NRL players barred from wearing headphones as part of pre-game medical protocols
It’s a sight that has become part of modern sport, players arriving at the venue listening to their own motivational soundtrack. But the NRL’s medical protocols means players will have to keep their ears open.
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NRL players have been banned from using headphones as they arrive at grounds for matches.
The over-ear headphones have become as important as a final message from the coach for players as part of their pre-game ritual.
But players have been told they cannot wear headphones at least 30 minutes before having their temperatures checked when they arrive at venues.
The headphones join hot baths and showers on the banned list because they could “affect temperature readings”.
Any temperature reading of 37.3C or more will stop the player from entering the stadium.
Newcastle back-rower Sione Mata’utia said Knights players were shocked when told of the move.
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“There wouldn’t be any player without headphones,” Mata’utia said. “When we get to the games, we still listen to them and I know some people listen to them all the way to the warm-up.
“When we heard, we thought it was a joke but the coach (Adam O’Brien) reiterated that it was serious and these are the new protocols. I was like ‘wow, it is pretty serious’. It’s going to be weird.”
Clubs will be monitored by their “COVID cop”. Captain’s runs at venues have also been banned.
And there are changes to teams’ bus rides. The Knights, whose three-hour journey to Campbelltown on Sunday is the longest commute of the weekend, will need to ensure the front two rows of the bus are empty to avoid being close to the driver.
Seating of players and staff on the bus must be spread out as much as possible to maintain social-distancing requirements.
The NRL is working on another biosecurity document which it hopes will allow fans into the game. It will include spacing between patrons and the potential for everyone to have their temperature checked with an infra-red thermometer.
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FEARS FOR CONTRACT RENEGADES
A prominent player manager has told clubs his stars may follow the path of some rugby union players in refusing to accept a pay cut, which could lead to them becoming free agents.
Worried clubs scrambled to find a resolution late Thursday amid fears the NRL could have its own brand of “Reds-renegades”.
Queensland Reds players Izack Rodda, Harry Hockings and Isaac Lucas refused to take short-term pay-cuts and were stood down by the Reds before Rugby Australia and Queensland Rugby Union terminated their contracts.
They were the only players out of the 192 Super rugby professionals to not sign the new contracts.
While NRL players have agreed to a 20 per cent pay-cut, several clubs told Sport Confidential the players were yet to sign any variation of contract document.
It’s understood any agitation would be limited to a very small number. The move would obviously be designed at getting a player to break his contract early and switch clubs either here or overseas.
ARL chairman Peter V’landys has copped plenty from the AFL states in the lead-up to the NRL’s return.
V’landys only had this to say about criticism thrown his way from Victoria: “I’m not going to have a crack at the AFL.
“There are some nice people in Victoria but I think you’ll find most of them have migrated from NSW.”
The man largely responsible for ensuring the game’s quick return wanted to enjoy a low-key night with his family, including his Roosters-mad eight-year-old son Nicholas, watching the Eels and Broncos run around.
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THE competition committee is no more.
V’landys had a phone hook-up with club coaches last week and told them the end-of-year committee, which assesses rules would be scrapped.
Instead, he invited the 16 coaches to have a say in any potential rule changes.
AWFUL PRIZE AWAITS GLITTER STRIP STRUGGLERS
THE Gold Coast Titans have gone almost a full year without winning a match and are now on the verge of having to wait the longest time in between wins in the past 40 years.
Only the 1984-85 Western Suburbs Magpies had to wait longer to win a game. The men of Fibro endured 364 days between wins.
The Titans haven’t won since round three last year — that’s a whopping 355 days ago.
Manly technically sit on top of the list but their losing streak was interrupted by the Northern Eagles joint-venture with North Sydney.
South Sydney’s winless streak coincided with the time they spent exiled from the competition. That same Western Suburbs team ended up losing 22 consecutive games.
The Titans have lost 13 in a row to sit equal sixth on the list.
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KEEP an eye on Tigers prop Josh Aloiai and Cronulla winger Ronaldo Mulitalo if their paths cross on Saturday night.
The pair engaged in a social media slanging match at the end of a game between the two teams last season, which Aloiai missed because of injury.
Aloiai posted that Mulitalo had “0% class” after some exuberant post-game celebrations.
Mulitalo replied: “At the end of the day it’s a game broski. I play with my heart on my sleeve week in and week out and do anything for a win.”
“BALL MEN” CALLING SHOTS MAY CAUSE GUS-STYLE BARNEY
THE NRL threatens to recreate the famous Phil Gould-Bill Harrigan feud this weekend, the first in the post-COVID-19 era. Or will they be channelling Barney the Bear?
