NRL 2024: Reece Walsh could be Bollywood star, Peter V’landys rejects Andrew Abdo rift rumours | Sport Confidential
Forget Hollywood. Broncos golden boy Reece Walsh could be headed for Bollywood, after the NRL enlisted Indian journalists to promote rugby league’s historic double header in Las Vegas.
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Forget Hollywood. Broncos golden boy Reece Walsh could be headed for Bollywood.
The Broncos jetted out of town bound for Los Angeles on Thursday and as part of rugby league’s historic double header in Las Vegas, the NRL reached out to overseas media to promote the event.
The NRL exhausted several avenues to maximise publicity, including enlisting journalists from India and Hong Kong to interview Brisbane superstar fullback Reece Walsh.
India is known for its religious obsession with cricket but with his movie star good looks, Walsh could well become a Bollywood star in the world’s most populous nation.
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys last year hailed Walsh as rugby league’s version of Justin Bieber and believes the Broncos whiz-kid is the code’s most marketable figure since Cronulla pin-up boy Andrew Ettingshausen in the 1980s.
Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy lauded the 21-year-old’s ability to cope with his off-field adulation and meteoric rise to NRL stardom.
“Reece has done a brilliant job on and off the field at our club since he has been back,” Donaghy said.
“Until you walk in these guys’ shoes, you’re not sure. You don’t know what they are experiencing. The challenge for our club is to ensure we put the appropriate pieces around them to succeed off the field, but also on the field.
“There is no doubting Reece’s popularity. I’m sure he is inspiring a generation of future young fullbacks coming through.
“I have found him to be really grounded. I have found Reece to be really patient and accommodating for people that are wanting photos or selfies and that’s an important part of being a professional footballer these days.
“He understands that and is taking it in his stride. I am sure there will be ups and downs with Reece, he is only a young man, but we will do everything we can to support him and help him realise his potential.”
CAP DOESN’T FIT FOR COWBOY
Deposed Cowboys co-captain Chad Townsend faces a hefty pay cut should the playmaker wish to remain at the club next season.
Townsend is off-contract at season’s end and Sport Confidential can reveal North Queensland are facing a major salary-cap squeeze to keep the 33-year-old premiership winner in Townsville in 2025.
The Cowboys were criticised for signing Townsend to a three-year deal at the end of 2021, but the former Sharks shot-caller was magnificent in North Queensland’s fairytale 2022 campaign.
One of the game’s ultimate professionals, Townsend remains in good shape, but the 242-game veteran is on around $700,000 this season and the Cowboys face giving new co-captain Reuben Cotter a major pay rise.
Cotter’s new co-skipper Tom Dearden has also been handed a lucrative five-year deal, leaving little room in the cap for Townsend, who may opt to retire at season’s end.
V’LANDYS SLAMS ABDO RUMOURS
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has slammed suggestions Andrew Abdo is a dead-man walking amid speculation the NRL chief executive is on the outer with clubs.
V’landys has launched a passionate defence of his CEO and addressed claims the ARLC boss is eyeing a position as executive chairman in a move that could trigger the departure of Abdo.
V’landys and Abdo have been the dynamic duo that have led the NRL out of crisis, steering the code clear of near bankruptcy during Covid to deliver record revenue in excess of $700 million.
But amid the sport’s unprecedented riches, there have been reports Abdo has lost the support of some NRL clubs.
For V’landys to entertain the thought of being NRL executive chairman, he would have to resign as NSW Racing boss, but he is adamant about two things.
One, Abdo will not be shown the door. And, two, there are no moves afoot to beef-up his role as ARLC chair in the wake of his three-year extension on Wednesday.
“It’s complete rubbish,” V’landys said of the executive chairman rumours.
“I am not interested in that role _ I will never do it.
“Why would I want to do it? I am busy enough with my roles at the NRL and NSW Racing, so I don’t want the executive chairman’s role.”
V’landys raised eyebrows last month when he said of Abdo: “His intention is right, but he gets into arguments with people. We all have weaknesses. I certainly do. Andrew needs to work on those areas he’s not strong on.”
Those comments were viewed as a criticism of Abdo, but V’landys is offended at any inference he has lost faith in his chief lieutenant at League Central.
“All this talk about Andrew’s future is complete fabrication,” he said.
“Why would I want any other role when I have Andrew running the show.
“He is by far the best CEO in Australian sport. Daylight is second.
“He is a 10-star CEO, you will never get a better performer.
“I have never seen anyone work as hard as Andrew, he works his butt off for the game and people in the game don’t appreciate him. He is a tireless worker. I actually feel sorry for him having a chairman like me, who wants everything yesterday.
“Andrew is by far the best CEO I have ever worked with. Every challenge I give him, he is up to it.”
TEVITA’S PLEASURE AND PAYNE
Brisbane’s superstar prop Payne Haas has urged the Broncos to throw Tevita Pangai Jr a lifeline after the Tongan torpedo officially began his comeback to rugby league.
Sport Confidential can reveal Pangai Jr had his first training session with Souths Logan on Wednesday night as the controversial ex-Bulldogs and NSW Origin star plots his path back to a potential return to the Broncos.
