Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Gould and Fittler back relaxed qualification rules for Origin
They’re two of the biggest names in Origin, and both Brad Fittler and Phil Gould have backed rule changes that would change our biggest showpiece for good.
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SAINT
Boxing is the most brutal of sports. That’s why it was so refreshing to see Dennis Hogan’s trainer Steve Edwards throw in the towel as his brave fighter was copping so much punishment from Tim Tszyu in Newcastle on Wednesday night. Hogan could possibly have lasted another round or two but the risk was not worth it. Too many fighters have died in the ring. If all trainers were as caring as Edwards, boxing would be a much safer sport.
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SINNERS
The whingeing head coaches who are complaining about the NRL introducing an 18th man for extreme situations. This is actually a responsible move by the NRL to ensure clubs continue to take a vigilant approach to head-injury assessments.
SHOOSH
Which NRL club’s major sponsor is unhappy about not being allowed into the team’s dressing sheds after games. His request for an ‘access all areas’ pass was rejected by the CEO long before the COVID restrictions were put in place.
SHOOSH II
Residents of a small street in the southern suburbs are glad to see the back of a cocaine-addicted former NRL, Australia and Origin player. Drug dealers in the street are not good. His past misbehaviour has been well documented. Rental bond was forfeited and it took three days of cleaning, painting and carpet replacement on his former abode.
SHOOSH III
Which former halfback is no longer working for one of Australia’s wealthiest families? After 29 years, this well-known knockabout has walked away on bad terms. Once one of the family’s closest and most loyal confidants, the very private man is no longer on speaking terms with his ex-employer. And if the rumours are on the money ... the fireworks should be riveting. Stay tuned as “The Tycoon, the Scion and the Halfback” could be a must-watch Netflix series.
SPOTTED
In record time even by his standards, our old mate Gus Gould has shut down his Twitter account — a regular occurrence but never just four rounds into the comp.
SPOTTED II
Brett Finch out on the town in Newcastle last Sunday night with Mitchell Pearce to celebrate his old Roosters teammate’s 300th NRL game milestone.
SPOTTED III
Anthony Mundine demolishing a Kit Kat and a block of Cadbury Top Deck. “It’s the best thing about retirement,” Mundine said. “I love chocolate and I can now eat as much as I want.”
SPOTTED IV
Champion cricketer Steve Smith working the aisles of Woolworths in Double Bay.
SPOTTED V
Todd Greenberg must be on good coin in his new role as boss of the Australian Cricketers Association. He was spotted driving around the eastern suburbs in a flash new Porsche SUV last week. It would be worth about $250,000. This is almost as outrageous as former commission chairman John Grant getting around in his yellow Maserati.
BABY BLISS
Rabbitoh Alex Johnston, partner Taryn and newly arrived baby boy Sonny.
FREDDY, GUS BACK ORIGIN OVERHAUL
NSW Blues Origin legends Gus Gould and Freddy Fittler have thrown their support behind relaxing qualification rules for more Polynesians to play State of Origin.
Even big Addin Fonua-Blake, born in NSW, has now put his hand up to play.
“If they are born here, grew up here and were nurtured here then why can’t they play for NSW or Queensland?” Fittler said on 2GB. “Then they go and play for their country. They might have allegiances to a parent or grandparent from the Pacific Islands.
“Times have changed. We need to start looking at our rules. International football can only improve if you allow this to happen.
“They play State of Origin then take that experience into international football.”
Gould, the Blues’ most successful coach, expressed similar views on his Wide World of Sports podcast.
“When Origin started in 1980 rugby league was predominantly an Anglo-Saxon game played in NSW and Queensland,” Gould said. “The demographic has changed remarkably. That needs to be taken into account.”
The independent commission will make a decision at its next meeting on possible changes.
PAINFUL FOR PENN
Poor old Manly Sea Eagles owner Scott Penn returned to Sydney from New York a couple of weeks ago and got out of quarantine on Thursday afternoon.
First stop, Brookvale Oval to witness a 46-6 drubbing to Penrith. This debacle of a team has now conceded 156 points in four games.
Penn told me while he was in quarantine last week that he was standing by coach Des Hasler.
But surely the pressure is building. Manly has won only two games since last July – against the lowly-placed Bulldogs and Cowboys.
