What’s the Buzz: Saint, sinner, shoosh
A Broncos star on the way out, two big names at a leading club clashing and more — all the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
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ALL the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
SAINT
IF there’s State of Origin in Heaven, they now have the best commentary team in Darrell Eastlake, Jack Gibson and Mike Gibson. The booming voice of Eastlake, who passed away on Thursday, will forever be part of Origin folklore.
MORE WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Meet the NRL’s new media tart
SINNER
PLAYERS’ union boss Ian Prendergast has jumped on board with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and his social media campaign #NRLtalkthegameup. This is the same bloke who talked up a players’ strike last season and squeezed the game for every penny it had in the collective bargaining negotiations, forcing the NRL to apply for a $30 million bank loan in order to do a deal with the players.
SPOTTED
EXILED cricketer Dave Warner keeping himself in good shape during his 12-month suspension with a session at Titan gym in Coogee last Monday morning.
SPOTTED II
PARRAMATTA Eels legend Ray Price still working as a bus driver on the Gold Coast at 65 years of age. He still loves watching the Eels, despite their poor form.
SPOTTED III
JOSH Dugan telling media at Cronulla training he had banned your columnist from any interviews for reporting he had been chucked out of Cronulla RSL. A badge of honour!
SPOTTED IV
A COUPLE of tiny but mighty old Sharks halves, Perry Haddock and Barry Russell, enjoying a coffee in Cronulla on Tuesday.
SPOTTED V
CRONULLA chairman Dino Mezzatesta at Balla restaurant at The Star with ex-Sharks Michael Ennis and Brett Kimmorley.
SPOTTED VI
TODD Carney having breakfast in the same restaurant in Townsville as Todd Greenberg — just hours before the league boss met the Cowboys board to determine whether Carney can return to the NRL.
SHOOSH
WHICH NRL chief executive was spotted in his team’s dressing-room huddle before the players took the field recently?
SHOOSH II
WHICH Broncos star is trying to work up the courage to tell coach Wayne Bennett he will be leaving after this season?
SHOOSH III
WHICH two players at a leading NRL club are about as far apart as Daly Cherry-Evans and Jackson Hastings? It’s potentially a big story.
SHOOSH IV
WHICH NRL head coach is involved in a nasty legal dispute with a prominent player manager over his own contract?
SPONSORS LIKE OTHER SIDE OF STEVE
EXILED Australia cricket captain Steve Smith may have been dumped by Weet-Bix and the Commonwealth Bank but other corporate giants want to get on board.
Smith’s manager Warren Craig has been fielding phone calls and emails for several weeks from potential new sponsors.
“It’s all turned around for Steve after his press conference in Sydney,” Craig said, “and he’s been incredibly humbled by all the support.
“New Balance, Fox Sports and Koala Mattress have all stood by him.
“Plus, there have also been other corporate enquiries that we’ll look at down the track.
“People know more about Steve Smith than they did before. In some respects, it’s been good for people to see the other side of him as a very genuine person.”
SOCCER’S PAY TV LIFT
DAVID Gallop is expecting a huge boost in A-League TV ratings next season as a result of Fox Sports’ new deal with Australian cricket.
Gallop says pay-TV subscribers who often cancel their services after the NRL and AFL grand finals until the start of the following seasons are now more likely to sign up for 12 months.
Soccer will be competing against cricket over the summer months but more homes will have Foxtel boxes to watch soccer.
“It will be a good result for us in terms of ratings,” Gallop said.
“The more people who have Fox Sports, the better it is for us.”
SUBURBAN FOOTY PUSH
THE push to get funding for the NRL’s suburban grounds continues with some powerful government and opposition figures wanting to get on board.
It would be outside of the government’s commitment to build a new Allianz Stadium and rebuild ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.
Spending money in the lead-up to next year’s election on the outdated facilities at Brookvale Oval, Belmore, Shark Park, Penrith and Leichhardt Oval is seen as a much smarter move to win votes across the Sydney metropolitan area.
QUEENSLANDER CRONK TALKING UP BLUES TURF
COOPER Cronk, proud Sydneysider.
It might still sound strange, but the Roosters star is leading a Destination NSW advertising campaign for game two of the State of Origin series in Sydney.
Cronk, who has just retired from Origin, has been hired as a former Melbourne and Brisbane resident to talk up his experiences since moving to the harbour city to attract interstate and country visitors for the weekend.
The game is on June 24, at ANZ Stadium, the first Sunday Origin game in 17 years.
The dual Dally M medallist has been filmed in locations across Sydney where he highlights some of his favourite activities, attractions, food destinations and hangouts.
The NSW Government is hoping for a huge influx of visitors to fill hotel rooms and restaurants.
Cronk retired from State of Origin last year after 22 games for Queensland.
He moved to Sydney to join the Roosters in a multimillion-dollar deal.
“I love it, it’s a special city with so much to see and do,” Cronk said.
“You can’t go past Sydney’s famous attractions and stunning beaches, its world-class museums, theatres and festivals, plus the amazing cafes and restaurants.”
STATE OF ANGST AFTER SLOW TICKET SALES
TICKET sales for the opening State of Origin game at the MCG on June 6 have been sluggish.
Expectations of an 80,000-plus crowd are unlikely to be reached. It’s looking more like 60,000 judging by early sales. Expect plenty of ticket giveaway promotions mid-next month.
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HE might be sidelined with a shoulder injury but Wests Tigers recruit Josh Reynolds is carving out a nice career in the media at Fox Sports. His role as a panellist on NRL 360 has now been expanded to a sideline commentary role when he doesn’t have commitments with Wests Tigers.
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THE Cronulla Sharks are reaching out to the emergency services personnel to say thank you for their bravery and hard work fighting the recent bush fires in the Shire.
All emergency services personnel and volunteers will be given free entry to this afternoon’s home game against Penrith Panthers. To gain access, all they will need to do is show their ID card at the turnstiles.
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MATTY Johns is dedicating his show on Sunday night to the Australian Armed Forces in an Anzac Day special. The entire audience will be made up of people serving in the military.
And due to popular demand, Fox Sports will also be replaying the Kokoda special on Wednesday before and after the footy.