Sport Confidential: Inside the dramatic fallout between Aaron Woods and Michael Maguire
The Eels are on the hunt to fill their depleted backline and an off contract young gun has emerged as a potential addition. All the latest headlines in Sport Confidential.
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Parramatta’s prolonged search for an outside back continues with South Sydney’s Jaxson Paulo the latest name on the list.
The Eels have been on the look-out to fill their depleted backline stocks and Paulo is emerging as a potential option for the remainder of this year and next season.
The 22-year-old started the season in first grade but has been relegated to NSW Cup in recent weeks. He is off-contract at season’s end.
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How Madge ended Woods’ hopes of Tigers homecoming
Expect Aaron Woods to play with some extra motivation come Sunday after Michael Maguire blocked a potential homecoming for the ex-Tigers captain.
Woods looked set to re-join the Tigers this season after moving on from Cronulla. His final obstacle was Maguire, with Woods having strong support from elements within the club for him to return home.
Woods held initial talks with then head of football Adam Hartigan last year when the competition was forced to move to Queensland because of Covid-19.
A meeting with Maguire followed – with the Tigers and Woods’ old club Cronulla staying in the same hotel in Brisbane — but, for whatever reason, the Tigers coach opted against pursuing Woods, who played 146 games for the club.
Woods left that meeting confident he would be returning home. Instead nothing eventuated.
Woods linked with the Dragons for this year and has an option to stay at the club next season after the Storm, Broncos and Sea Eagles asked about his services.
The ex-Kangaroos and NSW prop gets an opportunity to show Maguire what he missed when the Tigers and Dragons square off on Sunday. There are still elements at the Tigers who would love Woods, 31, to have a swansong at the club.
Promoter keen to push boundaries in Oz
Eddie Hearn already has a slice of Australian boxing. He wants more.
Hearn, one of the biggest promoters in world sport through his company Matchroom, has a handful of Australians in his stable led by female world champion Ebanie Bridges as well as world title contenders Brock Jarvis and Liam Paro.
They will help him launch an assault on Australian boxing later this year. Hearn plans to visit the country for the first time mid-year and hold his first promotion in September.
He told Confidential his plans could also involve the likes of Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams. Hearn, armed with big ambitions and a bigger cheque book, hasn’t given up hope of the fight becoming a reality.
“There have been a few talks with the management of Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams,” Hearn said. “It is hard for me to gauge how big that fight would be. But it is a lot of money, a lot of money. I haven’t given up, definitely not.
“If we can penetrate the market with a big fight like that it is definitely something we would consider. But we don’t represent either (fighter).
“We’re just a promoter that has significant investment from a broadcaster to go into that territory. And that would be a fight that does significant numbers for DAZN for example, and us. It would make a major splash. So you never know.”
One of Hearn’s Australian boxers — Skye Nicolson — will fight on the undercard of Sunday’s world title fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which will be streamed on DAZN.
There is every chance Nicolson will fight at the Matchroom event in September. So too Bridges, who goes by the moniker ‘Blonde Bomber’ and has more than 490,000 followers on social media.
“She has become a major name in England,” Hearn said. “Over in the UK, they are really embracing the likes of Ebanie and Skye. Our plan moving into the Australian market is to use that talent in big events over there.
Star Dragon’s Origin blow
Jaydn Su’A is expected to miss the entire State of Origin series, with the in-form St George Illawarra back-rower needing an operation to repair a badly damaged ankle injury.
Su’A will have surgery on Friday with the 24-year-old likely to miss up to 10 weeks which would sideline him for at least the opening two State of Origin matches and basically put a line through him for the entire series. The Maroons representative has been impressive for the Dragons this year after making the switch from the Rabbitohs.
He was caught awkwardly in a tackle by Roosters duo Daniel Tupou and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves early in the second half and limped from the field on Monday. Scans revealed the seriousness of the injury.
Maroons coach Billy Slater said Su’A had been in “great form”.
The Dragons received some good news with scans clearing Moses Suli of a serious knee injury on Wednesday. Suli said he expected to be right to play the Tigers on Sunday.
“It was just above my knee,” Suli said. “I took my first carry in the second half and it was a knee clash. Just a bit cork but I will be sweet. It was pretty bruised.”
Meanwhile, Su’A’s injury has opened the door for the likes of Titans’ million-dollar man David Fifita to push for a spot. Slater defended Fifita’s indifferent form.
“The opening couple of rounds, the Titans were in some great form,” Slater said. “Dave was finding space and he was getting the ball in good positions. He’s just not doing that at the moment.
“That is not all his fault — that is team structure, that is mistakes in not allowing the team to get into their rhythm. I suppose the things he can control is to go and find the ball a little bit more, which I would like to see a bit more from Dave.
“We all know what Dave brings. He has done some brilliant stuff. If he works a little bit harder to go and find the football, things will happen more often for him.”
Eels eyeing young Rabbitoh
Tigers show support for Simmons
Wests Tigers rallied around Royce Simmons, with the Panthers great landing in the middle of the club’s team song celebrations last Saturday.
While Simmons will always be a Panthers legend, there is a soft spot for him at Wests Tigers after he was a long-term assistant coach to Tim Sheens – including the club’s grand final success in 2005.
