Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Backs banned from NRL scrums
He didn’t select the team or have final say on the recruitment. But Dragons coach Paul McGregor handled his sacking with such dignity, it is clear he is a good man. Check out all the latest chatter in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
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The NRL won’t abandon scrums next year but want to introduce a rule change where only forwards can pack in.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys was a guest speaker at the Parramatta v St George Illawarra game on Friday night and spoke of plans to fix what many believe is the biggest blight on the game.
While the UK Super League has replaced scrums with tap-kick restarts, V’landys told the audience scrums will remain in the NRL “because they are part of the game’s fabric.”
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He recently told News Corp: “The scrum today is a joke. We have two options. We either fix it or get rid of it.”
The fix-it option is the one they are running with.
The plan is to keep backs out of the scrums altogether. No more halfbacks packing in at hooker or even front-row.
Plus, no more forwards standing off the scrum and stifling the attack.
TITANS KEEN TO LOCK DOWN HOLBROOK
The Gold Coast Titans are desperately trying to lock down highly regarded coach Justin Holbrook on a long-term deal.
Holbrook is signed with the Titans only until the end of next season after joining the club on a two-year contract from St Helens in the UK Super League.
His outstanding performances this year with one of the competition’s weaker rosters has caught the eye of rival clubs in the most turbulent year for head coaches.
There was talk the Bulldogs made inquiries before settling on Trent Barrett.
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His ability to attract a player of the calibre of David Fifita is an indication of how highly he is regarded by the players.
“We’ve had so many changes at the club over a long period of time,” Titans head of culture Mal Meninga said. “When we brought in Justin we were always hoping it would be long term.
“He hasn’t let anyone down. He sets great standards and the team has responded to that really well. “It would be silly of us not to try to extend him. He is the right person to help us achieve our long term goals.”
SAINT MARY
The class of Dragons coach Paul “Mary” McGregor in how he accepted his axing at St George Illawarra after seven years with such dignity, considering the far from ideal situation of not selecting the team or having the final say on recruitment. He is a good man.
SINNER
The social media attack on embattled Broncos coach Anthony Seibold. The stuff is disgusting. NRL integrity unit investigators should be working with law authorities to track down the lowlifes responsible, not just for Seibold but players constantly under attack from gutless trolls.
SHOOSH
Conditioner Trent Elkin has knocked back an approach from incoming Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett to stick solid with Brad Arthur at the Eels.
SHOOSH II
Mary McGregor must have known his days at the Dragons were numbered three weeks ago. Why else would agent David Riolo have contacted the Cowboys to express Mary’s interest late last month.
SHOOSH III
Who is the wealthy NRL club chairman who has ordered this $500,000 Lamborghini Urus — a car so quick and powerful it can rocket to 100km/h in under four seconds. And no, it’s not Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis.
SHOOSH IV
Wests Tigers loan hooker Harry Grant remains very much in touch with Melbourne Storm. He rang coach Craig Bellamy last week to update him on his knee surgery.
SPOTTED
Mark Geyer driving through Haymarket on Thursday with his window down and George Michael blaring. My spotter could hear it all, even with his windows up.
SPOTTED II
A punter at Epping train station with a long and loving memory of tough Canterbury Bulldogs hitman David Gillespie from back in the ‘80s when he used to delight in crash-tackling Parramatta Eels halfback Peter Sterling.
SPOTTED III
Tim Tszyu jogging along Surfers Paradise beach in the dark at 5am as he prepares for the super fight with Jeff Horn in Townsville on August 26.
SPOTTED IV
Jeff Horn doing the exact opposite. He is training late at night to acclimatise with the fight time and conditions. He sleeps in each day until 9.30am.
AB REACHES OUT TO SACKED COACH
Axed Cowboys coach Paul Green was spotted having lunch at Airlie Beach on Thursday with cricket legend Allan Border.
Border reached out to Green when he lost his job at the Cowboys in July.
“When I got sacked, AB sent me a really nice text,” Green said. “He’s one of my idols, so it was really uplifting. He’s one of our greatest sporting legends.
“He told me I’d done a great job at the Cowboys and said my sacking was bullshit.”
Green was also in Brisbane last week to catch up with some old friends, including Maroons Origin teammate Paul ‘Knuckles’ Greenhill.
He denies he was there to speak to the Broncos.
MICK POTTER’S PUPPY SCHOOL
Former Dally M player-of-the-year Mick Potter is making a comeback to coaching.
He has been appointed head coach of Mounties, now the feeder club for the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Potter won the Dally M award when he was playing fullback at the Bulldogs in 1984.
He will work closely with new Canterbury coach Trent Barrett to develop fringe first graders.
Barrett has had a massive clean-out of the Bulldogs coaching staff with Steve Georgeallis, Harry Harris, Tony Grimaldi and Tony Ayoub all being moved on.
JEFF, SUZEE GO THE DISTANCE
Many said it would never last …
When Jeff Fenech married his beautiful wife Suzee 24 years ago, guests — including James Packer — had their doubts.
“At the wedding reception they were even running a sweepstake on how long it would last,” Fenech said. “I think James picked six months and said I’d be lucky to last that long.”
Last week Fenech and his wife celebrated their 24th anniversary.
Many believe that Suzee deserves a matrimonial medal.
The owner of Ecco at Drummoyne closed the restaurant for the night, just for the two of them to mark the occasion. They ate caviar, lobster and prawns and had the best champagne and wines.
NRL TOUCH JUDGE SIDELINED
The terrible amount of injuries in the NRL so far this season are not just restricted to the players. Touch judge Kasey Badger has been ruled out for the season because of a bulging disk in her back that may require surgery. She will visit a specialist this week.
SOUTHS’ MASKED CRUSADE
The Rabbitohs’ most popular merchandise item this year are the COVID-19 masks. Fans have snapped up 7000 of the 9000 that have been made with the club’s logo in four colours.
At $20 each, it’s been a profitable exercise for a footy club that has suffered like all NRL teams from not having full attendances at their home games in 2020. Owner Russell Crowe came up with the mask idea and gave away 1000 to Souths members over 70.
