Sport Confidential: Jai Arrow warns against any move of Pat Carrigan to prop
The departure of Tom Flegler to the Dolphins leaves a large hole in the Broncos front-row rotation, and while Pat Carrigan is more than capable of filling it, one Maroons star says it’s a mistake.
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Broncos lock Pat Carrigan has emerged as a shock contender to replace Dolphins-bound enforcer Tom Flegler in Brisbane’s front-row next season.
Sport Confidential understands Carrigan is one of several names who have been discussed as a possible replacement to fill the huge void left by Flegler in Brisbane’s starting front row.
Carrigan has become a Test and Origin star with his brilliant performances in the Broncos’ no.13 jumper, but there is a view he could easily make the shift as a middle forward to partner Payne Haas in the engine room.
That would potentially allow the hardworking Kobe Hetherington to come off the bench and start at lock in a middle-forward alliance with Haas and Carrigan.
Other contenders for Flegler’s No.8 jumper include Corey Jensen, rising prop Xavier Willison and hulking bookend Fletcher Baker, who joins Brisbane from the Roosters next season.
A Carrigan-Haas front-row alliance would be a formidable partnership given their workrate, but the Maroons lock has proved a handy linkman for Brisbane halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam.
Carrigan’s Maroons teammate Jai Arrow is equally versatile, capable of playing in the middle or an edge, and the South Sydney forward urged Broncos coach Kevin Walters to keep the status quo.
“I don’t think they should move him,” Arrow said.
“What he does for that team goes unnoticed … the amount of work he gets through and how well he plays the game.
“I’m not the coach but I’m sure there’s a young kid there willing to put his hand up and play front row.
“There’s no way they should move Patty.”
HERBIE’S CHEEKY DIG AT BRONCOS
Departing Broncos centre Herbie Farnworth showed his cheeky side at Brisbane’s presentation night ahead of his move to the Dolphins.
The Broncos made a special presentation to departing players Tom Flegler (Dolphins), Keenan Palasia (Titans) and Farnworth at the Paul Morgan Medal night.
Flegler made a speech on behalf of the trio, but that didn’t satisfy coach Kevin Walters who insisted Farnworth and Palasia also spoke.
Farnworth took the microphone and thanked the Broncos for giving him an opportunity in the NRL, before dropping a cheeky “Phins up!” which drew a laugh from the 1000-strong crowd.
Walters grabbed the microphone back and said “Phins down” before handing it to Palasia.
MAL’S SHOT AT ‘UNWANTED’ ROO
NRL Immortal Mal Meninga has hit back at explosive claims from Queensland Origin star Murray Taulagi that he defected to Samoa because the Australian coach didn’t care about him.
Taulagi will make his Samoa debut in Saturday’s Test against the Kangaroos – exactly a year after the Cowboys winger was blooded by Meninga for Australia’s World Cup campaign.
Taulagi dropped a bombshell on the eve of the Pacific Cup opener when he took aim at Meninga, saying he opted for Samoa because he was keen to “be under a coach that wanted me”.
It was clearly a veiled reference to Taulagi’s omission from Australia’s initial 21-man squad in favour of rival NSW winger Josh Addo-Carr, who was later rubbed out by the NRL due to ill-discipline at the recent Koori Knockout tournament.
Taulagi played for Australia’s Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea just three weeks ago, scoring a try in their 30-18 victory, but says he hasn’t heard from national coach Meninga since.
But Meninga set the record straight on suggestions he didn’t want Taulagi, saying the Maroons flyer was on standby to replace Addo-Carr in the event of his Australian scratching.
“It’s all to do with eligibility and we had Josh Addo-Carr selected in the squad ahead of Murray,” Meninga said.
“Samoa picked their squad and Murray was also eligible for them being a tier-two nation.
“If Murray was happy playing for Samoa, we were happy for him to go.”
The Cowboys ace added that even while wearing the green-and-gold of the Australian PM’s XIII last month he was already dreaming of playing for Samoa.
Taulagi’s comments are sure to go down like a lead balloon with Australian hierarchy and it could see his papers marked by Kangaroos selectors.
“You don’t hesitate to make that decision when you want to wear the blue,” Taulagi said.
“I spoke to my parents and (said that) I wanted to come here and represent the blue jersey and our small nation.
“Then our coach Benny Gardiner gave me a call before the team list got named and he wanted me to be there and be a part of this team.
