Allianz Stadium redevelopment cost blowout, Raiders remember greatest grand final
It is already one of the most divisive projects in NSW — but the rising cost of redeveloping Sydney’s Allianz Stadium is becoming a nightmare. PLUS, could David Gallop really return to the NRL?
SAINT
FEMALE ref Belinda Sharpe’s NRL debut on Thursday night. Not so much her performance in Brisbane but for how she happily promoted rugby league in the build-up. If only other refs had the same communication skills and personality.
SAINT II
A HUGE round of applause to the NRL judiciary for allowing Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to escape punishment for belting the game’s most despised and dirty player, Cowboys and Maroons lock Josh McGuire.
SINNERS
CRITICS calling for the sacking of Mark Coyne from the independent commission. Yes, he got hopelessly smashed and behaved poorly. Your columnist first met Coyne in 1988. In 30 years, I have not met a more decent man in rugby league. A short suspension would be a sufficient penalty.
SINNER II
THERE’S nothing worse than watching big-time sport on TV without high definition. Channel 9’s coverage of the women’s Ashes on GEM is like a blur compared to what we’ve become accustomed to in this new age of technology.
SHOOSH
THERE are some more crazy rumours doing the rounds on NRL player movement. We had a tip last week suggesting Origin star Tyson Frizell was heading from the Dragons to Sydney Roosters for Angus Crichton, who would be returning to rugby union with the Waratahs.
SHOOSH II
IF Mark Coyne does resign as an independent commissioner, there’s already talk soccer boss David Gallop could be sounded out as a replacement. True story.
SHOOSH III
WHICH player agent is trying to pinch Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga from his manager Wade Rushton before he negotiates a new multimillion-dollar deal?
SHOOSH IV
WHICH struggling and highly paid NRL star spends too much time fishing, according to his coaching staff? Surely it beats sitting on the lounge playing PS4, going to the pub or an afternoon at the TAB.
SPOTTED
EMMA Freedman is back on The Matty Johns Show from next Sunday night, three months after giving birth to her first child … little William Anthony, who arrived six weeks premature.
SPOTTED II
THE NRL’s under-siege Head of Football Graham Annesley releasing his stress by walking to work from Milsons Point, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to Moore Park HQ.
SPOTTED III
RACING NSW supremo and NRL independent commissioner Peter V’landys at Sydney Airport, escaping Sydney’s winter chill for a family holiday in Hawaii.
RAIDERS PARTY LIKE IT’S 1989
It is often remembered and spoken about as the greatest rugby league grand final victory of all time.
The day the Canberra Raiders came from a seemingly impossible position to beat the Balmain Tigers in a heart-stopping extra time thriller at the SFS.
The Raiders won their first premiership 19-14 via a barnstorming solo try to replacement forward Steve Jackson.
They also came from a history-making fifth place on the competition table and survived a torrid month of sudden death showdowns to do so.
Now the Green Machine’s heroes of ‘89 have regathered in the national capital for a 30-year reunion. There was a Hall of Fame dinner on Friday night followed by the official reunion after last night’s match against the Wests Tigers.
● We hope the Raiders didn’t forget to invite 1989 Tigers coach Warren “Wok” Ryan.
The Wok replaced champion forwards Steve Roach and Paul Sironen towards the end of the match — a decision still spoken about as the greatest grand final coaching blunder in the game’s history.
ALLIANZ COST BLOWOUT
The $729 million Allianz Stadium redevelopment is already becoming a political nightmare for the SCG Trust and State government.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the project is not only running behind schedule but also way over budget just a few months after demolition work began.
Instead of opening in the new year of 2022 as planned, we’re told it has been pushed back to June/July which could put in doubt plans to play Origin at the new 45,000 seat venue as planned.
The original $729 million costing has blown out by almost 10 per cent to $800 million.
This will fire up those who campaigned for stadium money to go to schools and hospitals instead.
The work delays are also a major issue for their tenants the Sydney Roosters, Sydney FC and the Waratahs who were desperate to return at the beginning of 2022.