Harrigan once famously sent Gould from the sideline after the then-Penrith coach began abusing him from the sideline.
Barney the Bear got his marching orders at Bear Park one Sunday afternoon when a touch judge controversially ruled against the Bears and, standing on the rectangular sideline at the oval-shaped playing surface, heard the word “Cheat!” screamed from close proximity.
The touchy turned to see only Barney the Bear within shouting distance. He promptly pranced on to the field with flag up, informed the referee, who then sent Barney to the dressing room.
Some NRL coaches are already preparing to exploit a loophole in the rules to gain a coaching advantage this weekend, planning to use coaching assistants as ball boys for their games.
The loophole is in the detail of two recent rule changes.
The first was the off-field decision limiting the times the blue shirt trainer is allowed on the field, with the NRL heavily restricting their access to the field over the summer because fans were fed up with them on the field coaching grown men on how to play the game.
The second was the recent decision to replace ball boys with adults so they could disinfect balls as part off the COVID-19 biosecurity measures.
So with adults replacing the ball boys, and ball boys allowed to follow play up and down the sideline, coaches are planning to have their assistants coach from the sideline under the guise of being a ball boy.
Some teams are considering using their 20th player, which is also causing concerns for opposition teams.
NRL head of football Graham Annesley moved to prevent further embarrassment for the game.
“Any conduct considered unacceptable may result in expulsion from the playing area and potential breach action against clubs or individuals involved,” Annesley told Sport Con.
FREDDY’S GIFT FOR “CRACKING PLAYER”
WHILE plenty admired Brad Fittler’s skills as a teenage league sensation, “Freddy” had just as much respect for the debonair centre playing outside him — Chris Caruana.
The memories remain strong and it’s one reason why Fittler put his hand into his back pocket and donated $250 to help the former North Sydney star, who is battling severe mental illness and physical injuries following a car accident.
“I played with Chris when we were 15,” the NSW Origin coach told Sport Confidential.
“He was great company and a larger-than-life personality. And a cracking player as well.”
Donations to Caruana’s GoFundMe page have doubled to nearly $5000 since The Daily Telegraph revealed the sad plight of the former 1990s pin-up, who is bedridden and unable to walk after his car collided with a truck in an accident on the NSW north coast.
Former Bears hooker Mark Soden nominated Caruana as the one teammate he’d want in the trenches with him. He has also donated, as have ex-Norths coach Kieran Dempsey and former Manly CEO David Perry.
To assist Caruana you can donate at: https://au.gofundme.com/f/please-support-ex-football-player-chris-caruana
FLASHBACK FRIDAY
THE first — and perhaps last — time a game was played in snow happened on this day 20 years ago. Canberra hosted Wests Tigers in an Antarctic-like national capital in front of a resilient 7384 league lovers at Bruce Stadium.
In one passage of play, Raiders winger Lesley Vainikolo slid through the snow to score. The Raiders beat the Tigers 24-22. Apparently, the man-of-the-match award for each team that day was first crack at the hot showers after full-time.
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Nigel Plum: 150 games (25 Roosters, 33 Raiders, 92 Panthers) between 2005-2015
THERE are highlight reels of Nigel Plum crushing attacking players. So, it was our fault to try to get him to pick one.
“I’ve got a few,” Plum laughed. “One of my first was Willie Mason in 2006, he was in his prime and I was just a young fella. That was the one I’ve always loved. Shaun Kenny-Dowall in 2013 was more of a spectacular one. I got Petero Civoniceva once and Matt Scott. It felt better when you got one of the big names. It might not be recognised as being as spectacular but they are the ones I cherish the most.”
Plum made a name as one of the game’s most feared defenders and often topped the old Rugby League Week’s Hardest Tackler poll. More recently, Fox Sports had him at No.4 of its hardest hitters since 1998.
“When you have other players worried about you, it makes you feel pretty good,” Plum said. “There are players I knew I didn’t want to run into but I knew I would if I had to. It wasn’t until the last six to 12 months, that I realised I had an impact on the NRL.
“I wasn’t a flashy player, I went out there and did my job and had a great time doing it. It makes you realise your name did stand and it stuck in people’s minds, which makes me happy.”
By the end of Plum’s 150-game career, he said it took him 90 minutes to do all the strapping he needed just to get on the park.
Plum was a mad Roosters fan and lived out a childhood dream when he made his debut for the tricolours.
But he played just 25 games for them before making a mid-season switch to Canberra in 2007.
“I was at the Roosters and I got the last minute of a game against Newcastle,” Plum said. “After that game, I wanted to go to a club and coach who wanted me in their team.”
Plum, who works for the Clontarf Foundation, retired because of repeated concussions. He received the all clear as recently as this year.