Buzz: NRLW star Jessica Sergis helps save woman’s life, Bill Harrigan’s ‘time bomb’ heart scare
Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: How Jessica Sergis’ quick thinking saved an elderly woman’s life, plus all the latest rugby league gossip from Phil Rothfield.
NRL
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Sydney Roosters NRLW star Jessica Sergis is being credited with saving an elderly woman’s life after coming to her aid at Westfield Eastgardens on Thursday after a nasty fall.
The woman collapsed and hit her head in the ladies toilet, suffering a deep laceration to her head.
The women’s Dally M player of the year arrived on the scene and stabilised the woman and had to rip her own shirt off to put pressure on the wound as the woman bled profusely.
Ambulance officers say Sergis’ quick thinking most probably saved the woman’s life before medical help arrived.
Westfield was also hugely grateful for Sergis’ fast actions and first-aid skills and thanked her for her quick response.
We contacted Sergis’ manager Steve Gillis about the story. Typical of Sergis, she didn’t want to be seen as a hero.
“Jess doesn’t want to make a big deal of it,” he said. “She’s just glad she was there at the right time to help the lady.”
‘WALKING TIME BOMB’: FORMER NRL REF’S HEART SCARE
Former referee Bill Harrigan has had a major heart scare.
Specialists found Harrigan had an 80 per cent blockage in the main artery to his heart. It was a shock because he was incredibly fit as a referee and had stayed in great shape in retirement.
“The tests showed I was a walking time bomb,” Harrigan, 61, said.
“So they put me into hospital and I had a stent put in. It’s made an enormous difference.
“The scary thing is that I didn’t even know I had a problem. It could have been much worse if my GP hadn’t sent me for a test. It’s a good lesson to everyone to regular check-ups.”
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ALL STARS TO SHINE ON SYDNEY
Rugby league’s Indigenous v Maori All Stars match is to be played in Sydney for the first time in February.
The match will be played at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium on February 12 as part of a state government initiative to compensate western Sydney fans for missing so much NRL action last year because of the game’s Covid-forced relocation to Queensland.
The 10 previous All Stars matches have been played in Queensland (eight times), Newcastle and in Melbourne.
The NRL is confident of attracting a near sellout crowd of footy-starved fans at the 30,000-seat venue.
Despite the game being in Sydney, players from both sides will spend the week-long build-up supporting the indigenous and Maori cultures in schools, junior footy and in the communities.
The only downside is that superstar Latrell Mitchell can’t play in the game because of his suspension.
The All Stars will be part of a TV smorgasbord of rugby league in February in the build-up to the premiership.
The NRL is preparing for the 32 club pre-season matches to be shown live on Fox League and Kayo on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights from February 18 to 28.
Negotiations with the broadcaster include a plan to include five games on one day, starting from midday.
Under the proposal, premiers Penrith will start with trial matches against a new-look Sharks outfit and neighbouring rivals Parramatta.
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YOUNG SEA EAGLE CAN OUTSPRINT SAAB
The Manly Sea Eagles could field the NRL’s two fastest players in their backline next season.
Teenage centre Tolutau Koula is rated an even faster player than flying winger Jason Saab.
The 19-year-old from Newington College is a GPS 100m champion and record-holder.
The kid can play too which is why Manly’s recruitment guru Scott Fulton has locked down Koula on a new two-year contract after huge interest from rival clubs.
The speed machine had a taste of NRL in a trial match earlier this season but coach Des Hasler chose to be patient with his development.
Koula has the skills to match his blinding pace and is sure to feature in first grade from early in the season. It is a huge bonus for the club after losing Moses Suli to St George-Illawarra.
OFFICIAL SPOT OF BOTHER
We know rugby league is a cutthroat business, but it all got a bit too close for comfort this week for NRL Head of Football, Graham Annesley.
What appeared to be nothing more than a small spot on his face turned out to be an aggressive skin cancer that needed to be urgently cut out to ensure it didn’t return.
Annesley said it was an important reminder for anyone who noticed any skin irregularity to get it checked out as soon as possible.
ENNIS McGREGOR ON DECK AT EELS
IT wasn’t all bleak news for Parramatta Eels last week.
A couple of handy coaches turned up for their first training session at the club to support Brad Arthur – Michael Ennis and Paul McGregor.
They are part of a new-look coaching staff at Parramatta following the departure of Andrew Johns to Newcastle Knights.
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SAINTS
We never hear enough about NRL stars and their great charity work. Many give up so much of their time but avoid the publicity. Last week Manly stars Tom and Jake Trbojevic, Lachlan Croker, Brad Parker, Kieran Foran and Sea Eagles club legend Glenn Stewart were spotted working out on rowing machines at a gym in Erina on the Central Coast. It was part of a charity day to raise awareness for Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Youth Suicide.
