Sport Confidential: Todd Greenberg wanted by Cricket Australia, Aaron Woods shopped around, and Craig Bellamy lingers over Broncos offer
IT’S all about what’s on offer. NRL CEO Todd Greenberg could be snapped up by a rival code, Aaron Woods continues to be shopped around and Craig Bellamy still hasn’t made up his mind about the Broncos.
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CAMERON Smith’s appearance in the Channel 9 commentary box during Wednesday’s Origin match prompted many to question whether he had finally ended his self-imposed freeze on the game’s free-to-air broadcaster.
Smith famously fell out with Nine after the Alex McKinnon 60 Minutes special, refusing to speak to the network and, when he finally did after an Origin game, only after extensive negotiations.
That Smith is also contracted to Nine’s archrival Fox Sports added to the mystery.
Ponga over Slater? #Origin pic.twitter.com/H9rsvuu3iv
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) June 6, 2018
It turns out Smith’s appearance came at the request of the NRL, which was keen to sell the game into the tough Melbourne market where it realises there is no better salesman for rugby league than the Storm captain.
He regularly appears on AFL 360.
Smith’s freeze on Nine remains far from over, though. Wednesday’s appearance was said to be nothing more than a slight thawing.
BUSTED: Crichton leaves a tooth at the ‘G
UNITY: Fittler’s family speech to the Blues
ORIGIN AT THE RACES WITH PRICES
WEDNESDAY’s State of Origin in Melbourne, with the late influx of cheap tickets, showed the importance of pricing when the game went close to being a sellout.
Hopefully the NRL takes note, although it would be hard to ignore given ARL Commission board member Peter V’landys is the brains behind the ATC’s The Everest race and its new promotion.
Keen to build on the momentum that began with last year’s inaugural race, the ATC has announced early-bird racegoers can buy tickets to The Everest for just $25 before July 31.
LISTEN! Nick Campton and Tim Williams tackle all the news from Origin I, including player rating debacles, changes that need to be made and all the details from the match itself.
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Acting chief executive James Heddo said the offer gave racegoers a “unique racing experience” — and what else would you call a ticket at that price for what is becoming one of the world’s great race days at Royal Randwick on October 13.
Heddo also confirmed an international entertainment act was about to be announced for those who want to hang around and party once The Everest is run and won.
The six-week Sydney Spring Carnival also offers $12 tickets at other meetings for early buyers.
ONE EMOTIONAL NIGHT FOR COOK
DAMIEN Cook was overcome with emotion. He could feel the tears welling up but managed to just keep it together.
The Blues hooker has enjoyed a whirlwind past few weeks. A much dreamt about Origin spot — which seemed so far away 18 months ago — was now his. He was composed until he was met with his idol Danny Buderus.
Cook spent the Origin build-up channelling Buderus, who is part of the Blues’ coaching staff. But when Buderus presented Cook with his Origin jersey on Tuesday night it almost became too much for the debutant as he reflected on how far he had come since his path last crossed with Buderus a decade ago.
“I was very lucky (to have) Danny Buderus presenting my jersey,” Cook said. “I was a Knights supporter growing up. I loved watching him and Joey (Andrew Johns) play. To have Danny present the jersey was special.
“It got a little emotional. It started off with him remembering how he met me 10 years ago. When his book came out my mum sent him the book with a letter in it and I managed to get a little note back from him. To remember that was unbelievable.”
BELLYACHE AGONISING OVER DECISION
THE clock continues to tick on Craig Bellamy’s deadline to make a decision between Melbourne and Brisbane.
And many have taken a shot on predicting where Bellamy will decide his future lies. As for that, it might all depend on what day you get him.
Bellamy is said to be torn on his decision, and going back and forth.
What can be read into Melbourne’s decision to put a deadline on him also remains to be seen.
Last time a deadline was put on Bellamy it was Brisbane who tried to hurry him into a decision when Wayne Bennett was leaving for St George Illawarra.
Two premierships later for Melbourne, and none for Brisbane, we can all see how that ended.
WORLD CUP FEVER FOR SAILOR ROO
HE may have dominated with the Kangaroos and Wallabies but Wendell Sailor is swapping the oval ball for a round one as he throws his support behind the Socceroos.
Sailor, who is the face of Hyundai’s “have a fling” with the football World Cup, has called on Australians to support their national side.
“Every time the Socceroos play you get into it,” Sailor said. “When it’s the World Cup you get into it.
Sailor will be on hand when North Sydney Olympic Pool is transformed for the Socceroos and Denmark game. An 8x5m LED screen is to be erected lane-side.
