The Inside Mail: Home of all the hottest NRL news and gossip
PENRITH hunt Josh McGuire, Sharks circle Matt Gillett and more. Welcome to The Inside Mail, bringing you all the latest NRL news and gossip every Friday.
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THE Broncos’ hopes of retaining Matt Gillett have soared after Cronulla yesterday withdrew a $1 million-plus offer to the off-contract Maroons ace.
Gillett is seeking around $700,000 a season and the Titans and Sharks had lodged expressions of interest with the Broncos forward’s manager Isaac Moses.
But the Sharks are officially out of the race, with the club’s offer of around $500,000 shy of the amount Gillett would required to shift his young family to Sydney.
The Broncos aren’t getting cocky yet but Gillett has told coach Wayne Bennett he wants to stay and he will choose the grand finalists over the struggling Titans.
EELS DRAMA NOT OVER YET
PARRAMATTA are fighting to retain Queensland Origin aspirant Corey Norman amid the club’s salary-cap crisis.
The in-form Beenleigh junior has attracted interest from the Panthers and is set to inspect Penrith’s setup before any decision to pledge his long-term future to the Eels.
Norman is asking for around $800,000 a season and on current form can secure that on the open market.
Panthers supremo Phil Gould rates the 25-year-old highly but the club can only afford either Norman or Cowboys prop James Tamou.
If Tamou jumps quickly and accepts a $3 million, four-year deal, the Eels will thank their lucky stars.
TINDER SPARKS HOT FORM
WHICH big-name NRL star was seen cavorting with a female Tinder fan on a beach 24 hours before his side’s round nine fixture a fortnight ago?
It didn’t affect his stamina — the classy top-liner backed up with a five-star performance on the field to underline why he is future Origin material.
PANTHERS ON PROWL FOR MCGUIRE
IF the Panthers don’t sign James Tamou, their back up plan is Broncos prop Josh McGuire.
The Inside Mail can reveal the Panthers are interested in signing McGuire and have privately discussed the prop’s availability.
McGuire is off-contract at the end of 2017, meaning the Panthers cannot talk to him prior to November.
With Tamou flip-flopping on leaving the Cowboys, the Panthers could make a summer player for McGuire to join in 2017.
Panthers coach Anthony Griffin has a high opinion of McGuire from his days leading the Broncos.
The Broncos will fight hard to keep McGuire and would be highly unlikely to release him from his contract early.
Their will be a major bidding war for McGuire next season.
BRONCOS WEDDING BELLS
FIRST there was a baby boom at the Broncos, now the wedding bells are ringing around the entire club.
Following in the footsteps of Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt and Andrew McCullough, forward Jarrod Wallace became the latest Brisbane star to pop the question to his partner this week.
He did it on Mother’s Day with the help of his two daughters and his partner Courtney was over the moon. Glenn, Hunt and McCullough all proposed to their respective partners in the off-season.
Their grand gestures might start to put pressure on the other guys at the club, with one young star already copping some flak from players’ partners for not yet proposing to his high school sweetheart. We wonder if he’ll be next?
MUNSTER A MARKET MOVER
CAMERON Munster’s star is rising. The Storm young gun has clinched a $1.6 million contract upgrade and now sportswear giant Adidas has plans to make him the next NRL poster boy in Melbourne.
Storm fullback Billy Slater is already in Adidas’ stable but with the Maroons flyer to retire next year, the company views Munster as the ideal successor to carry the promotional torch in AFL heartland.
Munster was sponsored by Nike last season but has switched to Adidas on a two-year deal that will see him become one of the most marketable faces in Australian sport.
BILLY GIVES BACK
BILLY Slater might have a career in daddy day care.
The Maroons ace may be on the sidelines following season-ending shoulder surgery but it hasn’t stopped him trying to develop the next generation of league stars.
Slater has launched Billy’s Buddies, a league-based learning program aimed at children aged two to six.
The program is Slater’s own idea and aims to not only teach young kids the basics of rugby league, but the importance of social skills and building self-esteem.
Slater attended six childcare centres in Queensland yesterday, including Goodstart at Sinnamon Park in Brisbane’s south-west, and is determined for the program to flourish in his post-playing days.
“I get a lot out of it,” Slater said.
“I love getting up to Queensland and getting involved in the whole Billy’s Buddies process. Having two kids of my own, it’s like a day in the park for me.
“It’s not just about teaching rugby league. It’s hand-eye co-ordination for the kids, building their confidence and getting them in a team environment, a non-contact environment learning the skills of playing in a team.
“It’s something I came up with. I started rugby league at four years old and junior league helps so much with self-esteem, confidence and developing kids as human-beings.
“I could see a niche there where I could help kids and give something back.”
BAD LOOK FOR NRL
THE NRL needs to address players who are club ambassadors being on the NRL judiciary.
Dragons ambassador Matt Cooper was on the panel that found Titans player Greg Bird guilty of a high tackle that rubbed him out of the Gold Coast’s clash with the Dragons.
The Inside Mail isn’t suggesting Cooper acted inappropriately or in favour of the Dragons, but it is a poor look.
REAL REASON BUNNY BOUNCED
THE real reason Chris Grevsmuhl is happy to leave Redfern for the Panthers is he tired of being played out of position and for limited minutes.
Grevsmuhl was a sensation for the Rabbitohs last season but his time on field has reduced dramatically this year and when he is on he rarely receives the pill.
He will play for the Panthers within a fortnight and expect him to be given a lot more time on field.
TITANS BALANCING ACT
THE Gold Coast Titans are happy they have got plenty of time to prepare for a Monday night clash against the Roosters.
The Titans returned to the training paddock on Wednesday after being given four days off by coach Neil Henry and it wasn’t an overly impressive session as they look to snap a five-match losing streak.
“There were probably too many errors,” forward Chris McQueen said of the session.
“It was the first session back after we had four days off. As the week goes on and we do a bit more training we’ll get through that.”
Utility Daniel Mortimer re-injured his hamstring and is facing another few weeks on the sidelines with the nagging problem.
COAST IN NO HURRELL
KONRAD Hurrell had been linked with a move to the Titans but the Gold Coast’s acquisition of Parramatta hooker Nathan Peats means that’s unlikely to happen.
Hurrell will now seek a meeting with the Warriors that could decide his future in New Zealand.
Hurrell has fallen out of favour with coach Andrew McFadden and has made his feelings known publicly with a series of social media gaffes.
Hurrell was one of six Warriors players recently stood down over a prescription drugs scandal and is believed to be on borrowed time at the Warriors.
Hurrell’s manager Amon Ta’akamoeaka said he was yet to find out the club’s position on his client.
“Right now our main focus is to make sure his welfare and headspace is clear before anything else,’’ he said.
Luai legacy: Star hopes brother, son build own Penrith dynasty
Jarome Luai cleaned out his locker at Penrith for the last time, but the four-time premiership winner says his name will live on at the club through his brother and son when they build their own dynasties at the foot of the mountains.
Broncos backflip: Madge pulls pin on Walters roster move
Michael Maguire has made his first big call as Broncos coach, pulling the handbrake on a Kevin Walters-era roster cleanout.