Wendell Sailor a victim of mistaken identity in drugs case
Wendell Sailor’s phone has been running hot since his name was linked to a drugs case interstate. Now Dell has responded to the drama. PLUS all the latest in SAINT, SINNER, SHOOSH.
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SAILOR ALL AT SEA
OLD footy legend Wendell Sailor has been the victim of a mistaken identity in a drugs court case in the Northern Territory last week.
The rugby league world was buzzing when documents found their way on to social media from the NT Supreme Court revealing a Wendell Sailor was facing charges after being arrested with a trafficking quantity of drugs.
Our court reporter Brenden Hills checked and it turns out this Wendell Sailor was born in 1996, which rules out the retired and now clean-living 45-year-old ex-Broncos, Dragons and Wallabies star winger.
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“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing,” Wendell said. “Blokes like Sam Burgess and Jason Nightingale checking that I was OK.
“I can’t believe it, mate. I even rang a lawyer.
“Put it in the paper please mate. Tell them it’s not me. I made mistakes when I was much younger but I have a daughter in year 12, a son playing NRL, and my wife just doesn’t need it.”
SAINT
I have often been critical of Cronulla Sharks star Shaun Johnson this year. Then you hear the most uplifting story of how he is inspiring a 12-year-old with leukaemia, Jason Braniff, to fight the hideous disease.
The little bloke was in a really bad way until he met Johnson, who lifted his spirits. It is a beautiful Christmas story that puts his footy form into perspective.
SINNER
Still no word from the state government on a builder for the $790 million Allianz Stadium, which is now just a pile of dirt and dust. We’re told that the delay is due to a costing blowout of an electronic curtain around the top deck of the stands to cover 15,000 seats.
SHOOSH
Which out-of-favour NRL player-manager is whoring a Sydney newspaper hack to radio stations? Independent. Not always.
SHOOSH II
No wonder Semi Radradra knocked back the South Sydney Rabbitohs to accept a three-year offer from Bristol rugby union. His new deal in the UK is worth $1.8 million per season.
SHOOSH III
Winger Josh Addo-Carr will meet Storm coach Craig Bellamy on Monday and tell him he wants out of his contract. He is handling his own negotiations because he has parted company with his managers, Chris and Gavin Orr.
SHOOSH IV
Which NRL star was left stranded at Sydney airport because he was too tight to pay full freight to Bali and chose a standby ticket instead? The plane was fully booked and took off without him.
SHOOSH V
Southern Cross Media is slashing costs on its NRL coverage on Triple M. One senior producer has been told his services are no longer required and a few on-air personalities are nervous about their jobs.
SPOTTED
The Great John “Bomber” Peard, receiving his 60-year membership service from Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, where he won a gold medal for rescue and resuscitation.
SPOTTED II
Billionaire Western Sydney Wanderers owner Paul Lederer having lunch at the flash Alpha eatery with A-League boss Greg O’Rourke. The Roosters’ Nick Politis was at the next table.
SPOTTED III
English cricket coach Trevor Bayliss and former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin in the Singapore Airlines business lounge at Sydney airport on Saturday.
AN OUTBACK ADVENTURE
Brad Fittler is the last person you would describe as a racist.
In the same week Latrell Mitchell raised questions about the NSW Origin team and the reaction to his refusal to sing the national anthem, Freddy was in the bush doing his bit for indigenous rugby league in underprivileged areas.
Along with former NRL stars Nathan Blacklock and Mark O’Meley he visited schools and ran league training clinics in Walgett, Bourke and Brewarrina.
Freddy even took his own kids along to give them a better understanding of how tough life can be in our drought-stricken west.
The local police inspector Paul Quigg was with Fittler in Bourke and could not speak highly enough of the Blues coach.
Quigg is trying to re-establish a Buckley Shield team from the area to play in the statewide competition next year on the proviso the local boys lift their school attendance records.
Fortunately Fittler and Latrell have spoken and re-established a relationship where they can move forward next season with State of Origin.
HALL DOESN’T CARE WHO HE FIGHTS
BARRY Hall has declared he will fight again next year and doesn’t care if it’s Paul Gallen, Darcy Lussick or Sonny Bill Williams.
“As long as they make it worth my while (financially), I’ll have another go,” Hall said.
You get the impression, though, he wants a Gallen rematch more than anything.
