NRL Blindside: Latest rugby league gossip and inside info
BILLY Slater’s shock retirement from representative football might not be the last of his big announcements.
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BILLY Slater’s announcement on Tuesday of his representative retirement is not the last of his bombshells.
Blindside understands Slater is set to pull the pin altogether, with the Storm bracing for the champion fullback to announce in the coming months he is quitting the NRL.
The Storm are already planning for life after Slater.
The Cowboys recently expressed an interest in signing Slater’s fullback understudy Jahrome Hughes, but the Storm made it clear they won’t release him, as they plan to be using the 23-year-old on a regular basis in 2019.
Privately, Melbourne are keen to stagger the retirements of Slater and Cameron Smith.
The plan is for Slater to announce his retirement this year, with Smith to exit the following season after inking one final 12-month deal.
Without the pressures of rep football, Slater may yet decide to soldier on next year. But don’t be surprised to see the Maroons ace draw the curtain on his superb career in October.
“I’m off-contract at the end of the year and I haven’t made a decision beyond 2018, but if I do play on, it won’t involve representative footy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Slater is kicking goals off the field. His Billy’s Buddies education program for toddlers and preschoolers has been nominated for two national awards with What’s On 4 Kids.
Signed sealed delivered
BRONCOS young gun Jaydn Su’A has had his representative eligibility finalised after being called into Camp Maroon.
Su’A joined the Queensland Origin team yesterday as one of six development players.
But as recently as a week ago, the 20-year-old Broncos sensation was undecided about his representative future.
The New Zealand-born Su’A told Blindside in the lead-up to Brisbane’s Round 12 win against Parramatta that he had not decided who he wanted to represent.
“I have no idea,” Su’A said.
“I’ve played for Queensland all my life, but I feel I’m a Kiwi just as much as I am a Queenslander.
“My dad is Samoan and my mum is a Kiwi. I feel just as strongly about Australia and Queensland as well.
“It’s a tough decision, but there’s no need to make it now. I’ll make the decision when it comes.”
Su’A may have been given the wrong information about his eligibility.
He had represented the Junior Kangaroos, which meant he was aligned to Australia.
But Su’A said he wanted to clear the air on one aspect of his history.
“The NRL has me down as being born in Auckland, but I was born in Christchurch,” he said.
“I’ve lived in Australia most of my life. I moved here when I was 18-months.
“I grew up in Logan. I went to Marsden High for a few years, then graduated at Anglican Church Grammar School.”
He remembers the Titans
TITANS halfback Ash Taylor could be reunited with former five-eighth Tyrone Roberts next season.
Roberts is homesick in England, eyeing off a potential return to the NRL, and could end up back at the Gold Coast.
Taylor and Roberts are best mates and struck up a handy combination over two seasons at the Titans.
Coach Garth Brennan has found a promising five-eighth prospect in teenager A.J. Brimson, but Roberts would be a handy addition to his squad’s depth next year.
“It’d be awesome,” Taylor said of Roberts returning.
“It’d be awesome if he got a crack here. We’ll see how it unfolds.
“I’d love to see him back here. I love him as a brother. To have him at the Titans would be great.
“At the moment it’s me and A.J. in the halves, and we’re going all right.
“As long as we keep working together, building and winning games, it’s going to be hard to break that combination.”
Roberts knocked back a contract offer from the Titans last year to sign a more lucrative deal with Warrington in the Super League.
Shopping around
WHICH current Queensland Origin star has been personally ringing NRL rivals to let them know he is open to switching clubs?
The player has a rich contract with his existing club, but would have no trouble finding a new home.
Checking out
DARIUS Boyd has gone from Queensland to Queenstown.
Overlooked by Maroons coach Kevin Walters for Origin I, Boyd wasted no time finding a silver lining, heading on an overseas holiday to New Zealand with his wife Kayla and their daughter Willow.
With the Broncos having a bye during Origin week, skipper Boyd arrived in Queenstown yesterday for a diversion from the disappointment of his Maroons omission.
