Scott’s sledge, league worry and good timing: Coast gossip

The Sniper is back with all your Gold Coast sporting gossip.

THE Sniper is back with all your Gold Coast sporting gossip.

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SPORT

SPORT is all about timing and one Gold Coast official has revealed how a talented player got theirs spot on.

While debate rages over what to do with junior rego fees, it also works the other way, with clubs forking out big bucks to land talents across a wide range of sports.

One official disclosed how a player got a $4000 sign-on payment just days before coronavirus hit and money dried up for many sponsors.

“They were lucky and got the money but if it had been a week later, who knows,” they said.

“I doubt they will get their match payments even if they get on the field.”

RUGBY LEAGUE

EXPECT to see some “lightweight” teams in the Rugby League Gold Coast competition unless points cap rules can be relaxed.

So says one coach, who is backing the idea of Burleigh and Tweed Intrust Super Cup players flooding into the local first grade competition … on one condition.

“They’d have to relax the rules a lot around those points,” he said.

“Currently a team gets about 120 points and players are assigned points based on what level they have played at.

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“If they don’t change that you might be getting some great players but you could only field three players in your team that week, and that would be that.”

CRICKET

EVER wondered how many junior cricketers are at each club on the Gold Coast?

No, neither have us.

But Cricket Gold Coast stats guru Paul Baker has crunched the numbers and it makes for interesting reading.

Including juniors, master blasters and junior blasters on MyCricket the numbers are:

Alberton 57, Bonogin 35, Broadbeach 150, Burleigh 116, Coomera 98, Helensvale 189, Mudgeeraba 157, Palm Beach 144, Queens 49, Runaway Bay 99, Southport 53, South Tweed 36, Surfers Paradise 140, Tamborine 34.

MOTORSPORT

ONE-time Gold Coast schoolboy Scott McLaughlin has his fair share of critics and it seems even without any racing he can’t escape them.

CANCEL LOCAL SPORT: BOLD CALL

The two-time Supercars champion is part of the Eseries as well as taking part in the IndyCar gaming challenge.

After crashing in the second round of the IndyCar series, the 26-year-old claimed their was a “lack of respect” by rivals.

Scott McLaughlin, driver of the #2 Shell V-Power Team Penske Chevrolet, races during the IndyCar iRacing Challenge Firestone 175 at virtual Twin Ring Motegi on April 18, 2020 in Motegi, Japan. Picture: Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Some motorsport fans didn’t take too kindly to such cries of “poor me”.

“Get a life you assisted cheating spoilt brat,” one critic said.

“If you can not lose with more grace just bloody stop the virtual racing.”

Aussie Rules

WE don’t condone lying but in the case of Suns AFLW star Kate Surman, we don’t mind fudging a few numbers.

Last week the Suns posted their most recent installment of the Little Legends show where two junior footballers from the Coast interview a Suns player.

Asked by Broadbeach Cats juniors Jordan and Ava how tall she was, Surman admitted she was shorter than it seemed.

“If you want to look on say Wikipedia or something, I’m like 180cm but I’m acutally 163cm, no actually I think I’m 159cm but the AFLW website I’m pretty sure I’m 162cm so I lied,” Surman joked.

“The ball is closer to the ground so it works well.”

Aussie Rules

STICKING with Aussie Rules, Gold Coast sporting couple Tanah Boyd (Titans) and Jacqui Yorston (Suns) have been using isolation to get fitter than ever before.

Training together as Boyd prepares to recommence the NRL season, Yorston said there were some days when she decied to do her own running routine.

“We try and avoid training when there’s other people around but sometimes I go for a run along the broadwater but I try my hardest not to blow too hard when I see someone else,” Yorston joked.

Gold Coast sports power couple Tanah Boyd (Titans) and Jacqui Yorston (Suns) training at an elite level together in isolation. Picture: Jerad Williams

KAYAKING

NOBODY likes to admit it but everyone on the Gold Coast knows that a certain finned marine predator lurks in the canals of the southern Gold Coast.

And not even some Olympic kayakers in training will scare them off.

Gold Coast Olympian Riley Fitzsimmons said it was rare but not unsual to see a few fins at training on the canals of Mermaid Waters.

“You might see three or four sharks a year but it’s pretty rare,” he said.

“When we do see one, the coaches tend to keep it pretty quiet until we’re back in the shed after training so we don’t all freak out.

“Jean van der Westhuyzen has just moved over from South Africa and is terrified of sharks so we keep it quiet when we see one for his sake.”