“With him pushing me to come here as well, I thought that was pretty good from him and I wanted to be under a coach that wanted me.
“I didn’t really speak to Mal (Meninga). I just made the decision that I wanted to come and play here and I haven’t heard from Mal since.”
Meninga addressed claims from Taulagi that he didn’t bother reaching out to the Australia winger he debuted just 12 months ago at the World Cup.
“It’s right that Murray didn’t hear from me,” Meninga said.
“But that’s because he was already selected in the Samoan side when the decision was made on Josh Addo-Carr’s availability.
“It’s really that simple.
“Murray was actually the shadow for Josh Addo-Carr but with the way the process was structured, Samoa had picked him in their squad, so we couldn’t get him back out (to play for Australia).
“We couldn’t fit him in our team, but then the NRL integrity unit made the call on Addo-Carr and by that point, Taulagi was in the Samoan team.
“If he was happy playing for Samoa, we were happy to let him go.”
Kangaroos halfback Daly Cherry-Evans plays with Taulagi in the Queensland side, but has no issue with him turning out for Samoa.
“I’ve got no idea what happened,” he said.
“I wasn’t sure if he chose to change teams or got left out.
“With the way the rules are, he’s allowed to do that.
“As a player I don’t have a problem with it.
“He ticks boxes for both countries so he’s got the ability to do both.
“He’s a great player and will make them a better side, no doubt about it.”
LYNN BACK IN LEAGUE
World cricket superstar Chris Lynn will make a dramatic switch back to his true love in a rugby league charity game this weekend.
Lynn is one of a host of sporting superstars that have signed up to play in a charity rugby league game at Redcliffe on Saturday.
Lynn will join MMA star Mark Hunt and rugby union’s Piri Weepu along with a host of league legends to raise money for Carl Webb’s MND charity and Huntington’s disease.
Now a T20 gun for hire around the world, Lynn was a state level league halfback in his school days and will turn out in the MND Legends team alongside the likes of Greg Inglis, Brad Thorn, Matty Bowen and Petero Civoniceva.
The Huntington’s Legends team comprises Greg Bird, Todd Carney, Josh McGuire, and David Peachey.
The match kicks off at 3pm at Kayo Stadium with tickets available on Ticketek.
CHOPPER PACKS A PUNCH
Like father, like son.
Former Broncos conditioner Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess won a masters boxing world-title last Saturday and the 63-year-old capped a big night out by watching his son Isaiah, 16, fight on the same card.
Burgess is a three-time heavyweight amateur champion who has fought boxing greats Wladimir Klitschko and David Tua during his lengthy 114-bout career.
But no amount of titles can eclipse the feeling of being on the same card as his teenage son, who is also a state champion shot-putter at Marist College Ashgrove.
In the wake of his world-title win, Burgess claimed another gong – named Australia’s masters amateur fighter of the year.
“It was a blessing, my son has been in the gym with me since he was a toddler and to showcase his ability stunned the crowd,” Burgess said.
“I was honoured to be voted by my peers as fighter of the year.
“I’m 63 now and still love fighting, I’ve been asked to go to Vegas next year for a world title fight, but we’ll see how we go.
“To be alongside my son will always be a treasured memory.”
NAS WON’T QUIT STORM
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has called out Tongan Test rival Siosiua Taukeiaho and Roosters hitman Victor Radley in the wake of his stunning boxing debut.
The 131kg Storm giant made an immediate statement in the fight with his savage third-round stoppage of Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace in last Saturday’s NRL fight night in Townsville.
Asofa-Solomona dropped Wallace after just seven seconds and it has lit the fighting fuse in the 200cm heavyweight, who has another two big-name scalps on his hit list.
“The guy I want to fight next is Taukeiaho,” NAS said.
“He would be a good match up for me. He has had one fight and I’ve had one, so if he is keen, then I’d love to jump in the ring with him.
“I’m keen to jump in the ring with people I’ve had altercations with on the field and I’ve had some run-ins with Taukeiaho and Victor Radley.
“I would like to fight Radley, too. Victor is a bit smaller, so I’m not sure how it would work weight wise, but Siua is the one guy I’m looking at.”
Tevita Pangai Jnr dropped a bombshell by quitting the Bulldogs earlier this season to take up boxing but Asofa-Solomona has no plans to quit Melbourne.
“I’m committed to the Storm,” he said. “I’ve signed a four-year deal with them and I won’t be walking out on them.
