Barry Hall has not time for Paul Gallen’s fight complaints
Barry Hall has responded to Paul Gallen’s complaints about their upcoming bout with little sympathy: “whinge all you like, it’s too late now”. PLUS, the Pakistani fast bowler bigger than Bogut.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SAINT
MICHELLE Payne has often spoken out about the “chauvinistic” nature of the racing game. So, good on her for sticking up for Linda Meech and slamming the owners who dumped the very talented female jockey from one of the Victorian Derby favourites, Thought Of That, for a male jockey. It cost her a $1000 fine but she got her point across.
Stream over 50 sports Live & On-Demand with KAYO SPORTS on your TV, computer, mobile or tablet. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
SINNER
The Nine network’s decision to kill off Macquarie Sports Radio. Mark Levy and Piggy Riddell had an excellent breakfast show (albeit low in ratings) that was always relevant and tackling the big issues. Fortunately, they’ll be back next year on stablemate 2GB with the Continuous Call team in the show’s 34th year of calling league in 2020.
SHOOSH
WHICH league official collapsed in a heap on the Wanda sandhills on Thursday and has had to reassess his off-season fitness goals?
SHOOSH II
WHICH NRL club is covering up a problem with players on prescription drugs that led to poor behaviour during the season and again more recently?
SHOOSH III
WHICH very wealthy NRL official ran up a personal bar bill of $15,000 in Melbourne last Saturday night and was later denied entry to Crown Casino?
SPOTTED
THE best thing Peter Beattie did as chairman of the NRL, when he replaced the limousine-loving John Grant, was slash executive travel costs. It meant head of football Graham Annesley and media minder Daniel Meers had to travel to Perth and back (10 hours) on the same day last week in economy with the punters. It’s a tough day but the business class ban has saved the game tens of thousands of dollars.
SPOTTED II
FIRST, it was Ricky Stuart … now Melbourne Storm assistant coach Jason Ryles has joined Eddie Jones and the English team for the World Cup final. He flew out for Japan on Thursday. Ryles spent three years with the English rugby union team as a defence coaching consultant. He even scored this selfie with Prince Harry.
SPOTTED III
CRONULLA Sharks coach John Morris and his family staying in the same hotel in Fiji as the very glamorous cast of Channel 9’s reality TV show Love Island.
SPOTTED IV
NEWCASTLE Knights skipper Mitchell Pearce having a beer and a good time with former Canberra Raiders star fullback Brett Mullins in a Bali nightclub.
SPOTTED V
Exceedance owner and Lendlease chief executive Steve McCann, watching his colt win at Flemington from the streets of Tokyo before the Rugby World Cup final. The locals were amazed by his use of the invisible whip.
HALL GIVES GAL ROUNDS OF KITCHEN
BARRY Hall has struck back at Paul Gallen over criticism of two-minute rounds for their November 15 Melbourne showdown.
“He can whinge all he likes,” Hall said, “but he agreed to these conditions. No one forced him to put his pen to paper and sign.
“Whether he likes it or not, the fight’s going to happen. It’s too late for him to pull out now.”
Gallen stirred the pot by posting a photoshopped image of Hall’s face on a packet of two-minute noodles on his social media accounts on Thursday.
“That stuff doesn’t bother me at all,” Hall said. “He should be just thankful I’ve taken the fight. Imagine him at 42. Do you think he’d fight anyone who’d had nine pro fights?
“In my position, he probably wouldn’t have taken the fight. He should stop complaining and we’ll sort it all out on the 15th.”
Hall has gone into a full-time training camp on the Gold Coast to prepare for the fight. He looks an absolute machine in training videos on social media.
“Diet and nutrition is really important, especially at my age,” Hall said.
“The type of food I’m eating is really important. You’ve got to fuel your body properly for all the training and the recovery. It helps you train at your maximum.”
The fight will be shown live on Foxtel’s Main Event and is expected to attract a huge national audience on the back of the AFL-NRL rivalry.
SEA EAGLES’ ADDED VALUE
NEWS that Tom and Jake Trbojevic have signed long-term agreements at Manly has kickstarted rumours the Sea Eagles will soon be up for sale.
