Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Jason Taumalolo’s plea to play State of Origin for Queensland
Watch out NSW fans, the world’s best forward wants to run out for the Maroons — check out all the latest NRL chatter and more.
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Blockbusting forward Jason Taumalolo wants to play State of Origin for the Queensland Maroons — and the NRL is considering a qualification rule change to allow it.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal Taumalolo’s agent, Chris Orr, has contacted his former Cowboys coach Paul Green to offer the lock forward’s services to the Maroons.
And in a huge development to help Taumalolo’s cause, ARL commission chairman Peter V’landys has revealed a review of the current selection criteria for State of Origin is well under way.
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Regarded by many as the world’s best forward, Taumalolo passes the first rule of Origin qualification which asks: “Have you resided in NSW or QLD since prior to your 13th birthday?”
His family moved to Australia when he was 12. He played junior rep football in a Maroons jersey before becoming an NRL player at the Cowboys, when he was signed as a 17-year-old.
The idea for the NRL to review the selection criteria actually came from NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler when he met V’landys last year.
“Freddy wants to ensure State of Origin always remains the best of the best and asked me to have a look at it,” V’landys said.
V’landys then asked Project Apollo chairman Wayne Pearce to conduct the review.
“Origin TV ratings have been in decline for more than five years and that’s why we at least need to look at it,” V’landys said.
The Pearce plan is to move the annual mid-year Pacific Islands Test, which coincides with Origin, to the end of the season in October.
Only players from Tier 2 nations Fiji, Tonga and Samoa would be available for selection provided they lived in NSW or Queensland before the age of 13.
“If the rule change is implemented as a result of the review, Taumalolo would qualify,” Pearce said. “We’re definitely looking at it.
“Why should players who are passionate about playing for Tonga not be allowed to play State of Origin. We want the best players playing Origin.”
Andrew Fifita, Daniel Tupou and Michael Jennings have previously played for the Blues and Tonga. Whether there is time for it to happen this year remains doubtful, although V’landys has a long history of acting quickly on positive change.
Pearce expects to complete his review within three weeks.
Check out all the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
SAINT
We often talk about the hate between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters and their century-old rivalry. Then you see South Sydney hooker Damien Cook on the ground with Luke Keary, showing so much concern, class and care for his injured opponent at Stadium Australia on Friday night. The ill-feeling between these two great clubs will always be there but the respect and the sportsmanship lives on.
SINNER
The NRL lobbying the State Government to build a 20,000-seat mini Bankwest Stadium at Kogarah is an outrageous waste of $250 million of taxpayers’ money. St George Illawarra will play only six games at the venue because they are committed to Wollongong. Cronulla is going home to Woolooware. The place will be empty for more than 350 days a year. By all means spend the money on sporting infrastructure but the Kogarah plan must be scrapped.
SHOOSH
There is mail around the Shire that Cronulla wants to release Andrew Fifita to join St George Illawarra to free up cash and to bring back a handy forward from their 2016 premiership side.
SHOOSH
Which sporting multimedia type has had restrictions put on his betting account with Robbie Waterhouse after winning handsomely on a nag in Singapore? Our mate then had a $50 bet on a $3 chance rejected. He has withdrawn the winnings and taken his business to another bookmaking firm.
SPOTTED
Melbourne Storm forward Felise Kaufusi AGAIN leading with his elbow — this time on young Parramatta centre Tom Opacic. The incident occurred not long after he knocked Ryan Matterson unconscious in the game at Bankwest Stadium.
SPOTTED
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett and recruitment manager Peter Sharp at Rushi cafe in Cronulla, hopefully not planning a raid on Sharks players.
SPOTTED
Workaholic NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo is even on his mobile phone while shopping. He had two parcels under one arm and his phone in the other at David Jones Chatswood last week.
SPOTTED
Ex-league and cricket stars Wayne Pearce and Mike Whitney play in the band Oz Icons. They were rehearsing for an upcoming gig at an inner-city music studio last week when they bumped into pop legend John Paul Young.
SPOTTED
Dr George Peponis is a man of many talents and one of the most respected men in rugby league. He captained Australia and the Bulldogs to premiership success and he is now chairman of Clubs NSW and the NSWRL. Dr Peponis is still in practice at Five Dock and is now qualified to administer Covid injections to inner-west locals.
DOGS TRY TO HELP FAMILY BEAT GRIEF
Joseph Shorey lost two of his three sons in an alleged hit and run in Wellington earlier this year.
Little Sheldon and Shane — aged six and seven — loved their rugby league and the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Their dad will have a broken heart forever but will always be grateful to the Bulldogs for what has happened since the horrible tragedy.
Last week Canterbury flew Joseph, his surviving son, Mark, his partner, Ivy, and stepdaughter, Bray, from Queensland to Sydney for the match against the Panthers.
