Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Eels ready to pounce on Angus Crichton
Parramatta put in place their Ryan Matterson contingency plans, league legend has a close call and more in Australia’s best sporting gossip column.
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The Parramatta Eels are closely monitoring the contract stand-off between former Origin forward Angus Crichton and the Sydney Roosters.
If their edge forward Ryan Matterson leaves for the Dolphins, they are ready to pounce.
Matterson will make his call after Origin, mindful that Blues coach Brad Fittler dislikes contract publicity while players are in camp.
At this stage the Roosters can’t fit Crichton into their cap for 2023.
The Eels desperately want to keep Matterson but need a plan B.
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SAINT
Cameron Munster. The most inspiring story in rugby league bar none. How a young man, whose life was so seriously off the rails last year with gambling and alcohol issues, has turned himself around and become a wonderful role model for any youngsters who have fallen into a bad space.
SINNER
NRL clubs blowing their annual grants and so much money on coach sackings. Paul McGregor, John Morris, Stephen Kearney, Paul Green, Dean Pay, Anthony Seibold, Michael Maguire, Trent Barrett and Nathan Brown in the past few seasons. All up, it’s cost their clubs around $5m, money that could have been invested in juniors, pathways and participation.
SHOOSH
Which NRL club is close to pulling off a raid on rugby union by signing one of the NSW Waratahs’ most promising outside backs. The deal will be done this week.
SHOOSH
The world’s biggest boxing promoter Eddie Hearn will be here next week to announce his company Matchroom will promote Jeff Fenech’s rising star Brock Jarvis up against world No. 1 Liam Paro in a huge bout on the Gold Coast.
SHOOSH
The NRL is making it difficult for Matt Lodge to find a new club after his exit from the Warriors. Lodge moved back to Sydney last week from Redcliffe and is a free agent. However, the NRL is insisting he be given a notional value in a club’s salary cap that will be around the $200,000 mark, which most clubs can’t afford.
SPOTTED
Look what the stress and strain of 20 years of NRL coaching can do to you. This is Nathan Brown in 2003 when he started out with a clipboard at St George Illawarra and had plenty of blond hair. And then in his final weeks with the NZ Warriors. I texted the pictures to Brown on Friday. His reply: “I’m certainly not like a bottle of red wine.”
SPOTTED
NRL 360 host and player agent Braith Anasta with his man Cam Munster having brekky at the Courtyard cafe in Coogee on Friday.
SPOTTED
The popularity of North Sydney Bears and Queensland legend Billy Moore is as strong as ever. He was a guest speaker at four corporate functions at Accor Stadium on Wednesday night.
SPOTTED
Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe with his wife Jo on the red carpet at the Elvis biopic premiere at the State Theatre on Sunday night.
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In his playing days it was almost impossible to stop the old Redfern Express, rampaging Rabbitohs winger and cult hero Terry Fahey.
Now a medical emergency has.
The 67-year-old former Souths, NSW and Kangaroos star has undergone triple-bypass surgery in Royal Prince Alfred hospital to save his life.
Fahey was airlifted to Sydney last week from Orange when diagnosed with three artery blockages.
“It’s a warning to everyone,” Fahey said, “I could easily have carked it.”
Doctors were surprised because Fahey has kept himself fit and never smoked.
He had attended Souths’ recent game against the Raiders in Dubbo with chief executive Blake Solly.
Yet last week he started feeling chest pains while working with horses on his farm.
He was rushed from Dubbo to Orange hospital and then airlifted to Sydney.
“For a few weeks I’d had some minor discomfort,” he said.
“I got it checked out and they said get straight to Sydney. They put me in an air ambulance then straight into surgery.
“Who knows what would have happened if I’d left it.
“The blockages were pretty severe. Luckily my wife had given me some aspirin to thin my blood when I first started complaining.”
Fahey hopes his story will be a good warning for others to get checked.
“I’ve been in pretty good shape,” he said, “this could happen to anyone.
“I’ve had most things checked but never my heart. I’m very, very lucky.”
* * * * *
He might be off with the NSW State of Origin coach and selectors but Josh Addo-Carr has become the most marketable player in the game according to official research.
The Bulldogs winger launched his own clothing label, Lets Trot Apparel, at the beginning of the year.
It has now completely sold out – around $200,000 worth of hoodies, T-shirts and caps.
The company that Addo-Carr and his agent Mario Tartak started now has manufactures urgently working on more stock.
The research agency YouGov recently looked into the marketing popularity of all NRL players.
