Sport Confidential: What Billy Slater likes about Horsburgh, Ben Hunt’s NRL future
SPORT CONFIDENTIAL: An underapprecciated attribute of Canberra enforcer Corey Horsburgh has caught the eye of Maroons coach Billy Slater.
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Canberra cult figure Corey Horsburgh could become Queensland’s most popular Origin redhead since Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin and Brett Dallas.
Maroons coach Billy Slater revealed Horsburgh has rocketed into contention for his Origin debut ahead of Canberra’s clash against Parramatta on Saturday night.
Horsburgh has been sensational this season. The Caboolture product was tireless in last week’s win over Canterbury and has two more games against the Eels and Manly to convince Slater of an Origin baptism for the series opener on May 31.
Queensland have an embarrassment of forward riches, but Horsburgh is banging on the selection door and Slater said he would not look out of place in a Maroon jumper.
“I am watching all the Queensland guys closely and Corey is one who has caught my eye,” Slater said.
“He is displaying some traits on the field that I see value in.
“He is doing a fantastic job. The Raiders have won four in a row now and Corey has been in the middle of the field for the first 70 minutes of games.
“He isn’t just out there either, he is contributing every set and nearly every play he has his feet moving. That’s one trait that is very important in the middle of the park. Those guys who have a high workrate and keep moving their feet doesn’t go unnoticed with me.
“Corey constantly leads their kick chase. He has been great and to have him available for Queensland is a real luxury for us.
“Corey is one guy saying don’t forget about me, I can do the job.”
HUNT IS ON FOR QLD STAR AS RIVALS MONITOR DRAGONS
Broncos coach Kevin Walters had dinner with Ben Hunt this week but it’s the Titans who have again been linked with Queensland Origin star amid speculation his trusted coach Anthony Griffin is on the verge of being sacked at the Dragons.
Hunt has previously stated his future at the Red V could hinge on what the club decides to do with Griffin, who appears to be a dead-man walking at the joint-venture club.
Former Broncos halfback Hunt is fiercely loyal to Griffin, whose connection with the Maroons utility goes back 15 years, when he mentored the rising halfback in Brisbane’s under-20s side.
Some rival clubs believe if Griffin is jettisoned by the Dragons, it could be the catalyst for Hunt to follow his good mate ‘Hook’ at the Red V exits.
The Gold Coast has previously made some furtive inquiries about Hunt and it is understood a Titans faction are keen to revisit signing the 33-year-old, who plays his 300th NRL game this weekend.
The Dragons spent the week in camp on the Gold Coast and had a celebration dinner for Hunt’s milestone match on Tuesday night at Royal Pines.
Walters, who coached Hunt at the Broncos and Queensland’s Origin team, made the trip down the M1 for the dinner along with former Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough.
There is just one problem for potential suitors. Hunt is contracted to the Dragons until the end of 2025 and his new two-year extension, signed last season, does not contain a get-out clause.
Titans playmakers Tanah Boyd and Toby Sexton have yet to cement the Gold Coast No.7 jumper, but the Dragons will almost certainly want their No.1 player Hunt to finish his career at the club.
ROOSTERS SHOCK AS WALKER SHOPPED TO RIVALS
Sam Walker has been shopped to Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins - raising fears the out-of-favour Roosters young gun could be on borrowed time at Bondi.
Sport Confidential can reveal the Dolphins were contacted by a third-party associate last week to gauge their interest in Walker in the lead-up to their Magic Round upset of Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium.
Rumours sweeping league circles suggested Bennett was seen lunching with Walker at a cafe on Brisbane’s northside last Thursday.
The Dolphins insist Bennett has had no dialogue with Walker, nor have the pair met. But the one certainty is the super coach fielded a phone call asking whether he would consider a lifeline for the 20-year-old should he continue to languish in reserve grade at the Roosters.
Bennett said he was happy with his current roster - at this stage.
Walker was sensationally dropped by Roosters coach Trent Robinson three weeks ago.
Rated a future Queensland Origin halfback, Walker was the NRL’s rookie of the year just two years ago, but there are fears he is not fitting into the Roosters’ playing style amid speculation he is not seeing eye-to-eye with the club’s halves consultant, Maroons legend Cooper Cronk.
