What's the Buzz: Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Burgess used to promote NRL
WHAT'S the Buzz: Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Burgess will be used throughout 2014 to promote the NRL despite their defection to rugby.
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THE NRL and Channel Nine will continue to promote superstars Sonny Bill Williams and Sam Burgess throughout 2014 despite their defection to rugby union.
Nine's Footy Show boss Glenn Pallister says the champion forwards will again be an integral part of the program.
"Absolutely we'll be using them," Pallister said.
"Why wouldn't we be? They are great players, extremely popular with fans and our viewers and they are playing rugby league this year.
"We'll promote the players and their clubs without giving any free kicks to rugby union."
Pallister says he is more concerned about the curse of Beau Ryan and his multi-channel segment on the show.
"Every player he takes off has gone to rugby union - Benji, now Sonny Bill and Sammy Burgess," Pallister said.
"I was joking to Beau this week how he's driving all the stars out of the game."
The NRL is taking a similar position to Channel Nine.
The marketing department will continue to use TV footage and their images to promote the games.
Sonny Bill's presence at the Roosters last year not only helped deliver a premiership to Bondi Junction but also record crowds in the club rounds.
Burgess has the same pulling power for the Rabbitohs and the NRL is determined to continue to cash in on their popularity.
DIB IN DOUBT
Bulldogs officials fear former disgraced salary cap rorter Gary McIntyre is driving the bid to dump club chairman Ray Dib at today's football club elections.
McIntyre was kicked out of the game in disgrace back in 2002 after being identified as the architect of the club's $1.5 million salary cap rorts.
The club was fined $500,000 by the NRL and stripped of 37 competition points when it was revealed cash from the Oasis building project was being siphoned to the players.
In recent weeks McIntyre has been spotted a number of times in the company of former prop Paul Dunn, who is opposing Dib at today's elections.
McIntyre previously backed Dunn's failed bid for the board at the 2008 elections.
BLAKE COULD SOON BE BARKING
IF there was a betting market on where Blake Ferguson will play his next football, I'd be having something on the Canterbury Bulldogs, not South Sydney.
His lawyer and adviser Adam Houda is a close friend of Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib. They have had informal talks.
More importantly, Bulldogs coach Des Hasler rates Ferguson a future champion and is convinced he could switch to fullback as successfully as Greg Inglis has done at the Rabbitohs.
MEL'S FEELING ON TOP OF THE WORLD
MEL MCLAUGHLIN admits she is seriously missing her favourite sport this summer - soccer's A League competition.
But the glamorous Channel Ten sporting host wouldn't swap her new role for anything. Who could complain about hosting the Big Bash cricket, the Winter Olympics in Russia, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Formula One in Melbourne and reporting from Brazil for the World Cup.
"It's an amazing year," Mel told us from Sochi. "I've really missed the A League but the opportunity Ten has given me was way too good to pass up.
"Russia was the main reason I signed at Ten and Brazil will be so awesome.
"I wanted to challenge myself in other sports and I'm loving every minute of it working alongside some great people."
The former Fox Sports presenter has emerged as one of Australia's most talented new sporting hosts.
It's why Ten's head of sport David Barham is so keen to ensure she stays long term.
"We think Mel's great, a wonderful talent, and hope she stays at the network for a long time," Barham said.
SUNDAY SESION
SAINT
SHANE Warne blocked your favourite Sunday columnist on Twitter this week, apparently taking exception to my recent criticism of his Channel Nine Ashes commentary. It's actually
a bonus because I'm now spared from his topless selfies and the Liz Hurley love messages. Five-year-planner Phillip Ronald Gould also blocked me two years ago. That, too, was a badge of honour.
SINNER
THE NRL for refusing to encourage clubs to play trial matches in the country. All 16 teams should play one match a year in a country town - a trial or a premiership game. And the totally meaningless City-Country game should be scrapped forever.
SINNER II
Parramatta Eels know their troubled star Chris Sandow is battling a gambling problem so where does the club book the team accommodation for their trial match against Wests Tigers in Alice Springs? Lasseters Hotel Casino of course.
