Sport Confidential: Dragons granted Cody Ramsey cap relief, Rabbitohs want Wighton now
St George Illawarra have extra cash to splash in the NRL transfer market after a landmark decision, but the club needs to find a target soon. That and much more in Sport Confidential.
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St George Illawarra have been granted a salary cap exemption for injured fullback Cody Ramsey in what is a first for the game.
The common sense decision by the NRL also sets a new precedent. Usually salary cap relief comes if a player is charged with a serious off-field offence or is injured during representative commitments.
A player who is medically retired can also lead to a cap exemption. But Ramsey’s case is different. The 23-year-old is battling a career threatening disease that is totally unrelated to football.
The Dragons now have about $350,000 space allows them to hit the market for the rest of the season. The exemption comes with a catch. It must be in a similar position to that of Ramsey and the NRL will need to approve the contract before it is signed off.
Ramsey must also remain in the Dragons top 30 and the money can not be used to upgrade a current player in St George Illawarra’s top squad.
The Dragons have two roster spots remaining.
The money available gives the Dragons a crack at signing a top-tier player. They may not even have to use the cash.
The Dragons have stuck by Ramsey and are fully committed to his rehabilitation with the 23-year-old refusing to give up hope of an NRL return.
The Dragons have been in dialogue with the NRL for weeks and have provided Ramsey’s full medical history.
It is understood Ramsey underwent another operation on Monday. He has undergone multiple procedures since being hospitalised with ulcerative colitis before Christmas.
Ramsey is contracted until the end of next season. The exemption is just for 2023.
South Sydney have kept the door slightly ajar for a possible mid-season switch for Jack Wighton as they formally lodged with the NRL not only their contract for Wighton but the nature of their negotiations.
While the Raiders have no immediate desire to move Wighton on, South Sydney would be open to taking their 2024 star recruit on before the June 30 deadline. A player swap is the only way South Sydney could accommodate the move given their 30-man roster is complete. Utility back Blake Taaffe is off-contract at season’s end and is set to be squeezed out of the Rabbitohs because of Wighton’s impending arrival.
The relationship between Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and Wighton will make for interesting viewing in the coming weeks. The Raiders have no walk-up starter to replace Wighton in the halves next year and could use the next period to trial off-contract Brad Schneider alongside Jamal Fogarty. That could push Wighton into the backrow or centre.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou said he was “excited” to close out the four year deal for Wighton.
“I know it was a tough decision for Jack,” Demetriou said. “We will get on with 2023 now that’s our main focus. We look forward to bringing Jack in, in 2024.
The Rabbitohs this week lodged Wighton’s new $3.3 million with the NRL. To further prove all the talks were above board and there are no illegalities the Rabbitohs have also taken the step of providing the NRL with a breakdown of the negotiations between Wighton’s management and the club.
“We are comfortable with it,” Demetriou said. “We will go to the NRL. It’s all above board.”
Stuart hit-out at the current transfer system where players can sign deals with rival clubs with months still left to play out at their current team.
Demetriou shared the frustration and said he would be keen to explore a transfer window. A three-tiered transfer window has been floated as part of the ongoing CBA discussions.
“I understand it’s tough when a player is having to do this in season,” Demetriou said. “It’s not ideal. “We went through that with Adam (Reynolds) and he made the decision to go (to Brisbane).
“I’d be happy to listen (to a different system).”
RABBITOHS BURROW IN
The Rabbitohs decision to sign Wighton has not stopped them from trying to tie down some of their established stars but rival clubs have been made aware of Keaon Koloamatangi’s impending availability.
South Sydney have kicked-off negotiations with Koloamatangi, Campbell Graham and Tevita Tatola in a bid to lock the trio down before they hit the open market on November 1.
Koloamatangi and Graham are on the cusp of NSW selection with only injury derailing Koloamatangi’s chances while Tatola was South Sydney’s best player last year but has had a disrupted start to the season.
Koloamatangi’s agent Tyran Smith emailed clubs recently to let them know of his impending free agent status. Smith’s list also included his son Reimis Smith, Brisbane and NSW prop Payne Haas, who is being targeted by the Australian Rugby Union, and Manly centre Morgan Harper.
WARRIOR REWARDED
Fijian international Marcelo Montoya has been rewarded for his good start to the season by inking a contract extension with the Warriors. Montoya, who will play his 99th NRL game on Sunday, has agreed to a new two year deal which will keep him at the club until at least the end of 2025.
Montoya has found a home at the Warriors since joining the club in 2021 following four seasons at the Bulldogs. He has switched between wing and centre this year. His re-signing and the impending arrival of ex-captain Roger Tuivasa -Sheck next year creates a logjam in the outside backs at the Warriors.
