Tyson Frizell denies he wants to quit the Dragons, Canberra’s green barbie, old Tigers get together
After St George Illawarra’s awful season and rumours of a switch to Parramatta, Tyson Frizell has been forced to deny suggestions he wants to quit the Dragons. PLUS, would you eat Canberra’s green snags?
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St George Illawarra’s star back-rower Tyson Frizell has again been forced to defend his future at the club after reports surfaced — for the second time in recent months — that he wanted out of the Dragons.
Frizell quashed suggestions this week that he wanted to move on from the Dragons immediately, despite having a year to run on his deal.
This time the representative forward was linked to a potential move to Parramatta.
But Frizell reinforced his commitment to the Red V despite their disastrous 2019.
“I am not looking to get out of my contract at all nor am I unhappy at the club,” Frizell said.
“I have no idea where these rumours come from.”
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Frizell extended his stay at the Dragons until next year in 2016. And next year he is on a significant monetary whack.
Frizell has had preliminary discussions with the Dragons about staying beyond next year.
Part of those talks have included Frizell’s management getting a gauge about their client’s potential worth on the open market — which is potentially why news of Frizell wanting out has surfaced.
Frizell was on hand to watch the Dragons’ Canterbury Cup side play at Kogarah Oval on Sunday and was around the club again earlier this week. No one at the Dragons has any indication that Frizell wants out.
Complicating the chances of an early extension is that the Dragons are unsure how much cap space they will have until Jack de Belin’s future is sorted out. De Belin, who will know before round one if he will play again, is also off-contact at the end of next season.
TURNING US GREEN
CANBERRA put on a green-themed barbecue for players at their media gathering this week, from green snags, to bread rolls and mint-flavoured milk.
We entrusted The Daily Telegraph’s Delicious editor Sally Coates to give a no-holds barred food review.
“Don’t point those dirty green sausages at me,” Coates told us.
“Never before has there been a more appropriate time to quote Shrek. It was a nice try from the Raiders for their media day but their sturdy Webber looked like Shrek and his entire family came down with a nasty bout of leprosy.
“However, even though thou shalt never mess with the classics, the sausage sanga is a classic for a reason and it’d take more than industrial grade food colouring to detract from its glory.
“I just hope chef checked the list of ingredients on the bottle ahead of the preliminary final, because if the boys develop Hulk-like abilities it’ll be hard to blame the green snags. I rate this meal 2.5/5 leprosy-riddled ogre digits.”
Winger Jordan Rapana was not deterred though with our spies telling us he polished off six sangers and a flavoured milk.
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BUNNIES REFLECT ON THEIR WINS
SOUTH Sydney’s leadership group has been holding post-game meetings throughout the finals.
Skipper Sam Burgess, Damien Cook, Adam Reynolds, John Sutton and Cody Walker spent about half an hour discussing the plan for the week following the club’s come from behind win against Manly last Friday.
Cook said it was something they had adopted just for the NRL finals series.
“We did it from the first finals game because you don’t know when you’re going to be playing,” Cook said. “We just wanted to check in so we know what we’re doing. Sam is the main captain. Sutto (Sutton) is someone who leads by his example but when he speaks you listen.
“We have to be on the same page and play for the 80 minutes, not get frustrated in certain situations.”
Cook knows a repeat of the performance against the Sea Eagles will leave the Rabbitohs one game short of the grand final for consecutive seasons.
“If we play like that I think we will lose,” Cook said. “I won’t say we got lucky because Manly are a good side. That’s why there were in the finals.
“We have to be a lot better. (Canberra) went down to Melbourne, frustrated them and completed well in a high pressure game. That’s what we have to get back to doing.”
TIME HEALS TIGERS
FOR 30 years they’ve lived with being the jilted bridesmaid, unwilling to celebrate their part in one of league finest moments. But on Tuesday it all changed.
