What’s the Buzz: Gareth Widdop’s impressive ink and Matty Johns’s final words
WHAT’S THE BUZZ with DAVID RICCIO: Alex McKinnon’s beautiful day, Gareth Widdop’s impressive ink and Matty Johns’s final words.
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WHAT’S THE BUZZ II with DAVID RICCIO: Matty Johns’s final words, veteran’s show age is no barrier and Trent Merrin reunites with old mates.
SAINT
TIM Cahill (37), Brad Hogg (46) and Paul Gallen (36) are embarrassing every 40-something bloke who considers putting the bins out as ‘cardio.’ Cahill’s two superb goals for the Socceroos came the same day that Hogg declared he had signed on to play with Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash while Gallen confirmed he’s jumping back into the boxing ring on November 10 at Shark Park.
SINNER
PAUL Carter. What sane 25-year-old would go to a mate’s (Blake Ferguson) house, then, when asked to leave at 2am, phone police to claim Ferguson’s children had been given drugs?
SHOOSH
WHICH leading NRL club is keen to offload a former Queensland Origin 18th man and Indigenous All Stars player despite having a year to run on his contract?
SHOOSH II
WHO said all player agents are cold-hearted money grabbers? One leading NRL agent is taking his grandkids to the North Pole for Christmas.
SHOOSH III
WHICH Melbourne Storm rising star was told to pull his head in by a senior player after making a goose of himself on Mad Monday?
THOROUGHBRED: Slater’s stables in the saddle
NEXT STEP: Chooks, Souths lead Cronk race
SHOOSH IV
V8 Supercars boss James Warburton is a name that continues to be whispered in rugby league circles as a future leader of the NRL.
SPOTTED
FOX Sports commentator Braith Anasta, rocketing into favouritism for dad of the year by taking daughter Aleeia to Disneyland on Wednesday.
SPOTTED II
ANASTA’S Fox Sports teammate Mick Ennis pounding the Shire pavement last Monday in readiness for his first half-marathon in Penrith next month.
SPOTTED III
TRENT Merrin staying in a Bali villa on Thursday with his old Dragons mates Jason Nightingale, Jack De Belin, Jake Marketo and Euan Aitken.
SPOTTED IV
BRETT ‘Noddy’ Kimmorley and usual author of these pages, Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield, in Coffs Harbour for the Oz Tag nationals tournament this weekend.
SPOTTED V
ST GEORGE Illawarra NRL games record-holder and 2010 Dragons premiership captain Ben Hornby crashing the boards in Div 1 hoops at the Snakepit in Wollongong.
TATT’S SOME COMMITTMENT
HERE’S proof how much England means to playmaker Gareth Widdop.
The tattoo across the entire width of the Dragon captain’s chest took 12 hours to complete.
“It’s a representation of my English heritage,’’ Widdop said.
“The British Lion is renowned for strength and courage, while the knight, is considered the leader and protector.’’
EELS NET FITNESS GIANT
LOOK for a transformation of the Eels’ strength and fitness next year with the club poaching GWS AFL club high performance manager Lachlan Wilmot.
Wilmot will switch codes to oversee Parramatta’s entire NRL strength and power program — beginning early next month.
No doubt rival clubs will be watching with interest to assess the impact an AFL knowledge-based coach has on the NRL.
The opening for Wilmot at the Eels emerged as a result of legendary trainer Ronnie Palmer moving to Wests Tigers with Ivan Cleary.
SHADES OF GENEROSITY
BEAU Ryan has a knack for playing the prankster on the NRL Footy Show.
But there’s also a serious side to Ryan which coincides with the Nine star launching a slick new sunglasses range with Polar Sports.
Having already promised to donate $5000 to The Starlight Foundation, Ryan declared at the launch of the new range on Tuesday that $5 from every pair of sunnies will go to the Men of League Foundation.
MATTY’S GOT SUMMIT TO SAY
WE thought it fitting that we call Matty Johns to see if he had any final words before tackling Mt Everest.
Paul Harragon, Mark Hughes, Kurt Gidley, Steve Menzies, Adam MacDougall, Danny Buderus and Johns left on Saturday for the 12-day trek, which they hope raises more than $200,000 for the Mark Hughes Foundation.
“If this is the last time anyone hears from me, make sure everyone knows I was the guy who taught Andrew Johns everything he knows,’’ Matty said.
HAILING OUR FINEST
AUSTRALIA’S most gifted and talented athletes will converge in Sydney on Wednesday night for the Women’s Health Women in Sport awards.
The night recognises and celebrates Australia’s female athletes — from grassroots through to elite professionals — and their achievements over the past 12 months.
A who’s who of women’s sport will attend, including Jessica Fox, Sam Kerr, Sally Pearson, Layne Beachley, Catherine Cox and Amy Pejkovic.
Former Canterbury CEO Raelene Castle will also attend as will Football Federation Australia boss David Gallop.
KOKODA SHARKS
THE Sharks will invest in their culture and next-generation leaders when they leave for an eight-day Kokoda trek on Monday.
Rising stars Jayden Brailey, Kyle Flanagan, Cruz Topai-Aveai Jr and Ava Seaumanufagai have been hand-picked by the club’s coaching staff to conquer the unforgiving PNG track.
Led by Cronulla’s wellbeing manager Shane Smith — an ex-special operations sergeant in Afghanistan — the group will also assist in the construction of the first Kokoda Track high school.
BELTING NIGHTS IN STORE
JOHNNY Lewis will headline the opening event of a new six-part boxing series beginning at The Star on Sunday.
The Johnny Lewis Fight Night will showcase a host of quality fighters including US Contender champion Sakio Bika and Tim Tszyu, son of triple world champion Kostya Tszyu.
The Star Boxing Series will stage six fight nights at the casino with Fox Sports to call the events and replay the cards. Check Fox Sports 505 on Monday October 23 at 7.30pm.