Jarryd Hayne and Israel Folau’s catch-up, Luke Keary cleared of brain damage
They’ve both got time on their hands these days, so it should be no surprise out-of-work footballers and old mates Jarryd Hayne and Israel Folau should compare notes. Plus, Luke Keary’s brain injury diagnosis.
One makes headlines, the other writes them — so when AFLW star Tayla Harris takes on media personality Renee Gartner in the boxing ring, it should be a brutal clash. Plus, Luke Keary’s brain injury diagnosis.
SAINT
The heartfelt outpouring of love and support — from complete strangers to old champs and teammates like Steve and Mark Waugh — for popular ex-cricketer and media personality Gavin Robertson, who is bravely fighting brain cancer.
SINNER
What sort of example is old coach Wayne Bennett setting at South Sydney by admitting he deliberately lied to the media and fans over the signing of James Roberts? As this column reported at the time, it was a done deal last month.
SINNER II
The horrible footage of fallen star Ben Barba in a confrontation with Queensland police over yet another domestic violence complaint in Mackay. If only the Canterbury Bulldogs had handled his original case properly back in 2013 rather than allow him to walk out of rehab one week into a month-long stint.
SHOOSH
Which veteran league journalist has been refused media accreditation this year? Even working for broadcast rights holders Channel 9 hasn’t helped. His emails to the NRL media department have gone unanswered.
SHOOSH II
Which NRL star bought a $14,000 watch two months ago but still owes the jeweller $6000, which he had agreed to pay off at $1000 a week?
SHOOSH III
Which very handy Melbourne Storm forward is in negotiations with the Rabbitohs for next season?
LISTEN! Matty, Kenty and Finchy dissect both Origin teams and a game looming as a classic, recount the best of Tommy Raudonikis and Matty recalls Mitchell Pearce’s sleepover at the Johns household.
SHOOSH IV
Which big-name Knights player is about to dump his high-profile manager?
SPOTTED
Unemployed footy stars Israel Folau and Jarryd Hayne having a coffee in the Berlin Café in Darling Street Balmain on Wednesday morning. They grew up in Minto, went to the same school and played junior footy together, before their jump into the NRL at Melbourne Storm and the Parramatta Eels and as rivals in State of Origin.
SPOTTED II
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy in business class on a Virgin flight to Hamilton Island for a well-earned break during the bye round.
SPOTTED III
Melbourne Storm recruitment boss Paul Bunn in Liverpool for the UK Super League magic round last weekend looking for potential signings.
CORNERED
Catch you at 7pm Sunday night on Fox Sports for Controversy Corner with Graeme Hughes, Steve Roach and Geoff Toovey for discussions on all pertinent rugby league matters.
TOUGH WOMEN IN THE RING
It is being billed as the biggest and most brutal female boxing match-up in Australian sport.
AFLW superstar and unbeaten pro-fighter Tayla Harris will step into the ring to fight Renee Gartner, the popular media personality and daughter of former Manly Sea Eagles star Russel Gartner.
The ladies will step into the ring on a Tim Tszyu undercard on August 14. (An opponent has yet to be confirmed).
Gartner has had several amateur bouts but this is her first professional fight.
“I have been in and out of the amateur game for a few years now and have decided to turn professional as it suits my style,” she said, “Debuting on a huge card headlined by Tim Tzyu is an exciting start.
“I thank Tayla for taking this fight. We both have solid athletic backgrounds and I think this will be a really entertaining contest. I’m looking forward to being part of the surge in women’s boxing.”
— Meanwhile the rumours about Sharks warhorse Paul Gallen possibly fighting Sonny Bill Williams in a long awaited grudge match will not go away. SBW will make a decision on his football future later in the year after the rugby union World Cup. He will be 34 later this year.
RUGBY LEAGUE HERITAGE
A pair of football boots from last weekend’s NRL indigenous round reveals the stunning popularity of Queensland Maroons superstar Kalyn Ponga.
The boots the Newcastle Knights wore were painted by young indigenous artists to raise money and awareness for the prevention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait youth suicide.
In an online auction after the game against the Roosters, Ponga’s boots raised $14,620.
The next highest bid was for Mitchell Pearce’s boots that fetched $2320.
