Moses Mbye being shopped to rival clubs, why Madge chose the Kiwis over the Bulldogs and the Kookaburra on drug charges
SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Bulldog Moses Mbye is being secretly shopped to rival clubs, why Michael Maguire chose the Kiwis over the NRL and the Kookaburra star on drugs charges.
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MOSES Mbye is being secretly shopped to rival clubs, which threatens to destroy the short-lived peace at Canterbury.
Club bosses are preparing to inform members of their salary cap position at a forum next week, which includes the unpalatable news that the Bulldogs will need to offload players.
Let’s remember the position taken at the club forums by prospective board members Lynne Anderson, Chris Anderson and Paul Dunn before the recent elections that they would, and we quote, “never pay or contribute” to a player’s salary at another club.
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But even with 14 contracts expiring this season, the Bulldogs still need to offload contracted players to make the numbers fit.
This comes in direct contrast to the fierce stance the new board took before the recent elections in reaction to fan anger at James Graham being released to St George Illawarra, where he is not only having a stellar season but doing so with his salary propped up by Bulldogs money.
The new board was elected as a consequence.
Members believe it was a promise made to them and a prime motivator in tossing out the old board for the current directors.
Bulldogs fans are anxiously counting down to next week’s forum as the board appears set to tell the faithful it will have to do exactly what it promised it wouldn’t.
Mbye is a victim of his talent.
Like Graham, Moses is a player who will generate enough interest in the market that whoever makes the Bulldogs an offer will hopefully be prepared to pay the bulk of his contract.
SLIDING DOORS AT THE NRL
Des Hasler withdrew from the New Zealand coaching job because he said it appeared the Kiwis were looking for someone who was probably still not aspiring to be an NRL coach.
Michael Maguire met with Canterbury after Hasler was sacked last season. Before the interview started he asked to see the club’s books to assess its salary cap position.
Once he saw the books he immediately terminated the interview. He was not prepared to waste everybody’s time by taking it any further.
Maguire was confirmed as Kiwi coach on Friday.
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
More than 20 of the world’s top elite male freestyle ski and snowboard athletes have signed on to compete in the inaugural Sydney leg of Air + Style in August August.
The early line-up includes seven of the nine male Winter Olympic medallists, including Redmond Gerard, Oystein Braaten, Sebastian Toutant and Kyle Mac.
Australia’s Russ Henshaw will also compete while Flo Rida and Snow Patrol will perform at the event in The Domain from August 3-5.
It will be the first time the Domain has played host to such a huge International sporting event, let alone fit a freestyle ski and snowboard ramp, which has been created especially for Air + Style events around the world.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Shaun White will also be on hand.
“We are going to bring the mountain to the city and take over the Domain,” White said. “The best snowboarders and skiers in the world, surrounded by a festival of music and culture right in the middle of the city.”
Tickets: airandstyle.com.au
SEIBOLD WON’T PUT A LEASH ON BIG SAM
RABBITOHS coach Anthony Seibold concedes Sam Burgess needs to tidy up a few things in his game but has not called for his enforcer to curb his aggression ahead of his return from another suspension against St George Illawarra on Sunday.
Burgess was only one game into his return from a two-game suspension for a raised elbow on Canterbury’s Josh Morris when he copped another two-game ban for a high tackle on Canberra’s Aidan Sezer.
Burgess has featured in just five of the Rabbitohs’ nine games this season.
“The reason he is such a good player is his intent,” Seibold said. “I consider him the best forward in the game and that’s off the back of his intent and with his actions. Sam understands he needs to tidy up a couple of areas in his game and you won’t get a harder worker than Sam.
“Discipline is a big thing and Sam understands that.”
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WAYNE Bennett’s love child, Scott Minto, will be back on our small screens soon after Sportsbet asked him to front a new advertising campaign.
Minto will also play for the Broncos at the Legends of League tournament at Central Coast Stadium on November 17.
INJURED ROLL-UP AN INSULT TO INDIGENOUS ROUND
WELL done Penrith Panthers.
The casting call for the NRL’s indigenous round at Suncorp Stadium this week was a hard sell.