Walker is contracted to the Roosters until the end of 2025. It is understood the call to the Dolphins was not made by anyone at the Roosters, including coach Robinson, who believes Walker has enormous upside given he is still a month shy of his 21st birthday.
Several NRL rivals, including the Dolphins, are watching the Walker situation closely.
Bennett has longstanding links to the Walker family.
He coached Walker’s father Ben and uncle Shane at the Broncos and Bennett is said to be a huge fan of Sam, who made his senior representative debut for the Australian PM’s XIII last year.
Bennett, however, is reluctant to disrupt his roster this season. The Dolphins have stunned the league with their 6-4 record after 10 rounds and Bennett is happy with the performances of his halves Isaiya Katoa, Kodi Nikorima, Anthony Milford and first-choice halfback Sean O’Sullivan, currently sidelined with a pectoral injury.
Bennett’s former skipper at the Broncos, Origin and Test legend Darren Lockyer, believes the Dolphins could be a good fit to resurrect Walker if he severs ties with the Roosters.
“It depends on how long he is where he is now,” Lockyer told Channel 9.
“He’s a quality player, and he’s a talent.
“You’d have to look back in history, and there’d be hundreds of players who have played for their state and their country that spent time in reserve grade.
“The Dolphins have got money, they were unable to land Munster and Wighton. Sean O’Sullivan has done a good job, but we know Sam’s a quality player.”
Walker says he won’t spit the dummy and is determined to reclaim his spot at the Roosters.
“I definitely want to stay at the Roosters,” he said.
“The club has done a lot for me and I have been here for a few years. The Roosters is where I want to be and the talk about me leaving, there’s no chance of that.
“I love it at this club, I’m contracted here, and my first goal is to be playing NRL for the Roosters again.
“I’ve never thought about leaving.”
TITANS OWNERS DIG DEEP
The owners of the Gold Coast Titans have made generous donations to paralysed player Joseph Pouniu.
The Kelly and Frizelle families have donated at least $90,000 to a fundraiser for Poiniu.
Poiniu, 17, has been left a quadriplegic after suffering a serious spinal injury while playing for the Future Titans in January.
The strapping teenager was considered to be one of Queensland’s most exciting young talents and a star of the future.
But he has been left in a wheelchair following the sickening incident where he collided with a goalpost.
An initial fundraiser for Poiniu raised $74,000 and now a second one – which Titans legend Anthony Don is running a marathon to raise awareness for – is already up to $95,000.
That has a lot to do with the generous donations of Titans owners Darryl and Jo Kelly and Brett and Rebecca Frizelle.
Via companies linked to them, the Kellys kicked off Don’s fundraiser with a $50,000 donation while the Frizelles have chipped in $40,800.
Don has been blown away by the donations, with the target raised from $100,000 to $300,000 on the back of the Titanic donations.
“It is great that people are so generous with their money,” Don said.
“Every dollar helps because Joey’s got such a long journey ahead of him.
“My training is going well. I ran 30km on the weekend and am trying to get faster.”
Poiniu was a special guest of the Titans at Suncorp Stadium last Sunday to watch their thrilling Magic Round win against Parramatta.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
NO STRIFE FOR RYAN
Ryan Papenhuyzen’s manager has slammed suggestions the Storm ace will be forced into retirement as Melbourne hatch plans for the superstar fullback to resurrect his NRL career in Queensland.
Papenhuyzen hasn’t been sighted in the NRL this season and his injury-enforced absence now spans 300 days after suffering a badly broken kneecap colliding with Canberra rival Jack Wighton last July.
The 24-year-old is sidelined indefinitely and the Storm have been tight-lipped about when he will be passed fit again, triggering fears Papenhuyzen may never return from his shattered kneecap.
But Papenhuyzen’s agent is adamant the 2020 Clive Churchill Medallist will be back this season.
It is understood Melbourne have discussed easing him back via feeder club Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup to help prepare Papenhuyzen for the rigours of an NRL comeback.
“His career is not over,” said his manager Clinton Schifcofske, the 234-game NRL veteran.
“Charlie Curnow in the AFL had a similar injury at Carlton.
“He was out for about 18 months, but he was the leading goalscorer last season and kicked nine goals two weeks ago against the West Coast, so he is killing it in the AFL.
