Saint, sinner, shoosh: Eels duo caught on opposite sides of Isaac Moses player agent saga
Parramatta’s dreamy start to the season could be about to hit some rough waters over the NRL’s latest scandal. Plus, the Newcastle Knights legend’s gruesome injury that nearly cost him his leg - and his life.
Knights
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Former Newcastle Knights cult hero Matt Parsons is recovering from a horrifying accident on a farm in the state’s northwest that could have cost him his life.
The 2001 premiership-winning prop had to be flown in a Westpac Rescue helicopter and treated by a critical care team after a heavy branch fell from a tree and pinned him to the ground.
The 47-year-old footballer had been cutting firewood on a farm in Currabubula.
He suffered compound fractures of the tibia and fibula bones in his right leg and a shocking gash that went within centimetres of a major artery and has now required plastic surgery.
“It looked quite gruesome,” Parsons said. “You naturally go into a bit of shock.
“I’ve had some old footy injuries but nothing like this.”
The popular old front-rower was flown to Tamworth Hospital and later transferred to Newcastle’s John Hunter.
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“I could have lost my leg but the doctors have done a great job to patch me up,” he said.
“They took a strip out of my stomach and grafted it on to my leg to cover the wound up.”
Former St George Dragons front-rower Richard Jones is the chief executive of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Northern NSW.
“Matty was really crook,” Jones said. “We had a doctor and a paramedic there to treat him and get him to hospital. He could have died or lost his leg, such were the extent of his injuries and the possibility of bleeding.”
Doctors expect Parsons to make a complete recovery, although he faces months of physiotherapy.
SAINT
Beanie For Brain Cancer weekend in memory of former Channel 9 rugby league boss Matty Callander, whose idea it was to approach the NRL and the Mark Hughes Foundation for a designated weekend to raise much-needed funding for medical research before he passed away. Beanies can be bought at IGA stores, Lowes or on the Mark Hughes Foundation website.
SINNER
The Bulldogs are treating club legend Dean Pay disgracefully. He needs to be respectfully told his coaching services are not required next year rather than the board going behind his back to chase the likes of Craig Bellamy. Pay has had a very ordinary roster to work with, through no fault of his own.
SHOOSH I
Awkward times at the Parramatta Eels. Star halfback Mitchell Moses is the nephew of banned agent Isaac Moses, who also manages his contract. Tim Mannah, the player who dobbed in Moses to the integrity unit, is on staff at the Eels after his retirement last year.
MORE NRL NEWS
TV defends controversial Latrell moment
Players cleared to exit NRL bubble
SHOOSH II
Former Cronulla Sharks and Gold Coast Titans halfback Albert Kelly wants to make an NRL comeback. He has been at Hull in the UK Super League since 2015 but has asked his manager Warwick Wright to look for opportunities in Sydney. Kelly is 29 and has his life in much better shape than when he last played footy in the NRL. He could be a cheap and handy option off the bench.
SHOOSH III
Which independent always sportswriter has had his Twitter account hacked by someone posting racy images.
SPOTTED IV
Rugby league immortal Bob Fulton at Brookvale McDonald’s ordering his favourite coffee — a soy latte with honey.
SPOTTED V
Cricket legend Ian Chappell walking into Forestville RSL with his snooker cue.
SPOTTED VI
Fox Sports star Bryan Fletcher grabbing a Chinese takeaway meal in Haymarket.
SPOTTED VII
Superstar James Tedesco very politely declining a photo with a fan in Moore Park to avoid breaching the COVID-19 protocols.
GET WELL SOON
Our great mate and colleague Boo Bailey has been seriously ill, battling a horrible virus in the intensive care unit at Northern Beaches hospital. With his brother, Channel 10 weatherman Tim Bailey, at his bedside urging him on, The Sketcher is showing plenty of ticker and fighting back. Get well soon, old mate. The office banter just isn’t the same.
BREKKY RADIO
Catch you Sunday morning on the weekend edition of the Big Sports Breakfast with Ray Thomas and Dean “Bulldog” Ritchie at 9.30am to discuss all the big issues in rugby league.
NINE DROP THE BALL...AGAIN
We have been critical in recent times of Channel 9’s lack of commitment to rugby league … and here is another reason why.
The free-to-air network has abandoned its coverage of state cup football in NSW and QLD in their recently renegotiated broadcast deal.
