What’s the Buzz: Former NRL star Terry Hill likely to be banned by Wests Tigers
FORMER NRL star Terry Hill is unlikely to be invited to any Tigers events after disgracing himself at the club’s season launch.
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FORMER NRL star Terry Hill is unlikely to be invited to any future Wests Tigers functions after disgracing himself at the club’s season launch.
Hill made a number of grubby and inappropriate remarks about former players, sex, brothels and a sponsor while being interviewed as part of a panel of celebrities.
More than 200, many of them women, attended the function on Tuesday night at the up-market Deckhouse restaurant in Woolwich.
“Some of the things he was saying wouldn’t have even been appropriate at an all-blokes function,” said one of the guests.
We asked Wests Tigers CEO Grant Mayer if Hill would be invited to future club functions.
“It would be very hard to justify having him back,” Mayer said.
“Unfortunately he said things that were inappropriate for the audience and it was very disappointing.
“Rugby league has moved on from years gone by and, as a club, we’re trying to lift the standards in what we present to our sponsors and our members.
“This was a function for players, sponsors and their partners and what happened won’t be tolerated as we move forward.”
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After Hill had spoken, he and a former teammate exchanged heated words about his comments.
Hill could not be contacted by The Sunday Telegraph for comment.
Referee retires
The tough judge bashed by NRL referee Gavin Morris at a new year’s party has hung up his flag.
Terry Pascoe is disillusioned with the game and says he will no longer officiate in the Queensland Cup.
The NRL Integrity Unit has banned Morris for the first two rounds of the premiership, slapped him with a $5000 fine and ordered him to undergo counselling.
Ben a cut above the rest when it comes to mum
ONE of the Newcastle Jets’ longest serving players, Ben Kennedy, will shave his locks for a great cause this week.
Ben’s mum, Karen, is receiving treatment for a breast cancer recurrence.
The Jets have partnered with Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation to support a week of fundraising, culminating in a ‘Pink Day for BK’ when the Jets take on Melbourne Heart at Hunter Stadium this Saturday.
Other teammates will shave their heads and the Jets have produced $15 Pink T-shirts for the day.
“I know first-hand the impact it can have on a family when a loved one is diagnosed with breast cancer,” Kennedy said.
“I’m hoping this week’s activities can help raise valuable funds and awareness for breast cancer research and make a difference to the lives of people affected by this disease.”
Fans unable to get to the game can make donations online to the HBCF via their website, www.hbcf.org.au.
Prime time Mel’s flying solo again
Sydney Confidential reported during the week how the glamorous former Fox Sports star had been seen in Sochi at the Winter Olympics without her wedding and engagement rings.
It turns out Mel removed the rings late last year while still working at Fox Sports. The couple are now in the middle of divorce proceedings.
Mel could not be contacted and Channel Ten sports boss David Barham said: “I don’t discuss anyone’s private life.”
It is a huge year for the Channel Ten presenter who has already hosted the Big Bash and Winter Olympics.
Next up is the World Cup in Brazil and the Commonwealth Games in Scotland.
Million reasons Fox is on ball
New technology that helps stabilise the micro camera arrived from Germany this week.
Fox Sports will use ref cam for Saturday night and Monday night matches throughout the season.
Smith’s older, fatter, tougher
DAVE Smith knew he was in for a tough gig when he signed up as NRL chief executive.
And every time he looks in the mirror it confirms it.
Our pictures show a stress-free Smith starting out 12 months ago — and more recently at the Auckland Nines.
The 45-year-old NRL boss admitted last week that he looked older and fatter but was thicker skinned since taking over the demanding role.
At the same time, his predecessor David Gallop looks 10 years younger after escaping the Moore Park madhouse.
Big Marn’s Continuous Crawl
WE asked the Big Marn Darryl Brohman for his reaction to Triple M launching a new Sunday rugby league show headed up by Matty Johns in competition to 2GB’s Continuous Call.
“I shan’t be bagging them because I might be with them in 2015,” Brohman declared. “Although I am a very loyal man who has only worked for 2KA, 2UE, 2SM, ABC and 2GB twice.”
Chicken run
THE Roosters will need to overcome a betting hoodoo to win back-to-back premierships in 2014.
No pre-season favourite has won the premiership in the last decade and only one favourite has made the grand final - the Storm in 2008.
Emmo Revs up
FORMER Socceroo Brett Emerton is indulging in his a new passion – fast cars.
He has landed a spot in the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix Celebrity race.
He’s telling everyone that the fun will only come from winning.
Ange and his tiny Socceroo
JUST 24 hours after naming the youngest Socceroo squad in years, coach Ange Postecoglou had another new face in the household — a new-born son, Max Evan Postecoglou.
SAINT
THE Sydney Kings will today honour one of their most fanatical supporters, the late Charlotte Dawson, at their game against Perth Wildcats. Her usual front-row seat will be left empty for a wreath of flowers and the players will wear black armbands.
SINNER
THE NRL’s appalling treatment of suspended Sharks coach Shane Flanagan.
Even the AFL have allowed suspended Essendon coach James Hird to attend games and his offences were 10 times more serious than Flanagan’s. Hird was spotted at Essendon’s NAB Cup game against Port Adelaide on Tuesday night.
RASCALLY RABBITS
GOTTA love the confidence . . . a South Sydney supporter has hacked into Wikipedia and already listed the Rabbitohs as the 2014 NRL premiers.
SHOOSH
WHICH former NRL bad boy is again behaving like an imbecile at his local watering hole and has been recently and regularly seen in the company of a suspected drug dealer.
SPOTTED
CRONULLA coach Shane Flanagan back at Shark Park yesterday to watch his son in Harold Matthews, ignoring the narks and the snipers.
CELEBRITY SHARK
THE Sharks have a new celebrity supporter in Modern Family star Phil Dunphy, who was in Kurnell last week shooting an episode of Channel 10’s hit TV show.
GOLF STARS
The Ricky Stuart Foundation annual golf day and gala dinner in Canberra last week were again a huge success. Jack Newton, Alfie Langer, Big Marn Darryl Brohman and boxing champ Daniel Geale were among the celebrities supporting a great cause. Geale happily posed for photographs with the mayor of Gunnamatta Bay, Marty Downs, and Gavin Woods, the Blues State of Origin manager.