Dean Pay’s replacement, George Burgess may find a home and Ray Warren on retirement

The Bulldogs have identified the man to replace coach Dean Pay and the move is not far off PLUS George Burgess’s NRL career may not be but the cost of staying in Australia is a big one.

• Kent: Freddy’s Blues built on lies
• Keary returns with a bang in Roosters win

SAINT

YOUR columnist has been more critical of Todd Carney’s old behaviour than anyone. Yet there are signs he is finally growing up. Read the following tweet and you’ll understand:

SINNER

CHANNEL 7’s snubbing of world No. 1 Ash Barty for her opening-round match at Wimbledon to cover tennis brat Nick Kyrgios instead. What a shocking misjudgment of Aussie fans and their sporting appetites. Fortunately, we had Fox Sports and Kayo to watch Ash’s first-round victory.

SHOOSH

WHICH recently departed television sports reporter is taking legal action against his old network for unfair dismissal?

George Burgess might not be finished in the NRL. Image: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

SHOOSH II

WE’RE hearing Parramatta Eels still want George Burgess in the blue and gold jersey next year but will pay only half of what they offered at the end of last season.

SHOOSH III

THE Dogs are barking that St Helens coach Justin Holbrook will be at Canterbury at the end of the season. He used to be NSW Cup coach at Belmore. This is very strong mail.

SHOOSH IV

WHICH high-profile NRL star, who has asked for a release at the end of the season, is no longer on talking terms with his coach at an out-of-town club?

Lily Vincent and the signed card for mad Rabbitoh principal Ian Adamson.

SPOTTED

COACH Wayne Bennett, skipper Sam Burgess and the entire Rabbitohs team looking after
11-year-old Lily Vincent who turned up to training last week with her dad to ask them to sign a farewell card for her retiring headmaster and Souths fanatic, Ian Adamson, at Newington Public School.

SPOTTED II

MANLY forward Marty Taupau in a leash-free dog park in Pagewood with his black Labrador, Stella.

SPOTTED III

CRONULLA star Shaun Johnson at Pet Care 2000 in Taren Point buying food for his pet bulldog, who he’s flown from New Zealand.

Guy Sebastian with Blues players Damien Cook and Dale Finucane. Image: Tim Hunter.

FINUCANE FINDS GUY TO SING WITH

The NRL has secured popular singer Guy Sebastian for the pre-match entertainment at the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night.

Sebastian, who is a judge on the hit Channel 9 show The Voice, will perform his current release Choir before the kick-off.

No one was happier than Blues forward Dale Finucane who took the opportunity to belt out a song with Sebastian after this photo shoot.

The popular singer says he is relishing the opportunity to perform in front of 83,000 Blues and Maroons fans.

“There’s nothing quite like the passion and emotion that goes into a State of Origin decider,” Sebastian said. “I am going to get the party started before the game and I can’t wait. Bring it on.”

The Blues had no problem finding volunteers among the players for publicity photos with the singer.

Away from football, Finucane is a keen musician and hooker Damien Cook apparently fancies himself in karaoke sessions.

The biggest audience on Australian television this year is expected to be watching the Channel 9 coverage of the game. The previous two games are the highest rating TV shows of the year.

LISTEN! Matty is back with Finchy and Kenty to talk Origin teams, Sticky’s best feuds, playmaker protection and the day Matty met Liam and Noel Gallagher.

QUAYLE WILL BE SIMPLY THE BEST

HIGHLY regarded former rugby league boss John Quayle could be making a comeback as a senior administrator.

The Sunday Telegraph understands there is support for Quayle to become chairman of the International Rugby League Federation.

It would be a massive coup for the game. Alongside Ken Arthurson in the 1980s-90s, Quayle turned rugby league into such a sporting behemoth that it led to the Super League Murdoch/Packer war for TV rights.

He was the man who brought Tina Turner to rugby league for what is still the most successful advertising campaign in Australian sporting history.

Quayle, 72, has the strong support of Peter Beattie and Todd Greenberg. He is vice-chairman of Venues NSW which oversees ANZ and Bankwest stadiums plus the home grounds of Newcastle Knights and St George Illawarra.

