Blindside: Latest NRL gossip and inside info
DALY Cherry-Evans finally silenced the critics in Origin III, but he was almost snubbed again in favour of Titans playmaker Ashley Taylor before Kevin Walters made a fateful call.
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DALY Cherry-Evans finally silenced the critics in Origin III, but he was almost snubbed again in favour of Titans playmaker Ashley Taylor.
Blindside can reveal the secret discussions that put Taylor on the cusp of a Queensland debut ahead of DCE on Wednesday night.
PAIRING: Munster ready to play with DCE
ALMOST PERFECT: Billy happy with win
Queensland coach Kevin Walters was so serious about blooding Taylor he told Paul McGregor as much when he phoned the Dragons coach to inform him his club halfback Ben Hunt would be relegated to the bench for Origin III.
Walters got chatting with McGregor and told him he was thinking of giving Taylor his big break in the Queensland No. 7 jumper.
A former Blues centre, McGregor knows what it takes to succeed in Origin. He suggested Taylor, at 23, might not be quite ready.
It’s not known how influential McGregor’s words were but Queensland selectors ended up reading out the name of Cherry-Evans, ending his three-year Origin exile.
It proved a masterstroke. Cherry-Evans came of age as an Origin playmaker in the 18-12 victory, making a formidable statement for the 2019 campaign.
The decision to overlook Taylor was applauded by his club coach Garth Brennan, who feared the Titans schemer was on a hiding to nothing in the Suncorp Stadium dead rubber.
“Ash knows Origin will come for him, everyone knows he will play Origin at some stage,” Brennan said. “It’s important he makes his debut at the right time.
“The last thing I would have wanted was for Ash to go into the game and become the scapegoat if the result wasn’t what they wanted. Kevvie did the right thing looking after Ash.
“I want Ash to play Origin more than anyone, but it has to be at the right time.”
RADLEY RORT
TITANS coach Garth Brennan has sensationally exposed a Roosters judiciary rort involving hitman Victor Radley.
Radley received a one-week suspension from round 16 and because the Roosters had a bye last week, the hard-hitting forward was ineligible for this Sunday’s clash against the Titans at Robina.
But that didn’t stop the Roosters naming Radley in the No. 12 jumper for the Titans clash. Brennan, a former police prosecutor, spotted Radley’s name immediately and began making inquiries.
It is understood the Roosters planned to argue Radley had served his ban because he would have played for the NSW under-20s on Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium.
But under judiciary rules, a player must serve his ban in the grade in which he committed an offence. Brennan’s detective work to catch out Radley and the Roosters spared the NRL a major embarrassment.
COWS WANT ORIGIN PAIR
THE Cowboys are wasting no time plotting recruitment raids after their nightmare campaign this season.
The club is targeting Queensland Origin duo Valentine Holmes and Cameron Munster in what would be the ultimate package deal.
The Cowboys are in ongoing talks with Holmes’ management and are increasingly confident of snaring the Sharks flyer.
Holmes has a 12-month option in his favour, meaning he could be in Townsville for the 2020 season and possibly sooner if rumours about Ben Barba returning to Cronulla from St Helens materialise.
But the Sharks insist they won’t let Holmes go without a fight and will look to table a contract extension in the coming weeks.
The good news for the Cowboys is that Munster will test his value on the open market.
The Storm sensation is off-contract next year and won’t sign any extension with Melbourne until he has explored his options in the NRL.
Munster is on around $600,000 in 2019 but will push for a $1 million salary with his next contract, meaning the Cowboys will have to spend-up big to land both Holmes and Munster.
Whether North Queensland can afford the pair, having already forked out big bucks for Michael Morgan, is the million-dollar question.
MCQUEEN CONSIDERS RETURN
FORMER Maroons back-rower Chris McQueen is considering a return to the Titans.
McQueen has played just two games for the Tigers this season following neck surgery. McQueen’s three-year Tigers deal was brokered by former coach Jason Taylor, but current mentor Ivan Cleary clearly has other ideas about McQueen’s status in his top 17.
McQueen had two impressive seasons at the Titans and is open to a Queensland homecoming.
ALL-STAR CARNAGE
THE Deadly Choices All-Star Invitational curtain-raiser clash before the Titans-Broncos derby last Sunday left several golden oldies worse for wear.
Former Bronco Terry Matterson did his hamstring, while ex-Maroons Origin star Kevin Campion injured his calf.
Former Gold Coast Seagull Chris Orr, now a leading NRL player manager, also tore his calf, but his ego suffered the biggest damage when he couldn’t fit into jersey No. 13 and had to wear No. 16.
