Sport Confidential: Storm youngster Sua Fa’alogo in line for mega-deal
Melbourne insist Sua Fa’alogo is going nowhere and have kicked-off talks on a long-term extension to stave off poaching threats for the backline sensation.
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Brenko Lee is evidence not all NRL stars have it as easy as it seems.
Three years after his brilliant Origin debut in Queensland’s epic boilover of NSW in the 2020 Suncorp decider, Lee has returned to the workforce to help pay the bills.
Lee, who won a premiership ring at the Storm in 2020, joined the Dolphins for their historic foundation season this year, but the new NRL franchise severed ties with the 28-year-old last month.
That has forced Lee to get a day job.
The 104kg centre or winger is currently working as a concreter as he desperately attempts to revive his career in the English Super League.
Lee initially had interest from two Super Leagues clubs, including Catalans, but the French club has yet to table a deal at this stage.
The former Tonga Test representative has played 88 NRL games and his backline size and big-game experience could be a handy asset for a Super League outfit.
ROO BEAUTY! MENINGA’S CONTRACT COUP
The ARL Commission is set to extend the contract of Mal Meninga in a move that could see the Australian coach chalk up 10 years of service with the Kangaroos.
Sport Confidential can reveal ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has backed Meninga to remain at the helm of the national team next season with a view to the NRL Immortal leading the Kangaroos for the 2025 Ashes.
Meninga is out of contract in 12 days’ time from November 1, which means he could go into the Pacific Championships final on November 4 in Hamilton as technically a free agent with no official obligation to the Kangaroos.
But V’landys insists Meninga will not be lost to the Australian program, revealing plans to rubberstamp a new deal for the 47-Test icon who coached the Kangaroos to glory at last year’s World Cup.
As Meninga prepares to engineer New Zealand’s downfall in Saturday week’s trans-Tasman Test at Melbourne’s AAMI Park, V’landys says the ARLC is keen for ‘Big Mal’ to uphold his Kangaroos legacy.
“I would love for him to go on absolutely,” V’landys said.
“The coach of the Australian team is a decision for the Commission. We have some time to make a decision but we’ll get it done sooner rather than later.
“He is the full package for us, so we would absolutely hope he goes on.”
Meninga was appointed in 2016 after winning nine Origin series in 10 years for Queensland and he has amassed an imposing record, coaching Australia to 21 wins from 23 games for a 91 per cent success rate.
Despite maintaining Australia’s rage, Meninga last year baulked at committing to another term, saying he wanted to see a detailed international program from authorities before he decided whether to coach on.
The RLIF, of which V’landys is a board member, has delivered in that regard. In August, they formalised a Test schedule until 2030, including England touring Australia in 2025 before a World Cup in the southern hemisphere in 2026.
The detailed program is likely to be palatable to Meninga, a passionate advocate of international football who has made it his mission to build the Kangaroos brand and improve the standard of Test football.
“Mal is perfect for the job,” V’landys said.
“Mal is a great coach and just as importantly, a great ambassador for the code.
“He has put the pride back into the green and gold jumper. It is the ultimate honour in the game to wear the green and gold of Australia, that is the pinnacle of the game.
“Mal has instilled that culture in the team and they are proud to play for Australia.
“He has done a great job doing that.”
Meninga said his passion for the job has not waned, despite being tested during two Covid-affected years that ravaged the Test and Kangaroos calendar.
“It’s great to be picking up again after Covid and our responsibility is back on the Australian team,” Meninga said.
“There are no easy games anymore which is great for the international game. Anyone can win on their day, that’s the way we are preparing in this tournament.
“We want to see competitive Test matches and we’ve got that now.”
SUPER SUA’S STORM BONANZA
Melbourne insist Sua Fa’alogo is going nowhere and have kicked-off talks on a long-term extension to stave off poaching threats for the backline sensation.
Sport Confidential can reveal Storm chiefs have begun negotiations to keep Fa’alogo in Melbourne until the end of 2027 as the 20-year-old’s star keeps rising following his sizzling 2023 campaign.
Fa’alogo was outstanding in Samoa’s 38-12 loss to Australia last Saturday night, amassing 157 metres from 14 runs, 11 tackle busts, one line break and one line-break assist in a stunning Test debut.
The 20-year-old’s performance against the world champions came just six weeks after his brilliant two-try NRL debut, which included the matchwinner, for the Storm in their 32-22 last-round defeat of the Broncos.
Originally contracted until the end of next year, Fa’alogo is now well under lock and key. The Storm have already activated an option for 2025 and now Melbourne are in the process of a fresh extension to secure the future superstar for the next four years.
Fa’alogo will be promoted to Melbourne’s full-time squad next season and it appears only a matter of time before he is a regular starter in the NRL.
There are concerns as to whether Fa’alogo faces a roadblock at Melbourne given the club already has Ryan Papenhuyzen, the fullback champion who bravely fought his way back from a broken kneecap and is now battling an ankle injury.
But even if the 25-year-old Papenhuyzen fights back to cement the fullback spot, Storm coach Craig Bellamy plans to give Fa’alogo plenty of game time, potentially in the No.14 jumper in 2024.
Fa’alogo faces a cracking fullback duel with Kiwi ace Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in Saturday’s Test between New Zealand and Samoa at Auckland’s Eden Park.
Australia coach Mal Meninga lauded Fa’alogo’s ability.
“Fa’alogo has great speed,” he said. “He is only young and inexperienced, but at this level he is going to get that sort of experience which is ideal for the Melbourne Storm as well. He is certainly a player to watch.”
