Nick Politis has rewarded Roosters players with an all-expenses paid trip to the US
NICK Politis has rewarded his Sydney Roosters grand final heroes with an all expenses paid trip to the United States.
Phil Rothfield
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Nick Politis has rewarded his Sydney Roosters grand final heroes with an all expenses paid trip to the United States.
The break has been 'badged up' as a training camp to avoid any salary cap issues with the NRL.
Coach Trent Robinson and 20 Roosters players leave from Sydney this afternoon.
They will use the high-tech facilities at the LA Galaxy's soccer stadium and UCLA for a training run and also attend an NBA game.
The rest of the break appears to be more of a team bonding session.
"It's a training camp of sorts," said Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan.
"It's partly a reward for winning the grand final but we also had 16 players at the World Cup.
"We've only just got a lot of them back now and it's a good way of getting them back into training.
"They'll come home a few days before Christmas, have a bit of a break, then be back into full scale training in the new year."
Coach Robinson and two of his assistants will be accompanying the players.
"They'll get some specialised training that you don't always get," he said, "It will be a good experience for them."
It just goes to show the advantages of having a business tycoon like Politis as club chairman.
The cost of a trip like this one would be $100,000 which is not much than a round of drinks for the car yard king.
Other clubs are flat out affording a weekend away to Kiama.
FALZON AND WARNER'S SUNSHINE
This is a sign of a truly dedicated boyfriend.
Dave Warner lobbed to a swimsuit shoot for his partner Candice Falzon last week and was only too happy to help out the photographer by holding the light reflector.
It's amazing how being happy and in love has helped his cricket career.
Warner averaged just 23 runs in the last Ashes series against the Poms in the UK.
This time it's 95 from the two Test matches on home soil.
The turnaround coincides with the beginning of his relationship with the former surf champion.
WAUGH STUMPED BY DOGGIE DO
Steve Waugh is one of Australia's all-time most admired sportsmen.
Still, it hasn't stopped him falling out with neighbours at his new beachfront home on Gunnamatta Bay in the Shire.
Waugh took his dog for a walk last week on the private beach he shares with just 20 other home owners.
The dog stopped for a number two but Waugh and the hound kept walking.
Two neighbours called out and asked him to pick it up in a plastic bag.
They say his face suddenly went as red as a cricket ball.
Ken Elphick is a former sports promoter and administrator who has well and truly recovered from a dark past.
The former NSW Rugby Union spent almost three years in jail in the late nineties for a $600,000 fraud case involving 25 charges.
The charges related to the building of Concord Oval as the code's homeground.
Not long afterwards he was caught running sports tours as an unlicensed travel agent.
Two weeks ago he purchased a new waterfront home in Cronulla for $4.5 million.
SIXERS GIVING IT REAL BASH
Good on the Sydney Sixers for doing everything possibly to get young fans to Big Bash cricket this summer.
The first 5000 kids through the gate get a free meal next Saturday night for the season opener against cross town rivals the Sydney Thunder.
In a celebration of the Aussie tradition of a backyard BBQ, kids will enjoy a sausage on a roll with a juice for free as they enter through Gate E.
To redeem the offer simply pick up the Daily Telegraph on Saturday December 21.
YEAR BOOK HITS THE STREETS
Big League's official Rugby League annual hits the streets later this week, covering every game from the All Stars to the World Cup final.
Stats guru David Middleton has been producing the yearbook since 1987 and once again he details the records of clubs, Origin and Tests in full.
The annual includes a full coverage of the World Cup; an essay by Ian Heads on the formation of the ARLC's Integrity Unit and Middleton follows Australia coach Tim Sheens to a guesthouse in Lancashire that was home to the First Kangaroos of 1908-09.
RETURN TO AN OVAL OASIS
Top flight footy returns to North Sydney Oval this Thursday night when the Mariners play Wellington in the A-League.
The ghosts of the Bears and Northern Spirit will loom large at the historic Oval, but if North Shore fans get to the game in big numbers, North Sydney Council may be ready to fund an upgrade.
The Mariners want to make an annual visit, but FFA says this game will be a one-off unless facilities improve.
NSW WON'T SHUT DOOR ON CAGE FIGHTING
NSW has no plans to ban UFC cage fighting, despite the gruesome sport being outlawed in Victoria and Western Australia.
We asked Sports minister Gabrielle Upton for her opinion following the uproar over the bloody events in Brisbane last weekend.
"Last month the NSW Parliament passed a new law that I introduced to better regulate combat sports," the minister said.
"The new legislation will mean more robust health and safety requirements, new Police background checks, and greater responsibilities for promoters.
"All combatants will be issued with a single medical record book backed up by a new online records system that provides up-to-date information on the health status of combatants - a major improvement on the old paper-based system.
"Promoters will face fines of up to $55,000 and 12 months jail for allowing a combatant to compete who they know is unfit or has failed an HIV or Hepatitis test.
"A stricter fit and proper person test will apply to everyone registering with the Authority, including NSW Police security determinations for promoters, managers and match-makers.
"The Combat Sports Authority will also gain expanded powers to stop contests for safety and security reasons.
"Australians have the freedom to participate in sports of their choice. Combat sports may not be to everyone's taste, but those who choose to participate in them deserve robust laws in place to protect their safety and the integrity of the sport. Our new laws achieve that balance."
SAINT:
Nothing beats a Perth Ashes Test on the liveliest wicket in Australia on the eve of Christmas.
SINNER:
The abusive lunatics who follow the UFC thuggery and can't cope with considered criticism of their sport.
Their foul language and revolting comments on social media do nothing to enhance the sport's image.
SHOOSH I
It's amazing what you can stumble across doing a home renovation.
A reader has sent me a copy of a letter he found, dated January 2005, while builders were demolishing parts of his home.
It's from an NRL player manager to a solicitor about salary cap rorts involving one of the biggest names in rugby league.
The player is still involved in the game and the club has long been suspected of using shifty mathematics with the salary cap.
SHOOSH II
Who is the big name State of Origin star who has already been told by his coach that his services will not be required beyond 2014?
He is an extremely popular player and it could have an unsettling effect on the team next year.
WOMEN IN LEAGUE
It's great to see more women involved in senior positions in rugby league.
The latest is Fiona Bollen who was recently appointed managing editor of Big League magazine.
She is a quality journo who will do a great job.
We also have Raelene Castle calling the shots at the Bulldogs and Sandy Olsen joining the NRL as communications boss.
These appointments are long overdue.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
With millions of dollars from profit to be made from the NRL Nines tournament in New Zealand, the question needs to be asked why it took a private entrepreneur to come up with concept and why all the cash couldn't have gone back into junior development instead of the promoter's pocket.
FESTIVE BEEFY
The great Ian Botham is doing more than just cricket commentary during his stay for the Ashes.
We were sent these exclusive photos of Beefy playing Santa at a Christmas party in Melbourne.
Fortunately, Ian Chappell wasn't there.
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