NRL news 2024: TAB cashing on on Taylor Swift Super Bowl Madness | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
Tens of millions of ‘Swifties’ are expected to tune into SuperBowl LVIII to watch Taylor Swift support her partner Travis Kelce, and the TAB is cashing in on the unprecedented attention.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The TAB is cashing in on Taylor Swift being at Super Bowl LVIII.
The pop megastar is expected to fly into Las Vegas on a private jet from a concert in Japan to support her partner Travis Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs against San Francisco 49ers.
Tens of millions of Swifties (the superstar has 279 million Instagram followers) are expected to tune into the game due to her presence at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas.
And it was too good an opportunity for the TAB to let pass.
“There’s as much attention on her movements as the players on field,” TAB spokesman Rohan Welsh said. “We’ve never seen anything like it.”
The TAB markets for the “Swift Super Bowl” are available to NSW customers only, with a $100 maximum bet. They include:
* An Over/Under market on how many times Swift appears on the TV broadcast – (over 7.5 times $1.80; under 7.5 times $1.95)
* Swift to perform during the halftime entertainment ($15)
* Travis Kelce to propose to Swift at full-time (yes $10/no $1.04)
* What point of the TV broadcast will the first shot of Swift appear? (first quarter $1.40, second quarter $3.50, third quarter $7, fourth quarter $9, not shown at all $15).
* Will Swift be shown during the national anthem? (yes $1.50/no $2.50)
The TAB will be hoping Swift’s partner has a quiet game, with Kelce backed off the map to win MVP at $16.
* * * * *
Manly stars and former head coach Des Hasler are about to painfully relive the tragic circumstances surrounding the shock death of their former teammate Keith Titmuss.
A coronial inquiry starts this week in which Hasler, Josh Schuster and several other players – including Dragons centre Moses Suli and Wests Tigers’ Sione Fainu (both ex-Manly stars) – have been called to give evidence.
Manly’s head of football John Bonasera, former chief of high-performance Don Singe and assistant coach Michael Monaghan, have also been subpoenaed as the court investigates the cause of a death that rocked the club.
The popular 20-year-old collapsed during a routine pre-season training session and died in hospital on November 23, 2020.
There were initial thoughts that heat exhaustion may have been a cause.
The youngster’s devastated family have been searching for answers ever since.
It’s why Manly players are fully behind the inquest, as much as it will be painful.
Hasler is flying down from the Gold Coast to give evidence.
“Everyone wants to contribute for the family,” a Sea Eagles official said.
“After three years they want the family to be at peace with what was the cause of death.”
Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov will be attending the inquest.
He was not at Manly at the time of the tragic incident but he has made it his mission as a priority to ensure Manly has focused on player welfare and safety.
“Everyone has been made available to assist with the inquest,” the official said. “The focus is on supporting a path to outcomes, particularly for KT’s family and friends.
“Manly has been working with the NRL and believes that any learnings from the inquest need to be taken for the wider benefit of the game.”
Others will contribute from outside of Manly’s football club staff, including at Royal North Shore Hospital cardiologists and emergency doctors, who treated Titmuss on the day, and sports medicine experts.
* * * * *
SAINT
Just 12 sleeps to the first rugby league pre-season game — the Bulldogs v Melbourne Storm — on Thursday, February 15 at the old Belmore Sports Ground. Can’t wait to witness the first stage of Gus Gould’s latest five-year plan. Fox Sports will televise every trial game in the lead-up to Las Vegas; even the Storm v Knights match live out of Fiji on February 24.
SINNERS
Some negativity around the NRL’s Las Vegas season-opening extravaganza. It’s like all those types who bagged the State of Origin concept before the first game way in 1980. It’s a good thing that our administration is exploring new opportunities to grow rugby league and generate additional income.
SHOOSH
Soccer legends Mark Bosnich and Robbie Slater have finally kissed and made up after a two-year feud. They patched up their differences over Christmas and now speak almost daily.
SHOOSH
Which former Australian cricket captain rudely refused to pose for a selfie when politely approached by a fan in a Bunnings store last month.
SPOTTED
Is there anything footy legend and Maroons Origin coach Billy Slater can’t do. He looked as stylish on a surfboard catching waves over the summer holidays as he was with a football in his hands at AAMI Park.
SPOTTED
A couple of tough old NRL forwards – Nik Kosef and Brent Kite — on the door and looking after security at the beautiful new Kirra Beach Hotel on the Gold Coast.
SPOTTED
Eastern Suburbs Roosters legend Kevin Hastings driving an Uber on the Gold Coast. The 1981 Rothmans Medal-winning No. 7 is now 67 but looks almost fit enough to be still playing.
BIG BREKKY
Catch you on the Weekend Big Sports Breakfast on Sunday morning at 9.30am with Ray Thomas and Dean ‘Bulldog’ Ritchie to discuss all things rugby league.
* * * * *
The music promoter who inappropriately planned to stage an Anzac Day rock concert in the Domain – just 900m from the Diggers’ march – is no stranger to controversy.
