What’s the Buzz: Gal angered by SBW fight snub and Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
SONNY Bill Williams has angered Sharks legend Paul Gallen by agreeing to make a boxing comeback in December — but not against the Cronulla skipper.
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SONNY Bill Williams has angered Sharks legend Paul Gallen by agreeing to make a boxing comeback in December — but not against the Cronulla skipper.
The All Blacks superstar has signed with celebrity agent Max Markson to fight at the Darling Harbour convention centre against a soon-to-be-disclosed opponent.
Like the “Thrilla in Manila” and the “Rumble in the Jungle”, Markson is promoting Sonny Bill’s fight as the “Banger under the Hanger” for the rugby star’s first fight in three years.
Gallen has always accused Sonny Bill of being too scared to fight him.
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“I respected Sonny as a great athlete but I’m really disappointed he’s still avoiding me,” Gallen said. “We had a deal done last year and agreed to terms.
“I thought it should be a 50/50 share of takings but I even agreed to him getting 70/30 just to make it happen.”
Two weeks ago Gallen publicly challenged Williams in a live television cross from Channel 9 to the dinner SBW was attending for Roosters supremo Nick Politis.
“For sure, “SBW said. “I respect your game, and if I do get back in the ring I’ll come knocking on your door.
“To be honest, I’m trying to create a bit of space and a bit of time to get this body right so we can jump in the ring and do that dance.”
Markson has refused to reveal who SBW will be fighting in the first week of December.
SAINT
IF every rugby league official was as upfront and honest as Cronulla Sharks CEO Barry Russell the NRL would be a fairer game. That he took it upon himself to report suspect salary cap payments to the integrity unit was a move that, under Russell’s watch, will ensure the integrity of the Sharks is never again questioned.
SINNER
THE vile cowards and social media trolls who try to terrorise and intimidate journalists for simply doing their job. The filthy Twitter comments directed at your columnist for revealing the Cronulla Sharks salary cap scandal will never take away the desire to break big stories.
SHOOSH
WHICH rugby league media personality has applied for the football general manager’s job at the Parramatta Eels to run junior pathways, high performance, player welfare and the salary cap among other chores. One hint, he used to play a bit of first grade.
SHOOSH II
WHICH South Sydneystar was seen tapping away on the pokies in enemy territory at Easts Leagues on Tuesday night? The Rabbitoh, who has a young family, was spotted by Roosters players at the club to launch the tricolours’ women’s rugby league side.
SPOTTED
HE used to be tough enough to play rugby league in the front row, but these days Daryl “Big Marn” Brohman needs a cosy blanket over his chubby legs to enjoy his winter coffee at Bianchini’s in the Shire.
SPOTTED II
LEGENDARY Wallabies halfback Nick Farr-Jones staying at the Bundanoon Hotel in the Southern Highlands last week.
SPOTTED III
SHARKS prop Aaron Woods demolishing a plate of fish, calamari and prawns (no chips) at Notaras Seafood Markets in Cronulla.
SPOTTED IV
BOOM Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell leaving a conveyancing solicitors office at Coogee, indicating he is about to use his footy dollars to buy property in the eastern suburbs.
SPOTTED V
EX-Rooster and Bulldog “Rocket” Rod Silva in a police uniform at Sutherland train station on Friday … taking time for a selfie with commuters on their way home from work.
SPOTTED VI
FORMER Penrith Panthers prop Tim Browne, who quit the game after suffering a serious bowel injury earlier this year, at NRL headquarters in Moore Park where he is learning more about the running of the game with a view to
a career in sports administration.
CLOUD OVER RICH DEAL
SOCCER’S $55 million-a-year broadcast deal with Fox Sports to cover the A-League could be jeopardised by the possibility of the elite competition breaking away from FFA.
The television contract is with FFA, the organisation that would be left to run the grassroots game, the Socceroos and the Matildas, while the A-League owners establish their own competition.
Ratings were so poor last year Fox Sports would be reluctant to pay anywhere near the $55 million mark to cover the A-League comp.
Especially as the pay-TV network has acquired the rights to every cricket game and no longer needs to rely as heavily on soccer for summer programming and subscription sales.
ELKIN CLEARED
THE integrity unit has cleared high performance guru Trent Elkin to return to the NRL. The sports trainer was caught up in the Cronulla Sharks peptides scandal but is now being chased by two clubs. We’re hearing Cowboys coach Paul Green is keen. He’s conducting a review of his high performance department after a disappointing year in Townsville.
TRULY A HEADLINE ACT
WHEN the NSW Blues won Origin in 2014 The Daily Telegraph honoured coach Laurie Daley by changing its masthead to The Daley Telegraph. Last week the Central Coast Express Advocate newspaper did something similar by renaming the paper the Usain Bolt Express Advocate to cash in on the extraordinary interest surrounding his soccer debut on Friday night. The newspaper carried 11 pages on the sprint champ, a mask and even Jamaican cooking recipes.
THREE CHEERS FOR BOOMIES
YOUR columnist’s favourite bush footy team — the Moree Boomerangs — are in Sunday’s Group 19 grand finals in all three grades.
It’s a remarkable performance from a town that keeps on producing the most gifted and skilful indigenous footballers who play on natural instinct rather than the structure of game plans.
In a tight-knit community, the three coaches with grand final teams have their own sons playing. One local family has five of their boys in the three grades.
And a shout out to club president Mitchell Johnston, who slept is sleeping in the canteen on Saturday night to be up at dawn to set up the ground and mark the field.
LISTEN! Nick Campton and Tim Williams preview Round 25, get the season reviews going and lament their truly appalling tipping skills.
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ROYAL SIGHTING
THE old Prince of Brookvale — Brett Stewart — is back on the northern peninsula after a stint in Melbourne running a restaurant.
We spotted him twice last week in Manly — once with outgoing coach Trent Barrett and on another occasion with former teammate Anthony Watmough.
WAR OF WORDS
THERE has been a huge falling out in boxing circles between old champions Jeff Fenech and Jeff Harding. Word got back to Fenech that Harding had been bagging him to others in the fight game. The pair exchanged unprintable words in a heated phone call. Fenech is disappointed because he has privately given Harding a lot of support in difficult times over the years.
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