What’s the Buzz: Eels want to have a crack at signing Latrell Mitchell
Why the Parramatta Eels are determined not to pay overs for Clint Gutherson, Cody Walker’s good deed in the bush and ratings for a sports radio show are in free fall.
Why the Parramatta Eels are determined not to pay overs for Clint Gutherson, Cody Walker’s good deed in the bush and ratings for a sports radio show are in free fall. Don’t miss What’s the Buzz.
SAINT
Despite a short turnaround for the Thursday night game against the Broncos, South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker went bush to talk up rugby league and indigenous health.
After training on Monday afternoon, Walker flew to Dubbo then drove three hours to Condobolin with his manager Matt Rose.
He attended a training session with local juniors and stayed to sign autographs for more than 200 kids.
They drove to Dubbo that night for a Tuesday 9am flight to Sydney. This was a wonderful gesture in a busy week and shows why Walker has become such a respected figure in the game.
SINNER
Your columnist was on the receiving end of some vile and disgusting abuse from the keyboard cowards on social media last week. These people are sickos.
No wonder my colleague Paul Crawley has quit Twitter and Paul Kent refuses to use social media. Twitter is a great tool for sports journos to interact with fans but the behaviour of a minority of users is just disgraceful.
SHOOSH I
Which NRL coach is about to have a difficult conversation with a former State of Origin star about retiring at the end of the season. The highly paid player wants an extra 12 months while the coach is of the opinion he should hang up the boots.
SHOOSH II
Latrell Mitchell is the most sought after player among the NRL clubs for when he comes off contract next year. No fewer than 10 managers are bidding for his services following his split from old agent, Steve Deacon.
SHOOSH III
Which sports writer was left with his tail between his legs after a verbal exchange with old South Sydney super coach Wayne Bennett on Wednesday.
SPOTTED
Anxious executives at Sky Sports Radio on Monday when the latest survey revealed the Big Sports Breakfast ratings had plummeted by more than 50 per cent to an all-time low of 0.3. It’s a tough gig in the same timeslot as Alan Jones and Kyle & Jackie 0 but no excuse for rating that badly, especially with such a talent as Laurie Daley as co-host.
SPOTTED II
Footy legends and Fox Sports colleagues Gordie Tallis and Matty Johns having an afternoon on the drink and talking old footy stories at The Oaks Hotel in Double Bay last week.
SPOTTED III
The SCG is now the home ground of Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary but we didn’t expect the Blues Origin hopeful to be there last weekend as a spectator for the GWS-Swans AFL game.
SPOTTED IV
Former Australia and NSW forward Glenn Stewart at Brookvale Oval last weekend to watch Manly Sea Eagles’ victory over Canberra, his first trip to his old home ground since retiring from the NRL. Many ex-players have returned since Des Hasler was reappointed coach.
LEWIS RANKS ON TOP WITH ARUM
One of Australia’s most promising young boxers has been signed by Top Rank in the United States after just one professional fight.
Rio Olympian Daniel Lewis, the only boxer to have beaten the highly-rated Tim Tszyu, met legendary promoter and Top Rank boss Bob Arum in Las Vegas last week to sign a three-fight agreement.
Lewis has been in America for six weeks to spar IBF middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs, who fights Canelo Alvarez on Sunday afternoon in Sin City. The deal was set up by his agent, Peter Mitrevski Jr.
“He’s a really nice young man,” Arum said. “And everyone is raving about his talent. You cannot believe the buzz this kid has created just from his sparring.
“He handles himself like a far more experienced boxer and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. He looks very promising.”
Lewis will have his first fight as a Top Rank boxer on June 28 in San Diego.
In Sydney, he is under the care of top trainer Graham Shaw, who looked after Danny Geale and turned Cronulla Sharks warhorse into a heavyweight fighter.
ROOKIE BRONCO’S NICK KNOCK-BACK
The French restaurant Bistro Guillaume in Melbourne is often where big business deals are done.
Billionaire Roosters supremo Nick Politis had lunch there last year with boom Broncos teenager Tom Dearden, his parents and players agent Sam Ayoub.
It was the day before Queensland Under 18s played NSW at the MCG. Politis even took along the eighth Immortal and Roosters halves coach Andrew Johns to try to persuade the 18-year-old to become Cooper Cronk’s eventual replacement.
