Sport Confidential: JT’s retirement treat, Dogs sniff opportunity in Klemmer’s exit
THE World Club Challenge has been confirmed, with former Rooster Adrian Lam pitted against his former club, while the Dogs have sniffed opportunity in David Klemmer’s departure. SPORT CONFIDENTIAL
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AS retirement presents go it sure beats a gold watch.
Johnathan Thurston was on the lookout for a farewell gift to celebrate his retirement from the game when he got word there was a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake, widely regarded as the most expensive Mustang ever, on the market.
Only 50 were made, and only two were ever right-hand drive, making this one extra special.
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Thurston’s manager Sam Ayoub flew to the Gold Coast ahead of the Lloyds auction last month to see if he could negotiate a sale on Thurston’s behalf.
Ayoub secured the Mustang for somewhere north of $400,000, an absolute steal.
The car has done only 3600 miles and is in near mint condition.
Thurston’s heart was beating so hard when he turned the engine the first time he thumped his chest in joy.
It skipped a little again when he went for his first drive.
CRONK ON MEND AFTER GRAND FINAL HEROICS
COOPER Cronk has had surgery and a paddle-pop stick-sized plate inserted into the left shoulder which made him part of grand final folklore. Cronk played in the premiership decider with a 15 centimetre fracture of his scapula which will keep him out of contact training until the new year.
Roosters chief medico Ameer Ibrahim — who oversaw Cronk’s remarkable grand final appearance — said surgery had “gone well”.
“They put a plate in over the fracture to stabilise it,” Ibrahim said. “The concern was a refracture but the plate that we stuck in acts like an insurance policy against a refracture.
“(He will be in a) sling for a couple of weeks. When you come out you’ll be a bit stiff. You spend the next two or three weeks getting your range back. You can do weights about week five or six.
“Normally you’d be back about eight to 10 weeks but we will give him a full three months to recover.
“Come the start of the year he should be able to do full training, full contact.
“There is no hurry.”
LAM OUT TO BURY ROOSTERS IN WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE
WIGAN is expected to host the annual World Club Challenge match likely to be played on February 17. Melbourne hosted the fixture last year against Leeds but it is set to return to England.
An interesting subplot to the world championship is Roosters favourite son Adrian Lam, who will be coaching Wigan. It will be one of the first games Lam will take charge of after joining Wigan on a one-year deal as head coach.
Lam said he was a strong advocate of the game.
“It would be unbelievable if it’s one of my first games as coach to be involved with the only two clubs I played for,” Lam said. “It’s incredible.
“I was thinking ‘wow’ how this has all come together. It’s needed for the Super League. They’ve had a couple of issues there in the past 12 months. Taking it there would be a good boost for the game.”
It will be Lam’s first crack as a head coach. The unique deal will enable club legend Shaun Edwards to resume control of the club in 2020.
“The whole season is not going to hinge off it but a good performance is needed,” Lam said of the match. “We will have a lot to play for. An era has finished with Shaun Wane and a new one is starting.”
DOGS SNIFF OPPORTUNITY IN KLEMMER’S DEPARTURE
DESPITE their public proclamations, Canterbury have all but given up hope of David Klemmer remaining at the club, but remain far from downbeat.
Instead, the Bulldogs smell opportunity.
After three new coaches were announced at three different clubs this past fortnight everybody in rugby league knows the next step will be a rush of player movements.
Some players will be told they have permission to look elsewhere, some will be released, some will ask for a release. The Dogs had inquired about securing Newcastle’s Herman Ese’ese but the Knights aren’t keen on that.
Klemmer is entering the third year of a back-ended contract so his release will free up significant room within the salary cap.
The Dogs know there will be plenty of players available over the next few months.
Newcastle are not the only club interested in Klemmer and his release will depend on what the Bulldogs can secure in return.
RABBITOHS APPEAR BUSY IN TRANSFER MARKET
THE uncertainty surrounding who will coach South Sydney next year has not stopped the Rabbitohs from locking down two of their most promising players.
Local juniors Campbell Graham and Cameron Murray, who aren’t off contract until the end of next year, are close to extending their deals with the Rabbitohs.
Souths were on Thursday linked with a move for Penrith’s Trent Merrin for 2019.
Merrin had all but agreed to join David Furner at English Super League side Leeds, but privately the club feels Merrin is putting off accepting their deal after another NRL club weighed in.
Merrin won a premiership at the Dragons in 2010 under incoming Souths coach Wayne Bennett.
The Rabbitohs had thought Kyle Turner was Salford bound but that deal now seems unlikely, while there is uncertainty about prop Zane Musgrove, who is due back in court next week.
Winger Richie Kennar’s Mormon mission has been delayed. The Rabbitohs had hoped to announce the re-signings of John Sutton and Robert Jennings, who are officially free agents, but their salary cap is tight.
CLEARY’S EXIT HITS PLAYERS HARD
OVERLOOKED in Ivan Cleary’s walkout at the Wests Tigers is the impact it has had on some of the players Cleary coaxed into joining the club, believing in what he was preaching.
