Manly’s Tom Trbojevic an Origin chance, and NRL bunker hits the road

WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Manly’s Tom Trbojevic an Origin chance, the video bunker hits the road and which retired NRL star is eyeing a sensational comeback?

Tom Trbojevic of the Sea Eagles runs the ball up the field during the round 3 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks at Brookvale Oval in Sydney on Monday, March 21, 2016. (AAP Image/Paul Miller) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

SAINT

The little girl and her brother who so kindly handed back Johnathan Thurston’s headgear from last year’s grand final. It’s being auctioned to fund the Mark Hughes Foundation and research into brain cancer.

SINNER

What a disgrace that the 16-year-old player who twice bashed a junior league referee on the Central Coast — and then took matters further assaulting his own captain — has escaped with a warning under the Young Offenders Act.

SHOOSH

Moves are gaining momentum within the State Government to remove Stuart Ayres from his sports minister’s portfolio because the Sydney stadium debate has descended into such a total debacle from all sides.

NICK SAYS NO TO AMERICAN DREAM

Roosters boss Nick Politis is in the US, which just happens to coincide with Jarryd Hayne’s return to pre-season training at the San Francisco 49ers.

Politis insists he is there on car business and not to have talks with the Hayne Plane about joining the struggling Roosters. Hayne’s future will be determined on June 4 when he returns to Australia for a three-week break. He will know by then if he is still wanted at the 49ers under new coach Chip Kelly or whether to accept the Roosters’ offer.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ: NINE OUT-FOXED IN TV BATTLE

Tom Trbojevic is set for City — and possibly even Origin.

TOM TERRIFIC’S REP HONOURS

Manly’s brilliant young winger Tom Trbojevic is an absolute certainty to be chosen in the City team to play Country on May 8 in Tamworth. And rest assured that Blues coach Laurie Daley will be watching him very closely. Daley is a massive fan, despite the fact Trbojevic is only 19. At the moment players like Josh Mansour at Penrith are ahead of him on experience but don’t write off the Manly boy completely. There have been bigger selection bombshells in the past.

SPOTTED

Newcastle Knights forward Robbie Rochow taking a tour of the Cronulla Sharks high-performance centre and training facilities at Woolooware.

SPOTTED II

Multimedia personality Brett Finch doing his grocery shopping in ritzy Double Bay.

SPOTTED III

Todd Greenberg leaving the Oatley Hotel on Thursday night shortly before half-time in the Rabbitohs-Sea Eagles game.

SHORT CHANGED

Which NRL star is still waiting for $170,000 in third party payments from the club he left at the end of last season? He is now seeking legal advice.

NAUGHTY CORNER

The NRL match review committee are fast compiling a list of players who are repeatedly pushing the envelope on the field. Surprisingly, Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans has been red-flagged as one of the game’s worst nigglers. Brisbane’s Adam Blair has also been highlighted as problem player.

Fox Sports’ Neroli Meadows could be Mel McLaughlin’s replacement at Channel 10.

ABC BURN AFTER SHANNON’S DUMP

ABC Radio has received plenty of backlash over the removal of female sideline eye Shannon Byrne from their NRL game coverage. Like her TV counterpart Jen Browning, Byrne is a fine journo who did a much better job than the ex-players now being used on the sidelines. Meanwhile Channel 10 are discussing some interesting names as they search for a replacement for Mel McLaughlin on the Big Bash commentary team, with Fox Sports’ Neroli Meadows among them.

FORMER STAR ON COMEBACK TRAIL

Which long-retired NRL superstar is thinking about a comeback? This is no April fools joke and the ex-player is still super fit. He played in the halves but is still dirty he never won a premiership. I have told the player he is mad to be even thinking about it. However he retains this burning desire to have one more crack. If he returns it will be one of the biggest stories in years. We’ll keep you posted.

BUNKER ON THE MOVE TO BULLDOGS’ KENNEL

The bunker faces another test on Monday night when it goes mobile for the first time in the premiership match because there is no line connection to Belmore Oval where the Bulldogs take on the Raiders. So the NRL will have to conduct video reviews from a mobile van at the ground.

Two match officials will use the same hawk eye technology that is used at the bunker but it will still be a big test for the new system. NRL officials will be hoping it comes off without a hitch because the van will be used at seven more games in regional and New Zealand locations during the season.

CHOOKS’ BABY BOOM

There is a reason why the Roosters are such a happy playing group despite their poor start to the season. In the last week both Sam Moa and Aidan Guerra became first first-time dads with the arrival of two beautiful little baby girls. Sam’s wife Jill gave birth to Florence Elizabeth Moa on Good Friday. Guerra’s fiance Belinda gave birth to Olive Belle Guerra on Thursday.

GROUNDED EAGLES

The Manly Sea Eagles will not even consider moving two games to Allianz Stadium for anything less than a guaranteed $1 million. They already get $330,000 a year from the Queensland government to play their home game against the Broncos at Suncorp.

JUST GOLD!

“Awesome display by this group men with no brains, imagine if we had some.”

West Indies coach Phil Simmons

Originally published as Manly’s Tom Trbojevic an Origin chance, and NRL bunker hits the road