Phil Rothfield: Latrell Mitchell reaches out to Jason Demetriou, delay in Reece Walsh deal
Superstar fullback Reece Walsh has yet to sign his new mega contract with the Broncos, causing some angst among club officials who thought it was done weeks ago. Plus Latrell Mitchell’s message to Jason Demetriou and much more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.
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Not long after he was sacked from the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Tuesday night Jason Demetriou got a tap on the front door of his Caringbah home.
And then in walked Latrell Mitchell.
The Rabbitohs superstar gets a lot of bad raps for some of his actions on and off the field.
But this highlights the other side of Latrell that we rarely hear about – the kind, genuine and very decent human being – who turned up to make sure the coach was doing okay.
“Latrell had enormous respect for JD,” said one Rabbitohs insider, “And he’s really disappointed in himself for not being there for him the last few weeks (while suspended).
“He just wanted to say thanks for the last couple of years.”
Demetriou’s relationship with the senior Souths players was never an issue.
Cody Walker said recently: “We always try to go out there and fight for the jersey and fight for the coach. We’ve got tremendous respect for JD and how much work he puts in.”
Demetriou has been overwhelmed by the support.
Even Nick Politis, the chairman of the Roosters, sent him a text message on Wednesday.
Poor old David Furner could not have had a tougher initiation as the defence coach at the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Rabbitohs have conceded 96 points in the two games since he arrived against Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers.
The Rabbitohs have now conceded 36.2 points per game this year.
South boss Blake Solly has confirmed Furner signed a two-year contract and will be there again next year under Wayne Bennett, or whoever is in charge.
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SAINT
The Sydney Roosters were made aware of Olive Russell’s health battles through the Family of League organisation. Olive, 10, was born with a blocked airway and needing a tracheostomy to be able to breath. She lives in Armidale. The Sydney Roosters not only invited Olive and her dad to a captains’ run session but also gave her family five tickets to the Anzac Day game. It was Olive’s first NRL game and a day this brave little girl will never forget.
SINNER
Poor old Rugby Australia has announced a loss of $9.2 million. They have already spent $50 million from an $80 million loan facility and are being charged 10 per cent interest. The Melbourne Rebels are broke. This sport is in dire trouble.
SPOTTED
The debate around the future of Leichhardt Oval has been around for 30 years. We’ve stumbled over this old interview from 1994 that your columnist conducted with the late and great Keith Barnes, who was the Balmain chief executive in those days. The headline summed up Keith’s thoughts ‘Leave Leichhardt or die.
SPOTTED
Couldn’t the Rabbitohs right now do with a tearaway front-rower like their old prop Roy Asotasi, who was spotted at Rebel Sport at Miranda Westfield last week.
SPOTTED
The Daily Telegraph posted a story on Instagram last week re the Roosters’ $4 million war chest following Luke Keary’s retirement announcement and listed the players the Chooks should target. It had a photo of Wests Tigers young gun Lachlan Galvin, who liked the post. And then unliked it! The youngster is under contract at the Wests Tigers until the end of 2026.
SPOTTED
Four-time premier coach Tim Sheens attended two great rugby league schools – St Gregory’s College in Campbelltown and St Dominics in Penrith. The schools play each other on Tuesday with the winner to take home the new Tim Sheens Cup. Sheens will be at the game to present the trophy.
BIG BREKKY
Catch you on the Weekend Big Sports Breakfast at 9.40am with Ray Thomas and Dean ‘Bulldog’ Ritchie this morning to discuss all things rugby league.
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Superstar fullback Reece Walsh has yet to sign his new mega contract with the Brisbane Broncos.
The delay is causing some angst among club officials, who thought they had the deal done weeks ago.
It had been reported Walsh was on the verge of signing a $5.5m deal over five years.
We’re now hearing it will be closer to $7m, or $1.4m over five years.
That rightly puts him at around the same pay level as the likes of Penrith No.7 Nathan Cleary and Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga.
It’s not just his freakish football ability but the fact he is the most marketable player in the competition for more than a decade.
We asked Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy about the delay with the deal.
“We’re doing everything we can to retain Reece,” is all Donaghy would say.
Walsh is free to go to market in November if the Broncos deal is not finalised by then.
And we all know how cashed up the Roosters are with their $4m war chest.
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Mitchell Pearce has joined the coaching staff at the Sydney Roosters. He will work in pathways alongside former teammate Jake Friend, specialising in coaching young halves. Pearce is also working in the media on Triple M and has won gigs on Fox Sports. He does a podcast with another former Roosters teammate Todd Carney.
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Former Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma appears to be struggling in the UK Super League.
He left Wests Tigers in controversial circumstances after a falling out with coach Benji Marshall but couldn’t attract any NRL interest.
