Warrington coach Steve Price on why he was happy to sign Greg Inglis
Pulling any player out of retirement is always a gamble but it was Greg Inglis’ burning ambition that convinced Warrington coach Steve Price that the South Sydney great was worth the risk.
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When Warrington coach Steve Price held an online meeting with Greg Inglis, he needed little convincing to pursue the superstar, who told him: “I want to win a premiership in two countries.”
Wolves player Jason Clark first alerted Price to the potential of signing Inglis a few weeks ago and Price knew he was on to a winner the instant he spoke with GI.
“He said the motivation was to be a multiple premiership winner in a different country,” Price told Sports Confidential from England.
“His face looks healthy. He is happy with his partner and he has dropped a bit of weight. His body looks completely repaired.
“He displayed all those big-ticking qualities we look for.”
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While playing this year was never on their radar, Price hasn’t ruled out
keeping Inglis at Warrington beyond his one-year deal next season. He will join a star-studded backline that includes England halves Blake Austin and Gareth Widdop.
“He can play a number of positions but his best position is centre,” Price said.
The impact of Inglis’s announcement was felt instantly, his name trending No.3 in the UK, and Price said it had given the Warrington community a much-needed lift.
“It’s been massive,” Price said. “Because of the pandemic there have been lots of deaths at Warrington hospital. Greg’s signing has been uplifting. We’ve already seen what Sonny Bill (Williams) and James Maloney’s signings have done for the Super League but this will be bigger.”
The coronavirus is keeping Super League shut down and there is no clear start date. The best hope is the competition resuming in July.
Meanwhile, Catalans are expecting to extend Israel Folau’s one-year contract with the club.
REYNOLDS DELIVERS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
ON yer bike has taken on a new meaning for Souths skipper Adam Reynolds.
Reynolds became a makeshift delivery rider to help launch the Rabbitohs’ latest sponsor at a time when some clubs are struggling to hold on to their corporate partners.
Food delivery service Menulog will feature on the front of the Rabbitohs’ shorts for the rest of the season.
Rabbitohs members will benefit, too, getting 25 per cent off their order when Souths play the Roosters next Friday.
“We’re really excited to be able to work with one of the biggest brands in Australia, Menulog, to grow our businesses together, and also provide some fantastic offers for our 30,000 members,” Souths CEO Blake Solly said.
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THE Raiders are unhappy with their allocation of free-to-air games and will now be sweating on the Queensland government easing its biosecurity protocols after being handed two matches in the Sunshine State.
Canberra trio Josh Papalii, Joe Tapine and Sia Soliola won’t be able to play in Townsville on August 1, and against the Titans three weeks later, unless the no-jab, no-play policy is eased. Manly only have one game in Queensland.
LISTEN! Adam Mobbs, Phil Rothfield and Michael Carayannis are back with The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast to discuss the revamped draw, South Sydney’s salary cap in the wake of Greg Inglis coming out of retirement, the fallout from Cody Walker’s street fight and Wayne Bennett’s hand in the cover-up, PLUS Paul Gallen, is this comeback for real?
WARRIORS ONCE MORE
THE cavalry is slowly arriving for the Warriors who have signed young Canberra prop Jack Murchie for the rest of the season. Murchie, 22, will join the injury ravaged Warriors and provide much-needed depth for them.
The Warriors are working through a host of potential loan players with some deals expected to be as short as six weeks. Tigers forward Matt Eisenhuth is on the ever-growing list of players the club is trying to land from rival clubs.
The Warriors have moved out of their Tamworth bubble and to the Central Coast. Their stay in Tamworth was disastrous on the field with Leeson Ah Mau, Adam Keighran and Jazz Tevaga all getting long-term injuries.
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THERE are discussions to push back the June 30 deadline for player trade cut-offs. With the comp now ending late in October, there is an expectation player movements for this season could happen later. Clarity is expected next week, but one date that has been mentioned is July 31.
FLASHBACK: PARRA’S PAY SCANDAL
PARRAMATTA were down and out this time five years ago when engulfed in a salary cap cheating scandal.
Colleague Phil Rothfield reported the Eels deliberately ignored NRL warnings they were in danger of serious salary cap breaches in 2014. The NRL reacted by fining the club $525,000 and threatened to dock four competition points in 2016 — unless they undertook an independent management review.
“Today’s findings again highlight that dark period for our club between 2010 and 2013,” then chairman Steve Sharp said.
DEADLINE FOR NRL
UNLESS a deal can be struck between the NRL and referees on Friday, they will appear before the Fair Work Commission on Saturday and Sunday.
Chairman Peter V’landys is expected to be a witness, as will NRL head of football Graham Annesley. Acting CEO Andrew Abdo, who could also be called on, said he was hopeful of a resolution by the end of the day.
“I’m confident we will be playing on May 28,” Abdo said. “(If we don’t have a decision), we have arbitration on the weekend. We are confident we will have kick-off. Whether it’s one ref or two refs, it’s a matter for Fair Work Australia.”
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Steve Simpson
216 NRL games for Newcastle between 1999-2010. Seven Tests & 13 Origins for NSW.
Just a few games into his career as a 19-year-old, Steve Simpson was struggling with his hands.
It prompted his Knights coach Warren Ryan to hand him three oranges.
“I had a couple of issues with my hands,” Simpson said. “I was rushing things and he told me I needed to relax.
“He threw me the oranges and told me to juggle them. It was pretty random and I thought ‘this old bugger doesn’t know what he is doing’ and he was picking on me. But it worked and it improved my hands out sight.
“I would do it three to four times a week at home — usually with tennis balls. It was something I did regularly right until the back end of my career.
“I didn’t realise how good of a coach Warren was until he left the club. He got me into some great habits.”
Simpson went on to become one the Knights’ best — winning a premiership in 2001 and rising to be an Australian and NSW regular.
While he is proud of staying a one-club man, he was tempted by huge offers from rivals throughout his career.
The biggest came from Manly ahead of the 2006 season, where they wanted him to eventually replace former Newcastle teammate Ben Kennedy who was in his final season.
“There were five or six clubs that were keen that season, but Manly threw a fair bit of a cash at me,” Simpson said. “That was the one I thought about the most and I went and met the coach (Des Hasler). But I’m proud to have stayed in Newcastle and what we were able to achieve.”
Nowadays, the no-nonsense backrower is about as far away from the footy field as one could be.
Simpson and wife Jacqui recently relocated to Maitland where they have launched a cut-flower business on their farm, where they supply flowers to local florists.
“We are just getting it off the ground,” Simpson said of Pearlbrook Flower Farm.
“We have close to 40 acres in the middle of Maitland and there are productive soils so we were looking for some farming interest. My wife has the knowledge, I do the farming.”