Josh Addo-Carr cops speeding fine, Jordan Rapana returns to Raiders
Josh Addo-Carr’s speed is usually used for winning NRL matches – but this time it’s got the under-fire Melbourne star in yet more trouble. PLUS, Rooster Butcher’s glamorous proposal.
NRL
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SAINT
After four months in the spinal unit at his Wakefield Hospital, Mose Masoe has returned home to his partner and children in the north of England. Before leaving, he bought and handed out small gifts to each and every one on the medical staff who have assisted him in recovery.
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SINNER
The NRL’s hopelessly inadequate penalties handed down to the players who breached COVID-19 protocols and put the season resumption and hundreds of jobs at risk. This is a first-round failure for acting chief executive Andrew Abdo, who should, at the very least, have overruled the Integrity Unit and banned players for a month.
SHOOSH
Which old rugby league legend is threatening to withdraw from The Daily Telegraph NRL tipping competition if winners from the first two rounds are scrapped? He tipped eight from eight, his first-ever clean sweep, in round two.
SHOOSH II
No worries for one Victorian sports star who has found a way around the state’s golf ban by buying a $10,000 simulator for his lounge room.
SHOOSH III
To coincide with the State of Origin in November, there’s talk of Tonga, the Kiwis and England playing a Tri-series. It is hoped venues will be open to the public by then in New Zealand and Australia.
LISTEN! The Daily Telegraph NRL podcast is back. Adam Mobbs is joined by Phil Rothfield and Michael Carayannis to talk why Latrell Mitchell was hard done by, Nathan Cleary’s omission of fact, and that Queensland Grand Final bid.
SPOTTED
A trotter by the name of Buzz Rothfield, a two-year-old bay colt sired by a nag called Sportswriter, having a trial at Albion Park in Brisbane on Friday. Buzz will be trained and driven by the highly regarded Tayla Gillespie. We’ll let you know when he’s ready to race.
SPOTTED II
The great Gus Gould getting a haircut and visiting his local post office in the Shire on Tuesday.
SPOTTED III
Sky Sports race caller and Married At First Sight villain Anthony Manton walking his dog in Moore Park.
SPOTTED IV
Brett Kimmorley — still looking match-fit — pounding the footpaths around Miranda & Caringbah
SPOTTED V
My north-of-the-border colleague Peter Badel on the job filing an exclusive from Ward 7E of the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane on Tuesday. “Bomber” had surgery for a stomach hernia but it couldn’t stop him reaching for the laptop he brought along just in case a big NRL story broke.
ROMANTIC ROOSTERS BENDS THE KNEE
NOT all footy players have been behaving like hoons during the COVID-19 break.
Sydney Roosters forward Nat Butcher got himself engaged — proposing to his stunning partner Harmony Abell at the picturesque Lurline Headland at Maroubra last Sunday.
No wonder Roosters players say Nat is punching so much above his weight.
While Nat, 22, is at university studying for a business degree, Harmony is a fashion model at Chic Management. She even has her own swimsuit brand.
Butcher went about the proposal the old-fashioned way.
Before the Roosters’ left for World Club Challenge in England in February, he took Harmony’s parents out for breakfast to ask their permission.
“We’ve kept it a secret for a couple of months,” Butcher said. “I was really nervous but it’s worked out great.”
Harmony confirmed the news on her Instagram account.
“Thank you for the most beautiful day. It was so ‘us’ and so perfect. I LOVE YOU.”
And then …
“Fiancee … hehe gonna have to get used to that!!!! Thank you so much to everyone for the kind words over the past few days. Nat and I are so happy and overwhelmed. So grateful.”
ADDO-CARR FINED FOR SPEEDING
The fines just keep on coming for troubled Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr.
On Tuesday while he was driving home to Sydney from his Taree camping trip, Addo-Carr got pinched by Highway Patrol for speeding on the Pacific Highway near Nabiac.