Publicly the players are backing Hasler, however, we are hearing rumblings that there are problems behind the scenes.
The only thing in their favour is a weaker draw over the next fortnight, against the Warriors and Broncos.
FERGO’S NEW ARRIVAL
It’s a huge Easter for Parramatta Eels winger Blake Ferguson, who has become a dad for the third time. His partner Dominique Moraitis gave birth to a girl, Luna, on Thursday. Ferguson also has two sons to his previous partner.
FOX KNOCKS OUT STAN
Fox Sports has won an expensive bidding war against arch rivals Channel 9 to secure Australia’s champion boxer Tim Tszyu on a multi-year broadcast deal.
Nine had been secretly negotiating with Tszyu’s promoters No Limit Boxing to televise his fights on Stan Sport, the network’s streaming service that owns the rights to rugby union.
“They went in very hard,” No Limit boss Matt Rose said. “They could see the value of Tim Tszyu and the boxing shows that we’ve been promoting.”
Details of the No Limit-Foxtel deal will be revealed soon and will involve many of the biggest names in Australian boxing.
Tszyu has become the hottest ticket in Australian boxing, taking over from Jeff Horn and Anthony Mundine as the huge drawcard on Foxtel’s Main Event.
His brutal midweek victory over Dennis Hogan in Newcastle was another big selling event in pubs, clubs and homes around the country. And his next fight is expected to be a blockbuster world title challenge.
Fox Sports now has Australia’s two leading promoters — Rose and Dean Lonergan — locked into contracts with their big-name fighters.
Nine is desperately trying to boost their sporting credentials on Stan.
The network’s rugby union numbers have been poor, especially in NSW with the dismal failure of the Waratahs this season.
Having missed out on Tszyu, the network is expected to make a play for Sonny Bill Williams fights, although Fox Sports is also keen to carry his and Paul Gallen’s future fights.
CODY’S CONTRACT UP NEXT
Cody Walker comes off contract at South Sydney at the end of 2022. He is three months older than Adam Reynolds. This time next year he’ll want a contract extension for — like Reynolds — more than one year.
The Rabbitohs cannot afford to have so much uncertainty around their big-name playmakers.
At the same time, it is understandable they need to plan for the future with younger players.
It is a tough scenario for coach Jason Demetriou when he steps in next year and needs the full support of the senior players without tense contract negotiations being played out so publicly.
BRUSH-UP FOR JOSH
Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr flew all the way from Melbourne last week to Emu Plains, as part of Graffiti Removal Australia campaign to stop vandalism.
The Origin and Kangaroos superstar helped his uncle and cousins paint a superb indigenous mural on a factory wall. Addo-Carr’s uncle is acclaimed indigenous artist James Simon.
“Josh was the perfect ambassador for rugby league, mixing freely and posing for photographs with everyone,” said event organiser Bob Aitken.
NEW ROOSTINGS
Sydney Roosters return home to their new Allianz Stadium late next season after four seasons playing next door at the SCG. But they are likely to be kicked off again the following year, when the FIFA Women’s World Cup comes to Australia and New Zealand.
The venue will be out of play between July and August at the business end of the NRL season. Stadium Australia will also be closed for the soccer tournament. The venue will host the final on August 20.
HONOURS ON THE LINE
Jarryd Hayne won consecutive Ken Thornett medals at the Parramatta Eels in 2009 and 2010.
He is also due for consideration next year for life membership and the club’s Hall of Fame.
The Eels will monitor his upcoming appeal against a sexual-assault conviction.
They are appalled by what has happened.
If the conviction stands, you can guarantee the former superstar fullback will be stripped of all club honours in the past and in the future.
POOR CALLS PUNISHED
At last we have an NRL referees’ boss who is prepared to make match officials accountable for their mistakes.
Jared “Horse” Maxwell has come down hard on the touch judge and referee Henry Perenara, who stuffed up the forward pass call in the Raiders v Warriors game last weekend.
The touch judge who missed the pass, Drew Oultram, has been relegated to reserve grade with Perenara.
Belinda Sharpe has also been axed for an incorrect call on a 40/20 kick in the Knights v Tigers game. This tough action would never have happened under old refs’ boss Bernard Sutton.
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