Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Hoffman told to apologise over Woods shot
The Blues’ Old Boys at war over a ‘coward’ sledge, Nine’s ambitious play in broadcast bid, the coach ahead of Wayne Bennett for the PNG job, and more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.
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Front-row legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach wants to be peacemaker and repair the shattered relationship between Aaron Woods and Ryan Hoffman that has split the NSW Blues’ old boys.
Hoffman labelled his old Blues teammate a coward last week on ABC’s Offsiders, in reaction to Woods calling Maroons coach Billy Slater a grub in the build-up to Origin II.
“We’re about to go into a series decider, and Queensland would love the fact that we’ve got our blokes turning on each other,” Roach said.
“It’s bloody ridiculous.”
Roach called on Hoffman to apologise to Woods.
“Calling someone a coward, especially an old teammate, is the lowest of lows,” he said.
“I think Ryan should come out and apologise.
“I like the guy, but he’s out of order. I can understand him sticking up for Billy because
of their time together at Melbourne Storm, but using the word ‘coward’ … it’s not on.”
Hoffman didn’t hold back when he appeared on the ABC last Sunday.
“Aaron Woods was a coward for standing behind a microphone and throwing that (grub remark) out there,” Hoffman said.
“If Woodsy wants to make a name for himself in the media by making idiotic comments, it’s going to be a sad media career.”
Roach wants the opportunity to get the two of them together.
“This is nonsense,” Roach said.
“Think of the people who have worn our jersey.
“The Blues jumper is worth more than any of this rubbish.
“I want to be the peacemaker.
“It’s really important for all ex-players. We’ve got an Origin decider coming up, and the old boys have got to be united for the cause.”
On Friday we approached NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley about the situation.
He was reluctant to comment.
“I like both of them a lot, and hope they can work it out,” Daley said.
SAINT
Former Channel 9 rugby league boss Matt Callander passed away from brain cancer in 2017. After the initial diagnosis, Matt selflessly devoted his final 18 months to setting up a partnership with the Mark Hughes Foundation and the NRL to establish Beanie for Brain Cancer round. More than $30 million has been raised so far. You can buy a beanie this weekend from Woolworths, IGA, Lowes, or at all NRL venues.
SINNER
The NRL needs to implement a club-funding agreement that is fair on all 17 clubs. A leaked document last week revealed the Broncos earn $35 million more than struggling Sydney clubs in commercial revenue - and double the amount of their nearest rival. In AFL, the richer clubs get less in annual grants than the battlers. It should be the same in rugby league.
SHOOSH
Gus Gould used 100% Footy on Channel 9 last Monday night to push hard for veteran Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds to be the NSW State of Origin halfback if Nathan Cleary is unfit for selection. “I would be picking Adam Reynolds and I wouldn’t even hesitate,” Gus said. “He’s the one that should be doing the job, trust me.” And guess who Gus’s Canterbury Bulldogs play next weekend when the Origin players are unavailable … the Broncos.
SHOOSH
Which ex-Socceroos star has fallen on hard times and has been driving an Uber six days a week to support his family?
SPOTTED
Twice-deregistered player agent Isaac Moses is now well and truly entrenched with the Canterbury Bulldogs. Three weeks after delivering Lachie Galvin to Belmore, Moses has taken boom young Roosters fullback Mikey Nassar to the Dogs. Nassar was forced to leave the Roosters because chairman Nick Politis refuses to deal with Moses.
SPOTTED
Respected player agent David Riolo was a guest on the Chiming In podcast last week and spoke of the negativity around the industry. He wants the NRL to toughen up the rules around the accreditation process. “I don’t think you have to do enough to become a manager,” he said. “The problem is the bar is too low. If we want to lift the standards of our industry, you’ve got to lift the entry standards.”
SPOTTED
No wonder the NSW Blues fumbled the footy in Origin II in Perth. Maybe they were suffering from writer’s cramp. The players were asked to sign no less than 400 NSW jerseys during camp at Leura for the NSWRL to use for corporate, commercial and charity purposes.
SPOTTED
Penrith Panthers legend Royce Simmons is refusing to let his battle with dementia hold him back. He was spotted in Hawaii last week enjoying a break from Sydney’s winter with wife Liane.
SPOTTED
It’s funny how Daly Cherry Evans was raving about his close relationship with coach Anthony Seibold on Friday night yet didn’t even invite him to his wedding last year.
DEMETRIOU FRONTRUNNER FOR PNG
Jason Demetriou – and not Wayne Bennett – is the raging hot favourite to be appointed the inaugural coach of the NRL’s new PNG franchise.
Sacked by the South Sydney Rabbitohs last year, Demetriou is poised to make a comeback in a country he knows well from being PNG’s national coach.
That experience gives him the edge over other candidates - plus the fact he is prepared to move to Port Moresby full-time to take on the role.
The NRL still wants old supercoach Bennett involved as the face of the franchise in a role as a Head of Football or Director of Coaching to oversee football operations.
Demetriou and Bennett have previously worked together at the Broncos and the Rabbitohs.
Since his departure from Souths, Demetriou has been working on the NRL’s match review committee, as a commentator on Triple M, and in a coaching role at Westfields Sports High School.
When contacted, Demetriou said: “I’m ready to step back into the NRL.
“The PNG role is an exciting opportunity and one I would be very interested in.
“Having seen first-hand the work the ARLC have been doing in PNG there’s no doubt the bid will have an enormous impact on the country.”
