What’s the Buzz: Saint, sinner, shoosh

PAUL Green chased by rival club, awkward Dally M moment and more — all the hottest NRL chatter in Australia’s best sport gossip column.

Could Paul Green be lured away from the Cowboys?

ALL the latest NRL chatter and more in Australias hottest sport gossip column.

SAINT

FOR years Cameron Smith has been the player we love to hate. Not any more. He is such a great player, a legend of the game and a wonderful role model. The Dally M Medal was richly deserved. A premiership tonight would be a fitting finale to his best season.

SINNER

A GRAND final ticketing rip-off. The NRL’s most loyal customers — club members — were offered early bird seat specials in June to the grand final. Turns out they were in dud sections. This week non-members paid the same amount for much better areas at ANZ. Surely those who got in early could have been given upgrades as a reward for their loyalty.

MORE WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Anthony Mundine makes rugby league comeback

SHOOSH

Which non-Sydney NRL club has been making discreet enquiries about the Cowboys coach Paul Green … not for next season … but 2019.

Could Paul Green be lured away from the Cowboys?

SHOOSH II

Which Great Britain league star is in negotiations to join the Knights next season? Coach Nathan Brown is expecting a decision in the next 48 hours.

SPOTTED I

Talk about awkward seating arrangements. ANZ Stadium boss Daryl Kerry sat next to Sports minister Stuart Ayres at The Star event centre for the Dally M awards. The same Stuart Ayres who wants to take money away from the Olympic Stadium redevelopment and give it to Allianz Stadium where he is mates with the powerful figures on the SCG Trust.

SPOTTED II

CHANNEL Nine and 2GB star Daryl Brohman sitting alongside the stunning ABC TV reporter Jen Browning at the Dally M Awards.

Daryl Brohman with ABC TV reporter Jen Browning.

SPOTTED III

REFS boss Tony Archer throwing down Crownies at the Dally Ms while his main men Matt Cecchin and Gerard Sutton — at the same table — stuck to mineral waters.

SPOTTED IV

THE first Rothmans Medal winner from 1968, Cronulla half Terry Hughes, still looking in great shape at the Dally M Awards on Wednesday night.

SPOTTED V

THOSE in the cheap seats at ANZ Stadium get an extra bonus. The NRL has 60,000 caps to give away to grand final ticket holders.

SPOTTED VI

THE Sydney Roosters spent Mad Monday at the Frisco Hotel in Woolloomooloo. We got a call the next day from the owner Bob Micola who said their behaviour and manners over a long session were outstanding. The infamous Australia Day cruise is now a distant memory.

CAP A POOR FIT FOR COACHES: BELLAMY

ON the eve of the big game, the Storm’s super coach Craig Bellamy said he was concerned about NRL plans to introduce a salary cap on coaching staff and claimed it could ruin the game.

The NRL’s idea is to implement football department wage restrictions over the next two years to stop the expensive sports science “arms race” between the 16 clubs. Bellamy felt it would eventually affect the standard of football.

“We employ skills coaches and it’s a really important part of our organisation from the NRL players down to our youngest recruits in their education as footballers,” Bellamy said.

“It would be dangerous move to cut back in this area. It could seriously affect our product.

“I’d hate to see cut backs on that area.

“There is no question it will have a detrimental effect on rugby league.”

Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

GREEN DALLY M OMISSION A JOKE

THE Dally M coach of the year award has become a farce. Four coaches made the final nominations — Craig Bellamy, Brad Arthur, Trent Barrett and Trent Robinson.

Yet no Paul Green.

This is the guy who steered the Cowboys into today’s decider without Immortal-in-waiting Johnathan Thurston and champion prop Matt Scott. A phenomenal coaching performance.

No one is denying Bellamy deserved the award but it was a major embarrassment on Wednesday night when Green’s name wasn’t among the top four nominations.

Voting for this award should be done after the grand final qualifiers instead of at the completion of round 26.

BILLIE BELLYACE CURE

THE crazy Craig Bellamy you see each week when the TV cameras swing to the Storm’s coaching box is actually the softest and most devoted grandfather.

Bellamy’s son, Aaron, is on the Storm’s coaching staff and often brings his daughter to work. The players actually ask him to do it all the time.

Bellamy explained: “When we’ve had a bad performance, the players get Aaron to bring Billie (two-year-old granddaughter) to training to soften me up. True story.

“She’s very special to me. I never thought I’d feel like this. Being a grandfather … it’s a real lift. The players know she mellows me.

“They even call her the tranquilliser.”

THIRSTY GRAND FINAL VISITORS

THERE will be additional XXXX beer taps installed around ANZ Stadium on Sunday — and 500 cases of Bundy & Cola have been brought in to meet the demands of Queenslanders attending the game.

Fans are expected to demolish 120,000 cups of beer, 6000 glasses of wine and 20,000 cans of mid-strength alcoholic mixes, as well as 28,000 bottles of water and 10,000 soft drinks. That will wash down 25,000 buckets of chips, 11,000 hot dogs, 12,000 pies and 6500 sandwiches.

THE PLAY LIST

CONTROVERSIAL singer Macklemore was not necessarily the NRL’s first choice for grand final entertainment. The NRL had talks with the managements of Black-Eyed Peas, Taylor Swift and Pink before going with the US rapper.

LIFE STILL GRAND FOR RAY

RAY Hadley called his first grand final in 1987 and on Sunday lines up for his 26th. Not quite as many as “Rabs” Warren but a nice achievement.

Hadley had an enforced NRL lay-off in 2000 and ’01 when 2UE lost the rights, then stood down for a couple more years in 2013 and ’14.

Suggestions this will be the last are wide of the mark.

“I’m contracted to call Origin and grand finals until 2020 on Macquarie Media,” said Hadley, who confirmed he’d agreed to call the 23 Thursday night games on Channel 9 in 2018.

“I haven’t signed but we’ve shaken on it … that means it’s a done deal,” Hadley said.

Ray Hadley will call his 26th grand final.

IN GREAT NICK

THEY’RE a tough mob at NRL headquarters. After enduring a night of stomach pains, NRL chief operating officer Nick Weeks was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital last Sunday where he was admitted for surgery to remove his appendix. Amazingly, he was back at work by Thursday and will be at the grand final on Sunday.

POLICE PRESENCE AT DECIDER

ARMY sniffer dogs were scouring the seating bowl at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night and will be in the venue Sunday morning as part of a massive police and security presence inside and outside the venue.

Amid heightened security, cement barricades have been set up at strategic locations around the Sydney Olympic Park precinct and at the entrance to ANZ Stadium.

Every bag will be checked and only small bags will be permitted into the stadium. Patrons will also be scanned as they come into the venue.

Footy fans are being encouraged to arrive early and to allow additional time when entering ANZ Stadium.

Semi Radradra in his Toulon rugby jersey.

SEMI’S QUICK TO FLY

AND to think he could have been playing in Sunday’s NRL grand final. Tearaway Parramatta Eels winger Semi Radradra has wasted no time travelling to France to join Toulon to kick off his rugby union career. Here’s the first photo in his new team strip.