Cooper Cronk with his possible long-term replacement, teenager Sam Walker.

SAM’S EARLY ARRIVAL

BOOM schoolboy halfback Sam Walker has turned up at Sydney Roosters six months ahead of schedule. The Ipswich Grammar student is using the school holidays to train in Sydney alongside Cooper Cronk, Luke Keary and the rest of the Roosters’ squad.

It was coach Trent Robinson’s idea to give the recently turned 17-year-old an early taste of the professionalism of NRL training.

Walker is seen as a long-term replacement for Cronk although Cronulla’s Kyle Flanagan is still on the club’s radar.

LANG WANTS RESEARCH, NOT MONEY

FORMER Cronulla Sharks, Panthers and Maroons front-rower Martin Lang was a fearless competitor who suffered more concussions than just about any other player in his nine first-grade seasons.

Yet, he has no plans to join the class action of former players suing the NRL. Instead, he wants the game to fund studies of the dangers from head knocks.

“What I will be pushing for is that the governing bodies such as the NRL have an obligation to fund research involving degenerative diseases associated with concussion,” Lang said.

NO KNOCK-ON EFFECT

ANTHONY Mundine has no thoughts about retiring from boxing despite the recent debate about the long-term effect of head injuries and concussion.

“I’m as sharp as a tack,” he insists. “I’m sweet bra, don’t worry about me.

“I had more concussions and head knocks in rugby league than boxing.”

Mundine, 44, is hoping to fight rising star Tim Tszyu in November.

Clubs Chairman Dr George Peponis and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg. Image: Richard Dobson

DUMPED PEPONIS NOW CLUBS NSW CHAIR

IT is ironic that Canterbury Bulldogs dumped one of the most honourable men in rugby league, George Peponis, as their leagues club chairman last year.

The doctor is so highly regarded that he has now been appointed chairman of Clubs NSW, the state’s peak body in charge of leagues clubs, bowling clubs, RSLs and all social poker machine clubs.

Peponis had to knock back an offer to be chairman of the International Rugby League Federation to take on the Clubs NSW role. No doubt, he will be keeping an eye on his old club.

The Bulldogs sure lost some esteemed talent at their last election. Veteran official Arthur Coorey, who got voted out, was deservedly recognised last month with an Order of Australia in the Queen’s birthday honours list. And haven’t the Bulldogs missed his experience.

FURNER LEGAL DISPUTE

DAVE Furner is locked in a legal stoush with English club Leeds after being sacked this season. Furner was picked as coach over a long list of candidates only to be relieved of his duties 14 weeks into a three-year contract.

There has been no termination agreement and Furner is contemplating taking the matter to court so that he can find a new job, most likely in the NRL. Furner coached Canberra for five seasons before taking on an assistant role when North Queensland won their maiden premiership. He is considered one of the sharpest minds in the game.

BEER BROUHAHA

THE battle of the breweries has been as intense as the competition on the field in this year’s State of Origin series. It will be no different in the series decider on Wednesday night.

Carlton & United Breweries, as beer sponsor of the NRL, will have its logos all over the field.

But it will be Lion beer poured to the masses both inside ANZ Stadium and in the precinct outside in the build-up to the game because of a longstanding contract at the venue.

Origin won’t be the same without this voice. Image: Gregg Porteous

RABS’ LAST CALL?

RAY Warren is not sure if Wednesday’s Origin decider will be his last behind the microphone.

“I think about it every day,” the 76-year-old voice of rugby league told us ahead of his 93rd Origin call.

“I’ve got to stop soon and I don’t want to be tapped on the shoulder. It’s something always on my mind. I won’t go too far and make a dill of myself but that’s the danger when you get old.”

MAL’S LEAVE

KANGAROOS coach Mal Meninga has been given a leave pass from Fox Sports for Super Saturday on July 20 for a very good reason. The 1989 Canberra Raiders side is getting together for a 30-year reunion from their historic grand final victory over Balmain Tigers. Mal, Ricky Stuart and Laurie Daley will do the main speeches at the function.