Well-placed sources say Scott Prince, now a touch-football king, treated the clash like a grand final and hoped Queensland coach Kevin Walters would pick him for Origin III.
BRONCOS LODGE SHORT OFFER
MATT Lodge has had an outstanding maiden year at Red Hill given his off-field ordeal but the Broncos are taking a cautious approach.
Blindside can reveal the off-contract Lodge won’t walk out on the club, but the Broncos will only table a 12-month extension for next season.
A fortnight ago, the Broncos gave Lodge a small pay rise for this year after the club finally brokered a compensation deal with his American victims.
There were reports Lodge would receive a multi-year upgrade in the coming weeks pending NRL approval, but the Broncos will only table a one-year offer.
RETRO ROUND
HERE come the Men in … Maroon.
Step aside Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, Justin Hodges and Mal Meninga are the Maroons’ galaxy defenders, protecting Queensland “from the Blue scum of New South Wales”.
The NRL will launch Retro Round in a fortnight and Fox Sports will this year celebrate a 1990s theme.
Fox League’s team took part in a three-day shoot with Gorden Tallis relishing his role as Dr Evil and Yvonne Sampson pulling off a fine Uma Thurman look of Pulp Fiction fame.
NRL 360 hosts Ben Ikin and Paul Kent starred in Wayne’s World (cue Wayne Bennett choking on his cornflakes), but Hodges and Meninga stole the show with their Men in Maroon garb.
Well-placed sources tell Blindside Hodges, the Queensland under-20s coach, loved his look so much he will wear sunglasses when he one day takes charge of the Maroons’ Origin side.
“I was a big fan of the Men In Black movies in the 90s. If there’s a man who can save planet earth from aliens it’s Mal Meninga,” Hodges said with a laugh.
“It didn’t take Mal long to channel his inner-Tommy Lee Jones, he loved it.”
Retro Round will kick off with a replay of the 1997 Super League grand final between Cronulla and the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday, July 26.
ELGEY’S PAY CUT
TITANS playmaker Kane Elgey faces a massive $400,000 pay cut to remain in the NRL.
The out-of-sorts Elgey is on an estimated $550,000 this season at the Titans, whose coach Garth Brennan said yesterday he doesn’t intend to offer him a new deal for 2019.
It is understood three NRL clubs have expressed mild interest in Elgey but are only prepared to pay around $140,000 a season at this stage.
Elgey is one of the NRL’s good guys and showed some class in his rookie year of 2015, but has struggled for confidence since returning from a knee reconstruction two years ago.
SLATER JR’S TRAINING INJURY
QUEENSLAND coach Kevin Walters may have to hire a babysitter next season. Camp Maroon at Sanctuary Cove last week for Origin III resembled an episode of the Brady Bunch after Walters invited players’ partners and children to visit for the weekend.
The Maroons’ stars of tomorrow relished running amok, although there was a scare when Billy Slater’s son Jake rolled his ankle at training and burst into tears.
Slater’s wife Nicole rushed to his aid with a mother’s loving smile as onlookers screamed: “Slater’s out of Origin!”.
PLAYING STOCKS
RISING
Daly Cherry-Evans
Any suggestion he is not an Origin player has finally been put to bed. Cherry-Evans was outstanding in Origin III and has the talent to be Queensland’s No. 7 for the next five years.
Rhyse Martin
The Bulldogs forward deserved to finish in the winner’s circle after his remarkable 24-point haul. How Canterbury botched a 28-14 lead against Canberra with seven minutes to play is anyone’s guess.
Jarome Luai
What a talent. Not since Preston Campbell buzzed around defenders have the Panthers seen such a quick-stepping livewire. The Penrith rookie destroyed the Warriors and is sure to have clubs lining up to sign him.
Dane Gagai
The Souths ace never lets Queensland down. Filled in superbly for Greg Inglis in Origin III, running for 183 metres. Relishes the pressure and toughness of representative football.
FALLING
Konrad Hurrell
“Koni” is a loveable character but the sight of him blowing in the 42nd minute last week, barely able to run, was an embarrassment. How can full-time NRL athletes on $400,000 be so unfit? It’s a disgrace.
T he Warriors
Steve Kearney’s men have had a fine season so far but their heavy loss to Penrith rang alarm bells. The business end is approaching. The Warriors must aim up when it counts.
Andrew McCullough
Played just 30 minutes of Origin III and while defensively brave in his maiden Origin series, never quite exerted the dominance to suggest he has cemented the Maroons’ No. 9 jumper.
BJ Leilua
Even in victory he shows no class. Carried on like a pork chop when he scored the matchwinner to break the Bulldogs’ hearts. Needs a lesson in humility.
Originally published as Blindside: Latest NRL gossip and inside info