“Seeing Charlie’s story in the AFL has given ‘Paps’ a lot of confidence.
“I caught up with him last week and I have never seen Ryan more positive. He is the most driven bloke I have ever met, so he will back and it will be pretty special when he is back in Storm colours.
“The surgeon said he will play again so I’ll listen to the surgeon before the doomsayers.
“He is back running at the Storm. I believe he is now over the toughest part of it. The goal is for Paps to be back sometime this season so it will be good for Melbourne to get him back, but the Storm aren’t rushing it and they will pick him when he’s ready.
“Paps will be back, it’s just a matter of when.”
TITAN’S FUTURE BEING MONITORED
The playing future of Titans star AJ Brimson has become one of the hottest topics in Gold Coast sport.
Brimson is currently sitting on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury which has ruled him out for at least a month.
It is the second hamstring injury he has suffered this season. Interestingly, Brimson has torn hamstrings in both legs, so it’s not an aggravation of the earlier injury.
This is on the back of his 2022 season, when he struggled with groin and abdominal problems which left him in debilitating pain for the entire year as he bravely played 22 games.
Sports medicos on the Gold Coast are keeping a close eye on Brimson’s progress due to his worrying run of injuries.
There is a feeling he may need to seek some radical treatment to overcome his persistent problems.
In the past year, NRL stars Latrell Mitchell, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Tom Trbojevic have headed to the US to work with rehab specialist Bill Knowles.
The Titans this week re-signed Jayden Campbell until 2026, giving them a glut of talented fullbacks at the club with rising star Keano Kini and Brimson also secured until 2026.
That has created tremendous competition for the No. 1 jersey, but there is also plenty of insurance options there for the Titans if Brimson’s injury problems continue.
The Titans will also need a five-eighth when Kieran Foran retires at the end of next year.
DOLPHINS GO NORTH
There was no Bali getaway for the Dolphin as a bunch of players gave up their bye week holiday to spread the rugby league gospel in the top end.
Just hours after their epic Magic Round upset of Cronulla, six Dolphins players and CEO Terry Reader boarded a plane bound for Darwin to develop rugby league in the Northern Territory.
Star fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was a hit on the tour along with Edrick Lee, Herman Ese’ese, Mason Teague, Kurt Donoghoe and Jack Bostock.
As part of a promotion with sponsor Tamboran Resources, the group travelled from Darwin to Katherine to Elliot and Daly Waters, participating in skills clinics with children while giving the locals a chance to meet their NRL heroes.
JETS BOSS TAKES OFF
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys last week revealed Queensland could have a fifth NRL club in Brisbane’s western corridor as part of the code’s expansion plans.
But V’landys’ revelation will not be enough to convince Brisbane Jets chief executive Nick Livermore to remain part of the battle for the NRL’s 18th licence.
Livermore spent 11 years fighting to bring a second team to Brisbane to challenge the Broncos and he was part of the expansion process that saw the Jets lose out to the Dolphins, who were named the NRL’s 17th team in 2021.
Livermore is adamant the NRL needs a team in Brisbane’s western corridor to combat the AFL, but says he won’t be spearheading the Jets’ fresh push for expansion in 2027-28.
“There was 12 NRL games a year at Suncorp when we started the bid in 2010, now there’s 27,” he said.
“I’d hope the League sees the benefit of the great region in Ipswich and Toowoomba for a team in the near future.
“I’ll let Steve Johnson (Jets chairman) continue his great work in the region and be supporting any future western-corridor bid from the sidelines.”
WALSH THE WRESTLER
Broncos star Reece Walsh has gone global and caught the eye of wrestling superstar Chris Jericho.
A video of Walsh tackling Manly winger Jason Saab at Magic Round and getting caught up in an awkward position was posted to Twitter and sent to WWF great Jericho.
Excellent technique! https://t.co/6aGtBhhDMu
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) May 6, 2023
The move looked similar to Jericho’s famous submission position – Walls of Jericho.
“Excellent technique!” replied Jericho.
Maybe Walsh has a future in wrestling, like former Broncos winger Daniel Vidot, who now goes by the name Xyon Quinn in WWE.