Instead he signed with Salford Red Devils in England but has played only two games.
We’re also hearing there have been a couple of instances in which he has failed to turn up to training.
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This photo was taken 40 minutes before Jason Demetriou was sacked by South Sydney on Tuesday night.
It says a lot about the man. The image is so special and so human.
A man who has been under extraordinary pressure for weeks — but can still smile as he awaits the axe.
Rather than sit at home waiting for the termination phone call from Souths boss Blake Solly, Demetriou was out coaching his daughter’s footy team — the Cronulla Caringbah Under 14’s girls.
The girls are so appreciative that a person of his standing in rugby league can shift aside the stress and turmoil of the Rabbitohs’ disastrous start to the season to be there for them at training and on game days.
Two weeks ago he coached the girls at 1pm in the Shire then jumped in his car for the trip to Accor Stadium for the crucial match against the Cronulla Sharks at Accor Stadium.
“I just love it,” Demetriou said, “My youngest daughter Sienna started playing last year.
“I wanted to help out so I put my name forward with another friend, John, whose daughter is in the team as well.
“The girls love their footy and coming to training. It’s really nice to be back in grassroots, remembering why you love the game.
“They better be careful now I’ve got all this spare time … we might train four nights and do some video.”
Demetriou took the photo himself.
“It wasn’t hard to get them to pose when I told them it was for the newspaper,” he laughed.
“On Tuesday I just thought it would be a good idea to get myself out of the house.
“There was no point sitting around home.”
Demetriou declined to comment on his dismissal from the Rabbitohs.
“I’ll gather my thoughts and say my piece when the time is right,” he said.
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A Parramatta Eels fan drove from Windsor to Brookvale Oval last weekend for the match against the Manly Sea Eagles. He got there only to find it was a sellout.
The fan noticed Eels star Dylan Brown about to walk in and told him the story.
Brown rang an Eels official inside the venue and organised a free ticket. Great work, Dylan.
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Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson was spotted as a guest of Venues NSW chairman David Gallop on Anzac Day at Allianz Stadium for the clash between the Roosters and Dragons.
It’s a further sign that Richardson wants to dump long-time suburban venues Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown to move the Wests Tigers to Accor Stadium, which is controlled by Venues NSW.
Financially, it might be more appealing to do a deal with Venues NSW. That’s why he was networking with the stadium power players on Anzac Day.
However, there is nothing worse than looking at 65,000 empty seats at Accor Stadium for club games rather than having the tribalism effect at packed-out suburban grounds.
Richardson is risking a major backlash from Wests Tigers fans.
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Which club is dealing with nepotism claims over a young player who is hopelessly out of his depth in junior rep pathways?
His dad is a huge financial supporter of the club and is close to the chief executive.
He often throws in cash to assist the club with third-party agreements — while his son is getting a rails run in the under 19 S.G. Ball Cup side.
It has upset the parents of other youngsters.
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The NSWRL is investigating an incident in which a former Newcastle Knights player escaped with a two-week suspension for allegedly knocking a rival unconscious and then stomping on him.
Stephen Gordon had one season at the Newcastle Knights back in 2007, but the 37-year-old is still playing A grade for Raymond Terrace in the Newcastle-Hunter Rugby League competition.
Two weeks ago Gordon was sent off in a game against the Dudley Magpies .
He was issued with a grade-three striking charge.
The Newcastle rugby league judiciary downgraded the charge and handed down a two-week suspension.
Dudley has now lodged an appeal against the decision with the NSWRL to seek a longer ban, claiming the two-week suspension is an insufficient punishment for such a serious indiscretion.
On Friday we spoke to the president of the Dudley Magpies, Kody Bridges.
He has been muzzled by the Newcastle Rugby League and couldn’t comment.
“I’m not authorised to say anything at this stage,” he said.
Footage of the incident was posted on social media but has since been removed.
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Jeremy Marshall-King is in talks with the Dolphins for a substantial contract upgrade.
It’s hard to believe that only three years ago the hooker was unwanted by Phil Gould at the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Now he’s among the best No.9s in the game, alongside the likes of Harry Grant, Api Koroisau and Reece Robson.
Marshall-King’s agent Mario Tartak met with Dolphins recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan last week.
Originally signed for $300,000, Marshall-King is now a $600,000-a-year player.
The Dolphins want to lock him down on a long-term deal.
Rabbitohs star learns fate for hip drop, Sharks sweat on scans
South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray has learned his fate for a hip drop tackle on Siosifa Talakai which forced the Sharks powerhouse off the field on Saturday.
Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Talks to make Ponga NRL’s first $2m player
The Knights are preparing to open talks with superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga over a deal which could make him the richest rugby league player in history. SAINT, SINNER, SHOOSH.