Most notably Russell Packer.
Packer refused to speak to Cleary when news first emerged that the coach was potentially leaving for Penrith and, now that the news has been confirmed, any chance to repair the relationship has passed the point of no return.
The players are most upset that they bought what Cleary was selling, in some cases packing up their families to join the club.
That Cleary notified the players by text was also received poorly.
SHOOSH:
WHICH club has had to agree to a reduced deal from their major sponsor in a bid to save face and stop them from exiting?
SHOOSH II:
WHICH new recruit is on the verge of being shown the door even before he gets an opportunity to set foot on the training paddock?
SHOOSH III:
A PLAYER who has played for Australia could be getting the tap on the shoulder by his current club. The player has been quietly shopped around.
COULD MANN BE KNIGHTS’ NEW HOOKER?
THE Kurt Mann to Newcastle rumour isn’t new. But the intrigue behind which position the St George Illawarra utility will play should he make the switch to the Knights is. Nathan Brown has identified Mann as a starting hooker.
ROOSTERS TO CALL SCG HOME
THE Roosters have secured the SCG for the bulk of their home games having been forced to delay the announcement of their home allocation.
A host of Roosters games were listed as “TBA” when the draw was announced last week but all but one of those matches will be played at the SCG now the AFL draw is official. The Roosters will play nine matches at the SCG while the SFS is being redeveloped. They will take their round 15 clash against Melbourne back to Adelaide while they will play the Canberra in Brisbane as part of the magic round and North Queensland on the Central Coast on July 14.
TITANS SET TO SWOOP ON MANLY STRIKE CENTRE
MANLY are unlikely to stand in the way of Brian Kelly rejoining the Titans next season. There could be more movement too with forwards Lloyd Perrett and Frank Winterstein potentially on the move. Meanwhile, he may be a veteran of 18 Tests for the Kiwis but Lewis Brown is struggling to find a new home.
The newly-promoted London Broncos have circled Brown but the 32-year-old is adamant he still has at least another season left in him in the NRL. He played just two games this year after falling out with Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett.
NRL STARS EMBARK ON FIJIAN JOURNEY
WHILE Bali seems to be a home away from home for a large chunk of NRL players this off-season, another group are Fiji bound to embark on a week-long community-based camp. NRL players Jason Bukuya, David Nofoaluma, Victor Radley and Junior Tatola plus Jillaroos Corban McGregor and Sam Bremner along with former rugby league player Clint Newton leave for Suva on Friday. The tour dubbed -Transformers — Moving From Success To Significance — is a week-long camp focused on making a valuable contribution to the community, empower people to learn more about themselves and the positive impact they can have on those around them. Newton in the brainchild of the concept.
BOWEN TO TERRORISE ON THE CENTRAL COAST
MATTY Bowen is looming as the worst nightmare for a generation of footballers primed for the massive Legends of League tournament at Central Coast Stadium on November 17.
Always a crowd favourite, Bowen has confirmed he will turn out for the Barbarians.
To get himself ready, Bowen played this season with his local team, Central Tigers, and still dazzled with the footwork and dash he was famous for, although perhaps not quite as much.
Bowen’s presence has rivals fearing the worst fear of all for retired footballers, which is embarrassment. They know the first thing that goes is speed.
In this case, theirs.
It’s funny to see how the players have been getting themselves ready.
Wendell Sailor has been boxing three days a week, as well as playing beach touch. The Newcastle Knights have been training at the beach. Willie Mason has been doing beach sprints, Mark O’Meley burpees.
Chris Heighington has been retired less than two months and will turn out for the Barbarians. Luke Lewis was committed as well
Our favourite, though, is last year’s winners the Bulldogs.
The Dogs trained in secret last year and took their rivals by surprise, so all teams have trained for this year’s tournament.
Captains Andrew Ryan and Tony Grimaldi have organised a dinner next week to talk tactics.
WARRIORS INK INTRIGUING NEW DEAL
THE Warriors continue to break new ground under the leadership of chief executive Cameron George.
The club recently signed a deal where sponsors will pay only when the club is winning. A $5000 payment if they lead at halftime and another $5000 if they lead at full-time.
Ten per cent of the money will go to the Warriors’ charity at season’s end.
CORDNER’S YEAR HITS NEW HEIGHTS
SYDNEY Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner can cap off a magnificent year after being named a finalist for the Athlete of the Year at the NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony on November 27. Cordner is one of six finalists for nominated including; Jessica Fox (paddling), Stephanie Gilmour (surfing), Matthew Graham (snowsports), Ellyse Perry (cricket), Brandon Starc (athletics) and Melissa Wu (diving). Cordner is line for further honours with the NSW Blues a finalist for team of the year. The other finalists are Sydney FC, Sydney Sixers Women’s Big Bash team, NSW Rugby Women’s Super W team, NSW’s men’s softball team and Sydney University Lions Men’s Water Polo team.
Brad Fittler is a finalist in the coach of the year category.
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