While impressed with what Politis had to offer, the Mackay junior decided to stay in Brisbane. He debuted against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night and did well.
WAYNE’S LOSING LEGACY
There is no doubting Wayne Bennett’s record as a coach with his six premierships plus the super job he is doing at South Sydney Rabbitohs.
However, the position in which he has left clubs in the past decade is interesting.
The year after he exited St George Illawarra, the Dragons failed to make the top eight.
The year after he left Newcastle, the Knights finished with the wooden spoon. And the year after he finished with Brisbane, the Broncos have won just two from eight.
GORMAN’S JOB MOVE
The future of Manly Sea Eagles chief executive Lyall Gorman remains uncertain as the NRL continues investigations into his previous role at the Cronulla Sharks during their salary cap scandal.
There is talk Gorman may soon step aside from the CEO role to work as project manager for Manly’s new $35 million centre of excellence project at Brookvale.
This job would apparently be outside of Manly’s NRL operations and would put him out of reach of the integrity unit in any further investigations. Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn has confirmed the club may be on the lookout for a new chief executive.
EELS SERIOUS ABOUT LATRELL
If superstar centre Latrell Mitchell leaves the Sydney Roosters at the end of next season, it won’t necessarily mean he’s heading to South Sydney.
We’re told Parramatta will also be a serious player in negotiations. It’s one of the reasons why the Eels are refusing to pay “overs” to keep any of their current squad, including fullback and skipper Clint Gutherson.
With 16 players coming off contract, the Eels have the biggest war chest in the game. They’re waiting for Mitchell to sort out his management issues before making a move.
HOOPS ROYALTY LAP UP HARBOUR
We broke the news in this column on March 24 that the USA Dream Team will play Canada in Sydney in August before the World Cup in China.
We are hearing the NBA stars will get the five-star treatment at the luxury Park Hyatt nestled under the Harbour Bridge with its stellar views of the Opera House. Our basketball sources tell us that the NBA stars are keen to stay in Sydney as long as possible before the World Cup chaos in Shanghai. Tickets go on sale to the general public from Ticketek on Wednesday.
CALL IN CLEAR
For the 29th straight year, 2GB’s Continuous Call team has won the first round of rugby league radio ratings. It has more than doubled the ABC and Triple M on Saturdays.
Triple M does much better on Sundays with its big-hitters Gorden Tallis and Paul Kent but still trails 2GB. The fact Matty Johns left and, as a result, breakfast ratings crashed is not helping their cause.
FLETCH’S CAMERON SMITH GAG
We can’t wait for the Matty Johns Show at 6pm after the footy on Sunday following this tweet from Fox Sports’ head of television Steve Crawley. “Tipping there’s something there that might make it best ever,” he said. “Somewhere between hilarious and shocking. Sworn to secrecy.”We’re told it’s something outrageous involving mad Bryan Fletcher and Melbourne Storm skipper Cameron Smith.
“It’s one of the great ‘gotchas’ we’ve seen,” Crawley said.
■ Catch you on Controversy Corner after Matty Johns, with Graeme Hughes, Steve “Blocker” Roach and Geoff Toovey to discuss all the big rugby league issues.
BRENNAN MALFUNCTION
Pressure is building on Gold Coast Titans coach Garth Brennan amid talk the club wants Mal Meninga to get more involved in a mentoring role. The Titans are just two from eight despite the off-season recruitment of utility Tyrone Peachey, prop Shannon Boyd and centre Brian Kelly.
The loss to the struggling Cowboys on Friday night leaves Brennan under the pump.
FITNESS FIRST
It’s great to see our top NRL executives keeping fit and healthy. We spotted CEO Todd Greenberg, his deputy Nick Weeks, head of commercial Andrew Abdo and head of football Graham Annesley power walking along the Strand Esplanade in Townsville at 7am on Friday before their meeting with the North Queensland Cowboys.
Ex-NRL star’s impressive heavyweight KO
Alex Leapai Jr, a promising NRL front-rower before making the switch to boxing, has impressed with a dominant knockout.
Bulldogs ramp up Hunt chase after missing out on Storm star
The Bulldogs are set to turn their attention back to Ben Hunt, after Canterbury supremo Phil Gould failed in a secret last-ditch attempt to poach Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen.