Andrew McCullough’s complicated contract a headache for Broncos
The Broncos have a $1 million dilemma on their hands with Andrew McCullough – and how they handle the hooker will have major implications for their salary-cap position.
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THE Broncos have a $1 million dilemma on their hands with Andrew McCullough – and how they handle the Brisbane hooker will have major implications for their salary-cap position.
When the Broncos announced McCullough’s retention in March, 2017, the club trumpeted a four-year upgrade which was to keep the courageous hooker at Red Hill until the end of 2021.
But it now emerges that McCullough’s four-year contract is more complex than it appears.
His deal contains a two-year option in McCullough’s favour. That means McCullough is technically off-contract this year – and the incumbent Queensland No.9 has the power to activate the final two years of his deal.
McCullough is on around $500,000-a-season at the Broncos and is currently sidelined with a knee injury, so the Maroons rake would have every incentive to seek security by taking up his two-year option.
The conundrum for the Broncos is the sudden competition for hooking spots. Jake Turpin has been a revelation filling in for McCullough, but he is also off-contract. At 22, he is seven years younger than McCullough.
Then there’s new recruit James Segeyaro, who scored the match-winner in his Broncos debut last week. At 28, he is one year younger than McCullough.
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There is speculation the club is prepared to offload McCullough to an NRL rival, something the Broncos have vigorously denied. But sooner rather than later, McCullough’s future needs to be sorted out.
MAL MEETS WALKER BROTHERS
THE NRL coaching rumour mill went into a spin when Titans culture boss Mal Meninga was spotted by Blindside meeting with premiership-winning Intrust Super Cup co-coaches Ben and Shane Walker last week.
At a time when Titans coach Garth Brennan is under pressure at Parkwood, the Meninga meeting could give the impression the Walker brothers are being lined up as a possible contingency at the Gold Coast.
Significantly, the Walker brothers, who famously steered the Ipswich Jets to the 2015 Intrust Super Cup premiership with their unique brand of “contract football”, were interviewed for the Titans job in 2017, only to lose out to Brennan.
However, Meninga was more interested in Ben Walker’s son Sam.
The 16-year-old playmaking prodigy is one of the code’s hottest talents and is not only being chased by 12 NRL clubs, including the Titans, but is also being targeted by the Australian Rugby Union.
Walker’s highlights reel on Youtube has sent scouts into a frenzy with his speed off the mark, vision and game management for such a young player.
The Roosters have been linked with Walker, who is off-contract at the Broncos, but the young gun also has interest from the Titans, Bulldogs, Melbourne and Super Rugby clubs.
Ben Walker confirmed the meeting with Meninga but laughed off suggestions he and Shane will be coaching the Titans in 2020.
“It was just a general football chat,” Walker said. “The Titans are interested in Sam and it was important for us to see the direction in which the club is heading, so we appreciated Mal’s time.”
THAT’S UBER RIDICULOUS
WHICH premiership-winning first grader is the NRL’s biggest cheapskate? He is so stingy he orders Uber Eats, then lodges false complaints with the company in a bid to get a discount on his next order!
ROOKIE’S MACCAS RUN
BRONCOS rookie Gehamat Shibasaki is a generous man. The rising centre took time out from training during the week to hand out Broncos Burgers to patrons at a McDonald’s store on Brisbane northside.
He even offered one to yours truly as this very Blindside column was being constructed. Sipping on my coke, this intrepid reporter politely declined the burger, honouring the journalistic tenet of never accepting free gifts for a story.
COYNE’S MAGIC TRY REMEMBERED
A MEMORABLE rugby league anniversary went by without much fanfare. Yesterday, May 23, marked exactly 25 years since Queensland centre Mark Coyne scored what is widely regarded as the greatest try in Origin history.
On May 23, 1994, the Blues were ahead 12-10 with a minute to play in the series opener at the SFS when the Maroons went from coast to coast before Mal Meninga passed to Coyne, who famously slithered over to break NSW hearts for a 16-12 victory.
“That’s not a try, that’s a miracle,” roared the great Ray Warren. Coyne is today a respected member of the ARL Commission.
CORDNER BACKS HAAS
BRONCOS front-row sensation Payne Haas has received a glowing endorsement from NSW skipper Boyd Cordner as the Blues prepare to pick their team for Origin I on Sunday night.
