NRL 2022: NRL snubs Kangaroos Invincibles on 40th anniversary | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
Australia’s greatest ever rugby league team has been snubbed, with the annual Kangaroos reunion cancelled on the Invincibles’ 40th anniversary.
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Australia’s greatest rugby league team – the 1982 Kangaroo Invincibles – have been snubbed by the NRL in their 40th anniversary.
The annual Kangaroos reunion – which traditionally takes place on grand final weekend – is not happening next weekend, much to the disappointment of the former legends.
Members of the 1982 side captained by Manly Sea Eagles legend Max Krilich had hoped to assemble in Sydney next Saturday for the first time since 2019.
“The players are really upset about it,” Krilich said, “In fact it stinks.
“Rod Reddy rang me last week and everyone’s talking about it.
“We love getting together for a beer and a chat about the old days.
“They had $25m to buy a hotel in Brisbane but they can’t put on a function for us.
“We dug the well. We played our hearts for Australia and created history. They obviously don’t care. All they are worried about is the present and the future.”
An NRL spokesman confirmed there were no plans in place for a reunion this year.
Because of Covid, the players haven’t caught up since the grand final weekend in 2019.
“We’re starting to lose a lot of great old players,” Krilich said.
“Men like Bozo and ‘Chook’ Raper. We won’t be around forever. These reunions are the only time we get to catch up. Surely it’s not too much to put on a meal and drink.”
A Kangaroos reunion usually attracts about 100 former players.
The 1982 side that went through England undefeated was coached by Frank Stanton and included Krilich, Mal Meninga, Les Boyd, Peter Sterling, Steve Mortimer, Craig Young, Brett Kenny and Steve Rogers.
SAINT
Joseph Suaalii’s decision to honour his family and heritage to play for Samoa at the World Cup. He could easily have chosen the $40,000 in match payments and the business-class air travel that only the Kangaroos get. This is a huge win for international rugby league.
SINNER
The scandal that has engulfed AFL powerhouse club Hawthorn involving allegations of racism and disgusting behaviour towards Indigenous players at the Hawks between 2010 and 2016. Life bans should be handed out to anyone found guilty of such appalling behaviour.
SHOOSH
Which member of the Laundy family was singing ‘Up Up Cronulla’ after a long lunch at a city restaurant? A little bit odd for a Canterbury major sponsor.
SHOOSH
Which NRL star has pulled out of the World Cup but could be a shock inclusion on the undercard for the Sonny Bill Williams v Mark Hunt fight on November 5?
SPOTTED
It was like a Boxing Day sale for old Eels legend Peter Wynn on Saturday morning as Parramatta fans lined up outside his sports store in a queue of several hundred metres to buy jerseys and merchandise for the Big Dance.
SPOTTED
North Sydney and Maroons legend Gary Larson swimming in Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain in Tasmania last week. The water was 4C.
SPOTTED
Bulldogs halves Matt Burton and Kyle Flanagan riding jet skis on Port Hacking last week.
SPOTTED
Peter V’landys at The Star casino as the host of an appreciation event for departing NSW Racing chief steward Mark Van Gestel, who has been headhunted by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
SPOTTED
Allianz Stadium is a wonderful venue but must do more to honour legends Johnny Warren, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, Ron Coote, Arthur Beetson and Betty Cuthbert, by having their names on the grandstands where fans can actually see them, not hidden away on plaques in the concourse area.
SPOTTED
St Kilda AFL legend, now expert TV caller Nick Riewoldt on his way to the MCG on Saturday by bicycle to call the grand final.
SPOTTED
An embarrassing snub for the North Queensland Cowboys on the NRL website last week on team selection night for the grand final qualifiers. The website published photos of Souths, Penrith and Parramatta players but forgot about the poor Cowboys.
SURELY MARIO DESERVES A TESTIMONIAL
The wealthy owners of the South Sydney Rabbitohs – Mike Cannon-Brookes, James Packer and Russell Crowe – are worth a combined $28 billion.
