Saint Sinner Shoosh: Roosters rate young Fittler, Griffin sledge to fire up Dufty
With uncontracted players fast running low, the NRL’s 17th team will turn their recruitment attention elsewhere, with overpaid and unwanted contracted players top of their list.
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Zach Fittler looks destined to follow in the footsteps of his famous father with the Roosters earmarking the 15-year-old as an NRL player of the future.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the son of a gun has been parachuted from a development deal into an elite Under 17’s group training group after storming onto the representative scene.
Weighing in at a whopping 105kg and already as tall as he famous father, Fittler Jr has impressed everyone – even the head coach – since linking with the Roosters last year.
“It was obviously a no-brainer to get Zach in the system,” Trent Robinson said.
“I have seen Zach play since he was a kid and his potential is obvious. We are really working hard on developing guys in those younger years and we have a crew of guys that we are working hard to develop in the under 17s age group and Zach has just started with them. I know he is working hard and is very determined.”
While his father is most famous for being a No. 6 with a sizzling step, Robinson revealed Zach is being groomed for the backrow.
“He is a bit thicker than Brad,” Robinson said.
“He has that same strong base but he is that little bit bigger which pushes him into the forwards. He is still as dynamic as his dad.”
Part of a Under 14’s development squad last year, Zach has been selected to play in this year’s Roosters Harrold Matthews side.
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SAINTS: All the NRL players and clubs that are doing their bit to support Tonga in the wake of the tsunami. We have heard that a number of players have sent care packages over to Tonga in a bid to help those affected. The Warriors and Storm will also use their trial match to raise funds for Tonga. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the disaster.
SINNER: Organisers of the Australian Open for gouging punters by charging them fine-dining prices for street food. We were stunned to learn that one of the vendors is charging $25 for a hamburger and chips. Those planning on attending should also be warned that a bottle of water will cost you $5.60.
SHOOSH: Which NRL coach had to conduct the first week of the pre-season from his lounge room after contracting Covid? Another fellow Sydney-based coach spent two weeks in isolation during the break after contracting Covid as soon as a close contact isolation was served. We are happy to hear both coaches are back at work and only reported mild symptoms.
SHOOSH I: Which rugby league bad boy has reached out to the NRL in the hopes of landing a job? The premiership-winning player is adamant he has finally turned his life around and wants to use his story to help others. We hope the player has indeed slayed the demons that destroyed his career.
SPOTTED: Reefy and MC Hammer Head devouring the latest literature during a surprise visit to The Best Little Book Shop In Town at Cronulla. We hear they were both a little disappointed to find that “Turn Your Porch Lights Off: The Story of Cronulla’s First NRL Premiership” was sold out. And we were a little disappointed to hear they weren’t interested in a signed copy of this columnist’s fiction thriller “Inside Man”, of which there were plenty.
SPOTTED I: Beau Ryan back in the studio with Kyle and Jackie O after evicting himself from I Am a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! We reckon Ryan may have stuck it out had he been able to find a charger for the mobile phone he smuggled in by way of country artist Brooke McClymont’s guitar.
SPOTTED II: Cameron Munster channelled Warwick Capper with a mighty leap at Storm training last week. Munster almost jumped clean over a teammate to remind as all that he began his career as a high-flying fullback.
SPOTTED III: Former Panther Tim Grant delivering an SS Commodore Ute to the Newcastle car yard he shares with Shane Brennan, brother of former Titans coach Garth. It is a good time to be in the used car game given second-hand Holdens such as the one Grant dropped off are going for $80k.
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South Sydney may be forced to honour the deal that they signed with Anthony Milford should the unregistered NRL star be cleared of the four criminal charges he is facing.
Back in Brisbane after reportedly being cut loose by the Rabbitohs, Milford could still play for South Sydney this season if he is found not guilty of three counts of assault and one count of damaging property.
The Sunday Telegraph has been told that Milford’s contract could become a legal matter should South Sydney choose not to honour it should he be cleared.
At least one Rabbitohs official has made it clear that he does not want Milford at the club.
We have been told that Milford is physically fit and will be ready to join an NRL club should he be cleared after spending the off-season training with a former Broncos trainer in Brisbane.
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Expect Matt Dufty to be fired up this season.
Already desperate to get back onto the field after being axed for the last five games of the season, the ousted Dragon will have an even bigger point to prove after Anthony Griffin publicly questioned his defence.
While most thought it was a fallout over game plans that led to Dufty’s demise at the Dragons, Griffin said it was deficiencies in defence that cost the fullback his St George Illawarra career.
Dufty has had plenty of time to reflect on his daily drive to Belmore given he still lives on the South Coast.
2022 is shaping as a make or break season for Dufty after the fullback took a punt on his career by signing a one-year deal.
Expect the Dolphins to show interest in Dufty, especially if they miss out on Kaylan Ponga.
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Still on the Dolphins, the 17th team is set to turn their attention to the overpaid and unwanted with the new franchise about to target contracted players.
After landing a blow by signing Jesse Bromwich – arguably the best player that was left on the off-contract list – the Dolphins next big hit could be a contracted player.
We have been told that the incoming club will patiently watch the player market and wait to see “what falls out”.
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The punter who had a lottery-like win by buying Chaz Mostert’s Commodore before it was driven to Bathurst 1000 glory last year may have to shelve his plan to race the Holden in 2023.
We have been told Walkinshaw Andretti United co-owner Zac Brown — also the boss of Formula One team McLaren — wants to buy the car back now that it is a Bathurst winner.
Buying the car for $610,000 in an online auction well before it became an instant collectable by winning Bathurst, the man who planned to race the car in the reserve grade Super 2 series could make a motza given American tycoon Brown has an estimated net worth of $100m.
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Congratulations to Shane Howard — the long serving V8 executive who was this week named as the next Supercars CEO. Howard has worked tirelessly — and mostly anonymously — behind the scenes for years and is responsible for some of the sport’s great coups. We couldn’t think of a better person to lead the sport into the next generation of racing.
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