Haas flew out to New Zealand yesterday knowing a bumper performance against the Warriors tomorrow night at Mt Smart Stadium could clinch a remarkable NSW debut for the monstrous 118kg prop.
Haas plays just his 10th NRL game tomorrow night but NSW coach Brad Fittler is a huge fan of the teenage bookend and Cordner believes he has the ability to handle State of Origin.
“If you have a look at his numbers and the impact he’s having on the game, it’s hard to not say that he’s one of the in-form players of the competition, definitely forward-wise,” he said.
“To see the amount of games he’s played, I think it’s 10 or so first-grade games, so it’s pretty phenomenal what he’s done so far.
“He’s showing every bit of his worth at the moment. He’s putting his name up and I reckon he’s up to that (Origin) standard for sure with what he’s shown.”
BRONCOS HONOUR VICTORY
BRONCOS old boys will gather for a reunion on June 7 – two days after Origin I at Suncorp Stadium – to celebrate Brisbane’s first ever piece of silverware.
Twelve months after their admission to the Winfield Cup in 1988, the Broncos took out the 1989 Panasonic Cup, edging out Illawarra 22-20 in a midweek thriller at Parramatta Stadium.
Almost 17,000 fans turned out to watch a Wayne Bennett-coached Broncos team containing stars such as Allan Langer, Wally Lewis, Gene Miles, Joe Kilroy, Sam Backo and Kerrod Walters stave off a Steelers fightback after Brisbane bolted to a 16-0 lead.
Graham Annesley, the current NRL football-operations chief, was referee, and Terry Matterson finished with man-of-the-series honours on a historic night for the Broncos. The team will gather at Gambaro’s restaurant, with Peter Jackson the only member of the side to have sadly passed on.
NOT SO MEDIA FRIENDLY
WHICH Queensland-based player flipped the bird to his own club’s media manager and told him to “get f****ed” when he was asked to speak to journalists after a recent game. Hopefully club powerbrokers put a rocket up the self-entitled star, who is playing like a reserve grader.
WEBCKE’S BEEF WITH STATS
CALL him old school but legendary Broncos prop Shane Webcke has a beef with the game’s modern-day statistic – metres gained.
These days, NRL forwards are largely judged on whether they play well by the number of metres they accrue in a game, but Webcke – one of rugby league’s greatest front-rowers – says the analysis is too simplistic.
“Metres run in a game is the most overrated stat in the NRL today,” Webcke told Blindside.
“I will tell you why ... that statistic never really rewards the tough hit-ups.
“I will see a guy who runs 60 or 70 metres but every one was a tough hit-up which gave the next bloke a good hit-up. That’s not to belittle blokes running 200 metres, but on the surface it doesn’t give credit to the blokes who make some tough hit-ups.
“Statistics only tell part of the story in rugby league.”
PLAYER STOCKS
RISING
WILL CHAMBERS: A maligned man but his last-minute match-winner against the Wests Tigers was the confidence boost he needs heading into Origin I. Attacking with more confidence this season.
KODI NIKORIMA: Two from two as a Warriors playmaker and now faces his former Broncos teammates tomorrow night in Auckland.
MATT LODGE: Payne Haas may be getting all the headlines but Lodge has been the unsung hero in Brisbane’s pack. Charged for a whopping 201m against the Roosters.
TOM OPACIC: Great to see an unheralded player winning games. Opacic is not a household name like Cam Smith or Johnathan Thurston but he gives 100 per cent every week for the Cowboys.
FALLING
ASH TAYLOR: Has lost his way as a playmaker at the Titans and desperately needs an experienced mentor to help him realise his potential.
LATRELL MITCHELL: The Roosters superstar had a shocker against Broncos rookie Gehamat Shibasaki. Will be primed to hit back in the lead-up to Origin I.
MITCHELL MOSES: One of the most enigmatic players in the NRL. Can be brilliant on his day but his performance against the Cowboys was truly horrible.
MATT DUFTY: Started the season in sizzling form but had an afternoon to forget in the Dragons’ 45-12 hammering by the Knights. Paid the price by being dropped by coach Paul McGregor.
Originally published as Andrew McCullough’s complicated contract a headache for Broncos
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