moment and do what’s best for the team.”
TEVITA’S MAC ATTACK
Former NRL star-turned-professional boxer Tevita Pangai Jr celebrated his latest win in style – at McDonald’s.
The ex-Broncos and Bulldogs powerhouse couldn’t resist a Macca’s run with fellow fighters Desley Robinson an hour after his brutal third-round stoppage of rival Raphael Sa’u at Ipswich last Saturday night.
There was some star appeal at the fight, with Pangai’s former Broncos colleague Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, Tom Flegler and Anthony Milford in the crowd to support their good mate.
Pangai Jr thoroughly earned his Big Mac after producing a savage performance that shows he has some promise in the heavyweight division.
The 28-year-old will continue to turn out for Queensland Cup side Souths Logan in the hope of scoring an NRL contract with the Broncos later this year.
EX-BRONCOS’ BONDI BONANZA
Former Broncos Academy young guns Xavier and De La Salle Va’a are kicking major goals at the Roosters.
The monster duo will stay at Bondi until the end of 2026 after inking two-year extensions with the Roosters, who have big plans for the Towers of Terror they poached from the Broncos in 2021.
At 193cm and 116kg, hulking Xavier, 20, has captained the Queensland under-19s and is being groomed to fill the front-row void when enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves departs at season’s end.
His younger brother De La Salle is scarily bigger at 194cm and 115kg. He was bigger than most NRL forwards as a 15-year-old and has been monstering opponents in the Roosters’ lower grades.
It seems only a matter of time before the Va’a boys, who are also talented boxers, wear Roosters colours in the NRL.
TITANIC WAR ON FIRE ANTS
Titans supremo Dennis Watt has warned Gold Coast’s training fields could be closed _ and players’ welfare jeopardised _ as the club declares war on the pesky Queensland fire ant.
A concerned Watt has made a nationwide appeal amid revelations fire ants have infiltrated the Gold Coast and NSW Northern Rivers and could wreak more havoc than Jarryd Hayne at Parkwood.
A Gold Coast local league club was forced to postpone a game last year due to a fire-ant outbreak at their ground and Watt fears a similar invasion could threaten the Titans’ training base.
That’s prompted the club to join forces with the National Fire Ant Eradication program, with Watt outlining plans to win a Titanic battle against the pest by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Watt says a fire-ant attack on a Titans player could trigger the type of anaphylactic shock suffered by Moses Mbye, who collapsed during Queensland Origin camp in 2019 due to a food allergy.
“We are happy to be part of this war on the fire ants. We want to ensure they go no further,” Watt said.
“The fire ants have moved down to this area on the Gold Coast and there’s a threat there that it could be a national challenge.
“The reality is we wouldn’t be able to train here (if fire ants descended on Parkwood).
“They are potentially very dangerous in terms of anaphylactic reactions (for the players), so we wouldn’t be able to use the fields.
“Our supporters, members and sporting fans in general need to be alert of fire-ant nests because there is a risk they could spread nationwide.
“We all have to work together to eradicate this menace and do it by 2032 when the Olympics come around.”
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