Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: NRL rival’s bid to poach Rabbitoh
A Sydney club’s swoop to snare Bunnies veteran, plus Parramatta’s shock signing target and more — check out all the latest NRL chatter in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
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All the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
SAINT
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who has stepped, jinked and swerved his way past bureaucracy to drive the NRL’s push for up to 40,000 fans to return to stadiums as soon as next weekend.
SINNER
The Brisbane Broncos. Once the most valuable brand in Australian sport with a perception of superiority and presence, Brisbane is now just another NRL team, devoid of on-field leadership and genuine impact on the rest of the competition.
SHOOSH
Which leading NRL player recently sent a text message to an opposition coach to try and entice him to replace their current coach?
SHOOSH II
Which Sydney club — not Canterbury — tried to sign Souths veteran Bryson Goodwin this week in order to play him this weekend?
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SPOTTED
The great chip-and-chase entertainer of the 1980s Phil Blake — who would’ve loved to have played under the new six-again rule — on his Manly beach walk on Wednesday.
SPOTTED (X 3)
Fox Sports’ Matty Johns bike riding with wife Trish around Narrabeen Lakes this week, while Manly legend Geoff Toovey waited at the bus stop down the road.
SPOTTED
Former NRL and FFA boss David Gallop sinking a schooner at the Clovelly Hotel on Wednesday.
SPOTTED
One of the Parramatta Eels’ more recognisable former coaches driving an Uber in retirement.
SPOTTED V
Footy legend Andrew ‘ET’ Ettingshausen filming a promotional video for the Shire’s new player on the fitness scene, The Yard Gym.
BLUES GREATS RELIVE MAGIC MOMENT
An image so iconic, it should be bronzed and immortalised as a trophy and presented to every NSW captain that can lead the Blues to State of Origin victory.
That’s the opinion of Steve “Blocker” Roach, who on Thursday at the SCG joined with former NSW forward Peter Wynn, to recreate the moment 1985 captain Steve “Turvey” Mortimer was chaired across the hallowed turf just moments after sealing the Blues’ first-ever Origin series win over Queensland.
Marking 35 years to the day since a euphoric Mortimer, at halfback, led the Blues to a 21-14 win over the Maroons on June 11 to take a series-winning 2-0 lead, Mortimer said he got chills as Roach and Wynn hoisted him on to their shoulders.
“As we walked out there onto the Sydney Cricket Ground again, I pinched myself thinking that I was a boy from Wagga who moved to Canterbury and was able to achieve so many incredible memories because of rugby league,’’ Mortimer said.
“When the boys lifted me up, all the memories came back. The beauty of that Blues side was a large majority of us were country boys, like Blocker and Crusher (Noel Cleal), but as a team there were no lairs, we just wanted to win the first series for NSW. They can never take that away from us.’’
Roach believes the photo is one of the greatest images in Australian sport.
“I think that image of Turvey should be turned into a trophy, be it for the victorious NSW captain or for the player that deserves to be recognised for what they did special for the team,” the Fox League commentator said.
“That moment when Turvey kissed the ground at the SCG and he was chaired around on our shoulders, that’s like the Provan-Summons trophy to me, that’s how special it is.’’
EELS KEEN ON SEGEYARO
The high-flying Eels have made inquiries to sign the crafty James Segeyaro.
The sticking point is, Segeyaro, 29, remains in limbo awaiting answers from ASADA.
The livewire hooker is vehemently defending himself after testing positive to di-hydroxy LGD-4033, a substance banned by the NRL and the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA).
He maintains the substance came from his housemate’s blender.
Continuing to train every day while sidelined, Segeyaro is viewed by the Eels as a valuable back-up to Reed Mahoney and someone who could prove dynamic under the new six-again rules.
DRAGONS AT LONG ODDS
St George Illawarra Dragons are a massive $251 at the TAB to win the premiership — their longest price in the joint-venture’s history.
They are also now favourites to finish at the bottom of the NRL ladder in the “most losses” market at $3 — the first time since formation in 1999.
The Red V are $3 to cause an upset on Sunday and beat the Sharks ($1.40) and record their first win of the season.
STUART’S POLITIS TRIBUTE
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has reached lofty league status by becoming just the eighth coach in history with 400 NRL games.
And the milestone wasn’t lost on Stuart.
He paid tribute to the man who gave him his start in 2002 — Roosters boss Nick Politis.
“Being an NRL coach you need an opportunity, and for me, having that opportunity through Nick Politis at the Roosters — where he showed a lot of courage in signing a very young, inexperienced, first-time coach — was the break that I got and it’s something I’ll never forget,’’ Stuart told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
UNREEL GESTURE
The Eels showed plenty of class with their selection of 650 fans for their game against Penrith on Friday.
Five-eighth Dylan Brown sent an invitation via video for 18-year-old cancer patient Patrick Wheeler to watch the game from a private suite.
Patrick was joined by his family and a bunch of support staff from the club’s community partner Ronald McDonald House.
The remaining tickets were given to life and long-term members and corporate partners.
BREAKFAST WITH JAIMEE
The alarm clock will be set for 3.30am Monday for Jaimee Rogers, who returns to the airwaves in her new role on the Big Sports Breakfast team.
Rogers joins Laurie Daley, Michael Clarke and host Gerard Middleton on the BSB, delivering the latest news to the sports-loving audience.
The early start won’t be so much of a problem for Rogers, who is forever on the go with two young boys, Archer (four months old) and Hudson (two).