For it was 30 years to the day that the best grand final ever was played and so the Balmain Tigers — who always regarded the premiership loss to Canberra with bitter regret — decided enough time had passed and so got together for a first reunion.
For Paul Sironen — who organised the reunion at the Balmain Hotel, where it later kicked on at Dick’s — it just seemed right. Every other year was always too soon.
Few noticed, but shortly before 3pm big Sirro just disappeared.
Right on 3pm he re-emerged dressed in full Balmain playing strip, complete with the black electrical tape wrapped around his head, and began warming up like he was ready to run on.
It was a highlight moment in what was a brilliant day.
Up the Mighty Tigers.
EMBARRASSING, DAD
Could be interesting the next time the Lang family gets together.
Martin Lang hit out at the slapping rule on Twitter after Cameron Smith’s sin-binning on Saturday night. However, dad John was part of the competition committee which approved automatic sin-bins for slapping.
TOP MEDICO A TARGET
MULTIPLE sporting franchises are chasing strength and conditioning guru Alex Corvo.
The former Storm and Broncos performance boss recently parted company with the Warriors after a “philosophical difference” with another football staffer.
Corvo still had a year remaining on his contract but refused to compromise on the high standards that make him one of the leaders in his field.
FRIEND OR FOE
A nagging calf could be the latest setback for Sydney Roosters co-captain Jake Friend.
Friend has had a disastrous year with injuries including a broken collarbone and forearm.
Despite being named in an extended squad to play Melbourne, a calf injury could rule him out of Saturday’s qualifying final at the SCG. Friend has played just five games this year.
SPOTTED: This photo shows just how serious former Swans player Barry Hall is taking his upcoming fight with Paul Gallen. Hall has been going through his paces with ex-world champ Danny Green in the lead-up to the bout. The fight is expected to take place in Melbourne on November 15.
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BILL’S STROG ENOUGH
WE see players push through the pain barrier every match. But what about those on our TV screens?
A dodgy beef stroganoff played havoc with Bill Woods on the Bill and Boz show this week.
Woods started feeling crook mid-show but waited for an ad break before rushing to the bathroom to be “reunited” with his stroganoff.
Woods returned to finish the show leaving the audience none the wiser.
AUNTY’S IMAGINARY FINALS
THE ABC’s phantom premiership grand final kicks off this Sunday.
Throughout the year Andrew Moore has been calling mock matches between some of the greatest premier teams with winners progressing through each week.
Moore doesn’t pre-mediate the outcome and has called whatever has come into his mind alongside co-commentator Luke Lewis.
The grand final pits the 1989 Raiders against the 1998 Broncos, meaning Kevin Walters can’t lose as he turned out for both teams.
We’re told Julie Anthony will sing the anthem and John Farnham is the halftime entertainment.
Highlights have been Lewis calling himself in action, Ricky Stuart coaching against himself while Matt Prior took on himself when the 2010 Dragons clashed with 2016 Sharks. The call starts at 1.35pm on Sunday.
SPOTTED: An Australian rugby fan in Sapporo, Japan wearing a T-shirt showing a parody of a social media post by former Australian rugby player Israel Folau. It was the post which eventually led to Folau’s sacking. The last sentence of Folau’s post was changed from “Only Jesus saves” to “Only rugby saves”.
In the unlikely event Folau makes a return to rugby league with Tonga he would take on Australia on the same day as the World Cup final.
KNIGHTS PLAN FOR LADIES
NEWCASTLE are the latest team to push forward with plans for a spot in an expanded NRLW competition.
The Knights are putting the final touches on a proposal to be included in the 2021 season where it is expected the competition will jump from four teams.
The Knights already has a Tarsha Gale Cup side club and is on the verge of locking down the Country Rugby League Newcastle team who won the Harvey Norman NSW women’s grand final.
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LEEDS have made a play to entice Cronulla’s Matt Prior to the club. The move would reunite Prior with close friend and 2010 St George Illawarra premiership-winning teammate Trent Merrin.