Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Harry Garside facing legal battle for comments made on reality TV show

Boxer Harry Garside is about to walk off the set of a TV show into a potentially expensive legal battle after his manager launched defamation action.

Kyle Flanagan is joining the Sea Eagles. Picture: Getty Images

The Manly Sea Eagles are on the verge of signing halfback Kyle Flanagan from the Canterbury Bulldogs for the remainder of the season as a back-up for Daly Cherry Evans during Origin.

Bulldogs’ general manager of football Phil Gould has been trying to offload the former Sharks and Roosters halfback to the English Super League.

Instead Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has jumped in to use Flanagan as an insurance policy for 34-year-old Cherry Evans.

It is an important signing for Manly because of concerns around the short term future of five-eighth Josh Schuster.

Kyle Flanagan is joining the Sea Eagles. Picture: Getty Images

This means Cooper Johns will be playing five-eighth for at least the next month instead of providing cover for Cherry Evans at halfback.

This is why Seibold has signed Flanagan on a cheap deal in which Bulldogs will contribute.

At this stage it is only for the remainder of the season.

His father Shane Flanagan is Manly’s assistant coach but has played no role in the negotiations.

The 24-year-old Flanagan has played 70 NRL games at the Sharks, Roosters and Bulldogs.

He was dropped from the Bulldogs’ starting line-up this week, replaced by veteran Josh Reynolds for the match against the Dragons.

SAINT

Las Vegas. Count me in for one of the great sporting trips of all time. Your columnist will brush the UFC event but can’t wait for the NRL double-header and boxing world title fight. The only problem for Peter V’landys is having to tell 13 clubs they have missed out.

SINNER

The revolting online comments directed at Raiders star Jack Wighton after his decision to join Souths. Nobody should be subjected to such abhorrent abuse.

SHOOSH

We told you recently of player manager Wayne Beavis juggling responsibilities with his coaching clients – Anthony Griffin and Shane Flanagan. He is trying to save Griffin’s job at the Dragons but understands Flanagan is a contender. For this reason, Isaac Moses is handling any inquiries from St George Illawarra.

SPOTTED

2GB drive host Chris O’Keefe sitting next to new Sports Minister Steve Kamper – both Dragons tragics – at the Anzac Day game. The minister did not appreciate your columnist asking for $300m to build a new stadium at Shark Park.

SPOTTED

Roosters legend Luke Ricketson and brother-in-law Tom Waterhouse at the Roosters v Dragons on Tuesday. Tom couldn’t shake hands – his right one is in plaster from a tennis injury.

SPOTTED

It didn’t take Nathan Cleary long to get over the heart-stopping loss to the Rabbitohs last week. Penrith was given three days off after the defeat and a Queensland luxury car company gave the NSW Blues star a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder to drive around to heal the pain. It’s worth $410,000 and is $1700 a day to hire. Let’s hope the Maroons will be just as hospitable during Origin.

Nathan Cleary got to drive around a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder.

SPOTTED

Knights legends Paul Harragon, Matty Johns, Mark Sargent and Tony Butterfield among the mourners at St John’s Anglican Church in Newcastle on Monday to farewell 1988 Knights old boy Adrian Bubb. Afterwards, the life of the former prop forward, father of four and master prankster was celebrated with great gusto at Souths Leagues club.

SPOTTED

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins pushing a pram and walking his dog in Bronte on Thursday morning.

ROOSTERS’ $140M CASH COUP

The days of NRL clubs relying on shrinking poker machine revenue to survive are long gone.

The Sydney Roosters recently purchased a medical centre in Bondi Junction for $26.5m.

It takes their property portfolio to $140m, including the old Randwick Post Office and an apartment block in Kingsford that houses their junior academy players.

The post office is leased to the Ted Noffs Foundation for $1-a-year peppercorn rent as a Roosters charity contribution.

The medical centre adjoins four other properties the club owns in Bondi Junction.

It is a remarkable story in that 20 years ago there was a real threat to the long-term sustainability of having nine clubs based in Sydney.

The Roosters were one of those clubs fighting for survival.