The club’s welfare officer, Luke Goodwin, met them at the airport with keys to a Kia Carnival to get around Sydney. The club’s major sponsor, Arthur Laundy, threw in free accommodation at his Horse and Jockey Hotel in Homebush.
They got to meet the players at the captain’s run on the day before the game. Kyle Flanagan signed his kicking tee. Adam Elliott gave Mark his signed boots.
On game day they got corporate seats and met club legend Steve Mortimer. That the Panthers won easily didn’t matter. This game wasn’t about the scoreboard. It was so special to see a man and his son smile for the first time in months.
“I can’t thank them enough for their kindness and generosity,” Joseph said. “Nothing will bring back my boys but knowing we have the support of the club means so much.
“I just wish they could have been here to experience it because they would have loved it.
“And you know what … Canterbury can often get bad rap in the media but they treated us like family. It was so heartwarming.”
APOLOGETIC ARTHUR
Bulldogs sponsor and hotel tycoon Arthur Laundy has apologised to the Penrith Panthers for slamming the club over their treatment of boom five-eighth Matt Burton.
Lobbying to get an early release to join the Bulldogs, Laundy told The Daily Telegraph: “They’re not thinking of the lad. Let him go, they are standing in a young person’s way.”
On Thursday, Laundy rang Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher.
“I told him I was sorry for causing any embarrassment,” Laundy said. “I just wanted to see the kid play first grade. That’s all. We saw his incredible talent on Thursday night and I can now understand why Penrith have been wanting to keep him.”
$800,000 TO $750
At the height of their careers at the Canterbury Bulldogs, Greg Eastwood and Tony ‘T Rex’ Williams were among the highest paid players in the NRL on $800,000 a year.
These days they are running around in the Ron Massey Cup for less than $1000 a game.
On Sunday the ex-Bulldogs teammates are on opposite sides when Australia’s oldest club, the Glebe Dirty Reds, play the Windsor Wolves at Wentworth Park.
Williams, who plays for Windsor, is still only 32. Eastwood is 34. He’s on $750 a game
“It’s great they’re still giving back to the game at the grassroots level,” says Glebe President Darren Flynn.
It’s a huge day for the Dirty Reds with their newly-launched Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership team playing the Cronulla Sharks in a double-header at Wentworth Park. The actions starts at midday. Tickets are $10 for adults and it’s free for kids 16 and under.
DCE IMAGE PROBLEM
Pacific Sports Management, run by NRL agents Chris and Gavin Orr, are still using the image of Manly Sea Eagles skipper Daly Cherry-Evans among their clients on their website.
This is surprising because the Maroons and Kangaroos halfback is now under the care of new agents. He has joined James Tedesco’s management team at Ignite Sports. The company is run by Joe Wehbe and his nephew Johnathan and Anthony Field.
They also look after Parramatta Eels forward Nathan Brown, whose negotiations have stalled in recent weeks.
AFL BOSS ON NSW MISSION
The AFL continues to march into rugby league heartland in Sydney.
AFL boss Gill McLachlan was in town last week for talks with Premier Gladys Berejiklian and government ministers.
Topping his wish list is more ovals across NSW with four posts instead of two.
Participation numbers — especially among women — are taking off.
“We got a terrific reception — the Premier was great,” McLachlan said, “The agenda for us is community facilities in Sydney. It a huge issue. We have outgrown the space. There are not enough ovals for us. We’ve actually got a waiting list for clubs and players.”
McLachlan says the return of Buddy Franklin for the Swans this weekend will further lift the profile of AFL in Sydney. “Buddy is as big as it gets in our game,” he said. “Him and Dusty (Martin) are the biggest names in my time.”
AYRES IS THERE
Is it any wonder the joke around state parliament is that Stuart Ayres is the honorary sports Minister. He is the first phone call for all the movers and shakers in sport. This week he was in the media pushing for a new stadium in Penrith. On Thursday he was alongside Gill McLachlan on stage to launch the Sydney AFL season. The actual Sports Minister Geoff Lee wasn’t sighted.
MATES RALLY FOR BUNNY
Former Roosters forward Bunny “The Axe” Reilly was one of rugby league’s most feared players. Sadly he is doing it tough these days, suffering from serious kidney disease and needing regular dialysis treatment.
Bunny turned 74 last week and got a nice surprise when old teammates John Quayle, Mike Cleary, Ron Coote, Bob Keyes and Kevin Junee, along with chairman Nick Politis and director Peter Newton, met him in a cafe with a birthday cake.
Men of League has organised a fundraiser to help Bunny with medical costs. If you’d like to donate check out their website.
NEW GIG FOR GALLOP
David Gallop is back in the workforce as chairman of a strategic sports management consultancy firm. Alacria is a company working closely alongside major sports to create new opportunities in a challenging post-COVID market. The company has offices in Australia, Switzerland and the US.
Gallop is a former chief executive of the NRL and Football Federation Australia with tremendous connections among Australia’s top corporates. He is also a board member of the TAB and was deputy chairman of the Australian Sports Commission.
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