Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: NRL player uses poker machine win to fund misbehaviour fine.

An NRL player enjoyed a giant unexpected financial windfall just in time to pay for a hefty fine following some bad behaviour.

Panthers great Greg Alexander has emerged as a shock contender to host Fox Sports’ flagship NRL 360 show next year as a replacement for Yvonne Sampson.

We revealed on these pages two weeks ago that Vonny was expecting her first baby in April and will be on maternity leave at the beginning of the season for an indefinite period.

It is a huge role to fill considering her success last year as a replacement for long-standing host Ben Ikin. The show actually got a ratings spike from when Sampson took over.

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It leaves Alexander with the busiest of schedules as a TV host, Penrith board member and part of Brad Fittler’s coaching staff with NSW Blues.

The Panthers champion would be an interesting selection given his relationship with co-host Paul Kent.

Greg Alexander is in contention to co-host NRL 360 alongside Paul Kent next year.

The pair have been involved in a number of lively on-air disagreements over the years, mainly around the performances of the NSW Blues in State of Origin.

There was an exchange in July this year after the Blues lost Origin III when Kent questioned the selection of Blues halves Mitchell Moses and Jack Wighton before adding: “I’m not trying to have a crack at you.”

But Alexander didn’t seem impressed.

“I think you are (having a crack),” he said. “Your line of questioning is always aggressive, Paul.”

Fox Sports bosses actually like the fact they have opposing views on so many issues which will make for robust debate and good television.

Another former NRL star, Braith Anasta, is likely to get a promotion while Sampson is on leave. Anasta is likely to be in the hosting chair for Super Saturday alongside the likes of Cooper Cronk, Michael Ennis and Mal Meninga.

Greg Alexander will have a busy schedule in 2022. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Meanwhile, the NRL is still to finalise the prolonged negotiations with Channel 9 for the game’s next free-to-air TV deal.

An agreement was to be finalised this week for the independent commission to approve on Friday before talks were delayed again.

All the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.

SAINT

It’s not often we give the corporate bookmakers any praise or publicity as they have a big enough media presence that attracts young people to gambling. However, Sportsbet deserves applause for handing over a $265,000 cheque to Mose Masoe and his family from its very generous sponsorship of NRL try-scoring celebrations this year. Mose is back home in Australia but faces enormous challenges.

Mose Masoe and kids with the cheque from Sportsbet.

SINNER

Player movements 18 months in advance is the biggest blight on the NRL, especially when played out so publicly with leaked photos, details of private meetings and agents trying to spark bidding wars. Brandon Smith, Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i and Viliame Kikau … it has become a complete farce.

SHOOSH

Which NRL star had a $50,000 win on the punt (poker machines) during the year which he used a few days later to pay for a heavy NRL fine for misbehaviour.

SHOOSH

Which NRL club is about to announce the appointment of two of Sydney’s biggest corporate high flyers, one of whom has a personal wealth of hundreds of millions of dollars. This club will have a board as powerful and influential as the Roosters.

SPOTTED

League legend and Big Sports Breakfast host Laurie Daley celebrating his brother-in-law’s 60th birthday at Culburra Bowlo on the south coast last weekend.

SPOTTED

Ex-Australia cricket captain Steve Waugh parking his high-powered Kia Stinger GT sports coupe at Cronulla Beach during the week.

Cricket great Steve Waugh. Picture: John Appleyard

SPOTTED

Former Manly Sea Eagles star Brett Stewart with his left hand heavily strapped and in a brace after an accident with a chainsaw while helping a mate out on his property.

SPOTTED

Former NRL star and Fox Sports footy commentator Michael Ennis helping out removalists in the Shire. The new Parramatta Eels assistant coach has bought a luxurious new home in Cronulla.

SPOTTED

New South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou walking his little pet cavoodle around the streets of Caringbah last week.

TURBO’S RISE TO NO.1 ROLE MODEL

Tom Trbojevic spent much of his last off-season on the northern beaches pub and party circuit. What a difference 12 months makes.

Rugby league’s No.1 player is doing wonderful work for various mental health charities during his break this year.

Lifeline needed a big-name guest of honour in Newcastle during the week to sell tables for an important fund-raiser. This organisation has received a record number of calls for help in recent times.

