Sport Confidential: Dolphins lead charge to sign Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow from Cowboys
The NRL’s newest club is eyeing off a transfer market coup — check out all the latest NRL news and gossip in Sport Confidential.
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The Dolphins have emerged as frontrunners to sign Maroons flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow as he closes in on a move away from Townsville.
The North Queensland outside back has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs and has been on the radar of a host of sides who are enamoured with his speed and talent.
However, it is understood the Dolphins are the leading the way in the pursuit of the 21-year-old.
Tabuai-Fidow wants to play fullback but the Cowboys have made their intentions clear after they re-signed Scott Drinkwater to a long-term deal. That leaves Tabuai-Fidow, who has 12 months left on his deal, on the outs as he looks to lock down the No.1 jersey at another club.
The Dolphins were in the mix for Reece Walsh before he opted to join Brisbane and also harbour an interest in St George Illawarra youngster Tyrell Sloan, who has approached the Dragons over a release.
St George Illawarra have thus far refused to let him go. The Dolphins’ pursuit of Tabuai-Fidow indicates they are losing their fight to secure Sloan for their inaugural year in 2023.
Tabuai-Fidow played centre for Queensland in the Origin decider last year. He has already played 50 top grade games but spent a lot of time on North Queensland’s bench this year.
RABBITOHS STAR COOK SET TO LOSE TEST JERSEY
South Sydney hooker Damien Cook is on the cusp of losing his Kangaroos jersey.
The Australian selectors will finalise their 24-man World Cup squad on Monday but it is understood Cook could be the highest profile player to miss the squad.
The Kangaroos will take Ben Hunt and uncapped Harry Grant but are unlikely to find space on the plane for a third hooker. That will leave the NSW No.9 and incumbent Kangaroos hooker out of the World Cup squad.
Cook has started at dummy half in Australia’s past four matches since Cameron Smith’s representative retirement after the 2017 World Cup. Cook won’t be the only NSW rake to miss the plane. Api Koroisau has put his hand up to make his Kangaroos debut but is also likely to be overlooked.
Koroisau is eligible for Fiji but has made it clear he would love to put on the green and gold for the first time.
“If I get picked for Australia I’d play for Oz,” Koroisau said this week. “But if I don’t get picked I am more than happy to play for Fiji again.”
Dally M medallist Nicho Hynes is also unlikely to sneak into the squad as he battles with Matt Burton for a place. It is understood Burton has his nose in front.
A host of spots in Australia’s squad remains wide open. Grand finalists Liam Martin, Shaun Lane, Dylan Edwards and Clint Gutherson are in the mix.
Penrith co-captains Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo only need to come through Sunday’s game unscathed to make their Test debut.
HOW HAYNE WILL BE AIRBRUSHED FROM HISTORY
Jarryd Hayne has been doing his best to get a seat to Sunday night’s grand final but don’t expect to see him used as part of the pre-match coverage by the NRL or the Nine Network.
Confidential understands that both have taken the view that steering clear of Hayne is best advised given recent events involving the former Parramatta star.
Hayne was the inspiration behind the club’s charge to the 2009 grand final but any highlights of that season and the club’s loss to Melbourne are expected to include fleeting glimpses of Hayne at best.
Nine and the NRL already have a template for how to airbrush Hayne from history. Earlier this year, Parramatta chose to ignore footage of Hayne as they celebrated their 75-year anniversary.
Hayne wasn’t invited to the event and while the club ran highlights of 2009, they didn’t use any involving Hayne, one of the greatest players in Parramatta’s history.
The 34-year-old had a rape conviction quashed by the Court of Appeal earlier this year, resulting in his release from Cooma Correctional Centre after a nine-month stint in jail.
He will face a third trial in March. In recent days, he has taken to social media to voice his support for the Eels as they prepare for Sunday night’s decider.
MARSHALL-KING’S WORLD CUP REWARD
Jeremy Marshall-King is set to join his sibling Benji Marshall by becoming a Kiwi Test player. Marshall-King has been rewarded for his most consistent season in first grade after being picked in New Zealand’s World Cup squad.