Simmons joined a host of the club’s 2005 premiership winners to watch the Tigers upset South Sydney before they joined the winning team in the dressing sheds.
“It was great to catch up with all the boys and to have a laugh with Roycey,” Tigers premiership player Dene Halatau said. “He played a big part in not only the success of 2005, but across all of our careers.
“Saturday was a good opportunity to connect and show some support to him while he takes on his health challenges. Thanks to John Skandalis for organising, the Wests Tigers for hosting us and to Michael Magurie for allowing Royce to be front and centre for the victory song. It was a great moment.”
Robbie Farah wore his premiership ring too in his role as on-field trainer to pay tribute to Simmons. A number of the Tigers player will join Simmons as part of his big-walk next month.
Slater in Ponga’s corner
Queensland coach Billy Slater has spoken in support of Kalyn Ponga amid concerns regarding the Newcastle star’s form only a matter of weeks out from the opening game of the State of Origin series.
Ponga has only one try assist this season and his form has suffered as the club has endured a horror run of five successive defeats.
Slater is in Ponga’s corner, revealing that he had been in contact with the Knights captain throughout the opening seven rounds.
“Obviously you want your players to be playing well and you want their team to be playing well,” Slater said. “That is the ideal scenario. Above everything else you want to see effort in those players and that is what I am seeing in Kalyn now.
“He is putting in a whole heap of effort. So that is the pleasing thing there. I see him as an integral part of Queensland moving forward.
“Kalyn has been there, he has performed at that level. I know what Kalyn can do. Just because his team isn’t winning 50-0 every week, that doesn’t concern me.”
Slater also voiced his support for Ponga amid suggestions that his contract negotiations had impacted on his form for his club.
Ponga and his father Andre were accused of holding the club to ransom and wielding too much influence over the Knights. Slater believes some of the commentary was unfair.
“I feel for him in terms of some of the media scrutiny around him,” Slater said.
“I understand more than anyone that the attention round players is a big reason why the players have a great lifestyle, a great incoming and great opportunities.
“This game has given myself and my family tremendous opportunities. There still has to be some balance to it. I just feel that he got treated a little unfairly though his contract negotiations because of some people’s opinions.”
Ponga on Thursday met fans at Newcastle’s Bar Beach for a special activation for Donut King and PlayStation.
While he has been in the crosshairs this season, Ponga also copped a bake in 2019 when he made a flippant remark about havinga “nice strawberry thickshake’’ when then coach Nathan Brown was on the way out.
It seems he is a serious sweet tooth with Ponga also enjoying lollies and baked goods.
“I definitely do sneak a few in every now and then,” Ponga said.
“I wouldn’t be saying that too often around the coach, thatis for sure. Lollies are my weakness, that is probably my guilty pleasure.
“I used to be unhealthily a big gamer. But now I play every now and then with the boys, we play Madden NFL and NBA and Call of Duty was my go to. I like the connection with mates, you get on there and play with your boys. It disconnects you fromI guess what is going on in footy and whatnot so you can put a headset on or turn the PlayStation on and not think about anythingelse.”
Ponga said he can live a low key life in Newcastle.
“I have been here for four years now, I am settled here, Newcastle is home for me,” he said. “I am part of the community Ilike to think and I represent the people here.”
Rivals circling young Shark
Sam Healey, the son of former Cronulla half Mitch Healey, could be lost to the Sharks. Confidential understands that the Sharks have held informal talks with his manager Luke Lombardi but rival clubs have begun to circle the young hooker after a string of impressive performances for Cronulla’s Jersey Flegg side. Stay tuned.
Fitzgibbon extends stay at Knights
Lachlan Fitzgibbon has taken up his one-year deal at the Knights and could find himself back as a regular starter given the impending departure of Mitch Barnett.
Fitzgibbon, who is sidelined with a serious knee injury, had an option in his favour to take up an extra 12 months at the club. He had activated that extension.
Backrow teammate Tyson Frizell also has an option in his favour to remain at the club for 2023 but is yet to take up that deal.
Kaufusi sticks to his day job
Felise Kaufusi was the Dolphins’ inaugural signing but he has refused to play negotiator, despite some Storm teammates joining him at the new franchise next season.
Jesse and Kenny Bromwich will follow Kaufusi next season while teammate Cameron Munster has also been linked to the club.
“I’m happy the Bromwich brothers will be coming and it’s awesome to have familiar faces,” Kaufusi said. “I see things pop up so I’ll have a look there but it’s not my job to recruit and try and get anyone.”
SuperCoach favourite
When Tigers youngster Kelma Tuilagi run into fans you could expect them to ask him about their hope he backs out of a deal to join Manly or how his shoulder are holding up.
Instead, it is all about the Daily Telegraph’s KFC NRL SuperCoach.
“Everyone talks about fantasy,” Tuilagi joked. “I just give them the nod but I don’t really know what it is. Everyone keeps telling me I’m in their SuperCoach team.”
It is for good reason, too. Tuilagi is owned by 42 per cent of teams, which makes him the second most popular back-rower and the 12th most popular player overall.
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