SPOTTED
A JEEP advertisement in the Newcastle Herald revealing Willie Mason as their new ambassador - two days before he went DUI.
SPOTTED II
Champion golfer and Cowboys member Karrie Webb reluctantly wearing a Sharks jersey on the Gold Coast after losing a bet to Cronulla's Sarah Kemp.
CLEAN AS A WHISTLE
BILL Harrigan has refereed the most grand finals and most State of Origins in rugby league history. Yet he's done nothing as stressful as his duties this weekend at Fairy Meadow on the south coast where he's tournament director of the OzTag junior State cup. There are 270 teams (that's 4500 players) participating. Last year Harrigan was even spotted cleaning the toilets.
SHOOSH
WHICH Sydney NRL club has swept a major off-field incident involving one of its best young players under the carpet? The youngster is a huge chance of breaking into the top grade, hence the decision hush up the indiscretion which has been running rampant on social media.
WINNER
A horse trainer called John Manzelman was always going to train the winner, quinella, trifecta and first four in the first race at Mackay yesterday. There were only six runners in the field - and he trained the lot of them.
HAIL NEW BEEP KEEPER
MANLY hooker Matt Ballin is a personal trainer and arguably the fittest man in the NRL.
In six years at Brookvale he has never been beaten in an off-season beep test … until recently. The man who knocked him off was Brenton Lawrence, an unbelievable achievement for a big front-rower.
TIMANA'S SPORTING HERO
AFTER watching several documentaries about him, I went to see one of his shows last year. He talked about the struggles he went through as a kid - having a pimp for a dad and living in and amongst the worst neighbourhoods in New York. I really respect him because of the success he achieved while enduring so many struggles throughout his life.
ADP FRANK ABOUT LIFE IN THE COACHING RANKS
WHEN superstar Alessandro del Piero casually told SBS that for the first time in his life he's thinking about a coaching career, it started another round of speculation about the Sydney FC job. Frank Farina is contracted for next season, but it's believed the club has an out-clause if Sydney FC doesn't finish in the top four this season, something that's looking a little shaky.
The Italian maestro and his family genuinely love life in Sydney, but as ADP turns 40 this year the clock is ticking on his full-time playing days. A role as coach and part-time player opens up another way to stay in the Harbour City. Talks between ADP and Sydney FC are due to start soon.
O'KEEFEE TO STAY RETIRED
CRICKET'S No.1 radio commentator Kerry O'KeefeO'Keeffe has denied rumours he wants to make a comeback - two weeks after retiring.
"Look, I've been stunned by the number of people who have phoned, sent messages or stopped me in the street," he said.
"That's the thing that really got me, but I've announced it and I can't, two weeks later, say I'm not retired any more."
You get the impression the ABC could and should have tried harder to keep O'Keeffe involved. I have heard that he was on ridiculously poor money for a man who was
far and away their most popular commentator.
SMITH TIPPED TO STAY AT STORM
A heart-to-heart chat with multi-millionaire club owner Bart Campbell was enough to convince Cameron Smith to stay at the Storm for life.
Just two weeks ago, the Broncos were convinced they had lured Smith back to his home town and the Storm were resigned
to losing their captain.
But Campbell's business nous turned Smith around and any day now he's tipped to announce he'll stay in Melbourne.
ANOTHER WARREN CALLING
FORMER Fox sports presenter Chris Warren started working in the 2GB sports department this week. He's heard weekday mornings reading sport during
the Alan Jones breakfast program. The former first grader and son of the legendary broadcaster Ray Warren will also be a large part of the Continuous Call Team as the back-up caller to Ray Hadley and Andrew Moore. He'll share those duties with Joel Caine, who has accepted an offer to call games for Fox this season. Caine has told the CCT boss Hadley that he's happy to
help out when his duties with Fox permit.
QUICKFIRE: WITH ROBBIE FARAH
FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Seinfeld
FAVOURITE MOVIE: Anchorman
FAVOURITE CAR: My own Lexus from Stratton Fleet
DREAM DINNER: BBQ seafood feast on the beach with family and friends
FAVOURITE DRINK: Any Carlton and United Brewery products
FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: Matt Moran's Chiswick
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