Wife’s pain, comp chaos and Holbrook’s comedy: Coast gossip

As always there is a lot of gossip going on in Gold Coast sport.

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

RUGBY LEAGUE

BURLEIGH prop Jack Buchanan is clearly refusing to let fatherhood affect his footy.

Five months after wife Maddy gave birth to daughter Harper just hours before the Bears’ grand final win over Wynnum Manly, Buchanan offered some insight into how the family is faring.

Harper Jane Buchanan, daughter of Burleigh Bears rugby league player Jack Buchanan. Picture: SUPPLIED

Asked if he was getting much sleep, the 27-year-old joked: “I am. I’m not sure how much the wife is.”

A USTRALIAN RULES

The Gold Coast Suns reduced their leadership group from eight to six for the 2020 season.

The Suns confirmed this week Sam Collins would join 2019 leaders Alex Sexton, Brayden Fiorini while Touk Miller would be vice-captain and David Swallow and Jarrod Witts co-captains.

George Horlin-Smith, Pearce Hanley and Jarrod Harbrow were the three players absent from the group who had the leadership label in 2019.

The Bulletin can reveal both Harbrow and Hanley told the players and football department they didn’t want to be considered for the role in 2020 in order to help the next generation continue to step into leadership positions.

FOOTBALL

GOLD Coast Premier League clubs are anxiously waiting on a decision from Football Gold Coast about the make-up of next season’s competition.

Apparently the governing body is considering adding four more sides to the eight-team top flight in 2021 and scrapping plans for promotion/relegation this year.

One Premier League coach said the decision would even affect the style of play this season, with teams able to play a more open brand of football if relegation is off the table.

RUGBY LEAGUE

IT’S getting towards the crunch time but rookie Titans coach Justin Holbrook can see the funny side of things.

TITANS’ SELECTION SHOOTOUT

Mic’d up before stepping on stage at the Courier-Mail NRL Season Launch this week, Holbrook dashed to the toilet before his appearance.

Cowboys Paul Green, Broncos’ Anthony Seibold and Titans’ Justin Holbrook. Picture: AAPimage/David Clark

When it was pointed out to him that he better check his microphone was turned off before doing his business, Holbrook was razor sharp.

“We don’t want another Naked Gun moment,” he said, citing the 1988 comedy classic in which Leslie Nielsen’s character Frank Drebin heads off to the loo mid-press conference, leaving those in attendance to listen in as he relieved himself.

MOTORSPORT

Supercars Enduro Cup driver Tim Slade is one multi-talented man.

The Gold Coast resident has been busy working out his schedule of international racing in 2020 but took the time out to ensure the media know exactly what he is getting up to.

Tim Slade is a co-driver for DJR Team Penske poses for a photograph at the Superloop, Adelaide. Picture: (AAP/ Keryn Stevens)

Slade worked with sister and journalist Lucy Slade to produce a press release detailing his upcoming events, even going back and re-working some of his comments before sending out an update personally.

We wish Slade the best for 2020.

A USTRALIAN RULES

The Gold Coast Suns staff and players have become used to the annual story about the money the AFL puts into the club every year.

It’s not something that concerns them but there is angst that the financial figures aren’t put into any type of context, like how the presence of the Suns and GWS gave the AFL the ability to hold an extra game per week for their $2.5 billion broadcast deal.

When asked about the reports, Suns chairman Tony Cochrane said he was surprised some media can afford for a reporter to wait 12 months for one story.

CRICKET

FORMER Test quick Scott Muller believes the Gold Coast Dolphins may be playing for more than just a premiership should they reach the Queensland Premier Cricket finals.

With victory at home to Sandgate-Redcliffe this Saturday likely to wrap up fourth spot for the Dolphins, Muller said the players could also use the playoffs to push their own cases for higher honours.

AFL’S RECORD HELP FOR SUNS

“From an individual point of view, if they’re fringe players or looking to take their cricket further, performing (in finals) is noted,” the Dolphins Life Member and premiership-winning captain said.

“So not only have they got the team thing to consider but also individually. It’s a pretty competitive landscape at the moment on the fringe at Queensland Cricket.”

RUGBY LEAGUE

BURLEIGH coach Tahnee Norris has hailed the establishment of the QRL Women’s competition this year but says one major change needs to be made to the eight-week season.

“My only concern is the length of the season and it only being eight weeks,” she said of the QRLW, which kicks off on March 14.

Burleigh women's rugby league coach Tahnee Norris . Picture Mike Batterham

“I think this year being the first year of it, we’ll see how it all pans out, but I would like to see it increased to a longer season the following year.

“Taking it to the next level where they’ve included it as a state-wide competition is a fantastic move, especially for those country athletes coming through to actually get exposure and gain experience on what it takes to get to the next level. I think that’s fantastic and hopefully the opportunities that come from it will be too.”

MOTORSPORT GUN HAS DREAM CRUSHED

RUGBY LEAGUE

GORDEN Tallis has relived one of his funniest Origin stories – and it happened on the Gold Coast.

Althought vague on the year it happened, the former Broncos and Maroons skipper recalled the time he and coach Wayne Bennett were left looking for the rest of the Queensland squad, who were on a strict curfew to return to the team bus.

Gorden Tallis and Wayne Bennett.

“We were standing there in the foyer (of the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort),” he said.

“We looked at the bus and there was no one in it, but the boys were all on it squating down.

“We looked around and five minutes later I said ‘Wayne, the bus is leaving’.

“Little did we know that Locky (Darren Lockyer) is driving the bus, a big 46-seater or so.

“He’s driven out but once you hit the road near Pac Fair (shops) you have to turn but he’s hit the freeway.

“He had to turn around with all the boys and come back to get us.”