State of Origin tickets price hike puts NRL bosses wages and expenses under the spotlight

QUESTIONS are again being asked about the NRL management wages and expenses that fans are paying for through the turnstiles. WHAT’S THE BUZZ?

QUESTIONS are again being asked about the exorbitant NRL management wages and expenses that fans are paying for through the turnstiles.

Last week we spotted commission chairman John Grant leaving the football at ANZ Stadium in a chauffeur-driven limousine.

The day before we watched him enjoying the comforts and luxury of the SCG Trust private suite for nine hours at the Australia-India World Cup semi-final.

Dave Smith has also been a regular limousine user since he started.

At least Smith’s now got an excuse. He lost his driver’s license 10 weeks ago for repeated infringements (Not that it’s a good look for an NRL CEO).

So we decided to check out what method of travel Australia’s other leading sports administrators use to get to the football, meetings and functions.

It turns out they drive their own cars, from their major sponsors, or take a taxi in their home cities. Occasionally when interstate they will use a hire car.

One of the many things the NRL’s recently released annual report didn’t include was executive salaries or expenses.

Other major companies, including the AFL, list the salaries of senior staff.

The Sunday Telegraph reveals the driving choice of Australia’s sporting bosses.

The fact NRL bosses are enjoying such a lavish lifestyle is particularly awkward in the week State of Origin ticket prices skyrocketed out of the reach of bread and butter fans.

Origin ticket prices have risen by more than 100 per cent in some categories at ANZ and Suncorp stadiums since the independent commission came into power. Blatchy’s Blues tickets in Brisbane used to be $70 … the cheapest is now $140. A family pass in the best seats at ANZ used to be $500 — they are now $1100.

Some fans have been taking out their anger on the NSWRL and the QRL, which is wrong.

Origin ticket prices are set by the NRL and the independent commission.

COMMUNICATION: Origin cash feeds game

NRL fans have had to endure hefty price rises for the game’s showcase event.

SHARKS KEEP GAL WAITING

THE Cronulla Sharks are being surprisingly sluggish in resigning club legend Paul Gallen.

While most State of Origin stars are locked into deals for next year and beyond, the Blues skipper is off contract this year.

After 31 Tests for Australia and 19 Origin games, 33-year-old Gallen wants at least one more season in the NRL.

Under new interchange restrictions of six replacements next year, you would think Gallen would become an even more valuable player because he always plays 80 minutes.

And this year he has made more metres than any other player in the game.

Gallen obviously wants to be a one-club player in the Shire but other clubs are watching his situation closely.

RABBIT BUYS $1.6M BURROW

ADAM Reynolds grew up in a housing commission place, just a drop kick from Redfern Oval.

Now he’s the proud new owner of a $1.6 million family home he purchased last week in Rosebery. What a wonderful success story.

Reynolds has four young children with his partner Tallara and watches his money carefully.

TALENT SPOTTER TO A SPECIAL AGENT

FORMER North Sydney Bears star Wayne Portlock used to work at the NSWRL as a talent identification officer. He has one of the sharpest eyes for young talent I’ve ever met.

Portlock has now quite the NSWRL to go into player management.

He has joined the powerful GS Sports management stable alongside Steve Gillis, Clinton Schifcoske and Col Davis.

MARINERS TOO MUCH TO BEAR

THE crisis that has engulfed the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League is hardly helping the North Sydney Bears’ chances of making a comeback out of Gosford in the NRL.

It’s the proof that the area will always struggle to host a national sporting team.

The Mariners have become a massive embarrassment for the A-League.

The club’s owner Mike Charlesworth has moved to Hong Kong, while Executive Chairman Peter Storrie intends to run the club by remote control from London for six months of the year.

On Thursday night they were hammered 6-1 by Brisbane and their faithful fans are left wondering what the hell is going on.

RAISING A GLASS OF STYLE ALE

RANDWICK’S Jeff Sayle, one of the great scallywags of Australian rugby, has achieved a lifetime ambition by having a beer name after him — Jeffrey Sayle Ale. Two kegs were devoured when it went on sale for the first time at Coogee last weekend and club officials were struggling to keep up with the demand at Saturday’s home game against Warringah.

The Sayle Ale T-shirts and singlets will be sold to raise funds for the club. Now 73, Jeff, who coached NSW after winning a lone Test cap against the All Blacks in 1967, is scrum coach for Randwick thirds and helps out with the club’s other teams. What a man. Sixty five years since playing for Randwick’s Under 8s and he has no thoughts of quitting.

SAINT

Jamal Idris’ appearance on Fox Sports Back Page showed him as a complex but wonderful character in a game with too many cardboard cutouts.

SAINT II

The NRL’s decision to reject the Kirisome Auva’a appeal against his domestic violence suspension is to be applauded. The player should consider himself fortunate to have been part of last year’s grand final.

SINNER

THE disgraceful scenes at ANZ Stadium on Friday afternoon was a terrible look for the NRL. Bulldogs stars James Graham and Dave Klemmer should be heavily fined.

The people who threw bottles should be charged and banned for life. It’s a shame the game’s image has copped a hammering because more than 40,000 fans were well behaved.

SINNER II

The fact Cronulla Sharks players are labelled drug cheats yet Essendon stars escape punishment because of the embarrassing incompetence of ASADA.

SEA EAGLES GO EXTRA MYLES

MANLY have entered the race to sign Queensland and Test forward Nate Myles.

Myles has an option with the Titans for 2016, but the club is unlikely to take it up — because Myles is on massive dollars.

The Sea Eagles are desperate for more fire power in the forwards and Myles, who has started the new season in good form, seems the perfect fit.

BEAU’S SISTER ACT

We mentioned last week how the girls from Bankstown Sports Women’s Cricket Club won their cricket grand finals in all three grades. What we didn’t know was one of the girls is the sister of rugby league madman Beau Ryan. Carly Ryan plays in the first grade team.

NO HAYNE, BIG GAINS

How much money was Jarryd Hayne on at Parramatta? Since his departure they have signed Anthony Watmough and Kieran Foran and upgraded Will Hopoate. Now they are chasing Origin forward Beau Scott. Plus they’re trying to keep Chris Sandow. They must have a stack of players on the minimum wage.

FENECH’S CALYPSO GIFT

Australia’s greatest ever boxer Jeff Fenech hosted a dinner party on Thursday night at his Five Dock home for one of his sporting heroes — cricketer Brian Lara. A couple of Tigers hookers were among the guests — Robbie Farah and Benny Elias. Fenech even gave Lara one of his old WBC belts to take home to the West Indies.