Jack Stockwell wins Gold Coast Titans’ goose of the week again; all the other gossip from the week of sport
JACK Stockwell is quickly making the Gold Coast Titans’ goose of the week shirt his own.
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JACK Stockwell is quickly making the Gold Coast Titans’ goose of the week shirt his own.
The giant front-rower has had to don the specially made jersey for the first fortnight of the NRL club’s 2019 pre-season and coach Garth Brennan noted it’s not an easy tag to shed.
“It’s a hard thing to get rid of. You have got to come up with a good story to try to pass the buck,” Brennan said.
“Jack, this is his second week in a row with it so I think he has spent the week more so not worrying about plays but more worrying about how he is going to get rid of the goose of the week shirt next week.
“It should be exciting to see who ends up with it next.”
Players meet before hitting the field for the first training session of the week to dob in their teammates, with a winner determined from the nominations – making for a few laughs to start the week with a clean slate.
“Let’s just say, there is a lot of GST added to the stories because the more GST and the funniest story usually ends up with the shirt,” Brennan said.
As for the best players at avoiding the shirt, it’s all about experience, with the likes of Nathan Peats, Anthony Don, Ryan James and Jarrod Wallace renowned for managing to fly under the radar.
“They are probably the biggest exaggerators of the truth we have in the club so (if a player) comes up with a story against them, they just exaggerate it and it ends up being something better,” Brennan said.
“So they are pretty good at avoiding it, that’s for sure.”
Stockwell’s hold of the shirt has taken the heat off winger Phillip Sami, who “had a fair mortgage on it” last year.
SEAHAWKS KICKING GOALS
FOR all the focus on winners and losers in sport, there are always more important matters so here’s a shout out to the Tugun Seahawks for kicking some serious goals off the field.
The rugby league club have aligned themselves with a great cause – The Sanctuary Women, Children and Pets Refuge – in a bid to help victims of domestic violence.
Seahawks club members will head to the Refuge today to help with a working bee.
JERRY TO SKIP COACHING
HE remains tightlipped on his Gold Coast Dolphins sacking but Jerry Cassell has told the Ball and All team he has no immediate plans to return to coaching.
He will put time into his physio business and work with Queensland Cricket.
LONG SPELL
Carnecar will return to racing at Aquis Park today, three years after his last start. The Rochelle Smith-trained nine-year-old gelding went to the paddock after the ownership was dissolved following a dispute between shareholders in 2016. Original owner Clint Morris bought him and will search for a maiden win today.
PEACHEY’S HIDDEN TALENT
SOME of world golf’s biggest names including Marc Leishman will descend on the Gold Coast later this month for the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines and we’re hearing Titans recruit Tyrone Peachey would not look totally out of place.
The NSW utility is said to have a handicap of four and should get plenty more time on the course given Parkwood International is next to his new NRL club’s headquarters.
LOOK WHO’S BACK
A PROMINENT name in Gold Coast District Rugby Union circles is set to return in 2019.
This figure has made a significant impact in various capacities in the competition but has not been involved at the top level recently.
Watch this space.
AWARD NOMINEE
WHICH young Gold Coast athlete is in the mix for a significant award in their chosen sport?
This teenager has spent some time overseas and is now back building a reputation as a rising star Down Under.
Whether they win the recognition or not, expect to hear plenty more of this name in years to come.
BREAKTHROUGH WIN
MENTAL As Anything has finally broken through for her first win for Gold Coast trainer Josh Sweeney.
The six-year-old finished third in the $75,000 The Hotham in Ballarat, Victoria, in October in what was a race to give the battlers a chance at good prizemoney.
It was stacked with a field of fellow struggles but Mental As Anything is a maiden no more.
She won Maiden Handicap (1100m) at Beaudesert on Thursday while going at $16 odds.
PROCTOR’S RECRUITMENT ROLE?
CURRUMBIN have not ruled out trying to talk former Titans NRL workhorse Ryan Simpkins into pulling on the boots for his Rugby League Gold Coast junior club next year.
Coach Ryan Gundry hinted another Eagle-turned-Titan in Kevin Proctor could potentially help with some persuasion but the club are not holding their breath – Simpkins told Ball and All in September that his battered knees were ready for retirement.
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