NRL news: Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall meets with Super Rugby star Solomon Alaimalo | Sunday Sesh
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall is on the cusp of ochestrating one of the biggest crosscode coups in recent memory after meeting with a Super Rugby speedster.
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Kiwi Super Rugby flyer Solomon Alaimalo could make a surprise crosscode switch after meeting with Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall.
Alaimalo is eyeing a move to the NRL with the Tigers expressing an interest in signing the 27-year-old after having discussions with the club in recent days.
He has been a mainstay for New Zealand’s Super Rugby clubs since making his debut for the Chiefs in 2017. He won the Chiefs’ rookie of the year award after scoring two tries on debut. He also played for the Highlanders.
Alaimalo took some time out in 2021 to deal with depression and anxiety.
He returned to the field this year with the Chiefs having played in their round one Super Rugby game against the Crusaders. Alaimalo played out the rest of the season for Canterbury in New Zealand’s provincial competition with the side losing a semi-final against Taranaki earlier this month.
The Tigers have dabbled with cross-code converts in recent seasons. They handed Triston Reilly an NRL deal after he played for the NSW Waratahs. Reilly made his NRL debut this year.
UNLIKELY NRL TRIO FEATURE IN US AD
Sydney Roosters tryscoring sensation Dom Young and Warriors wizard Dallin Watene-Zelezniak have been earmarked to play a central role in plans to sell rugby league to Americans.
Young and Watene-Zelezniak will figure prominently in an ad which is set to be shown at the Las Vegas Raiders’ home games in coming months, part of the push by the NRL to drum up interest in next year’s double header at Allegiant Stadium.
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys on Friday revealed the NRL were in the process of putting together an ad to showcase the best of rugby league to American sports fans.
It is understood the ad, which is yet to be unveiled, is a fast-paced mix of athleticism, big hits and tryscoring brilliance.
Young and Watene-Zelezniak scored two of the tries of the season against St George Illawarra and Canberra respectively, their remarkable efforts believed to have made the final cut.
It is understood that Edward Kosi’s monster hit on Penrith centre Stephen Crichton during Magic Round also features prominently in the ad, which is expected to be launched in coming weeks.
V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo have spent the past week in America selling the dream to big business and casting their eye over potential destinations for the official launch of the double header, which has now been pushed back to the end of November.
The NRL dipped its toe advertising into the US market with a cheeky advertisement in 2019. Back then three billboards were spread out in Atlanta — the location of the Super Bowl that year — promoting then premiers the Sydney Roosters as “world champions of football” with Boyd Cordner, James Tedesco and Latrell Mitchell pictured.
MADGE TO ANSWER CALL
Michael Maguire is tipped to be unveiled as NSW coach the day after his commitments are finished with the New Zealand side.
It is understood the NSW Rugby League has pencilled in an official announcement for Maguire (pictured) on November 5, less than 24 hours after the final of the Pacific Championships. Maguire and the NSWRL have maintained their silence on his imminent appointment out of respect to the New Zealand Rugby League.
However, it is understood NSWRL chair Paul Conlon has reached out to Canberra to smooth things over after the Raiders found out about Maguire’s interest in the Blues coaching position through the media.
Maguire is expected to leave his position as an assistant coach with the Raiders to focus on NSW and New Zealand.
GUS’ HUNTER SIGHTING
Canterbury’s head of football Phil Gould had tongues wagging when he was spotted in Newcastle in recent days fuelling speculation he was making a play for a key Knights player. The thought was he could have been after either Jacob or Daniel Saifiti. The problem? Both Saifitis are overseas – Jacob on his honeymoon in the Maldives and Daniel in Bali.
MEDIA BUZZ
Tony Squires
Age: 62 (shhhh, don’t tell)
Jobs: Host of The Back Page, Fox Sports & Triple M Saturday Scrum.
First job? Cadet journalist at The Newcastle Herald.
Your sporting heroes? League Immortal Graeme Langlands is a distant cousin so I was obsessed with his sidestep as a kid. Age didn’t weary my fandom. I loved the no-nonsense way Steve Waugh went about his business. Maybe because I was all nonsense.
Which NRL team do you follow? The (once) mighty Dragons. The world seems a slightly lesser place with St George Illawarra hovering around the bottom of the table.
What sports did you play? League and cricket. Handy at both without ever thinking it would be a good career move. I played occasional games of cricket until recently when I put my back out washing my face before warm-up. Thought it best to pull the pin.
How do you spend a day off? Pretty much how I spend my days on: watching sport. But I add friends, family and alcohol to the equation.
Career highlights? I’ve covered football world cups, grand finals, Paralympics and interviewed most of my sporting heroes on shows such as The Fat and The Back Page. I was one of the hosts for Channel 7’s coverage of the Athens Olympics in 2004, which should have been a highlight but I stank it up. Just a man alone in a large empty studio in Melbourne. But I had a crack, which is all you can do kids.
SEASON LIKE NO OTHER WELL COVERED
For the first time in almost 30 years, rugby league’s ‘bible’ – the 2023 NRL Annual – will have two covers for people to choose from.
Rugby league historian David Middleton has put together the finishing touches on his 37th edition of the year in review.
This year, though, it comes with a difference – one cover incorporates Penrith’s amazing third consecutive grand final win while the other has six images representing the season as a whole.
Middleton said it was the first time since 1994 that there had been separate covers.
Back then, it was either Raiders star Ricky Stuart or Brisbane hooker Kerrod Walters on the front.
“We thought it was important to recognise the Panthers’ achievement in winning three straight titles, the first team in 40 years to do so, with a special commemorative cover,” Middleton said.
“Equally, we wanted to highlight an incredible record-breaking year for the game; the emergence of the Dolphins, the rise of the Knights and the Warriors and the NRLW premiership which continues to soar from strength to strength.”
Click here to order your copy.
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