Centre Adam Pompey is off-contract but the Warriors have Brayden Wiliame, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Edward Kosi, Rocco Berry, Te Maire Martin and Viliami Vailea all locked in next year along with Tuivasa -Sheck and now Montoya.
FIGHTIN’ THE FINE
Had it not been for the short-turnaround the Roosters would have seriously considered fighting Victor Radley’s high tackle charge.
The Roosters were seething that Radley was sin-binned and then sanctioned by the match review committee for a high tackle on Michael Molo on Tuesday. It resulted in a grade one charge and a $3000 fine. But the Roosters would have explored the potential to fight the charge a bit more seriously if they did not have to fly out for New Zealand on Thursday.
That would have disturbed their preparation. Radley is now facing a stint on the sidelines for any minor offences given his growing list of misdemeanours. The NRL are looking into comments he made after the game where he labelled his sin-binned a “sh*t decision”.
MANLY BACK ACCUSED SPITTER
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans has spoken in support of Samuela Fainu after the young forward’s NRL debut was soured by unfounded allegations of spitting.
Fainu was engaged in a stoush with Wests Tigers half Brandon Wakeham throughout their game on Sunday, the pair sledging each other as the match ebbed and flowed in the dying minutes.
Wakeham was caught on referee’s audio on the field claiming Fainu spat at him before refusing to follow through with a formal complaint.
The NRL studied video footage of the incident and deemed that Fainu had no case to answer.
“As a young kid making his debut, I thought he was really courageous in the way he attacked the game,” Cherry-Evans said.
“He had to debut at centre - he is not naturally a centre. I thought he did a really good job. I am not going to dive too much into the spitting [allegations] because until he [Wakeham] formalises it, that is an accusation.
“I don’t think that is fair on Samuela.”
The Fainu family have been through some troubling times in recent years, most notably when Samuela’s brother Manase was jailed over an assault.
Cherry-Evans acknowledged Samuela had to overcome some difficult and emotional setbacks to secure a first grade debut.
“That is one of things I admire about rugby league - you see some people who have had to go through some adversity themselves and their families,” Cherry-Evans said.
“You see how much the NRL means to them. Those things keep you young and rejuvenated seeing how much love and passion there is in the game, and how much it means to some people to play one NRL game.”
“He is a tough kid and he has a great work ethic around here.”
WOLVERINE IN VEGAS
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys bumped into UFC star Alexander Volkanovski on Anzac Day and with his tongue planted partly in his cheek, raised the idea of a world title fight as part of the NRL’s American invasion.
V’landys and the commission, however, may have an even bigger star in their sights as they look to turn plans for a season-opening double header into a true extravaganza.
There are whispers that the NRL is in the process of putting together a hit-list of entertainment A-listers to be part of the Vegas experience, headlined by Manly fan Hugh Jackman.
The idea would be to have Jackman – a Tony award winner – or someone of that ilk perform in Vegas in the lead-up to the double header.
Jackman is a devoted Sea Eagles fan and Manly are one of the clubs expected to feature in the Vegas experience once it is confirmed, hopefully within weeks.
V’landys and Abdo will head to America after Magic Round to firm up their plans for Vegas 2024. Once the games are locked in, they can confirm the surrounding events which could include a UFC fight, a boxing title fight and maybe even a Jackman show.
They will head overseas with the backing of Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley, who said it would be folly to back against V’landys.
“When Peter V’landys came up with the idea at horse racing of the Everest, taking on the Melbourne Spring Carnival, a lot of people who have been around for a long time thought he was a kangaroo short in the top paddock,” Crawley said.
“It has proven a wonderful success. I have seen him do this time and again. If he says it is a great idea we go over to Vegas … I am not going to bet against him.
“In fact I am going to jump on the bandwagon and go with him. Every time you see an American talk about our game they can’t believe the lack of padding, the toughness and the human clashes.
“So there is no doubt it is a great game. It is a great television game. I think it (Vegas) is a great idea.”
MOLO SUSPENDED
Meanwhile, Molo has been suspended for two matches and fined $15,000 ($5000 suspended for 18 months) after pleading guilty to a domestic incident.
Molo entered a guilty plea at Port Kembla Local Court to a charge of stalking or intimidation with intent to cause fear of physical or mental harm. He was sentenced to an 18-month conditional release order and issued an apprehended violence order for a period of two years.
Molo has one game to serve after being suspended for three games by the NRL match review committee. His ban for the off-field incident will start after he has served his current ban meaning he won’t be back in the NRL until round 12.
FLASHBACK
Kalyn Ponga was on the backpage for his on-field action on this day five years ago. The Knights star produced the winning try to hand Newcastle their first victory at Brookvale since 2006. Newcastle won 18-12.
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