What’s the Buzz: Saint, sinner, shoosh
WHAT’S THE BUZZ PART 2: Which club is eyeing Corey Norman, which hooker have the Dragons discussed, how a former bad boy got his life in order.
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WHICH club is eyeing Corey Norman, and which hooker have the Dragons discussed approaching?
Plus, how former bad boy Blake Ferguson got his life in order.
SAINT
Victory was so sweet and so richly deserved for maligned Blues skipper Paul Gallen in his final Origin game. Now he deserves a premiership with the Cronulla Sharks where he has been the heart and soul of the club for more than a decade.
SINNER
ANDREW Johns’ commentary on Wednesday night was appalling, especially when he criticised the penalty on Greg Inglis for the shoulder charge that broke Josh Dugan’s jaw. If the eighth immortal is not aware this is an illegal play, he should not be inside the commentary box. I never thought I’d say this but … BRING BACK STERLO.
WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Gigantic snub for Sydney
SINNER II
We have been inundated with complaints about the fact Channel Nine no longer covers big international sporting events like this weekend’s British Open golf. This would never have happened while the late Kerry Packer was in charge.
SHOOSH
WE’RE hearing the Canberra Raiders are showing serious interest in disgraced Eels star Corey Norman, which is surprising considering his ties with Junior Paulo and the trouble they got into while together at Parramatta.
SHOOSH II
IF Mitch Rein doesn’t stay at St George Illawarra, don’t be surprised if Paul McGregor makes a play for Blues hooker Robbie Farah for one season. It has certainly been discussed.
SHOOSH III
WHICH former Wests Tigers star — and it’s not Benji Marshall — has been in talks with his old club about returning next year.
SPOTTED
ISRAEL Folau in the Maroons dressing room before the Origin III kick-off — yet he plays for the NSW Waratahs and was born and bred in Sydney’s West. Weird.
SPOTTED II
THE day after leading the Sharks to victory over the Panthers, Michael Ennis was entitled to a good sleep in. No, we spotted him walking the aisles of Coles at Kareela.
SWANS PULL A CROWD
THE popularity of the Sydney Swans never ceases to amaze.
All their corporate boxes were sold out six weeks before the Hawthorn match and they had to knock back numerous requests from the top end of town in the lead-up to the match.
We’re told that on Thursday night more than 14,000 SCG members turned up, a number that is only surpassed on day one of an Ashes Test.
The crowd of 42,314 was the Swans’ biggest in 19 years. Normally in Moore Park, the Roosters versus St George Illawarra is the biggest money spinner each year.
Their gross takings were blown out of the park by the AFL blockbuster.
A-LEAGUE HEAD HANDS ON
IMAGINE Todd Greenberg taking hit-ups in a suburban league comp?
No, me neither, but that’s the sort of grassroots connection the new head of the A-League Greg O’Rourke brings to the job.
O’Rourke is a midfielder for the Barden Ridge over-45s in the Sutherland soccer association. The PepsiCo executive landed the gig last week.
MAROONS TOO PRECIOUS
WHY all the fuss and why are Queensland being so precious about NSW players walking off during Cameron Smith’s speech on Wednesday night?
Talk about an over-reaction. This is what Origin is all about. The animosity and the fact the teams don’t like each other.
Trust me, the footage will be used to promote next year’s series on Channel 9. The Maroons should be more concerned about the grubby tactics of Corey Parker.
GAL’S FIJI FRESHEN-UP
PAUL Gallen has been given five days off for a family holiday to Fiji to freshen up his 34-year-old body for the finals series.
The Sharks get a nine-day turnaround after the round 20 game against the Knights before playing the Titans.
He will be back for the captain’s run on the Gold Coast.
The Sharks are carefully managing the training programs of all their Origin stars.
James Maloney will get a break at the same time.
BEST OF BLOODLINES
JESSICA Thornton, Australia’s youngest competitor in the Rio Olympics athletics squad, has great bloodlines.
She is the niece of Nathan Gibbs, Australia’s most respected sports medico and a former South Sydney Rabbitohs captain and second-rower.
The 18-year-old has just been selected for the 4x400m relay. Her mother, Sarah Thornton, is a trainer at the fitness centre at Allianz Stadium.
CRONK ALL CLASS
YOUNG Knights halfback Jack Cogger was down in the dumps after a recent Newcastle loss.
Out of the blue he got a phone call from an unidentified mobile number.
“G’day Jack, it’s Cooper Cronk calling.”
In a lovely gesture, Cronk spoke to the 18-year-old rookie for about five minutes.
He told Cogger he admired him as a footballer. He told him that things would eventually improve in Newcastle and to keep his chin up.
Rugby league needs more Cooper Cronks.
The Storm and Queensland maestro is a wonderful role model.
BIG MARN HOOKED
WHAT do you give a man for his 60th birthday when he’s got just about everything, including a clothing contract with Lowes.
We reported last week Darryl Brohman celebrated his 60th at JD’s in Cronulla. Darryl’s favourite takeaway shop, Notaras Fish Markets, gave the Big Marn a voucher for a lifetime supply of free hot chips.
He’s already been spotted at the shop twice.
WALKER FINE JOKE
LUCKY for the Manly Sea Eagles that the Parramatta Eels soap opera is soaking up all the media attention.
Otherwise the northern beaches club would be facing serious criticism for the paltry punishment handed down to centre Dylan Walker.
In a drunken rage, Walker put his fist through the front door of the home he shares with his girlfriend last weekend. He broke his hand and will miss at least four matches at a time when the struggling club desperately needs him.
Walker earns about $20,000 a game. He misses four, which equates to $80,000, yet is fined just over a tenth of that amount. It’s a joke.
HAYNE CUT OFF
JARRYD Hayne has cost himself millions of dollars in his failed quests to make it in the NFL and to play sevens rugby for Fiji at the Rio Olympics.
Telstra recently withdrew its six-figure sponsorship of the former Parramatta Eels superstar.
We’re not sure if his contract with Under Armour still exists and his manager Wayne Beavis wasn’t much help, telling us:
“This is a confidential matter and as such I am unable to supply any information.”
FAMILY LIFE TURNS BLAKE FOR BETTER
ROOSTERS and Origin star Blake Ferguson is to become a dad for a second time. His lovely partner Bianca is four months pregnant.
The couple had their first child last year, a little boy.
Settling down with Bianca and starting a family has helped the former bad boy get his life in order.
“Becoming a father, it’s changed the way I approach things,” Ferguson said.
“I’m not here to arse around anymore. Everything I do now, it’s for my partner and son. I want to set my family up for life.”
Ferguson was struggling to find his best form before helping to create the match-winning try in Wednesday night’s State of Origin.
Many thought he was lucky to be playing first grade at the Roosters, let alone in the Blues team.
He repaid coach Laurie Daley for his loyalty by making a 50m run that led to Michael Jennings‘ last-minute try.
Knights-Souths player swap called off, Hunt heads to open market
Plans for a proposed player swap between the Knights and Rabbitohs have been called off, while the Dragons are eyeing a Tigers star after Ben Hunt was cleared to test his value on the open market.
Roos rally around Coates as trolls attack former PNG test star
The Kangaroos have defended Xavier Coates as social media trolls attacked after he switched allegiances from Papua New Guinea, while Mal Meninga denied suggestions he is punishing Kalyn Ponga.