NINE’S BID FOR ALL NINE GAMES
Channel 9 is poised to make an all-out multibillion-dollar bid to televise all nine games in an 18-team competition in the next NRL broadcast deal.
The plan is to cover three games each week on free-to-air television and the other six on Stan’s pay-per-view platform along with the finals series and State of Origin.
Nine is already heavily invested in rugby union, the Olympics, and recently purchased the Australian rights from Optus for the English Premier League.
The problem for the NRL is that Nine’s rugby league coverage is seen as an inferior product compared to Fox Sports.
DAZN, the new owners of Fox Sports, is about to launch its own bid to retain the rights.
Part of those negotiations will include a bid to cover State of Origin and the grand final in a simulcast with the free-to-air broadcaster.
FREDDY FOR ROOS
We broke the story recently on the Off The Record podcast how Brad Fittler was poised to take over from Mal Meninga as Australian coach for the Kangaroo tour.
That appointment is expected to be confirmed at the next ARLC meeting.
We’re now hearing Maroons legend and Freddy’s Channel 9 stablemate Cameron Smith could be part of the coaching team. Smith is already an Australian selector.
BEST BABY FOR GRANDPA JEFF
Jeff Fenech once said he never wanted his daughter Kayla to date a rugby league player.
Now Kayla is pregnant to Newcastle Knights and former NSW Blues star Bradman Best.
And the old boxing legend couldn’t be happier.
Kayla announced the pregnancy on her social media late last week.
“Baby Best due in January 2026. We can’t wait.”
Fenech has just returned home from a holiday in Europe with wife Suzee.
“They are so happy,” Fenech said. “And I’m so proud of both of them. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, the baby is going to have some great genes.
“And they’ll be great parents. You know how much I love Kayla, and Bradman is a great fella who will make a great dad.”
According to Kayla, her dad originally went ‘apeshit’ about her dating the Knights centre.
“I’d always warned my girls about going out with league players,” he said.
“I’ve been knocking around with footballers all my life. They’re young and they love going out and having a good time.”
Fenech says he is so happy to be proven wrong.
“Bradman is such a decent person who treats my daughter beautifully,” Fenech said.
“When we went to Newcastle to visit them, Bradman invited us in and said, ‘Welcome to our house’. Not his house, their house. He’s a great young man.”
BRONCOS CASH IN ON FANS
No wonder the Brisbane Broncos are such a financial powerhouse.
They get more bums on seats than any other club because their tickets are most affordable.
You can get a seat in comfort behind the posts at Suncorp Stadium for a Broncos game for just $22 while the Dolphins charge $28 for the same seats.
The Broncos also sell family passes from $54 while the Dolphins start at $75.
The AFL’s Lions are far more expensive at the Gabba.
Their cheapest seats for the recent game against Essendon were $69 and $174 for a family.
The Broncos are also much better value than Sydney clubs.
As an example, the Wests Tigers’ cheapest general admission ticket – without a seat – for the Titans game on July 20 at Leichhardt Oval is $27.50.
At least it’s a game with plenty of interest that will have a huge bearing on the wooden spoon.
RAIDERS IN RIGHT SPOT
The Canberra Raiders are on top of the premiership ladder with two byes to come – their best position on the table after 17 rounds in 20 years.
Their sixth straight win on Friday night against Newcastle lifted them above the Bulldogs on for and against. Plus the Bulldogs have had their three byes.
Previously they were on top of the ladder in 2006 (Round 5) and 2024 (Round 2).
The club that opened the season at $51 is now into $6.50 to win the premiership.
THE BETTER HALF - with Teigan Hutchison, fiancee of Corey Allan
Corey has made an inspiring comeback to rugby league after a rough couple of years. It must have been tough for the two of you?
His anterior cruciate ligament last year was probably the biggest disruption to his professional life and our private life. Physically he was unable to shower, and I had to shower him. And once he got out of the initial injury stage, it all started to give him a bit of head noise - he was only contracted with St George Illawarra Dragons for the year at the time, he could barely walk. I don’t think he was in the best of spaces. It’s difficult to watch someone you love go through something like that.
Were there ever any doubts that his rugby league career was over?
Yeah. When you’re in a situation like that, you have to be a bit of a realist and look at all the options. I don’t doubt Corey’s love for the game. I know he loves what he does and he’s really good at it, but you do have to think about the what-ifs. All players have life after footy, it’s just a matter of when.
Corey’s comeback was only a couple of weeks ago. Was that phone call something you will never forget?
To come out the other side of something like this, I couldn’t have been happier. It was almost like a sense of relief, but he put in the hard yards to get there. He could’ve just hung up the boots and walked away, but he didn’t, and now he gets the rewards. Every time he gets picked now, it’s just a great opportunity to see him do what he loves.
You mention thinking about life after footy. Was there ever a conversation where he reached out and spoke about a different path?
There was a bit. He’s done a few courses, and I guess he’s testing all his options so when the time comes, he knows what he likes and what he doesn’t.
And you’re a lawyer, which would take up a lot of your time. I’m assuming at times that would take a toll with a professional athlete?
Having a professional athlete as a partner and having a job always comes with sacrifice from both me and Corey. Sometimes that’s me having to leave work early to be there for Corey, other times me staying back and Corey having to order Uber Eats because I’m not coming home for dinner.
Considering your profession, do you think Corey would ever ask you to represent him at the judiciary?
I’m always willing, but whether he would want me to or not is another thing. Especially if I think he did do something wrong. He would probably have someone with a bit more experience to handle it.
- Tyson Jackson
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