Then billionaire chairman Nick Politis decided some time ago to do something about it.

Sydney Roosters Chairman Nick Politis helped seal the club’s long-term future. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“The board and management are strategically focused on ensuring the organisation is financially secure for its long-term future,” says CEO Joe Kelly.

“In order to do so, we are complementing the traditional licensed club revenues with a strong property rent roll. Being a proud foundation club that is 115 years old this season, we are building a business that will be prosperous over the next 115 years.”

Independent commission boss Peter V’landys is super impressed.

“It’s a really smart strategy to purchase revenue-raising assets that aren’t part of the core business,” V’landys said.

“The Roosters have been the benchmark.

“It means long term you can cope with any challenges.”

The Sydney Roosters recently bought a medical centre in Bondi Junction.

An apartment block in Kingsford is also among the Roosters’ housing portfolio.

The former Randwick Post Office.

The NRL is doing the same. Last year it purchased the iconic Gambaro Hotel in Brisbane for $25m and is looking at other property investments.

The Roosters are not the only club doing well.

Penrith Group has a net asset base of $160m. That’s five licensed clubs and 32ha in Penrith that generates rental income from McDonalds, KFC, Krispy Kream and other outlets.

In two months, the club will open a new five-star Pullman Hotel and 100-seat convention centre that will lift the Panthers’ asset base to $200m.

ANOTHER KEY DOG DEPARTS

It’s not just Kyle Flanagan and middle Andrew Davey who are on the move at the Bulldogs.

Highly regarded strength and conditioning coach Luke Portese left Belmore last week.

It was a particularly tough call for head coach Cameron Ciraldo because he is close to Portese and worked alongside him at the Penrith Panthers.

SYDNEY’S MAGIC SHOW

Sydney will have its own Magic Round next weekend. With no major rugby league in the Harbour City, North Sydney Oval will host a NSW Cup triple-header on Saturday.

It’s the Rabbitohs v Roosters at 11am, North Sydney Bears v Warriors at 1pm and Parramatta Eels v Wests Magpies at 3pm.

Tickets costs just $15 for adults and children under 16 get in for free.

LEGAL BOUT SET TO GET UGLY

Boxing manager Peter Mitrevski Jnr lifted boxer Harry Garside’s profile into a position where he was snapped up by Channel 10 for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

Now they’re locked in an ugly legal showdown over alleged defamation and breach of contract.

Mitrevski took over as Garside’s agent after the boxer won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, Australia’s first Olympic boxing medal in 33 years.

He secured legendary trainer Johnny Lewis, who was in Garside’s corner for three professional wins.

Everything was going gangbusters — sponsors, sporting headlines, celebrity appearances, a booming Instagram account and regular Sydney Confidential appearances.

Plus he could fight. Some even said he could be a world title contender.

Mitrevski negotiated a commentary role at Fox Sports, got him a car, tens of thousands of dollars in sponsorships and lifted his profile to a position where he was snapped up by Channel 10 for the reality show.

Now it has become a fight as brutal as anything Garside has faced in the ring.

Harry Garside is locked in an ugly legal showdown.

Garside is about to walk off the set of the TV show into a potentially expensive legal battle.

Mitrevski has launched defamation action against Channel 10 and Garside over comments that were made in an early episode of the show.

Garside said: “I hated turning professional, just people around me who wanted me because I was a potential cash cow.

“They didn’t want my best interests. It’s so dirty and I really didn’t like it.

“I hate knowing there’s people around me who didn’t particularly care about my wellbeing, they cared about the 10 per cent. It was really frustrating.”

Mitrevski says the comments were highly offensive and inaccurate.

Three months ago Garside abandoned a plan to headline a card in Melbourne to go on the TV show.

Mitrevski also alleges Garside has broken his management contract and another deal with No Limit Boxing, both of whom paid him hefty sign-on fees.

Mitrevski declined to comment other than saying: “It’s in the hands of my lawyers.”

Channel 10 also declined to comment and Garside, who is in the South African jungle for tonight’s final episode, could not be contacted.