“I love the club, but post-football I’d definitely like to do more boxing and see where I can go in the ring.”
ROO’S WEDDING WEEKEND
It is going to be a big weekend for Kangaroos forward Reuben Cotter.
The Cowboys workhorse will make his fourth Test appearance for Australia in front of a home crowd in Townsville on Saturday night in the World Cup rematch with Samoa.
After a few hours’ sleep, Cotter will be up early to prepare for his wedding to long-term partner Mackenzie Falco on Sunday.
Cotter and Falco locked in the wedding date long before the Pacific Championship tournament was announced.
As fate had it, the Kangaroos’ first game was scheduled for Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
Cotter hasn’t had to venture far from home for the tournament, with the Kangaroos going into camp at Airlie Beach, just a few hours’ south of Townsville.
The Kangaroos enjoyed a day off on Tuesday by heading to Hamilton Island for a round of golf on the picturesque Whitsundays course.
Not bad at all.
MAM’S SNAKE GOES MIA
Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam has barely put a foot wrong of late.
First, Mam produced one of the great NRL grand final performances with his hat-trick blitz of the Panthers.
Then he rocked a fashion-forward tuxedo with shorts and white socks to the Broncos’ presentation night.
But Mam hasn’t got everything right lately.
He accidentally left the cage that houses his two pet pythons – Bunker and Burner – open last week and one of them escaped.
We asked Mam if he’d found the missing snake last week and he confirmed it was still on the loose somewhere in his Ipswich house!
KEEBRA CLARIFIES TITANS SNUB
Keebra Park High School principal Adam Brandis insists a desire to have an exclusive arrangement with an NRL club wasn’t the driving factor in the decision to ditch the Gold Coast Titans for South Sydney.
The Rabbitohs this week announced a three-year partnership with the league nursery which has produced the likes of NRL superstars Benji Marshall, Payne Haas and Reece Walsh.
It follows a brief three-year arrangement with the Titans, which wasn’t extended and allowed the Rabbitohs to pounce on one of Queensland’s premier league schools.
The Titans have relationships with Palm Beach Currumbin and Marsden High schools and Keebra wanted the Gold Coast NRL club to commit solely to them.
But Brandis said that wasn’t the only reason Keebra opted to link with the Rabbitohs.
“It’s a really good opportunity for us. Souths are one of the iconic league clubs in Australia, a foundation club that’s had a long history of success,” he said.
“It’s not as much about leaving the Titans. We have to do our due-diligence as an organisation as well when MOUs end and have a look at different opportunities.
“A new opportunity came and when we broke it all down we thought that’s what was going to be best for our school and students in the future.
“Being a large organisation, that’s part of what we have to do. Sometimes it involves decisions to move in a different direction.
“We’re really excited the exclusiveness is part of it. It’s not the only part, but now we are really aligned with Souths and it provides us a really good opportunity to move the school forward.
“There’s different focus points now it’s a different club, organisation, coaching staff and business models. It’s a different opportunity for us to look at a new side of things.”
PANGAI DOLPHINS ADVICE
Wayne Bennett’s former trainer at the Broncos has urged Tevita Pangai Jnr to give up boxing and reunite with the super coach at the Dolphins.
Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess is one of Australia’s most decorated amateur boxers and the three-time heavyweight champion was a key member of Bennett’s staff during Brisbane’s premiership years.
After 40 years in the fight game, he knows a thing or two about boxing and he urged Pangai Jnr to return to the NRL after his six-round victory over Frank Amato last Saturday night.
Pangai Jnr showed great toughness but Burgess believes he is a better NRL player.
“To be honest, I was really disappointed in Tevita on the weekend,” Burgess said.
“His performance was quite poor. He fought a journeyman and if you can’t knock out Frank Amato in the opening rounds, then it’s going to be a long hard road to success.
“I think his stocks dropped as a boxer.
“His trainer Chris McCullen is a great trainer, but I expected more from Tevita and to be honest, he is a better league player than he is a boxer.
“My advice to Tevita is to call Wayne Bennett and sign with the Dolphins.
“He is a very good footballer, he is a State of Origin footballer, and I know Wayne can get the best out of him.
“Anthony Mundine and had some X-factor as boxers, but I didn’t see that with Tevita.
“Clearly he wasn’t happy at the Bulldogs, but I think Wayne knows how to make him happy and I would love to see Tevita finish his NRL career at the Dolphins.”
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