Latrell Mitchell’s agent split, NRL and Tina Turner still simply the best

Sydney Roosters superstar Latrell Mitchell is dealing with a messy off-field issue that is starting to concern the club, fans’ sneak peak for new stadium — and is it time for a Tina re-Turner?

• Cartwright’s hospital pass for wife’s home birth
• LIVE coverage of Saturday’s NRL trial games
• Flanno returns to Shark Park

Sydney Roosters superstar Latrell Mitchell is dealing with a messy off-field issue that is starting to concern the club, fans’ sneak peak for new stadium — and is it time for a Tine re-Turner?

SAINT

KANGAROOS coach Mal Meninga on his decision to speak so emphatically about violence against women and the need to ban NRL players facing serious sexual-assault charges.

SINNER

HOW can we improve the behaviour of footballers when NRL players’ union boss Ian Prendergast doesn’t understand the massive brand damage caused by sexual-assault and domestic-violence charges and the need to toughen penalties.

Prendergast is in touch with the players but out of touch with the rest of the public. (AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)

SINNER II

WHAT hope is there for the future of NRL games at suburban grounds when the councils that look after Brookvale and Kogarah ovals can’t even produce a respectable surface for trial games in February.

SHOOSH

WHICH sports star left behind his jacket with a $20,000 Rolex watch in the pocket, on a seat in a Coogee cafe last week. He returned to collect the goods with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label as a gift for the cafe owner.

SHOOSH II

We told you last week about Gus Gould backing Shane Flanagan in his integrity unit case. We’re now hearing police commissioner Mick Fuller has also given a personal reference to the ex-Sharks coach.

SPOTTED

A VERY high-profile player manager walking into a meeting with NRL integrity unit investigators over Cronulla’s salary cap scandal on Thursday.

SPOTTED II

CRONULLA Sharks stars Shaun Johnson, Josh Morris and Chad Townsend playing a round of golf at the Ridge in Bardon Ridge on Thursday.

Paul Gallen getting behind Bilal Akkawy before his big fight.

SPOTTED III

SHARKS skipper checking out Aussie boxer Bilal Akkawy at his final sparring session before jetting out of Sydney for Mexico, where his famed trainer Eddy Reynoso is based. Bilal fights in Las Vegas on May 5.

SPOTTED IV

AUSTRALIAN Rugby League Commission chairman Peter Beattie and NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg arriving at Racing NSW headquarters on Thursday, presumably for a meeting with racing boss and NRL commissioner Peter V’landys.

Tina Turner with the Broncos after their 1993 Grand Final win. (Colin Whelan © Action Photographics)

TINA RETURNER

THE NRL wants to bring back the great Tina Turner commercials.

Next season is 30 years since the 79-year-old rock ’n’ roll legend produced arguably the greatest sporting advertisement in Australia — Simply The Best.

“We’ve got to think of something cool around Tina to mark the anniversary,” said the NRL’s commercial boss Andrew Abdo. “People still love her and the commercial. A great song and great visuals.

“We will certainly be honouring her in some capacity. She doesn’t travel much these days so it would be hard to bring her out here but we’ll be looking at something special.

“We sure haven’t forgotten her contribution to the game.”

Latrell Mitchell‘s agent split could get problematic. (Brett Costello)

LATRELL’S AGENT SPLIT

SUPERSTAR Latrell Mitchell is dealing with a messy off-field issue that is starting to concern Sydney Roosters on the eve of the premiership.

The boom centre has split from his agent Steve Deacon and wants to join the stable of boxing promoter Matt Rose, who is setting up an all-indigenous player management company.

There is talk of Mitchell taking legal action to get out of his current agreement.

Rose looks after the affairs of South Sydney Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker among other players.

Deacon did not return our phone calls or text messages.

Barry Russell should be just what the Sharks need. (Mark Evans/Getty Images)

RUSSELL’S PROMOTION

FORMER Rothmans Medal winner Barry Russell has gone from being on the outer at Cronulla to taking charge of the entire business.

The football club chief executive is now interim group CEO following the sudden departure last week of leagues club boss Tim McAleer for unknown reasons. It leaves Russell in charge of all football and licensed club operations.

There were reports recently Russell would lose his job over his decision to self-report salary cap rorting to the NRL integrity unit that cost premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan his job and leaves the club facing a fine of up to $1 million.

You can’t doubt Herbie Farnworth loves his league. (AAP Image/Darren England)

RED DEVILS TO RED HILL

A British teenager has walked away from a possible career at Manchester United to chase his NRL dream with the Brisbane Broncos.

Broncos rookie Herbie Farnworth was signed by British football giants Man U as a 10-year-old and was so highly rated that their bitter English Premier League rivals Manchester City tried to poach him.

But in the space of nine years, Farnworth — who played for the Broncos in a trial against Wynnum last night — has gone from the Red Devils to Red Hill.