Pangai Jr remains committed to full-time boxing – his next fight is on March 23 in Ipswich – and the 28-year-old spent time over summer training with his good mate Haas, one of Brisbane’s fittest players.
Haas and Pangai Jr have kept in touch since TPJ’s departure from the Broncos midway through the 2021 season. While Haas is leaving salary-cap business to Broncos bosses, he would relish the prospect of reuniting with the 118kg wrecking ball in Brisbane’s pack.
“Hopefully Tevita can come back to rugby league,” Haas said.
“He is retired at the moment, so we’ll see what happens.
“Obviously you would love to have a player like Tevita at your club, but my focus is just on the team we have now.
“I feel like Tevita is in his prime now and if he ever did want to come back, it would be great. Everyone knows what kind of player he can be, but all I’m worried about right now is the team we have.”
Pangai Jr is taking his next fight seriously. The 28-year-old has moved out of his Brisbane family home at the urging of his wife, hiring an Airbnb apartment to live and train in solitude for six weeks to ensure there is no complacency ahead of his fourth professional fight.
BIGHEAD HERBIE
Herbie Farnworth’s ascension to the hottest player in the NRL has gone to his head – according to his Dolphins teammates.
Farnworth was last week ranked No. 1 in The NRL Roast’s Hottest 100 of 2024 poll, pipping Broncos trio Reece Walsh, Jordan Riki and Pat Carrigan.
And Farnworth hasn’t missed the results, according to Dolphins halfback Sean O’Sullivan.
“He’s been non-stop,” O’Sullivan said with a laugh.
“I had breakfast with him the other day and the first thing he said was ‘number one’ and showed me.
“He’s been getting into Jordan Riki because he was fourth. Herbie has been sending him non-stop texts.
“He didn’t need his ego boosted but they definitely did that.”
The Dolphins will put up with Farnworth’s boasting if he continues his hot form with his new club this year.
FERMOR NOT SON’S FAVOURITE
Titans forward Beau Fermor is hoping to win over his son when he returns to the footy field this weekend.
Fermor will play his first game in more than a year in the Titans’ trial against Parramatta at Ipswich.
It has been a long road back from a serious knee injury suffered on the eve of last year’s NRL season.
In that time, Fermor and wife Monique’s first son, Coopa (21 months), has become a big fan of the Titans.
But he hasn’t seen his dad play for a while and halfback Tanah Boyd has become his favourite Titans player.
“One of the positives of doing my knee was I got to spend a lot more time at home with my son Coopa and watch him grow up,” Fermor said.
“I’m excited to play. He was watching the game on the weekend and understands who the Titans are and he was calling out the boys’ names.
“I’m excited for him to see dad on TV and at games because he was a bit young when I last played to realise what was going on.
“He likes goalkicking, he gets really excited, so I’d have to say Tanah (is his favourite) at the moment.
“I might need to take over the goalkicking.”
It’s been a big month for Fermor, who welcomed second son Herbie just over a week ago and will now make his playing return.
THE FULL NELSON
Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona is planning a return to the boxing ring … and he is eventually eyeing off Tevita Pangai Jr.
The 130kg monster made a thunderous boxing debut last October when he subjected Dolphins prop Jarrod Wallace to a fearsome pummelling that suggested ‘NAS’ has a future in the fight game.
Asofa-Solomona has broken opponents’ arms in sparring in Melbourne, such is the Storm prop’s raw power.
It is understood the Kiwi Test star is keen to fight again later this year. He wants to build some experience in the ring before eventually setting his sights on Pangai Jr, who quit the NRL last August to become a professional boxer and is undefeated in three bouts.
The prospect of a NAS v TPJ heavyweight blockbuster would be one of the NRL’s great super fights.
AFL FEUD LOCKED IN
Former Western Bulldogs premiership winner Clay Smith will continue his professional boxing journey in an all-AFL showdown with ex-Carlton representative Damien Lock.
Smith launched his pro career with a second-round stoppage of Matthew Erceg last December and now ‘Showtime’ will throw down with Lock on a Team Ellis card in Melbourne on May 4.
“I’m really looking forward to my next fight,” Smith said. “It was good to get the first pro fight out of the way and keep building.
“It should be a good scrap against Damien, he’s another footy player turned boxer.
“After I finish with him, I would love a crack at Kayne Pettifer if he beats Dale Thomas.”
Meanwhile, unbeaten Australian middleweight Mitchell Leek will headline the card chasing his 10th consecutive win after his brutal first-round knockout of Lachlan Higgins last year.
“Over the next 12 to 18 months I would love to see myself at the top of the division and one of the number one middleweight contenders on a world stage,” Leek said.
“The next fight is one where we will step up in opponent again and defend my new Australasian title.
“Team Ellis Promotions has been a massive support in stepping my career up to the next level.
“They have highly talented boxers with multiple titleholders on their shows, which are action-packed.
“It’s a huge privilege to not only fight on their show but have their backing and support from day one throughout my career thus far.”
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