Some were even asking whether it was injured round.
There to promote this week’s indigenous round were Josh Reynolds (shoulder, back round 11-13), Mitch Pearce (pectoral, round 22), Nathan Brown (ankle, round 12), Daniel Tupou (pectoral, round 12-15), Matt Gillett (neck, round 16-18), Tyrell Fuimaono (toe, round 14), Wade Graham (hamstring, round 12), Kyle Laybutt (pectoral, round 19) and, from the Intrust Super Premiership, Josh Kerr and Matiu Love-Henry. Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker also attended, albeit a little late.
Luckily, Josh Ado-Carr and Ash Taylor play each other this weekend and so made it to the cover of the NRL’s official program Big League.
So kudos to Penrith, the NRL’s most injured club, which sent captain Peter Wallace.
It all happened on the day the AFL set up a beautiful photo of one of that game’s biggest superstars, Buddy Franklin, to celebrate its indigenous round — which is still three weeks away.
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KOOKABURRA ON DRUG CHARGES
AUSTRALIAN hockey player Matt Bird will front court on a raft of drug charges and the possession of a prohibited weapon later this month.
Bird, who made his Kookaburras debut earlier this year, has stood down from the Australian squad as he prepares to face a Perth court on May 29.
Sport Confidential can reveal Bird is fighting to save his hockey career as he faces four counts of selling a prohibited drug and possessing a prohibited weapon.
“Hockey Australia advises Matthew Bird has withdrawn from the national senior men’s squad following an incident concerning the police in Perth last Thursday afternoon,” the statement read.
“Bird subsequently offered his resignation from the national senior men’s squad, which has been accepted by Hockey Australia until the matter is resolved.
“As this is now a police matter, HA will not be providing any further details at this stage.”
Bird, 21, was named in Australia’s national squad for the No.1-ranked Kookaburras, and went on to make his debut in a 3-all draw against the Netherlands in January.
Upon selection to the national squad in December, he posted on Instagram: “Well it’s official, super stoked to be a part of the Kookaburras squad for 2018.
“Wouldn’t have made it this far without the support of my family and friends.”
He missed out on the Commonwealth Games but was in the mix for a spot in Australia’s World Cup campaign in India this year.
A GIANT LEFT HOOK
SATURDAY’S GWS Giants crowd won’t be the place for unruly spectators. The Giants have joined forces with the NSW PCYC and, after the West Coast game at Spotless Stadium, they will try to break the world record for the biggest boxercise class.
For those still unsure, consider it a cheap way to watch the game. Those who make the pledge will get a pair of boxing mitts and tickets to the match.
Go to www.gwsgiants.com.au/pcyc for details.
BONDI BOYS ON SHIFTING SANDS
MYSTERY surrounds the internal politics at the Sydney Roosters.
Assistant coach Andrew Johns heavily critiqued the Roosters’ style in his Channel 9 commentary during the loss to St George Illawarra, enough for the club to begin considering loosening its rigid set-up-and-shoot style.
A few training sessions went down that track.
For reasons yet to be explained, though, the Roosters went back to their previous style, as evidenced in Sunday’s clunky win over Manly.
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THE injury-ravaged Panthers have called for reinforcements and South Sydney centre Sifa Talakai, 21, is close to joining them immediately. The Rabbitohs junior has not been seen in first grade this year after playing 11 games in the previous two seasons.
KNIGHTS, TITANS SWAP THE PROP
NEWCASTLE and Gold Coast are set to engage in a game of high-stakes musical chairs.
Titans prop Jarrod Wallace met with the Knights this week as they look to build their strength up front.
The possibility of losing Wallace would explain why the Titans are having a serious go at Canberra prop Shannon Boyd.
But the Knights are also quietly courting Boyd, with significant numbers being talked about, and Queensland prop Tim Glasby.
CARTER KICKING ON
RUGBY league bad boy Paul Carter has wasted little time making his mark on the Newcastle Rugby League after he was picked in the competition’s representative squad. Carter, who now plays for Cessnock after being axed by multiple NRL clubs, will play a Ron Massey Cup combined squad in Maitland on June 1.