Sport Confidential: Alex Glenn’s retirement talk, secret grand final plans & Brisbane expansion twist
Alex Glenn’s career is at a crossroads, there’s a big hint for Brisbane’s grand final bid and a twist in the race to be the NRL’s expansion team. SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Broncos have held discussions with Alex Glenn about post-football opportunities in a sign the veteran skipper is on the brink of NRL retirement.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Broncos are working through some options for life after football for Glenn, who celebrates his 33rd birthday on Saturday following Brisbane’s derby clash against the Cowboys.
Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
Glenn remains off-contract and has been a magnificent servant for the Broncos. He is the fourth most-capped Bronco in history and will chalk up his 280th first-grade game in Friday’s clash against the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium.
The Broncos have yet to table a new deal for Glenn and want to afford the captain every opportunity to make the right call on his terms given his outstanding contribution to the club.
But with Brisbane coach Kevin Walters embarking on a recruitment-and-retention clean-out in recent months, the Broncos are running out of funds under the salary cap to retain Glenn for next season.
Glenn has been in talks with the Broncos and his management in recent weeks about his plans for next year – the strongest sign yet this season could be the skipper’s 13th and final campaign at Red Hill.
The Broncos are planning for life without Glenn next season. They have emerging forwards TC Robati, Jordan Riki and Brendan Piakura on their books, while Queensland Origin utility Kurt Capewell will join the Broncos next season to play in the back-row position occupied by Glenn.
Glenn’s current Broncos contract expires on November 1 and Brisbane will want a definitive call in the coming weeks as they finalise their roster for the 2022 season.
Glenn received a testimonial match in their trial against the Cowboys in February, suggesting retirement is on the cards, and he recently told News Corp he was wary of playing one season too long.
“It’s easy to say I want to play on, but I’m not going to be selfish. I don’t want to be that person,” Glenn said.
“I am humbled about the amount of games I have played. I’m not a big stats person but it’s quite surreal the Broncos legends I have surpassed in terms of games for the Broncos.
“To go past guys I idolised like ‘Kevvie’ (Walters) and ‘Alfie’ (Langer) is a surreal experience.
“Mentally, I have the passion to play another two years, but physically it’s whether the body can hold on.”
NRL'S SECRET GRAND-FINAL SUNCORP PLAN
Suncorp Stadium appears to be closing in on a historic first NRL grand final at the home of Queensland rugby league.
Sport Confidential can reveal the NRL’s travel arm has made a booking at the Newstead Brewery establishment, a pub across the road from Suncorp Stadium, for Sunday, October 3.
That just so happens to be the date of this year’s NRL grand final, which is at increasingly long odds to be held at the traditional home at Sydney’s Stadium Australia due to the Covid outbreak sweeping NSW.
The NSW government has a 25-year contract to host the NRL grand final but with Sydney residents facing another month in lockdown, even the NSW political heavy-hitters must consider a Plan B option for rugby league’s biggest game of the season.
The NRL’s move to hire Newstead Brewery is a sign they are covering their bases in the event the grand final must be moved to Suncorp Stadium.
There is also a possibility the NRL grand final could be played at the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground, which has hosted State of Origin games.
The NRL moved the entire 16-team competition to Queensland three weeks ago and it appears a fait accompli the finals series and the grand final will be played on Queensland soil.
HUNTERS STAR'S LIFE-SAVING SURGERY
One of the Intrust Super Cup’s rising stars, rated the next Justin Olam, is on the mend after a shock health scare that almost took his life.
PNG Hunters centre Jokadi Bire is lucky to be alive after suffering a medical episode last month during a team weights session at his side‘s Covid-secure training base at Runaway Bay.
The Hunters are staying on the Gold Coast to ensure their participation in this year’s Intrust Super Cup competition and the PNG squad was rocked by what could have been a devastating tragedy involving Bire.
At the tender age of 21, Bire was about to do a weights session when he told teammates he was feeling ill. The situation quickly became a fight for his life with Bire rushed to a Gold Coast hospital for emergency surgery on June 15.
Urgent tests showed Bire had a serious heart condition and he was rushed into the operating theatre for a nine-hour procedure that saved his life.
Bire has been a revelation this season for the Hunters, scoring eight tries from 10 games. He hails from the same PNG province as Melbourne Storm star Justin Olam and is likened to Olam with his blockbusting, fearless running style.
Olam has been in contact with Bire to pass on his best wishes. The Hunters rookie spent five weeks in hospital and will not play again this season.
It is unknown whether Bire will play rugby league again, but specialists are said to be pleased with his progress and are hopeful he will make a full recovery.
JETS WANT EXPANSION CALL
Brisbane Jets official Nick Livermore has appealed for the ARL Commission to decide on a winning bid team even if expansion is delayed until the 2024 season.
As revealed by News Corp on Wednesday, the ARL Commission has temporarily suspended expansion talks due to the Covid crisis, fuelling fears the introduction of a second Brisbane team to rival the Broncos in 2023 will be pushed back another 12 months.
Livermore has no problem with any suggestion to delay expansion, but urged the NRL to consider awarding the winning licence this year to give the code’s 17th team more time to prepare for a 2024 entry.
The ARL Commission was set to hold formal talks with the three NRL bid teams the Dolphins, Jets and Firehawks earlier this month, only to cancel the presentations due to the Covid outbreak in NSW.