KEARY GETS ALL CLEAR
One of the world’s leading neuro surgeons has cleared Sydney Roosters star Luke Keary of any long-term brain-injury concerns.
As part of NRL protocol for two concussion episodes in a short period of time, Professor Chris Levi, as an independent medico, carried out extensive testing on Keary last week.
Levi is renowned as Australia’s leading concussion expert. He has tested 100 former NRL players as part of long-term research into possible early dementia.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the advice was to give the five-eighth a six-week rest.
“The great news is there was no evidence of any potential long-term concerns,” he said.
Keary will miss the remainder of the Origin series and will return around Round 17.
MUZZ’S SPIRIT WITH THE BLUES
The legacy of the late NSW coach Graham Murray lives on with this Blues State of Origin side.
Murray worked alongside Blues manager Peter Parr for much of his NRL coaching career.
So when Parr became Blues manager last year, he implemented Murray’s old rules and team values.
“Muzz had three rules,” Parr explained, “Be on time all the time, take your manners wherever you go and always dress in the team apparel. And that’s what we tell the Origin players on the first day of camp.”
SPARKLES WALKS OUT
FORMER Cronulla and NSW centre Mark “Sparkles” McGaw has quit the board of the Sharks just six weeks after being elected as a director. He resigned and walked out of a board meeting on Wednesday night over a disagreement with another director.
It’s surprising because McGaw worked so hard to promote himself at the recent elections. Two other directors have quit since the selection — Greg Taylor, who was chairman of audit and risk, and Mark Deutsche. The club is being run by six directors.
CHERRY RIPE TO FIGHT
AT 73, most men are retired with their feet up. Not Denis Cherry, a cancer survivor who is Australia’s oldest amateur boxer.
Cherry fights for the Australian title in over-60s (64kg-69kg) next Saturday night at Caloundra RSL.
“Why would I retire,” he said. “I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and I’ve recently picked up two new sponsors, Paleo Hero Muesli and No Deal Boxing.”
COOK HELPING RIVALS
IT’s nice to see NSW Blues Origin hooker Damien Cook helping out rival NRL players.
Cook has bought into the new La Cure Wellness Centre in Caringbah which specialises in healing treatments.
Last week we spotted Sharks star Shaun Johnson getting float therapy as he nears a return from a hamstring injury. Wade Graham also goes there. Cook lives in the area and recently bought a $1.5m house in Woolooware.
His lovely wife Courtney is due to give birth to their first child this year.
RAY IN 90S
CHANNEL 9’s voice of rugby league Ray ‘Rabs’ Warren will call his 91st State of Origin game on Wednesday night. He is even putting aside his fear of flying to call Origin II from Perth’s Optus Stadium on June 23.
UNREST IN REFS’ RANKS
THERE is again outrage and claims of nepotism in the NRL refereeing ranks over State of Origin appointments. Chris Sutton, the little brother of refs boss Bernard Sutton, has been named standby touch judge for the big game.
He gets his trip to Brisbane, a tracksuit, free ticket and best seat in the house while other more experienced touch judges have been snubbed and shown they have no pathway to the big events. Head of Football Graham Annesley is facing a huge backlash from within the ranks.
IMMORTAL’S FISHY TALE
THIS is the one-metre barramundi that rugby league Immortal Bob Fulton recently caught on a fishing trip to Darwin with old footy mates Royce Ayliffe and Ian Schubert. It weighed well over 20kg and took almost 15 minutes to land.
JACK ON THE MOVE
CANBERRA Raiders star Jack Wighton has walked out on his manager Paul Sutton from the SFX stable. He will link up with agent and boxing promoter Matt Rose, who also has Cody Walker on his books. Rose has strong connections to the NRL’s biggest indigenous stars and is building an impressive clientele.
‘Sort himself out’: Shattered teammate speaks after Mam crash
Broncos lock Patrick Carrigan admitted Brisbane needed to do better as a club after Ezra Mam was checked into rehab following a crash last Friday.
Bledis-low! League minnows embarrass rugby in TV disaster
The NRL’s expansion hopes have received a massive boost with a second-tier Test match blowing rugby union’s crown jewel, the Bledisloe Cup, out of the water in shock television ratings figures.