We’re told he was between 10 and 20km/h over the limit. Hard to believe, but true.
This follows the $1000 fine on Monday for failing to comply with social-distancing laws; a $50,000 fine from the NRL on Tuesday for the breach ($30,000 suspended) — as well as being charged with a firearms offence on Tuesday afternoon.
It was a shocking few days for the representative winger, who is now struggling to keep his place in both the NSW State of Origin team and the Kangaroos after losing the confidence and respect of his Blues coach Brad Fittler and Australian coach Mal Meninga.
Still, Melbourne Storm are standing by him. Your columnist spoke to Craig Bellamy on Thursday, who vowed to support the winger.
“What I can’t work out is that if you knew you were doing the wrong thing, there’s no way you’d put a photo out on social media,” Bellamy said. “The rules have been pushed hard but it’s like he didn’t understand the importance.”
RAPANA REJOINS THE GREEN MACHINE
New Zealand Test winger Jordan Rapana is back at the Canberra Raiders for the remainder of the NRL season.
He will resume on Monday when the Raiders gather in the national capital for an education day on COVID-19 protocols.
Rapana cut short his Japanese rugby union stint with Panasonic Wild Knights when coronavirus forced a comp shutdown.
The 30-year-old winger returned to Canberra at the start of last month and spoke to coach Ricky Stuart about the possibility of a comeback. He was forced out after last year’s grand final because of salary cap pressure.
Rapana has scored 61 tries in the past four season for the Green Machine and is regarded as one of the best finishers in the competition.
JIMMY JACK’S PLEA
We love this tweet from old Balmain Tigers legend Garry Jack, which sums up the mood of all rugby league fans who are hanging out for the May 28 resumption.
To all of you @NRL players. You might consider me an old 'hasbeen' but you have the opportunity to get back to playing the game you love which in turn will bring a lot of happiness to many people. Do the right thing, stop the selfishness.
— Garry Jack (@jimmyjack244) April 29, 2020
Regards, an old Tiger #nrl #COVID19
ALL THE BEST TO ROOSTERMAN
The Sydney Roosters are chipping in to help their most loyal supporter, who has fallen ill.
Roosterman Brian Cooley has been going to the footy for more than 50 years, terrorising opposition fans with his loud, colourful but always good-natured banter.
Brian is suffering from severe dementia, which is worsening.
The emotional and financial toll on his family is immense. Daughter Jess and family are caring for Brian full-time and have set up a gofundme page.
Roosters boss Nick Politis and all directors have thrown in $500 each. So, too, has David Gyngell.
We wish Brian and his family well.
GIRLS ARE GAME
The NRL still wants to play a four-team women’s competition towards the end of the season, despite a backlash from the clubs over funding.
“We appreciate the clubs are doing it very tough,” said ARLC boss Peter V’landys, “but we will do our utmost to get the competition on again. They (the clubs) don’t want the cost of it and we respect that. The financial model needs to be changed.”
O’NEILL SAYS NO
We keep hearing rugby union heavyweights have sounded out John O’Neill about the possibility of him returning as a replacement for Raelene Castle. He has said no.
The only way he would ever go back is if he was given full rein as an executive chairman and then hand pick a board to get on with toughest job in Australian sport. And that is highly unlikely to happen.
I MIGHT JUST GO MARCH MYSELF
Former referee Greg Hartley has taken to social media to express his disgust and slam players who broke COVID-19 social distancing protocols.
On Facebook, Hartley wrote: “I don’t say much to hurt the game but this breach is too much for me. I am finished with the game after this. I will find another sport to support.”
So we got in touch with Hartley to ask why he was so fired up and threatening to abandon the sport.
“It disgusts me that a group of players think they’re above the law,” he said. “These bloody phone cameras are like a rifle. They can kill you. Especially with idiots using them.
“I never bag the game but when I see things like this happening …
“These turkeys are stuffing our game up. I might just go elsewhere and follow English soccer or something.”