Summer Buzz: Saint, Sinner, Shoosh – Matt Moylan putting in the hard yards, Roosters face competition for Crichton

The Roosters are keen to retain off-contract forward Angus Crichton, but face stiff competition from at least one Sydney rival.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 30: Matt Moylan looks on during a Cronulla Sharks NRL training session at PointsBet Stadium on September 30, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

GPS data collected by the Sharks over the off-season has revealed Matt Moylan as the club’s hardest worker at training.

Running more “high speed metres” than any other Cronulla player over the pre-season, a rejuvenated Moylan has impressed the entire Sharks coaching staff with both his intensity and attitude.

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Matt Moylan has been – wait for it – training the house down. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The GPS data might be proof that Moylan is a man on a mission this year following an injury stalled 2020 that had people questioning his future at the club.

Shopped around to rivals in a slap in the face for the former State of Origin star, the off-contract playmaker will get a chance to prove his worth with a starting spot assured at least until Shaun Johnson’s predicted returns from injury in round eight.

Check out all the latest NRL and sports chatter in Summer Buzz

SAINTS

The tens of thousands of rugby league volunteers that are right now registering themselves to coach, train and manage junior rugby league teams. The real heroes of the game, these are the people that will be standing out in the rain on a freezing midweek winter’s night to ensure rugby league has a future. We say thanks for looking after both our kids and our game.

SINNER

Payne Hass. The Broncos bad-boy spoiled the good work of his NRL brethren who have been remarkably well behaved over the off-season. Summer Buzz was expecting to be flat out reporting on atrocities after the bubble broke, which has not been the case.

Payne Haas let the code down with his off-season indiscretion. Picture: Liam Kidston

SPOTTED I

Supercars refugee Lee Holdsworth seen down in Symmons Plains earlier in the week getting some sneaky testing in his new Alfa Romeo prior to the event, trying to get a head start on the TCR pack.

SPOTTED II

The entire Roosters squad and coaching staff lunching at the Azzure Café at the Entertainment Quarter on Thursday, which would have been impossible during the COVID-19 restrictions given the posse was at least 30 strong.

SPOTTED III

The man who has made this column the best real estate in Australian sport enjoying a calm before the storm beer with fellow NRL reporters Dave Riccio, Andrew Webster, Michael Carayannis and Brent Read. We don’t think it was a coincidence that they chose the Wayne Bennett famous Grappa at Leichhardt for what would have been a lively pre-season catch-up.

L-R Andrew Webster, David Riccio, Phil Rothfield, Michael Carayannis and Brent Read at Grappa Ristorante e Bar.

SPOTTED IV

The entire Sharks squad at a crack of dawn training session at Cronulla on Friday. The 5am session was requested by the playing group after what was meant to be a punishment session the week before proved surprisingly popular.

SPOTTED V

James Graham working out at Body Fit gym Miranda. The retired English international turned heads when he rocked up to train just a day after returning to Australia to begin a coaching role with the Dragons.

SHOOSH

Supercars boss Sean Seamer was forced to eat humble pie during the week when he was made to do a backflip and reinstate sacked pit-lane reporter Mark Larkham. Seamer and Larkham were not on speaking terms after the CEO made the stunning decision to axe the fan favourite from the commentary team amid a plan to “dumb” down the coverage and move away from technical analysis. A smoke the piece pipe meeting had to be brokered by a TV executive after an unprecedented reaction from fans forced the U-turn that saw Larkham reinstated. Those in the know claim Seamer is taking bad advice from a staffer who is close to a behind the scenes power player.

Retaining Angus Crichton is a priority for the Roosters. Picture: Phil Hillyard

ROOSTERS NOT GREEDY – ONE CRICHTON IS ENOUGH

Contrary to some recent media reports, the Sydney Roosters were never in the race to sign Stephen Crichton with the NRL powerhouse banking on Billy Smith to become their next Latrell Mitchell.

Fighting his way back from the ACL injury that robbed him of his NRL chance last year, Smith has returned to full contact training and will be available for the Roosters’ season opener against the Sea Eagles on March 13.

The Roosters have however been talking to their own Crichton with the club set to offer backrower Angus a new deal.

Off-contract at the end of the year, Roosters coach Trent Robinson told Crichton he is part of the club’s future plan when the pair caught up to talk about a new deal.

The Roosters will have to fend off interest from the St George Illawarra with Dragons set to make a play.

BIG SCREEN A BIG DRAW IN THE SHIRE

A galaxy of NRL big names are expected to be on hand at Miranda Hotel when the famous rugby league pub unveils a 250-inch super screen in a brand-new sports bar and TAB. We are hearing Jamie Soward, Joel Caine, Wade Graham, Mark O’Meley, and Paul Gallen will all be at the Shire hotspot when the state-of-the-art sport’s viewing facility is opened for Super Bowl on February 8. Gallen was spotted sitting in the front bar wearing a smile and a face full of bruises while sipping a bourbon and diet coke following his win over Mark Hunt. We doubt “Gal” paid for the drink, partly because he is the most popular man in the Shire but mostly because he is infamously tight.

NRL’S WARNING TO DODGY AGENTS

The RLPA held a zoom call with a select group of senior player managers to discuss the future of the NRL’s agent accreditation scheme following Peter V’landys promise of an overhaul.

The senior agents agreed that the system, first implemented in 2005, needed a significant overhaul with unscrupulous agents set to be targeted in a crackdown.

V’Landys will consult with both the RLPA and senior agents over the coming weeks to discuss the potential reforms that are likely to lead to a cull.