The Canterbury Cup and the Intrust Super Cup are important pathway competitions to the NRL in which clubs heavily rely on sponsorship they can generate from the TV exposure.
The competitions have been abandoned this year because of COVID-19 but Nine has pulled out for the final two years of their contract in 2021 and 2022, blaming production costs.
Fox Sports will continue to cover the NSW competition. To save production costs, Canterbury Cup games could be scheduled as curtain-raisers on Fox League games where cameras and outside broadcast teams are already set up.
The QRL and the NRL is looking to set up a live streaming service to ensure fans can stay tuned to their competition.
HARD-NOSED BULLDOG IN DEMAND
The Bulldogs’ best player, lock Adam Elliott, is attracting interest from rival clubs, with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
And he is likely to delay a decision until he knows if Dean Pay will be coaching.
Elliott’s partner Robyn recently gave birth to their first child and the 25-year-old is looking to set himself up with a long-term deal and a pay rise to justify the enormous improvement in his game.
“The Bulldogs have said they are about to put an offer to us,” Elliot’s manager David Riolo said.
“He’s happy there to a point but he’d like to see the roster improve. They’ve got some money but it depends how they plan to spend it.”
SUPER SAMOAN ON THE HUNT FOR GAL
The much-anticipated Paul Gallen fight with UFC warrior Mark Hunt is back on again.
Both fighters have signed contracts and promoter Matt Rose is now waiting to lock in a venue for September. Qudos Arena at Sydney Olympic Park is the likely location.
Hunt will start a hot favourite with bookmakers to beat the old Sharks and Blues Origin legend over six three-minute rounds.
“I’ll give him credit, he was a tough footballer,” Hunt said. “But I don’t think he knows what he has got himself into — it’s not State of Origin. I punch people in the face for a living!
“I’ve been keeping myself in condition during the corona shutdown and as soon as we have a date, I’m ready to go. And he’s not gonna know what hit him once he feels my power.”
MATTERSON’S SHOT AT MADGE
Parramatta Eels forward Ryan Matterson has had a crack at his old club the Wests Tigers on social media after the departure of Corey Thompson to the Gold Coast Titans.
“Players’ player last year and they didn’t want to use you this year,” he wrote, “You are an absolute freak of a player and will kill (it) up at the Titans.”
DOGS TURN TO TEST GREAT
Former Test cricketer Brad Haddin is working at the Canterbury Bulldogs to mentor the club’s leadership group. He would never say it publicly but we’re told Haddin is surprised that certain board members are so involved with the operations of the football department.
This will be an interesting one to keep an eye on because we know Chris Anderson, who was forced to stand down from the board because his businesses collapsed owing millions of dollars, is still on the edges and involved in talks with various player managers.
HOW NRL SURVIVED COVID DISASTER
The NRL has survived the COVID-19 financial disaster without having to use their recently secured $250 million line of credit from UK financiers. Independent commission chairman Peter V’landys was always against going into debt. “We should be trying to build instead of borrow,” he said.
BATEMAN GETS HACKED
Someone has hacked into Canberra forward John Bateman’s Wikipedia page. It falsely says he was a ballet dancer before he switched to rugby league and that “Dirty John” was a part-time stripper while at the Bradford Bulls in the UK Super League. Bateman is expected to make a decision on his future in the next week.
GREEN TIPS WONDER TWINS FOR GREATNESS
Boxing great Danny Green is tipping twins Andrew and Jason Moloney will become world champions this year in the US.
Fox Sports is covering their fights this week in Las Vegas, where Andrew will defend his world WBA super flyweight title against Texan Joshua Franco on Wednesday at 9am.
On Friday at the same time, Jason will fight Mexican bantamweight Leonardo Baez.
Despite COVID-19 and the issues with international travel, the twins flew to Las Vegas a month ago to prepare for the fights under the world’s biggest promoter, Top Rank’s Bob Arum.
“To have two young Australian fighters headline Top Rank shows at the MGM Grand is huge for our sport,” Green said. “They mightn’t be the biggest names in Australian sport just yet but we’re going to be hearing a lot more about them.
“It’s a great opportunity to see such fine young craftsmen in cracking fights. This isn’t a suburban RSL fight — this is Las Vegas.
“There’s no bigger promoter than Top Rank and they believe these boys will become world champions. They both enjoy a huge amount of respect in America.”