HORN FEELING THE THUNDER
THEY’RE used to being the centre of attention in Las Vegas, but the Aussie lads from stripper group Thunder From Down Under were awe-struck by boxer Jeff Horn.
The muscly dudes lifted the champ onto their shoulders after his open media workout at the MGM Grand on Wednesday, with Thunder star and former Queensland premier rugby player Alex Champtaloup elated to meet “The Hornet” before he takes on America’s Terence Crawford this weekend.
“I was at his Suncorp fight last year so I knew how well he went against Manny Pacquiao and how much that did for him,” Champtaloup said.
“He came from teaching and how he’s risen to these sort of title fights is enormous If he can knock the guy out it’d show all of America what he’s like.
“Last time he beat Pacquiao there was controversy over the result, that’s what all of the coverage here was, if he comes to America and knocks their guy out, that will stop all that chat, that will shut him up.”
Fellow Thunder member Beau Comelli has no doubts about the impending result.
“He’s fought 19 times, won 18 of them, he’s on fire at the moment, unstoppable, he’s going to smash Crawford on Saturday,” Comelli said.
While Horn has been training and dieting furiously, he wasn’t keen to take off his shirt to compare abs.
“I didn’t want to get shown up, I knew I would too, look at them, they’re massive,” Horn said. “They do that every night, take their shirts off and all the girls whistle at them — I do it once every six months.”
Horn’s wife, Jo, and mum were guests at the Thunder From Down Under show.
IS WOODS ABOUT TO PLAY LAST GAME FOR DOGS?
THE Sydney Roosters have distanced themselves from moves to entice Aaron Woods to the glamour club.
Woods looked destined for Cronulla this time last week but talks have stalled with the Sharks, who refuse to budge on their offer. But a reunion with former teammate James Tedesco at Bondi is not on the cards after Roosters officials emphatically ruled out making a play for Woods despite the Kangaroos prop being linked to the club.
Canterbury aren’t desperate to offload the prop so they won’t be low-balled, hence the delay with Woods joining the Sharks.
The Roosters’ have sounded out Manly’s Marty Taupau.
The situation with Woods could move quickly with Cronulla still favourites to land the Kangaroos prop’s signature.
This Monday could be Woods’ and Moses Mbye’s final game for the Bulldogs with Mbye still in talks to secure an early release to join the Wests Tigers.
• • •
THE Newcastle Knights are continuing their impressive rebuild. Tim Grant and Blake Ferguson are two names that won’t die from the conversation when it comes to being at the Knights next season.
CA HAD TODD AT TOP OF THE ORDER
JAMES Sutherland’s resignation as Cricket Australia boss surprised no one within rugby league boardrooms.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg was mentioned as a possible replacement for Sutherland months ago, when the street-corner tip was that Sutherland would resign at a suitable time after getting the new broadcast deal done. Greenberg was the frontrunner to replace him.
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SANDOR Earl will end his rugby league exile when he steps onto the field for the Storm’s feeder club the Sunshine Coast Falcons on Saturday. His last game was in round 24, 2013. Earl suffered an ACL injury in November.
After two long months it’s good to be back with the vatos! pic.twitter.com/YrH4zZYnct
— Josh Mansour (@Josh_Mansour) June 7, 2018
JOSH IN FOR A SERVICE
JOSH Mansour has made the most of his recuperation from facial surgery. He dropped in for a little ankle surgery while in recovery and will be a shiny new model when he returns.
Mansour had one of the more horrific surgeries last month when his face was peeled off before a team of specialists took over and proceeded to put it back together.
He will show off his new good looks at Rebel’s Penrith Home Co store on Saturday from 11am-1pm. Also there will be new St George Illawarra recruit Kezie Apps, who was unveiled on Tuesday as one of the Dragons’ inaugural women’s players, as well as NSW Blues prop David Klemmer and Western Sydney Wanderers young gun Jada Wyman.
JOEY A PARTY POOPER
THERE are a dozen solid Origin fables surrounding Andrew Johns’s performances in Blues camps, a repeat of which many feared and some dreamt of when Johns took on an assistant coaching role this time.
Alas, the one man who knows Johns better than anybody is the man himself. Johns gave himself a strict 6pm curfew in camp, which meant he was home in his pyjamas by the time the fun started.
CLYDE PASSION FOR BLUES
GOOD to see Origin great Brad Clyde out watching the Blues … only it wasn’t the NSW Blues. Clyde, one of the great rugby league players, was an unusual sighting when the Sydney Swans played the Carlton Blues last Friday. He was enjoying himself.