Marshall-King and Canberra centre Seb Kris are among the would-be debutants. Veteran Shaun Johnson has been overlooked for the squad with Dylan Brown, Jahrome Hughes and Kieran Foran the preferred halves.
The Kiwis will be sweating on a host of grand final players coming through the match unscathed. The likes of Brown, James Fisher-Harris, Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali’I will be part of New Zealand’s World Cup plans.
Scott Sorensen is also in the mix. The grand finalists will join the squad in England with the rest leaving on Friday.
BUNNIES RAMP UP LATRELL TALKS
South Sydney will sit down in coming days with Latrell Mitchell and attempt to sign him to a new deal before he heads to the World Cup with the Kangaroos.
Mitchell, who has been spending time at his farm in Taree in the days after the Rabbitohs’ finals elimination, is off contract at the end of next year and free to sign at real clubs from November 1.
Souths would prefer that Mitchell doesn’t go to market and plan to step up talks now that their season is over. Confidential understands that the Rabbitohs are looking at an extension of up to four years worth more than $1 million a season.
It would make Mitchell one of the highest earners in the game - just reward for the way he played this season as he helped Souths to the preliminary final.
Mitchell aside, Souths are also keen to tie down five-eighth Cody Walker and hooker Damien Cook. Mitchell, however, is more pressing because he will leave for the World Cup next week as a key member of Mal Meninga’s World Cup squad.
FULTON SET TO STAY
The Fulton name is set to live on at the Sea Eagles with Manly closing in on an extension for young forward Zac Fulton.
While the Fulton family have made headlines this season as part of the ongoing civil war happening at the club, Zac Fulton is close to recommitting to the club for at least the next two seasons.
Fulton is off-contract at the end of this year. He made his NRL during the pride-game fiasco and was involved in a heated confrontation with Roosters veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
The 21-year-old won the club’s Jersey Flegg best and fairest award.
STARS ALIGN FOR KNOCKOUT
A host of big-name players including South Sydney’s Cody Walker are expected to compete at this year’s Koori Knockout in Bomaderry.
STERLO BACK TO CHEER ON EELS
Eels legend Peter Sterling is sunning himself on the Cook Islands at the moment in the lead-up to Sunday’s grand final. But Sterling will be back in time to watch his beloved Eels hopefully lift the trophy.
POWER COUPLE MAKE THEIR MARK
Parramatta premiership hopeful Isaiah Papali’I and partner Elle Temu have become part of an elite group after Temu joined Papali’i as a New Zealand international.
The pair have sacrificed a lot in their relationship – they maintain a long distance romance – in a bid for each to pursue their sporting goals.
As Papali’i reinvented his career in Australia at the Eels, Temu has continued to progress in the netball ranks to make her Silver Ferns debut last week in a win against Jamaica.
“I was stuck over here but I was getting emotional,” Papali’i said. “She’d been dreaming about it for a while. We’ve been doing long distance so we could chase our dreams.
“I still get goosebumps talking about it. I didn’t know in our careers if we’d get the opportunity. Now we’ve both done it we can look back at the sacrifices we’ve made in our relationship to know it was worthwhile.”
Papali’i will be part of New Zealand’s World Cup squad. Temu has arrived in Australia for Sunday’s grand final.
CLEARY PUTS BAN ON SISTER
Penrith star Nathan Cleary has jokingly suggested he won’t let his sister Indi anywhere near the premiership trophy if the Panthers make it back-to-back wins on Sunday night.
A year ago, the Provan-Summons trophy was badly damaged after it was knocked off a table adjacent to the dance floor as Panthers players celebrated their victory over South Sydney.
Confidential understands that Indi Cleary was in the vicinity of the trophy when the accident took place and Nathan has given credence to that theory after suggesting his sister would be given a hands-off order if the Panthers defend their title.
“No chance — she is banned if we win it,” Cleary joked.
The Panthers star also revealed his childhood mates who snuck into Queensland last year to attend the grand final will be there again on Sunday.
The trio were busted after photos on social media showed them partying in the Sunshine State and they were fined $4135 by Queensland Police for breaching Covid health orders.
