Storm star Justin Olam laughs off Latrell Mitchell-Brandon Smith ‘feud’

Storm star Justin Olam has closed the book on the perceived feud between Latrell Mitchell and Brandon Smith in five short sentences.

Daly Cherry-Evans and Damien Cook have had slow starts to the season.

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell and Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith have taken to social media to hose down suggestions of a rift between the pair.

And Smith’s Storm teammate Justin Olam has laughed off reports of enmity between two of the game’s biggest names, suggesting it is just a case of ‘Brandon being Brandon’.

Souths were said to be upset after Smith appeared to mock Mitchell following the Storm’s win over the Rabbitohs on Thursday night, cupping his hand to his ear apparently in reference to something Mitchell had done earlier in the game.

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Brandon Smith appears to mock Latrell Mitchell.

The pair did their best to defuse any tension when they exchanged messages on social media on Monday.

Olam dismissed talk of drama.

“I didn’t see it,” Olam said.

“I wasn’t there. Brandon is Brandon. It is not a big deal. Him and Latrell, they don’t have any problems.”

THE REPRESENTATIVE CAREERS HANGING BY A THREAD

There were a couple of automatic selections in previous years for Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos.

We’re referring to halfback Daly Cherry Evans and hooker Damien Cook.

It’s still early days but both face enormous pressure to hold out Nathan Cleary and Harry Grant for the World Cup in October.

Cook burnt himself out against Storm on Friday night by having to make more than 50 tackles before he was replaced after 70 minutes. He needs to be fresher to be bursting out of dummy half like he used to.

Daly Cherry-Evans and Damien Cook have had slow starts to the season.

DISGRACED SALARY CAP BULLDOG BACK AT BELMORE

Gary McIntyre, the former disgraced Bulldogs boss who was embroiled in Canterbury’s 2002 salary cap scandal, is back as a key powerbroker at Belmore.

McIntyre was re-elected to the Canterbury Leagues Club board at elections over the weekend as one of three independents including veteran officials George Coorey and Peter Winchester.

McIntyre was banned indefinitely from holding a position in the NRL after the club’s $1 million salary cap rorts which resulted in a $500,000 fine and the docking of 37 competition points.

Canterbury Leagues club is the main source of income for the Bulldogs each year.

Gary McIntyre (R) is back on the Canterbury Leagues Club board.

HIGHLIGHT

South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou and his players remained on the field at fulltime at AAMI Park on Thursday night to salute Craig Bellamy in his 500th game. It was particularly classy after such a tough golden-point defeat.

LOWLIGHT

More overuse of the bunker. Too many stoppages and delays. The ridiculous sin-binning of Jaydn Su’A. The doctor removing Jack Bird from the field because he had a bleeding nose. Please bring back the five-minute sin bin for minor offences.

SPOTTED

Manly Sea Eagles legends Graham Eadie and Terry Randall at a Sea Eagles reunion on the Northern Beaches on Friday night. Too bad they had to sit through another poor Manly performance against the Roosters on the TV.

Manly legends Graham Eadie and Terry Randall.

SPOTTED

World boxing champion George Kambosos in the chairman’s suite at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday night to watch his beloved Roosters knock off the Sea Eagles.

SPOTTED

GWS star Toby Green at the Daceyville PCYC to support the launch of the Fiji Silktails who will compete in the Ron Massey Cup.

NO ENTRY FOR PM

Not even the great ScoMo could get into the Sharks dressing sheds because of Covid protocols but players did selfies and hugged fans while Toby Rudolf even jumped over the fence at full-time and spent 10 minutes celebrating with the punters.

There’s fan engagement. And then there’s ⁦jump the fence @cronullasharks⁩ Toby Rudolf engagement. ⁦@telegraph_sport⁩ pic.twitter.com/9E5Yx1DvKY

— David Riccio (@DaveRic1) March 19, 2022

360 VIEW

Catch you Monday on NRL 360 at 6.30pm on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Paul Kent, James Hooper and Cooper Cronk to discuss another fascinating round of footy.

CENTRE STAGE

There are four great centres in the NRL who have the ability to play State of Origin for the NSW Blues but won’t get a game.

The Broncos’ Kotoni Staggs, St George-Illawarra’s Zac Lomax, Penrith’s Stephen Crichton and South Sydney’s Campbell Graham wouldn’t be out of place at this level.

After last year’s success Blues coach Freddy Fittler will no doubt stick with Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell as his centres for the series.

Wouldn’t the Maroons kill for this sort of depth. Outside of Dane Gagai, they will struggle to find centres.

Kotoni Staggs. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Zac Lomax. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty

BROWN UNDER PRESSURE

Surely the pressure is building on Warriors coach Nathan Brown after another disappointing loss for the New Zealand Warriors against the Titans.

We’re always talking about Michael Maguire and Trent Barrett but Brown should be under scrutiny as much as the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers coach.

Brown’s close friendship with CEO Cameron George is the interesting sidebar. They have a relationship as tight as any CEO/coach in the NRL.

Yet this has to come down to results and the Warriors need to start winning.