MAM’S THE WORD
The Broncos are racing to finalise a multi-year contract extension for rising five-eighth Ezra Mam before he hits the NRL’s open market.
Mam could become one of the NRL’s most wanted players after being crowned Dally M five-eighth of the year and his phenomenal grand final hat-trick.
The Broncos opened contract talks with Mam’s management months ago to extend his tenure beyond his current deal, which expires at the end of 2025.
Negotiations were put on hold as the Broncos progressed through the finals, but they’ve ramped up again in recent weeks.
The Broncos are confident Mam will remain at Red Hill and are hoping to have an extension finalised in the next fortnight before he enters free agency on November 1.
Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan inked three and five-year upgrades respectively earlier this season and Mam is next in line for Broncos bosses.
“That’s my aim, to stay here at the Broncos,” Mam said.
“I want to start another generation here.
“It (signing a new deal) would definitely be a great opportunity to jump on the bandwagon here with the other boys and make the Broncos great again.”
CROFT HAS ONE EYE ON NRL
He may have just agreed terms with Leeds Rhinos but former Broncos halfback Brodie Croft has not ruled out a return to the NRL.
Sport Confidential can reveal Croft’s new three-year deal with the Super League club contains a get-out clause should the playmaker get an opportunity to resurrect his career in the NRL.
Incredibly, Leeds were forced to pay a whopping $575,000 to Salford for Croft on top of his $2 million Rhinos contract – Super League’s biggest transfer deal in almost 20 years.
Croft has been a revelation in England – he won the Man of Steel award as England’s No.1 player in 2022 – and the 26-year-old believes he could one day return to the NRL a more mature shot-caller.
Croft has been linked with the Tigers, Dragons and Titans over the past 18 months and has time on his side to emulate the likes of Blake Green and Jackson Hastings by coming back to the NRL after a stint in England.
“Brodie has some NRL clauses in his Leeds deal,” said his manager Chris Orr of PSM.
“With the abundance of NRL halfbacks coming towards the end of their contracts for 2024, who knows, Brodie Croft could still one day come back to the NRL.
“All the best halfbacks in the NRL are aged 28-plus. With the experience Brodie has gathered and the form he is in … from what I have seen in the current market, Brodie has a lot to offer an NRL club.
“He is certainly keen to come back one day but it is all based around opportunity and what’s the right opportunity.”
Orr believes Croft’s 55-game stint at Salford, where he led the Red Devils to the playoffs last year, has taken him to another level after his failed stint at the Broncos in 2020-21.
“It’s hard to put an old head on young shoulders as a playmaker,” said Orr, who played 27 first-grade games for the Gold Coast in 1995-97.
“Daly Cherry-Evans is 34 and still playing great football at Manly.
“Younger halves are struggling with the pressures of NRL and sometimes they need a longer runway to mature.
“Brodie is looking forward to his time at Leeds, but he has plenty of time to come back to the NRL.”
KEVVIE ON FIJI TIME
Broncos coach Kevin Walters could certainly do with a getaway after Brisbane’s heartbreaking 26-24 loss to Penrith in this year’s NRL grand final.
Walters is off to Fiji to celebrate the wedding of his son Billy. The Broncos hooker proposed to his partner Rachel last year and the couple have a young son Hugo, to whom ‘Kevvie’ is a doting grandad.
Billy had an outstanding 2023 campaign, playing 26 games and his brilliant late-season development has now seen him cement the hotly-contested No.9 jumper.
THURSTON’S ADVICE FOR LATRELL MITCHELL
Cowboys champion Johnathan Thurston has urged under-pressure South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell to ignore his critics and guide the Rabbitohs back to NRL title contention.
Mitchell has come under fire in recent months, with his commitment to the game questioned on the back of South Sydney’s crash.
Mitchell has been accused of wielding too much power at Redfern and was criticised for playing in the Koori Knockout after being ruled out of Kangaroos contention due to injury.
An Indigenous icon himself, Thurston carried a heavy burden throughout his NRL career and said you can’t please everyone.
“There are always haters out there,” Thurston said.
“He understands the role he plays in the community, the things he does and lives he’s changing. He is doing some wonderful work and was recognised with the Ken Stephen Medal.
“He is firmly entrenched in the community. The people who come across him know the type of player he is.”
Mitchell and five-eighth Cody Walker were in the crossfires following assistant coach Sam Burgess’ abrupt departure from the Rabbitohs.
But Thurston is backing the duo to come out firing in 2024 and help the Bunnies back into title contention.
“Him and Cody are the superstars of that side,” he said.
“Latrell has won premierships, Origin series, a World Cup. He has achieved everything in the game.
“But when you’re at a strong club like the Bunnies, they are expected to challenge for the premiership every year with the roster they’ve got.
“There’s no doubt he will be putting his head down and bum up to work hard.”
Earlier this season, NSW Origin and Test star Mitchell said no amount of criticism will force him into his shell after he was racially abused by a teenage Panthers fan at Penrith’s Bluebet Stadium.
“That’s Australian culture isn’t it, the tall poppy (syndrome) stuff?” Mitchell said.
“I can say this. I won’t be changing.
“A lot of people would love for me to stand in line and shut my mouth, but I won’t do that.
“I will always stand up for my heritage, for my culture and being a voice for all Australian kids.
“It’s about time we rubbed racism out of our game and out of our sports. Even in the AFL, the poor fellas cop it there.
“I will support anyone who gets racially abused or vilified.
“It’s all about us moving forward and growing as a game.
“Sport kept us alive during Covid and we should appreciate sports stars because we kept a lot of people in Australia sane while we were all locked up indoors.
“We should be grateful for the sports we have and the great entertainers in the NRL.”
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