Sam Burgess backs his brothers George and Tom to bounce back for South Sydney
SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: Sam backs George and Tom to regain their spots in Souths’ pack, Tim Simona’s hovering about and Maloney dunks Gal.
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SLAMMIN’ Sam Burgess has backed younger brothers George and Tom to become regulars in South Sydney’s forward pack again.
While George spent the opening weekend of the season in the NSW Cup, Tom will spend a second straight week in the reggies this weekend.
Burgess speaks to his brothers daily, but said they had enough people telling them how they needed to improve their game.
BATTLING GEORGE STILL HAS ‘A WAY TO GO’
“If you go back to the year we won the comp, everyone looks at that year and how destructive they were,’’ Burgess told Sports Confidential.
“Now they’re three or four years into their (NRL) careers, people have studied them more, they know how you move, the feet you move off, your favourite ways to carry the ball, and you have to keep evolving.
“George came back and played the best game he’s played in 12 months.
“Thomas is disappointed he’s not playing, but he’s a great kid and wants to do his best. He’ll be back and he’s working hard.’’
Burgess praised Zane Musgrove, his gym partner and one of the props keeping Tom in the reggies.
On Thursday Burgess helped launch the autumn and winter range of Canterbury clothing at best mate Chris Feather’s Riley St Gy m.
Burgess struck up a conversation with Canterbury boss Chris Stephenson while watching an Origin game in 2014, and been one of its ambassadors since.
One of the fittest blokes in the NRL, Burgess barely broke into a sweat while putting a few types through their paces.
Feather was best man at Burgess’s wedding, played with Bradford, Castleford and Leeds, and was also a personal trainer for Russell Crowe.
SYDNEY Roosters coach Trent Robinson looked ready to start a workout at Riley St Gym just after Sam completed the promotion.
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Security guards are the norm for most coaches these days to block them from any potential clashes with rival fans.
But it seems the security staff had their hands full. Flanagan was told he had to battle the elements because his former hooker Michael Ennis needed the protection.
Ennis had a couple of guards with him as he fulfilled his Fox Sports commentary duties after becoming public enemy No.1 last year when he mocked the Viking clap.
AND here we thought it was only Queenslanders who wanted to do this to our beloved Gal.
But serial prankster James Maloney couldn’t resist the chance to dunk the head of his Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen as he bobbed for Red Delicious apples amid Sharks Steedens with local Shire schoolkids.
The pair were on hand with several teammates to help promote the club’s healthy initiative as Woolworths takes over from McDonald’s as the family hill sponsor at Southern Cross Group Stadium for the next two seasons.
To sweeten the deal, Woolworths will be giving away free fruit for kids at all Sharks home games in 2017 and 2018.
TIM Simona has spent his first official week away from the NRL cruising around the streets of Macquarie Fields — on a hoverboard.
Simona, dressed casually in a black shirt, cap and thongs, was spotted on the flashy $500 two-wheeler this week at about the same time his former Wests Tigers teammates were being grilled about their knowledge of drug-taking during a Mad Monday harbour cruise three years ago.
Former teammate Robbie Farah said he remained good friends with Simona, but was taken aback by his explosive confession to colleague Buzz Rothfield last Sunday about his cocaine use and gambling.
Farah would not comment on Simona’s claims of cocaine use during a Tigers end-of-season harbour cruise in 2014, but said education was the key to tackling drugs.
“Drugs are a problem in society,” Farah said. “Everyone thinks rugby league players are different, but we’re not, and unfortunately players can make wrong decisions. All we can do is educate players the best we can.
“Tim is still a good friend. I’ve been in contact to make sure he’s OK.
“It’s never easy for someone to come out and admit the issues they have in their life, and he’s been a man about it and owned up to his faults.
“As a friend I need to be there to support him and make sure he’s OK. That’s all I wish for him at the moment.
“As a friend, there are always problems in people’s lives you talk about, but I don’t think any of us knew the extent of it. I think everyone was shocked.”
Tigers stalwart Chris Lawrence said the fact Simona had bet against his own team was disappointing, but the drug claims were news to him.
“I’ve been here a long time and never seen anything like that,” Lawrence said.
FARAH’S MILESTONE WITH ‘RABBITOHS FAMILY’
THE big wet, suburban grounds, and superstars Adele and Justin Bieber have contributed to Sydney’s worst rugby league crowds since the NRL was introduced in 1998.
In the opening two rounds of the NRL competition, Sydney crowds have struggled to get anywhere near 20,000.
Sydney numbers will be modest again this weekend because the only two local games — Penrith against the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla playing local rivals St George Illawarra — are expected to attract 12,000 and 15,000 respectively.
Adele and the Biebs made ANZ Stadium off-limits for rounds two and three.
The Dragons and Eels did well to pull in 16,000 at WIN Stadium last Sunday but that would have been above 20,000 had it been at Olympic Park.
While TV ratings are going gangbusters, the sight of empty seats in Sin City will hopefully end by next week when there are two ANZ Stadium blockbusters — Souths and the Chookies, and Parramatta against Cronulla.
I caught Bieber Fever.
— Beau Ryan (@therealbeauryan) 15 March 2017
It doesn't end well.
All is revealed on tomorrow nights @NRLFootyShow #TheHairWasWorthIt pic.twitter.com/z4qwNKvtMA
JUSTIN Bieber was a hot spot for rugby league talent when he played in front of 70,000 people at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night. Among the guests included Mitchell Pearce, Gareth Widdop, Wendell Sailor, Paul Gallenand Beau Ryan.
Singer Adele proved to be more to the liking of one Sydney club, which splurged out to enjoy a catered box for the concert last week.
BULLDOGS STARS WANT DES RE-SIGNED
DES Hasler often leaves ANZ Stadium in a good mood, but the Canterbury coach looked extra chuffed last weekend after taking in the Adele concert.
We can’t believe Desmond is under pressure when Friday night’s opposite coach, Stephen Kearney, has a career record of 11 wins from 44 NRL games.
Expect plenty of points when the Bulldogs and Warriors clash at Forsyth Barr Stadium. The swanky all-purpose stadium has a roof and playing surface with a portion of artificial grass.
Bulldogs players immediately noticed the lack of wind and fast surface while training on Thursday.
KENNY Edwards was up early and being put through a heap of sprint drills by Parramatta conditioner Ronnie Palmer in the rain on Thursday.
THIS is what the Roosters and Panthers will be playing for on Saturday night when not just the two competition points will be on the line.
The duo are risking being branded with a tattoo — this time designed by The Daily Telegraph’s master Scott “Boo” Bailey.
Roosters fan Worland already has a Panther tattooed on his backside drawn by Geyer’s seven-year-old daughter after losing the same bet two years ago.
IF Matt Moylan comes out and destroys Queensland in Origin this year, they’ll only have themselves to blame.
Moylan said time spent working and learning from Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Darius Boyd during the Four Nations tour was priceless.
“It’s not every day you get to hang out with blokes like that who have done so much in the game,” he said about the Maroon 5. “It was everything from the way they go about their preparation, training, even situations in a game.’’
Penrith teammate James Tamou said their forwards were happy to play an off-the-cuff style compared to the Cowboys’ structured game.
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