The club is a far more valuable asset with the brothers locked in until 2026. Adding to the speculation, new independent commission chairman Peter V’landys has vowed to start a suburban ground funding campaign — and Brookvale Oval is at the top of his list.
This would be hugely appealing to potential buyers because the oval is a dump no longer suitable to stage NRL games.
The Penn family is losing about $2 million on the franchise and would be prepared to sell if the right buyer came along.
There is talk a consortium of international businessmen and one of Australia’s wealthiest jewellers is poised to make an offer.
HEY BOGES, HE’S GOT YOU COVERED
He is believed to be the tallest player in international cricket history, way bigger than West Indies legend Joel Garner or lanky Australian quick Bruce Reid.
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan is 2.16m (that’s 7ft 1 in the old scale), which means he even has a few centimetres over Australian Boomers basketball giant Andrew Bogut.
T20 master blaster Chris Lynn had to face the 37-year-old in a practice game against Pakistan on Thursday at Drummoyne Oval.
Lynn joked to the umpires that the sight screens should be moved up and down — rather than sideways — such was the height of his delivery.
To put his vertical dimension into perspective, the NRL’s tallest player is Storm prop and Bali brawler Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
And he’d be flat out being as high as the Pakistani’s shoulders.
FRIEND FUTURE FOCUSED
Latrell Mitchell is not the only difficult contract issue at the Sydney Roosters. Co-captain Jake Friend, 29, is also a free agent, with his deal expiring next year.
There is not a tougher or more popular player at the club but he played only six games this year.
At the same time, no one expected Sam Verrills would emerge as such an outstanding hooker in 2019. He is a future rep player and wants to play first grade. The 20-year-old also needs to be upgraded. It is going to be an interesting juggling act for coach Trent Robinson to keep both.
JUNIOR AT THE BIG TABLE
Wayne Pearce played 19 Test matches for Australia and knows more about the international game than most. It’s why he has been appointed to the board of the International Rugby League to replace Peter Beattie, who stood down from the role last week. Pearce joins Todd Greenberg as Australia’s representatives on the IRL.
BOYD ON THE MARKET
Darius Boyd’s manager is obviously not confident he will see out his deal at the Broncos because he has been shopping the 32-year-old around for a book deal.
This is a strong indication Boyd could pull the pin at the end of next season, rather than 2021 when his contract expires.
Boyd has been stripped of the Brisbane captaincy by coach Anthony Seibold and told his first grade position is not guaranteed.
OLD CLAIMS SURFACE
An ex-Origin and Kangaroos star from the 1980s is threatening legal action against an old club CEO he claims ripped him off in contract money and rep football entitlements during his career.
This is potentially a huge story as it may involve other players and officials who allegedly knew what was happening.
The player has hired a lawyer and contacted NSWRL boss Dave Trodden to access to board minutes from the mid ‘80s from when his case was discussed. We will keep you updated.
MORE NEWS
Sharks tee-up golf club in bold bid to boost coffers
Kent: Why I wouldn’t spar with Gallen
SMITH’S SMOOTH SLEEPER
Australian cricketers have lots of different idiosyncrasies. While on tour, champion batsman Steve Smith likes to travel with some of his comforts from home. He was spotted at Brisbane airport on Thursday afternoon before boarding a flight to Melbourne with his favourite black satin pillow under his arm. Smith insists his pillow helps him get a good night’s sleep before a game.
REFS GET FIT
There will be no issues with the fitness of NRL referees next year following the appointment of ex-Souths forward David Boyle as Head of High Performance.
Boyle was one of the game’s toughest in the 1980s and studied sports science when he retired. His daughter Millie Boyle is an outstanding front-rower for the Jillaroos.
PANTHERS
Miss X, the woman who was paid $50,000 in the Bryce Cartwright abortion scandal in 2017, has been spotted partying with Penrith Panthers star Nathan Cleary and his former teammate Tyrone May in Los Angeles. Miss X was paid by an intermediary to terminate her pregnancy and later slammed Cartwright for his lack of compassion. She posted a photo from a Halloween party with the footballers on her Instagram account.
Originally published as Barry Hall has not time for Paul Gallen’s fight complaints