Addo-Carr came back as number one in the game.
The top five were Addo-Carr, Cameron Munster, James Tedesco, Nathan Cleary and Ryan Papenhuyzen, just ahead of Tom Trbojevic.
Knowing his appeal to fans, the NSWRL used the Bulldogs winger in all pre-game ticket and merchandise promotions. Then was left out of the side.
NRL boss Andrew Abdo is not surprised by his popularity.
“Josh has an energetic and fun personality and he is an unbelievable athlete on the field,” Abdo said.
“He is genuine and passionate about inspiring people to achieve their potential. He is also passionate about his role in inspiring Indigenous youth.”
* * * * *
Origin showed those in the Payne Haas media fan club that he’s not worth the $1 million-a-year that they’ve been spruiking.
He is a very good player but not worth a penny more than $800,000 a season.
If only Haas had stayed with his previous agent Chris Orr.
Orr negotiated a $6 million, six-year deal with the Broncos last August from until the end of 2027.
The deal even had performance exit clauses that would allow Haas to leave if the Broncos didn’t make the top four in the duration of the contract.
The Broncos’ improved form this year has meant money in cap needs to go to others in the side like Selwyn Cobbo and Herbie Farnworth.
* * * * *
There is a negative side to being successful in the NRL.
The more you win, the more other clubs try to pinch your talent.
The Cowboys’ resurgence this year has rival clubs looking not just at their players, but the coaches. Not just Todd Payten, an early favourite for Dally M coach-of-the-year, but his assistant Dean Young.
Young’s primary charter – as defensive coach – has produced results unheard of in recent times. Prior to this weekend’s round, the Cowboys have only conceded 10 second-half points in their last eight games. In six of those second halves they have not conceded a point.
It says a lot about their off-season, their fitness, their technique and their structures.
Overall, they have the second-best defence in the NRL, behind only reigning premiers Penrith.
The former Dragons premiership-winning hooker has been mentioned as a long-term replacement for Anthony Griffin, and other clubs are now on the lookout for new coaches.
Young is now 38, a similar age to when the Roosters gave Trent Robinson a start.
As for Payten, he is under contract for next year, but no one from the club has mentioned anything about an extension.
It’s interesting that he started his coaching career with the under-20s at the Wests Tigers under Tim Sheens, who just happens to be looking for a new coach to replace Michael Maguire.
“I’d like to stay at the Cowboys,” Payten said, “My preference is to get an extension.
“People can put two and two together, but we’re very happy here.
“I’ve had several conversations with Sheensy in the last six months, about life as much as footy.
“Towards the back end of my career he encouraged me towards coaching.
“He’s been around a while and understands how it works.”
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The sister of rugby league enforcer Matt Lodge is making just as big an impact in sport … as a professional boxer.
Katie Lodge, 24, will fight for the WBL super-welterweight title against Fijian world champion Visila Lagilagi on August 19 at Doltone House Marconi Club.
She has had seven amateur fights for seven wins.
It is a remarkable story in that Katie joined the Boxfitt gym in Windsor just 12 months ago to get healthier and lose weight. She didn’t just lose 30kg, but also emerged as one of the country’s best boxers.
In her day job, Katie works as manager of the Blacktown Tavern Hotel.
“I love boxing and the discipline and routine that comes with it,” she said.
“I’ve told Matt that it’s now my time to shine and he’s been really supportive.”
The prop who recently quit the Warriors could not be prouder of his sister.
“She’s still a bit raw but she’s definitely got the attitude for boxing,” Lodge said.
“She’s probably a bit madder than me.
“No, seriously, she’s worked so hard and shown so much determination.
“We couldn’t be happier for her.”
* * * * *
The Australian cricket team watched the State of Origin game from a laptop in their dressing room before taking the field against Sri Lanka. Leg spinner Mitchell Swepson and media manager Col Hitchcock were the only ones cheering for the Maroons while Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood and David Warner desperately wanted the Blues to win.
* * * * *
Former Warriors coach Nathan Brown won’t be unemployed for too long. He’s already been snapped up by Triple M to work on their weekend NRL radio coverage.
Brown will also have a queue of clubs wanting him as an assistant coach. His record hasn’t been great at the Warriors or Knights but he’s regarded across the game as one of the shrewdest footy minds in the NRL.
* * * * *
A finance broker has complained to the NRL integrity unit about a player manager and an outstanding debt. We’re told It involves an amount around the $20,000 mark that has been owing for up to two years. We’ll keep you posted.
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