“I understand the ARL Commission has some tough decisions to make at this time,” Livermore said.
“If the Commission is committed to expansion, I don’t see the drawback in nominating a new club now to give them time to start implementing structures for 2024.
“With Covid at play, I understand if expansion was delayed until 2024, but in the immediate term announcing a new licence would give a second Brisbane team more time to prepare for their entry to the NRL.
“If the NRL wants to own the Brisbane region and take on the AFL, announcing a second team now gives the winning bid a chance to get going with grassroots and participation strategies.”
FIREHAWKS FAIL IN MERGER TALKS
The NRL’s expansion battle has taken a spicy twist after the Brisbane Jets rejected an offer to join forces with rival bid the Firehawks.
Sport Confidential understands a Jets official was called to a meeting last week with the Firehawks bid consortium, who were armed with an ambitious strategy to blow the third bid team, the Redcliffe Dolphins, out of the water.
The Firehawks discussed a possible merger with the Jets. Under their proposal, the Jets would possibly receive one NRL game in Ipswich, plus other financial benefits if they formed a super bid with the Firehawks.
But the Jets viewed the arrangement as a takeover, rather than a true joint venture, and politely rejected the idea as they press on with plans to be a second Brisbane team in the city‘s thriving western corridor.
LEAGUE'S PRIVATE PLAN
The AIC schools rugby league season is underway again as the code continues to make huge strides into some of Brisbane’s largest private schools.
And there are familiar faces across the schools again.
Padua College’s 2nd XIII team has attracted experienced coaches in the form of principal and Norths Devils grand-final forward Peter Elmore along with former Maroons legend Darren Smith.
Another former Origin centre, Chris McKenna, coaches Iona College’s First XIII, while St Patrick’s College Shorncliffe is coached by former Devil Brian Polich.
The second round of the competition will be held Saturday. Teams from Years 5 to 12 compete among seven schools including St Laurence’s College, the alma mater of Queensland Origin champion Cooper Cronk, and Marist College Ashgrove.
TITANS IN TALKS WITH CULT HERO
The Titans have opened contract talks with cult hero winger Greg Marzhew.
Marzhew has made a strong start to his NRL career after moving past fan favourite Anthony Don in the pecking order.
Marzhew charged for 202m and scored a try in the Gold Coast’s big win against St George Illawarra last weekend and has retained his spot for Sunday’s game against the Bulldogs.
Off-contract at season’s end, Marzhew is in negotiations with the Titans over a potential two-year extension.
Marzhew is a gym freak and the strongest player at the Titans, setting incredible records in the gym.
He is a favourite among KFC SuperCoach players because of his statistics and is on the verge of being rewarded with a new deal at the Titans.
FELDT FIRES BACK AT 'FAN'
Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt took on an online troll this week that criticised his feat of scoring 100 NRL tries for North Queensland.
Feldt brought up his century in North Queensland’s 20-16 loss to Melbourne last week and posted about it on his Facebook page.
But one follower had a crack at Feldt, commenting: “Too bad you have had 1000 scored against your wing position”.
Feldt couldn’t help himself, responding: “Too bad you haven’t scored any.”
Feldt has a reputation for being a chirpy character and Cowboys captain Jason Taumalolo said that’s why his teammates loved him.
“That’s Feldty’s character, everyone at the club knows what he’s like. He’s a bit of a chirpy character,” he said.
“I’m all for it. I find it funny. That’s just Feldty in general.”
TITAN JOINS GOLD COAST EARLY
The Gold Coast Titans have welcomed 2022 signing Paul Turner to the club early.
Turner has already joined the Titans from the Warriors after being ruled out of the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.
“Paul has come into the Titans bubble and he will commence his rehab running program this week,” Titans performance chief Klint Hoare said.
“He is now 12 weeks post his shoulder posterior labral stabilisation operation.
“The physio team of Sam Madden and Lindsey Self will work extensively with Paul in these early stages of rehab and the goal will be to have Paul available for full pre-season training.”
BOURNE TO RUN
Here is a guy who could throw down the gauntlet to some of the fittest players in the NRL.
Fitness fanatic John Bourne is hoping to defend his title when the latest instalment of the famous River to Rooftop race is held in the Brisbane CBD this Friday.
The River to Rooftop race is not for the faint-hearted: Participants must race up the gigantic Riparian Plaza, navigating 1040 stairs to reach the top of the 53-storey skyscraper overlooking the Brisbane River.
Bourne, who competes in marathons and ironman events, won the 2019 event in a record time of six minutes and 14 seconds.
The Brisbane engineer has been whipped into shape by legendary local fitness guru Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess, who trains rugby champions Queensland Reds, in a bid to reclaim his title.
“I’ve been training John and he has a great attitude,” Burgess said.
“Going up so many stairs, you need lactic-acid tolerance and John handles that well.
“The last two minutes of that race, going up a thousand stairs, would be pure pain.”
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Alex Glenn’s retirement talk, secret grand final plans & Brisbane expansion twist
Whaley: Inglis’ NRLW switch a landmark moment for league
Not long ago NRLW stars were begging for media coverage, now two NRL greats are jumping head first into the action. There’s a long way to go but this is a massive leap, writes Pamela Whaley.
Wendell Sailor’s big call on assault charges
Brisbane Broncos and Wallabies great Wendell Sailor will fight allegations he assaulted two men, a court has been told.