Money, clearly, is not Farnworth’s motivating force in making the switch. He’d make a hell of a lot more cash in the EPL than he ever will in league.

Graham and Frizell had no qualms about a park session. (Phil Hillyard)

DRAGONS STARS SUBURBAN HEROES

We know the playing surface at Kogarah Oval is ordinary but we didn’t expect to find St George Illawarra’s biggest names training on a public soccer field in Gymea Bay on Saturday morning.

Dragons stars James Graham and Tyson Frizell surprised local residents as the pair put themselves through a torture session on Gymea Bay Oval.

Normally reserved for under-8s soccer and cricket, the multimillion-dollar duo ripped through in the rain under the gaze of Dragons conditioner Billy Hulin.

Phil, who lives opposite the oval, sent colleague Dave Riccio footage of the pair after hearing Graham yell the names of North Queensland players Michael Morgan and Josh McGuire, who the Dragons face in round 1.

“It’s not every day I look out my window and see two Test players training on a little soccer ground,’’ Phil said.

“But if you’re a Dragons fan it was great to see the boys pushing themselves so hard right before the season starts.’’

Inside the new Bankwest Stadium in western Sydney.

CURTAINS GO UP

Parramatta fans will get a whole lot more than just the magnificent new facilities when the new 30,000-seat Bankwest Stadium opens in April.

The Eels have made a commitment to staging curtain raisers for most home games in 2019, including feeder club Wentworthville in the Intrust Super Cup and the club’s Jersey Flegg side.

Fans will also be allowed onto the ground at full-time after most games, including the Easter Monday opening game against the Wests Tigers.

FANS’ STADIUM SNEAK PEAK

The four footy clubs who will play home games at Western Sydney stadium this year will be part of a community open day on April 14 that will give fans their first look at the new venue.

NRL clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, the Western Sydney Wanderers and the NSW Waratahs will all have club reps and ambassadors at Bankwest Stadium when more than 30,000 fans will stream through the gates to check out the facility for the first time.

It promises to be a big day for Eels members. They get to check out the view from their new seats eight days ahead of the Easter Monday blockbuster against the Tigers.

Tickets to the open day are free but need to be booked via Ticketek from 1pm Wednesday.

John Daly’s whole career was something of a surprise.

THE BIG O’S 15 TO 1

@Bigotrivia

The biggest upsets and surprises in sport since 1970

15. LONG JOHN WHO? In the week before the 1991 US PGA, John Daly was ninth reserve and wasn’t listed in the betting. Daly shot 12-under to win by three shots.

14. BANGERS BEAT WORLD CHAMPS: In an ODI in 2005, cricket minnows Bangladesh stunned an Australian side captained by Ricky Ponting.

13. SUPER BOWL SHOCK: In 2008, undefeated New England Patriots were defeated by the New York Giants 17-14. Regarded as the greatest upset in NFL history.

12. THE RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE: Muhammad Ali was given little chance to beat undefeated heavyweight champion George Foreman. Ali predicted he’d shock the world and he did.

An unforgettable day for Irish rugby. (Phil Walter/Getty Images/AFP)

11. IRISH EYES ARE SMILING: For the first time in 110 years, Ireland beat the All Blacks in 2016, ending their 18-match winning streak.

10. FATTY’S ORIGIN NEVILLES: In 1995, Queensland had 14 players on debut yet still embarrassed NSW, winning all three matches.

9. LAST MAN STANDING: Steven Bradbury was rated buckleys chance of winning the gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Competitors fell over themselves at the finish handing him the win.

8. BOOM BOOM BECKER: The unseeded 17-year-old stunned the world by winning the 1985 men’s singles title at Wimbledon.

7. BASKETBALL BOILOVER: The US team had never lost at the Olympics but at the 1972 Munich Games, their run ended at the hands of the then Soviet Union.

6. CHERRY BLOSSOMS BLOOM: Japan’s defeat of the Springboks at the 2015 World Cup is the greatest upset in rugby history.

5. GREECE STUN EURO: They defeated both Portugal and France to claim the most unlikeliest of European titles in 2004.

The sheer emotion of the Miracle On Ice.

4. THE MIRACLE ON ICE: At the 1980 Winter Olympics, the US fielded a team of amateurs and upset the five-time Olympic ice hockey champions Soviet Union 4-3.

3. AUSTRALIA II GOOD: The longest winning streak in sports history was over. For the first time in 132 years, the America’s Cup left the New York Yacht Club.

2. DOUGLAS BUSTS IRON MIKE: He was a 42-1 longshot to beat the invincible Mike Tyson. James Douglas did the impossible.

1. EPL FAIRYTALE: The biggest surprise I’ve seen in sport since 1970 was the 5000-1 Leicester City winning the 2015-16 English Premier League title.