Turbo drove from Sydney for the event but also came with some of his most cherished possessions for the auction.

This is an email I received from a punter at the function at Merewether Beach.

“Tom spoke really eloquently about mental health and the importance of communication,” he said. “He donated his Origin Game 1 jersey as well as his captain’s run Manly jersey and a pair of his boots.

Tom Trbojevic put plenty of smiles on faces helping out on Interntional Day of People with Disability at CommBank Stadium.

“I believe they raised about $35k on the day so his presence was truly valued. What a great role model.”

The Manly Sea Eagles star was dressed in a suit and looked a million dollars.

The story is worth telling because there is so much negative publicity in the media – this column included – when players misbehave around this time of the year.

Then on Friday Turbo was at CommBank Stadium helping out on International Day of People with Disability. The smiles on the faces of the kids and adults was so special.

The Manly, NSW Blues and Kangaroos champion has certainly turned it all around.

That race down the Manly esplande with ‘Harry’ is now a distant memory.

NRL HAS TO GET TOUGHER ON COVID

The NRL expects its players to be role models in the community. To be setting the right example and proudly representing the game.

Too bad they are failing to live by the values and standards they expect of the players.

The NRL’s position on Covid vaccinations is hopelessly inadequate.

Since Peter V’landys became chairman of the independent commission, the sport has rarely been shown up by the AFL or any of its rival codes for that matter.

This, however, is not the case with Covid.

While the AFL has a firm no-jab, no-play edict, the NRL’s policy is weak.

They have sat back since Monday and done nothing about the fact that Manly have employed a head of high performance who refuses to get vaccinated.

Don Singe is working alongside a squad of 30 players five days a week.

Manly trainer Don Singe has been working with the NRL squad despite being unvaccinated. Picture: John Grainger

Don’t worry about the double-vaccination sign at the entrance to their training facility.

The NRL’s weak biosecurity protocols allows Manly to get away with it.

This is setting a terrible example to the hundreds of thousands of fans who religiously follow the game, almost 95 per cent of whom have been vaccinated.

These fans will be required to show vaccination passports next year to enter most venues.

The disappointing angle to this story is that the Sea Eagles are owned by the Penn family, chairman Scott and his father Rick.

This family has made its fortune over the past 20 years out of a health and wellbeing business. Yet, like the NRL, they are allowing this to happen and leaving their $9m player roster exposed to the Covid virus.

If this continues next season it has the potential to bring down the entire competition.

Peter V’landys needs to step in and fix this, not next year, not next week but right now.

FOXTEL’S HAPPY TO GO OUT ON A LIM

Next time there’s an argument about women in sport and their pay packets, it’s worth looking at the growth in television ratings.

We recently wrote about the girls’ record-breaking figures in rugby league and why they deserve more cash.

Voiceover expert Teresa Lim has joined Fox Sports.

Now Foxtel has reported a year-on-year ratings increase of a whopping 32 per cent for the recently completed WBBL on Fox Sports, Kayo, Foxtel Now and Foxtel Go.

Fox Sports now has the rights for women’s cricket, WAFL, WNRL and netball.

This is why the network has hired voiceover guru Teresa Lim.

Lim will play a Matt Nable-type role to pump up the excitement for all the big women’s events like Nable does so brilliantly for NRL, the Supercars and boxing.

You should listen to her first promo for the Ashes series … it’s brilliant.

WALKER’S RETURN A SHINING EXAMPLE

You can never doubt Cody Walker’s commitment to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

The classy five-eighth wasn’t due back at the Rabbitohs until December 17, but wandered into training two weeks ago — a month ahead of schedule. And it has left a huge impression on the younger players in the squad.

While Cameron Murray is expected to be named Rabbitohs captain, Walker made it known to coach Jason Demetriou through his actions, that he is keen to have a senior leadership role in 2022.

Cody Walker has returned to training a month earlier than expected. Picture: Adam Head

FULLER TO JOIN NRL COMMISSION
Retired police commissioner Mick Fuller is tipped to join the NRL independent commission next season.

This was supposed to happen earlier this year but there was a reluctance from then premier Gladys Berejiklian to allow it to happen during the Covid lockdown.

Fuller will bring his vast integrity expertise in all areas of law enforcement and in the important space of sports betting, which has become such a huge global issue.