SHARKS ON THE MOVE
The Cronulla Sharks will shut down their Leagues Club and move all home games away from Shark Park for two years to allow builders to complete the final stage of their Woolooware redevelopment in January.
Ten “home” games will be played at Kogarah Oval and another two in Darwin and on the Sunshine Coast in 2020 and 2021 before the club can return to its traditional home.
The closure of the Leagues Club is a huge short-term blow to finances.
It will cost at least $3 million from poker machine profits but officials believe the long-term gains from a new licensed club in 2022 far outweigh the losses over two years.
MAL BACKING ASH
Mal Meninga has vowed to stand by million-dollar halfback Ash Taylor at the Gold Coast Titans, no matter who coaches the club next year.
Meninga has declared the troubled playmaker will come back “bigger and better” from his mental health issues but still has a way to go.
Taylor’s future has been the subject of much discussion since he stood down for personal reasons after the round 12 game against the Cowboys.
The Titans have received a clearance from Taylor’s psychologist to resume playing.
“Ash still needs some work,” Meninga said, “He’s been suffering for a while but I’m confident this is going to be a really positive process for him. I believe he’ll emerge a lot more committed person.
“He’s doing everything he can and he’s been very honest about his issues. It’s been a real self-discovery exercise for him.”
THERE’S NO HEAT ON MARY
ST George Illawarra’s board will meet on Tuesday to discuss the team’s dismal premiership campaign but chief executive Brian Johnston says coach Paul “Mary” McGregor’s position won’t be discussed.
“Mary signed a two-year extension at the beginning of the year so there’s no heat at the moment,” Johnston said. “We’ve got to hang in and stay positive. Mary’s working 12 to 14 hours a day.
“No doubt, team performances will be a point of discussion but not the coach specifically.”
The Dragons could be in for a tough couple of years. They have no cap space for high-profile recruits next year, even with Gareth Widdop going.
MURRAY MAKING A MARK OFF THE FIELD
YOU’D be flat out finding a more impressive youngster in the NRL than Rabbitohs forward Cameron Murray. Murray recently turned 21, debuted in Origin, signed a new three-year contract and has also ventured into real estate.
He paid $1.25 million for a beautiful two-bedroom apartment in Clovelly, just 100m from the beach. Compare his story to another boom NRL youngster who is battling massive gambling problems and has blown much of his footy money. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars.
OH, BROTHER
NRL boss Todd Greenberg thought he was doing the right thing by sending “thank you” text messages to Freddy Fittler and Kevin Walters for the roles they played in promoting the State of Origin series.
He did, however, have the wrong phone number for Kevvie and sent it by mistake to his brother Steve, the former Raiders, Maroons and Kangaroos hooker.
TOOVS SETS GOOD EXAMPLE
IT is a weekly occurrence at Fox Sports on Monday nights to have Thai takeaway for dinner in the green room. There are always plates, cutlery, napkins and empty drink bottles to clean up.
Manly legend Geoff Toovey meticulously looks after the clean up.
It’s a bit like Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk being spotted sweeping and picking up rubbish in the dressing rooms — a practice they picked up from the All Blacks.
Toovey is a good man who wouldn’t be out of place coaching NRL again. He would certainly set the right example for young players.
GAGAI’S CENTRE MOVE
DANE Gagai’s move to the wing at Souths has caused major salary cap issues with the balance of the Rabbitohs’ roster.
The ex-Broncos and Knights star is on $700,000 next year, which is way too much money for a winger. Canterbury Bulldogs are apparently keen to bring Gagai to Belmore and play him in the centres — his position of choice.
It is unlikely that coach Wayne Bennett would stand in his way.
FOX RETAINS THE A-GAME
FOX Sports remains committed to its A-League coverage despite poor ratings in recent seasons. The network has recently re-signed fan favourites Mark Bosnich, Robbie Slater, Archie Thompson and Brenton Speed to new contracts.
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