Thankfully the NSW government stepped in and moved his little show out of the area after pressure was applied by 2GB’s Ben Fordham and The Daily Telegraph.
The promoter, Andrew McManus, appeared in these sporting pages back in 2010 when Melbourne Storm was under investigation for the worst salary rorting in rugby league history.
The salary cap investigation uncovered evidence that Storm paid his company – the McManus Group – $800,000 for “consulting fees”. The McManus Group then paid eight players the $800,000.
McManus blew up at the time, slamming then NRL chief executive David Gallop.
“Gallop’s naivety and ego has destroyed rugby league in Victoria,” he said, “He has handed the sporting platform firmly back to the AFL.”
This has since proven to be nonsense. Storm recovered from the scandal and remain a footy powerhouse in the Victorian capital.
* * * * *
Former NSW Origin and Test forward Peter Tunks has disappeared from Radio 2SM after 20 years on the network’s Talkin’ Sport program over a falling out with host Graeme Hughes.
Tunks is understood to be considering legal action after being told his services were no longer required and then having his name and photo removed from the show’s website.
Hughes and Tunks are Canterbury Bulldogs legends and premiership winners who have worked together since 2004 at the radio station.
They fell out suddenly towards the end of last year.
Your columnist has had his own experiences with Hughes, who can be a prickly character.
Tunks declined to comment when we contacted him last week.
He has now moved to the Gold Coast.
Hughes is now hosting the show with Gavin Robertson and Brett Papworth on weekday afternoons.
On Friday we tried to get more information from Hughes.
Hughes said: “You’re better off talking to him. It’s a technical work thing. It’s being handled by the bosses. I’ve got nothing to say.”
He told us to contact the station’s general manager James Yelland, who did not return our calls.
* * * * *
Cronulla assistant coach Steve Price has been denied an opportunity to join Michael Maguire on the NSW State of Origin coaching staff — simply because the Sharks are overloaded with coaching talent.
Josh Hannay — who like Price is an assistant to coach Craig Fitzgibbon at the Sharks — was already committed to the Queensland Maroons as an assistant to Billy Slater when an opportunity came up for Price to help out Maguire.
Maguire and Price worked together with the Kiwis, celebrating the epic 30-0 victory over Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos last season.
Understandably, Fitzgibbon couldn’t afford to allow two assistants to take leave during Origin time.
* * * * *
Former coach Des Hasler remains in conflict with his old club Manly Sea Eagles, with the footy season just a couple of weeks away.
Mediation talks, which began in December between the new Gold Coast Titans coach and Manly, have so far failed to resolve the legal dispute over Hasler’s bitter sacking in 2022.
Your columnist understands that the former premiership-winning coach was earning close to $1 million a year at Brookvale before he was replaced by Anthony Seibold.
There was, however, a clause in his contract in which he was to be paid six months of his salary if the club terminated his contract.
We’ve heard Manly has offered Hasler $500,000 but that he’s hanging out for more.
* * * * *
Another outstanding young rugby union junior has jumped ship.
Patrick Young, the son of Wallabies legend Bill Young, made his debut for Canterbury Bulldogs in their SG Ball season opener against the Roosters at Belmore on Saturday.
A product of St Joseph’s College, Patrick is regarded highly by the Bulldogs — and a couple of other NRL clubs who are monitoring his progress.
* * * * *
Billionaire hotel tycoon Arthur Laundy has knocked back an approach to help bail out the financially stricken Rugby Australia.
Laundy’s son Craig was spotted in a meeting last week in Moore Park with RA chief executive Phil Waugh to discuss potential investment opportunities as the code struggles with $80 million of debt.
Arthur, Stu and Craig Laundy are huge admirers of Waugh and believe he is the right man to rebuild the code ahead of next year’s British and Irish Lions tour and the 2027 World Cup which will be huge money spinners for Australian rugby. But they won’t be investing.
Rugby Australia has lost more than $30 million over the past two years.
The Melbourne Rebels have gone into administration with a multimillion-dollar tax debt, $1 million owing to AAMI Park are other substantial liabilities.
* * * * *
NRL communications boss Grant ‘Grunter’ Williams is finishing up in the role to focus on his own crisis and reputation consulting business, something you get plenty of practice at in the world of rugby league.
The ex-NSW detective left the force in the late 1990s, forging a formidable media career which has included roles as executive producer to radio legend John Laws and almost a decade as national boss of Nine’s A Current Affair.
He returned to the cops as a senior media executive for commissioner Mick Fuller before joining the NRL in what is regarded as one of the toughest jobs around.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo for the opportunity to work alongside them as they took the game to new heights,” he said. “I love rugby league and I’ll continue to provide my support.”
Coach unleashes blistering NRL attack
Outgoing Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has taken aim at the NRL as he launched a scathing attack on the controversial Bunker system.
NRL pull late schedule change because of AFL
The NRL has reportedly pulled a late finals scheduling switch to avoid a clash with the AFL, leaving two clubs hard done by.