There is a feeling Boyd’s outstanding 28-game Origin career is over, but Slater’s rep retirement after this year’s series could again open the door for the Broncos fullback.
Proof of Origin
HERE is one of the first photographs Greg Inglis as a Queenslander.
Inglis is Queensland’s new State of Origin captain, but he actually spent very little time in the Sunshine State.
Inglis was raised on the mid-north coast of NSW around Macksville, Bowraville and Kempsey.
He moved to Brisbane, starred for Wavell State High School and was signed by the Storm, playing for feeder club Norths Devils.
This is the first photograph of Inglis we have in our archives from when he was a 17-year-old at Wavell.
So near yet so far
THE brilliant Queensland Emerging Origin program created by Wayne Bennett in 2001 has spawned a stack of Maroons stars, but it’s time to celebrate those who sadly slipped the Origin net. These are the forgotten Emerging Maroons who fell tantalisingly short.
The 17-man squad of Maroons hopefuls who never kicked on are: 1. William Zillman, 2. Daniel Vidot, 3. Esi Tonga, 4. Maurice Blair, 5. Craig Frawley, 6. Robert Lui, 7. Chris Sandow (c), 8. Mark Tookey, 9. Michael Ryan, 10. Richard Fa’aoso, 11. Ben Ridge, 12. Kirk Reynoldson, 13. Micheal Luck. Bench: 14. Tim Smith, 15. Kris Kahler, 16. Lagi Setu, 17. Chris Grevsmuhl. Coach: Paul Vautin (1995 Maroons Nevilles supercoach).
Good clean fun
QUEENSLAND Origin camps have certainly changed over the years.
The days of numerous bonding sessions are over and shenanigans are kept to a minimum.
And young players have a different way of spending their downtime these days compared with their predecessors.
“I’m rooming with Coen Hess,” prop Josh Papalii said.
“You don’t realise how young he is until you’re in the room. I’m on my phone and he is playing PlayStation and watching an iPad at the same time.
“And he still lives with his parents.”
The 21-year-old Hess is the youngest player in the Maroons team.
Keeping Kevvie keen
NEW Queensland hooker Andrew McCullough played hard to get with Maroons coach Kevin Walters.
McCullough had a nervous few days after Brisbane’s win against Parramatta last Thursday as he waited to learn if he would be Cameron Smith’s replacement in the Maroons’ No.9 jersey.
The phone finally rang on Sunday.
“I was at home and Kevvie called,” McCullough said.
“I let it ring a few times because I didn’t want to look too desperate.
“I answered it and Kevvie said ‘are you on your way to Bali for a holiday?’ I said ‘no I’ve cancelled that’ and he said ‘that’s good, I will be needing you next week’.”
McCullough richly deserves his Origin debut, given how long he has toiled away waiting for Smith to retire.
Risers and fallers
RISING
Andrew McCullough: Thoroughly deserves his Origin debut. After 225 NRL games, the Broncos hooker has worked harder than anyone to clinch his maiden Queensland jumper.
Tyrone Peachey: Arguably the best utility in the code and could be a game-breaker for the Blues in Origin I. Will be a handy asset for the Titans next season.
Jai Arrow: His move to the Titans could not have gone any better with the former Broncos forward earning a State of Origin debut for Queensland.
James Roberts: After years of promising plenty, “The Jet” has secured a State of Origin debut for NSW, and the Maroons will be nervous thinking about what sort of mood he will turn up in.
FALLING
Corey Norman: Touted as a Dally M Medal contender 12 months ago, Norman has lost his way completely this season. Even the Eels appear ready to offload him.
Anthony Milford: His game against Parramatta last week was one of the worst of his career. His season so far has been ordinary. Broncos coach Wayne Bennett should put a rocket up him.
Bryce Cartwright: Has featured in this section too often this year and his dismal effort in failing to tackle James Tedesco was another black eye for the Gold Coast flop.
Daly Cherry-Evans: Could do no more to earn a Queensland recall but selectors are clearly off him. A fantastic player who may sadly never wear Maroon again.
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