Sport Confidential: Adam Elliott-Millie Boyle futures, tug-of-war for Sam Walker, Latrell Mitchell news
Sydney Roosters star Sam Walker has been caught up in a fierce tug-of-war, a former Raiders has launched legal action against the club, plus a look inside Latrell Mitchell’s US trip.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sydney Roosters sensation Sam Walker could find himself at the centre of an international tug-of-war after England coach Shaun Wane revealed the teenager was on a list of contenders for his World Cup squad later this year.
Walker is eligible for England because he was born in Leeds when his father was playing for the Rhinos. Wane confirmed he was aware of Walker’s eligibility and he was among a group of players in contention to play for England later this year.
“My eyes are always open and keeping tabs on everything,” Wane said.
“He (Walker) is a good player.”
Jackson Hastings is also on the list.
“He is on the list, absolutely,” Wane said.
“I met up wth Jackson when he was in England. There are quite a few Australian players who are English qualified. There are a lot. If their standard is better than what we have got, I have my eyes opened.”
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.
Wane has also used the trip to Australia to talk to a host of clubs and coaches. He has spent time with Michael Maguire and the Brisbane Broncos. He has plans to meet Craig Fitzgibbon and Trent Robinson.
He wants to have a chat with Canterbury head of football Phil Gould while he is here which is intriguing given he still harbours an interest in coaching in the NRL - he came close to the job in North Queensland before Todd Payten was appointed.
“I like him as a man and that was part of my (coaching and development plan), to catch up with Gus,” Wane said.
“He is a knowledgeable man. I am still trying to arrange (a visit) from a learning perspective for me. They know I am here. I am not sure that any coach would take a punt with a Super League club. I have agents in Australia who are fantastic for me.”
RAIDERS’ SHOCK BID TO SPLIT UP NRL GLAMOUR COUPLE
The Raiders have upped their offer to Adam Elliott in a bid to try and starve off attention from the Knights and to stop him from uniting with his partner Millie Boyle at the Knights.
Canberra are confident that their new three-year deal will be enough to keep Elliott as they matched the length on offer from Newcastle.
The Raiders had originally planned to give Elliott just two years but have now bumped their deal up having secured him on a one-year contract last year.
It comes as NRLW star Boyle officially joined Newcastle’s NRLW team this week. That deal is for just this season.
Sport Confidential revealed earlier this month that the Knights were keen to lure both Elliott and Boyle to the club as a pseudo package deal.
The pair have maintained a long distance relationship but the prospect of playing together at the one club has natural appeal.
Elliott has said while the pair would love to play at the same club their respective decisions will be judged on what is best for them on the field.
The Raiders have made it clear they want Boyle and Elliott in the nation’s capital long-term.
Canberra have made the pitch for Boyle to be the face of their NRLW side but the NRL are yet to decide if the Raiders will be part of an expanded competition.
Boyle has close family links with the Raiders given her dad David played 117 top grade games at the club during their golden era in the 1990s. Millie’s uncle Jason Croker is also a Raiders legend.
SCORNED SCOTT’S LEGAL CURVEBALL
Curtis Scott is set to commence legal action against the Raiders after the sacked centre was found cleared of an assault charge on Monday.
Scott was found not guilty on the grounds of self defence for hitting a man at a Canberra nightclub last year.
The incident led to his sacking from Canberra last season and he is now on the rugby league scrap heap.
His lawyer Sam Macedone confirmed he was exploring legal actions against the Raiders after Scott was terminated just 18 months into a four year deal – costing Scott more than a million dollars.
“I am instructed to explore and look into any action against the Raiders for unlawful termination,” Macedone told News Corp.
“I have started undertaking some work in that regard. Nothing was going to kick-off until after we dealt with this matter in Canberra.
“Now that this has been dealt with we will look at that possibility.”
The NRL also fined Scott $15,000 and suspended him for three games for the nightclub incident. Scott has been working as a courier and playing for Thirlmere. Scott had previous chargers dismissed following an incident on Australia Day 2020.
He is due to face court again on historic domestic violence chargers in August which he plans to defend.
Meanwhile, former Raiders teammate Tom Starling has his own court battle next week. Starling was charged with one count of threatening or causing injury to a potential juror or witness and offensive behaviour after an incident on the Central Coast in October.
His matter is listed for a hearing from Monday. It is unclear if Starling will need to be in court each day which would hamper his preparation for Canberra’s clash against Parramatta on May 29.
Starling will play for the Raiders against South Sydney on Sunday.
LATRELL’S SAN FRAN PITSTOP ON THE WAY TO HAMSTRING SPECIALIST
Latrell Mitchell took a detour to San Francisco on his way to Philadelphia to work with famed trainer Bill Knowles.