SOS FOR SLATER
Storm legend Billy Slater has dismissed suggestions he was called in for crisis talks to help Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.
Dressing-room cameras captured footage of Slater addressing Melbourne’s coaching staff following their 28-12 Magic Round loss to South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday night.
Super coach Bellamy took a back seat and listened intently as Slater held court with the group.
But the Queensland Origin coach said alarm bells aren’t ringing at the Storm and warned critics not to write-off Melbourne, who have struggled for consistency this season.
“I’m there every week, that (speaking to the staff) is not new for me,” Slater said of his address.
“I work part-time for the Storm, so I’m in there once a week anyway.
“The chat was just about identifying some areas that I think we can improve on.
“Sometimes when you are in the thick of it, it’s hard to look at the big picture and it’s easy to focus on the result and the disappointment and all that sort of stuff.
“Melbourne are getting a whole heap right. They aren’t far off, there’s too many good players in their team to underestimate them.”
HOSTPLUS CUP HEADS REGIONAL
Queensland’s top rugby league competition is heading to the bush.
The Hostplus Cup will celebrate its annual Country Week in round 18 this year.
The seven locations for the regional round of matches will be announced by sports minister Stirling Hinchliffe on Sunday at 3pm during the broadcast of Devils-Tigers match.
We have been leaked one of the locations, with Wondai in the South Burnett hosting a Cup game for the first time.
The Wondai locals will be able to watch a cracking contest between Norths and Wynnum-Manly.
TSZYU ARE A COWARD
Australian boxing star Tim Tszyu has launched a stinging attack on Michael Zerafa, labelling him a “coward” as the bad blood between the bitter rivals hit overdrive.
Zerafa last week stunned fight fans by opting not to fight Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight world title in Las Vegas in July.
Despite being the mandatory challenger, ‘Pretty Boy’ agreed to accept ‘step aside’ money from promoters, believed to be $50,000, to allow Lara and Danny Garcia to instead fight for the WBA world title.
Zerafa famously pulled out of his clash against Tszyu two years ago. Tszyu slammed Zerafa’s latest decision to reject a world-title shot and says his Melbourne rival has blown his chance of an all-Australian super fight.
“I’m done with Zerafa. I have no interest in fighting him,” Tszyu said.
“He took $50,000 step-aside money instead of taking a world-title fight.
“That shows what a coward he is.
“I would never do that. In this sport, step-aside money is only given when there is no interest in the fighter and the promoters in America clearly could see Americans don’t give a damn about Michael Zerafa.
“They have given him a few bucks to sit there and wait and be a patient little boy.
“No way in the world would I ever take step-aside money. I’m a fighter and I take the biggest fights anywhere, anytime.
“I would hammer him, there’s no question. I knew that all along, but the way he has acted, I’m not giving him the opportunity, he doesn’t deserve it.”
WILSON’S BIG MOVE
Queensland sensation Liam Wilson has linked with the manager who helped Kostya Tszyu and his son Tim conquer the world.
Wilson has joined forces with Glen Jennings, one of Australian boxing’s most respected agents, as he prepares for his return to the ring next month.
Wilson (11-2, 7KO) will face Mexican Eduardo Ramirez (27-3-3, 12KO) on the undercard of the Tim Tszyu-Carlos Ocampo showdown at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on Sunday, June 18.
It will be Wilson’s first fight with Jennings in his corner after he severed ties with Steve Scanlan following his heartbreaking world-title loss to Emanuel Navarrete in Arizona in February.
Wilson went close to the biggest boilover in world boxing, dropping Navarrete in the fourth round, only for the Mexican to survive a controversial long count and eventually finish off the kid from Caboolture.
Jennings was a trusted ally for Kostya Tszyu during his epic reign and Wilson hopes a fresh start will take him to a world title.
“I believe I am at that level,” Wilson said. “I believe my team thinks I’m at that level and we’re back to the drawing board, working on our craft.
“I do expect an all-out war against Ramirez. I know he will come to fight. We’re both in the same position, we are coming off losses and we’re going to put on a great fight for the fans.
“We’re here to redeem ourselves to prove we should be world champions.”
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Originally published as Sport Confidential: What Billy Slater likes about Horsburgh, Ben Hunt’s NRL future
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