“A lot has been said about the drawn result,” he said. “After watching it back, I absolutely think I won. I might not have got the official decision, but … I genuinely think I beat him.”
In another shot at Gallen, Hall said: “I pulled up sorer from the training sessions than the actual fight.”
Hall says he didn’t watch Lussick knock out Justin Hodges last week. In fact, he didn’t know who he was until after the fight.
“I’m confident and comfortable and I’m not bothered who I fight,” he said. “If I have another crack, I’m only going to get better. Every training session, I was improving.
“It’s a big commitment over an eight-week preparation and leaving my partner with two kids. We’ll see what happens in the new year.”
REYNOLDS RIGHT UP THERE TO TAKE OVER
HALFBACK Adam Reynolds is the tip to be named as captain of the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the new year as a replacement for Sam Burgess.
There are four players who are potentially great leaders at Redfern — Cody Walker, Reynolds, Damien Cook and Cameron Murray.
Walker filled in last year as skipper when Burgess was out injured. However, we’re hearing 29-year-old Reynolds, who has played 183 first-grade games, will get it.
Losing Burgess, John Sutton and Greg Inglis in 12 months is a huge amount of experience to replace but Reynolds is highly respected across the game. He also has Burgess and Inglis working at the club to help him out.
STARSTRUCK DALEY
LAURIE Daley has always wanted to meet golf superstar Tiger Woods. He finally got his wish in Melbourne, where the Big Sports Breakfast show was broadcasting from the Presidents Cup.
Ben Everill, an Aussie journalist now working on the US PGA Tour, introduced Daley to Tiger and told him he was Australia’s version of NFL quarterback legend Tom Brady, which immediately won him over.
NO ROOS ON FOX
In another blow for Australian soccer, Fox Sports wont’t bid to cover the final round of 2022 World Cup qualifying games. Optus may pick it up, but don’t have anywhere the same reach as Fox Sports and Kayo.
This is the first sign the departure of the Lowy family, CEO David Gallop and commercial boss Luke Bould will have an adverse effect.
Those who campaigned to get rid of the old FFA hierarchy now face the very real prospect of A-League clubs folding and the Socceroos brand suffering minus a great broadcast partner and the dollars that come with it.
STEADYING SOUTHS’ SHIP
Lucky South Sydney have one of the best CEOs in Blake Solly because coach Wayne Bennett and general manager Shane Richardson are all over the shop and rarely on the same page.
Richo has threatened to withdraw an offer to five-eighth Cody Walker with inflammatory talk like: “We have made a more-than-fair and reasonable offer. If he has decided that is not good enough, that is his decision.”
Bennett then insists he is staying: “We won’t lose a bloke like Cody Walker. You can’t easily replace a player of his ability.”
It must be confusing for Rabbitohs fans.
REACHING OUT
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and commercial boss Andrew Abdo are in Melbourne for the Presidents Cup golf event. They are networking with Australia’s most influential corporate heavyweights, who are all in the southern capital for the event.
CLARKE STILL ON THE OUTER
It’s such a shame Michael Clarke is so much on the outer with Australian cricket compared to other ex-Test captains and champion players. Ricky Ponting, Mark Taylor and Allan Border all have high profile commentary roles. Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne are stars of Fox Cricket. Steve Waugh has been in a mentoring role.
On Thursday Clarke was a world away from the Test match in Perth. We spotted him shopping with his daughter at Woolies in Double Bay. It’s sad he doesn’t have a more prominent role in the game but a reflection that he was never the most popular teammate in the dressing sheds.
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GORMAN’S GIFT
The 2019 NRL season will be remembered as the year of the ring after Todd Greenberg caused a huge stir when he paid up to $10,000 for a diamond sparkler for Cameron Smith’s wife, Barbara, to celebrate his 400th game.
Now it has been revealed ex-Cronulla boss Lyall Gorman treated himself to a 2016 premiership ring when he left the Sharks the following year. A bit like a farewell gift to himself.
Big Lyall personally ordered it from the NRL’s jeweller but left the club to pick up the bill.
COP OUT
A decorated police officer and rugby league tragic retired last week after 40 years in the police force. As a farewell tribute, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett, Maroons legend Alfie Langer and Roosters supremo Nick Politis phoned Detective Chief Inspector John Maricic to congratulate him on his last day.