Cleary revealed the trio would be there on Sunday night, this time legally.
“They are coming to the game,” he said. “If they didn’t miss it up in Brisbane, they aren’t going to miss it in Sydney. It was good to have them their at the time but they got in a bit of trouble.”
STYLES STEALS NRL’S THUNDER
Singing superstar Harry Styles has scuppered any hope Canterbury and South Sydney had of opening next season with a home game at Accor Stadium.
Confidential can reveal that Styles has concerts scheduled at Sydney Olympic Park on March 3 and 4. It means Accor Stadium will be out of action should the NRL press ahead with plans to kick-off the season a week earlier in 2023.
Sources at Accor Stadium also confirmed a mystery second concert was also in the works and could play more havoc with the NRL draw.
The NRL is in the throes of planning the schedule for next season, having decided to start the season early to help accommodate the Dolphins as the game’s 17th team.
Styles’ appearances at Accor Stadium add to the myriad of issues the NRL face as they attempt to piece together the schedule for next season.
A host of clubs will also be forced to find new homes for up to two months midway though the year due to the women’s soccer World Cup.
MATCHDAY REWARDS
Match payments are set to make a return from next season as the players’ union pushes for players to receive a fixed amount every time they take the field.
Confidential understands that the initial plan would be for players to be paid $1000 per match in 2023. That figure would rise to $1500 a game in 2025 and then $2000 a game in 2027.
The move is seen as a way to reward players for their involvement in the NRL, particularly those at the lower end of the salary cap.
GINNANE LANDS NEW DEAL
Commentator Dan Ginnane has penned a new deal with Fox Sports that will see him remain as one of the network’s main callers of rugby league and cricket for the foreseeable future.
His retention is a huge coup for Fox given Ginnane is regarded as one of the most respected and recognised voices in the game through his commentary work on the NRL.
He is also a key member of Triple MMM’s rugby league coverage and it is understood he remains in talks with the radio network over extending his current deal, which runs until the end of the season.
Ginnane will call Sunday night’s grand final for Triple MMM.
BOZZA EYEING BIG DOUBLE
It’s the weekend when the best of the west do battle, and football great Mark Bosnich is aiming at celebrating a premiership double.
On Saturday one of Bosnich’s old sides, Sydney United, face off against Macarthur FC in the final of the Australia Cup, previously known as the FFA Cup, at CommBank Stadium.
Bosnich can’t lose – he’ll be stoked for the Croatian community if United continue their giant-killing ways but is also supporting Macarthur coach Dwight Yorke, who was the best man at his wedding this month.
Then on Sunday he will be backing up at the NRL grand final, cheering on his boyhood side Parramatta.
“They are going in as the underdogs but beating North Queensland in North Queensland and the fact they’ve beaten Penrith twice shows they can do it.”
DRAMA AS RED-HOT DRAGON REJECTS DEAL
Ben Hunt’s contract talks with the Dragons have taken another hit after the St George Illawarra skipper rejected the club’s revised offer.
The Dragons and Hunt’s management spoke on Tuesday where St George Illawarra slightly upped their two-year extension.
It is understood that deal has been rejected by Hunt who could now be without a long-term contract when he leaves for England as part of Australia’s World Cup squad next week.
Both parties are still hopeful a deal will get signed off before the November 1 deadline with Hunt wanting to commit long-term to the club.
Hunt has 12 months to go on his current deal worth more than $1 million.
The club has given their player of the year a two-offer which has slightly increased since their initial meetings.
They met last week in Brisbane ahead of Hunt’s showing for the PM’s XIII side.
The Dragons rejected Hunt’s bid to have a get out clause aligned with Anthony Griffin should St George Illawarra sack their coach.
Hunt met with Bulldogs boss Phil Gould last month. Gould is keen to pursue Hunt if he can not work out a deal with the Dragons.
The Bulldogs are also circling Dragons young half Jayden Sullivan. Sullivan has indicated he will ask for a release if the Dragons keep Hunt long-term.
Hunt is in line to take out the Dally M award on Wednesday night.
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