SINNER
The Bulldogs have an odd sense of justice. Those who foolishly asked Billy Kikau to be photographed in a polo shirt and happily posed beside him have escaped punishment. The person who sent the photo to a mate gets sacked from his $200,000-a-year job. It’s unfair.
SHOOSH
The Eels knew they were up against it to keep Reed Mahoney once he was spotted two weeks ago with Bulldogs powerbrokers. His manager Sam Ayoub is close to Canterbury chairman John Khoury and football boss Gus Gould. They all go back a long way. Having said that, Ayoub is renowned for tough negotiating skills and looks after his players.
SPOTTED
South Sydney CEO Blake Solly getting a Covid test after being alerted he’d been in the same corporate suite as a positive case at the Tim Tszyu fight at Qudos Bank Arena. Solly was cleared and is back at work with the Rabbitohs.
SPOTTED
This beautiful photo of Melbourne half Jahrome Hughes proposing to partner Molly on the Gold Coast last week. Molly is much-loved at Storm … she is a primary school teacher who ran lessons for many of the kids while the Storm families were in their bubble on the Sunshine Coast.
SPOTTED
Mitchell Pearce and Dylan Napa training together at the 98 Gym in Darlinghurst to prepare for the UK Super League stint with Catalans.
SPOTTED
Benji Marshall enjoying life without off-season training with his lovely wife Zoe at China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf.
SPOTTED
Old footy legend Wendell Sailor doing selfies on the Manly Esplanade and lapping it up every single time he was stopped for a photo.
DUSTY’S LOVE FOR SONNY SYDNEY
AFL superstar Dusty Martin is in Sydney for the off-season and spending much of his time with his mate Sonny Bill Williams.
The pair was spotted catching up at Three Beans cafe in Manly last week.
Martin is also training alongside Sonny Bill at a Carlton gym most days as SBW continues preparations to fight Barry Hall in February.
SBW’s manager Khoder Nasser says Dusty is impressive in the gym.
“You’ve got no idea how hard he hits the bags,” Nasser said.
“Seriously, he can really throw ‘em.”
Martin loves life in Sydney away from the AFL fishbowl during the off-season each year.
It’s why the rumour will never go away that he will leave his beloved Richmond Tigers and finish his career at either the Swans or GWS Giants.
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THE pressure of difficult contract negotiations at Parramatta didn’t seem to affect Clint Gutherson’s form on the golf course.
In the week leading up to him re-signing with the Eels to end months of media speculation, King Gutho won the weekend comp at Cromer Golf Club. Gutho plays off 10.
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There’s no off-season for NRL coach-in-waiting Shane Flanagan.
He might have finished up on Fox Sports and 2GB as an expert commentator for the year, but the 2016 Cronulla Sharks premiership-winning coach was spotted hard at it on a building site in North Sydney last week.
Turns out Flanagan is helping out a builder mate and also to keep himself fit and busy while waiting for a coaching opportunity.
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NOT all fast bowlers/all-rounders make great Test captains.
English champion Ian Botham is the best example. He captained the Poms for two years, 1980-81, and didn’t win a Test match although he had eight draws and four losses.
In fairness, 10 of his 12 Test matches at the helm were against the mighty West Indies sides of that era – and the other two against Australia.
The great South African Shaun Pollock had the best strike rate for a fast bowling skipper. He was in charge for 26 Tests over three years and had a 53 per cent win record. It obviously helped having Jacques Kallis, Allan Donald, Jonty Rhodes, Mark Boucher and Graeme Smith in the team.
Pakistan superstar Wasim Akram had 25 Tests as a captain for a 48 per cent win record.
Perhaps the finest performance of all was Imran Khan, winning the 1992 World Cup in Melbourne.
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FORMER PM John Howard, ex-Australia captain Mark Taylor, SCG chairman Tony Shepherd and Alan Jones will speak at the public memorial service for cricket great Alan Davidson at the SCG on Monday.
They will join a who’s who of Australian sport when the cricket family is expected to gather in big numbers. ‘Davo’ has a strong bond with the SCG having played there for Australia and NSW and then as an administrator — both as an SCG trustee and chairman of Cricket NSW. The ceremony starts at 11am and entry is via the Alan Davidson Gates on Driver Avenue, Moore Park. QR code scan and proof of vaccination is required for entry. All welcome.
Billy Slater in crazy career shift
Storm legend and Queensland coach Billy Slater has taken up a new position that nobody saw coming after the NRL season.
Broncos star named to become dual international for Kiwis
The Kiwi Ferns have called up four debutants for the Pacific Championships including Brisbane star Gayle Broughton who is poised to join one of sport’s most exclusive clubs.