Confidential has obtained images of Mitchell posing with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, the first destination on a journey that the Rabbitohs hope will have the NSW star fit and firing for the back end of the season.
Souths have sent one of their digital staff along to document the journey, although Mitchell has been doing plenty of that himself on his social media accounts.
He even sent Souths fans into a spin earlier in the week when he suggested that he was in America to trial with the San Francisco 49ers.
He later posted a video suggesting the joke was his way of showing people they shouldn’t believe everything they read in the media, even though none of the fourth estate fell for the joke and it was planted by Mitchell himself.
STORM STAR’S COURT DATE
Melbourne premiership winner Richard Fa’aoso was found guilty of three counts of domestic violence offences.
The 38-year-old was not in Campbelltown Local Court last Friday when his matter was heard.
The court found him guilty of destroy or damage property (domestic violence), common assault (domestic violence) and stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (domestic).
The Tongan international was fined $500 for the first offence, $1,000 for the common assault charge and $2,000 for stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (domestic).
---
THE Panthers looked to have beaten the Dolphins off in securing one of their best young talents. The Dolphins were keen on emerging fullback Sunia Turuva. The Dolphins already snared one of Penrith’s hottest young prospects in Isaiya Katoa earlier this year.
TRUTH BEHIND STORM PAIR’S SHOCK PUNISHMENTS
Melbourne pair Brandon Smith and Cameron Munster have been sporting peroxide blonde locks in recent weeks after being forced to roll the club’s dice of death.
Storm players came up with a unique system, which punishes players for minor indiscretions by leaving their fate in the hands of a dice.
The number corresponds to the respective punishment. Smith and Munster had the choice of shaving or dying their hair, both opting for the latter.
It is understood some of the other sanctions include eating the world’s hottest chilli or paying a small fine. Coach Craig Bellamy has even fallen foul of the dice.
“That’s a player-driven thing,” Bellamy told Confidential.
“The leaders come up with things - if they are late for training or have minor indiscretions. The players have to pay up or roll the dice and take the chances.
“I did have to roll once. It was a set up. I had to shave my head.”
WIGHTON MAKES MASSIVE CONTRACT CALL
Canberra star Jack Wighton is set to end any chance of a move to a rival club next season after informing the Raiders that he plans to take up an option in his lucrative contract for the 2023 season.
Wighton was mooted as a potential target for the Dolphins but the Raiders were always confident he would stay and they have been proven right as Wighton prepares to extend his time in the nation’s capital.
The NSW State of Origin star is about to enter the third year of a four year deal with Canberra that included options for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
SHOOSH: Which club made a pitch to sign former Dragons captain Gareth Widdop on an immediate deal? The plan was to have Widdop play out the season in the NRL with this club before returning to England to finish his career. Widdop has been struggling with Warrington and looks to be on the move from the club at the end of the season.
STUART RAIDS SHARKS FOR STAR JUNIOR
CANBERRA have won the battle for highly touted youngster Chevy Stewart.
Cronulla Harold Matthews captain Stewart was a player in the demand with the Sharks and Bulldogs trying to tie him down to an extended deal.
Instead he has opted to join the Raiders who view him as the club’s long-term fullback.
Stewart won the Harold Matthews Cup Coaches award in 2020 and the club were keen to keep him.
SEIBOLD TURNS ULTIMATE CODE-HOPPER
Anthony Seibold is back home after helping Eddie Jones and the England rugby union side through the recent Six Nations, but it is anything but a holiday.
Seibold spent last week in Melbourne with AFL side Carlton, watching, learning and helping their coaching staff, and even spending time in their coaches box on game day.
Seibold has a long-standing relationship with Carlton coach Michael Voss and the club’s coaching and innovation manager Aaron Greaves - he first met them when he was with Melbourne and they were at Port Adelaide.
“I know them both really well,” Seibold said.
“I was down there for the week. I have done a lot of shared learning with AFL teams over the years.
“Both those guys used to be at Port Adelaide and in my time at the Storm, they used to send me over there a couple of times.
“And when I was at Souths, we had Port Adelaide players and staff over for a week. They have a Carlton connect group where they have some people from outside their sport to tap into.
“Long story short, Greavesy asked me if I wanted to come down for a week. It was great, a really good week.”
Seibold has a whirlwind schedule ahead of him. He will fly back to England in two weeks before boarding a plane back to Australia to help mastermind the Poms’ attempts to beat the Wallabies.
Watch: Sydney Roosters rap group to drop 20-track album
Three-quarters of the Sydney Roosters rap crew will be departing the club at the end of the season but that hasn’t stopped them banding together to produce a 20-track album set to drop soon. Watch the stars in the studio.
Free trains in Sydney this weekend
Stalled enterprise agreement negotiations have forced the NSW government to make train travel free this weekend.