The good news is that they have had a conversation last week about the plight of club legend Mario Fenech and the very sad Channel 7 story revealing his family faced a financial struggle around long-term care.
We do know that Crowe has since spoken to chief executive Blake Solly and chairman Nick Pappas about Mario’s situation.
Solly will also be discussing the issue with the Rabbitohs’ past players association, the Men of League, Channel 9 and the NRL.
There’s now talk of arranging Mario a testimonial dinner. This is a wonderful idea.
He was never afforded one when he retired like so many other great players, including Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston, who didn’t even need the money.
It would be a fantastic opportunity for the owners, the corporate world and long-time fans to show their appreciation and support for this great old player.
Solly is determined to ensure Mario’s family will be properly looked after.
“We’ll sit down with Rebecca (Mario’s wife) in the off-season to discuss how she feels the club can help,” Solly said.
“Mario is a regular visitor to training and matches, and is a much-loved member of the Rabbitohs family. He was also a long-term and valued employee of Channel 9 and the NRL after his playing career finished.
“We’ll work with the NRL, Men of League and Channel 9 on anything we do for Mario and Rebecca, both now and into the future.”
RCG SHOWS UP FREDDY’S BLUNDER
Brad Fittler sat on the sideline for Channel 9 on Friday night in Townsville.
He got a better view than all of us of Reagan Campbell-Gillard, the barnstorming Parramatta Eels front-rower and the best forward on the park.
Campbell-Gillard scored two tries and was outstanding throughout.
Freddy must have been kicking himself. This is the player he dumped from the NSW Blues State of Origin side, preferring the likes of Jacob Saifiti and Jordan McLean.
What a gigantic selection blunder.
At the time Freddy explained his decision by saying: “I think Reagan just has a style of footy and right now mostly he doesn’t suit the way we want to play.”
What a difference Campbell-Gillard could have made for the Blues.
On Friday night he had six tackle busts and two line breaks. There was also one beautiful offload to put Clint Gutherson into the clear.
Unlike Freddy, Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga rates him highly. So highly he will be one of the first front-rowers chosen for the Australian team to go to the World Cup.
YOUNG GUN WANTS OUT OF BRONCOS
The Broncos just can’t avoid a crisis. Last week it was Ben Ikin and Kevvie Walters. This week it’s arguably rugby league’s best teenager, Karl Oloapu.
The 17-year-old five-eighth was player of the tournament at the Australian Schoolboys. He has plenty of size and could finish up as a lock-forward. He just doesn’t want to be at the Broncos. Oloapu has a three-year contract with the Broncos that was done under his previous agent. Now the rookie wants out.
His minders say he didn’t fully understand the contract. His new agent, Matt Adamson, says the youngster is so determined to leave that he is prepared to sit out of football for a substantial period.
TAKE OWNERSHIP, MICHAEL
Former NRL star Michael Gordon was recently found guilty of drug charges after police found MDMA and cocaine in his home in late 2020.
Now he’s blaming the media for the pressure it put on his family rather than taking responsibility for his actions.
“The stress the media has put on my family and friends has been horrible and at times unbearable,” he wrote on his Instagram account.
A magistrate imposed a one and two-year conditional release order on the former Roosters, Panthers, Sharks and Titans winger but no conviction was recorded.
“I’ve had to sit silent for two years and copped it from the media without saying a word,” he said.
Memo Michael: This is what can happen when you dabble in illegal substances.
The NSWRL has ruled Gordon can resume his coaching career as a result of no conviction being recorded.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT
It’s been a tough week for agent James Henderson, who looks after AFL coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan. Lucky he has a stack of experience in crisis management. Henderson also looks after former Test captain Tim Paine and celebrity chef George Calombaris, who was involved this year in a staff pay scandal.
Clarkson and Fagan have stood down from their roles pending an investigation into claims of racial issues from their days at Hawthorn. They have both issued vehement denials. Champion Victorian jockey Jamie Kah also split from Henderson last week.
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