NRL 2022: Sacked star Curtis Scott dating NRLW player Zali Fay
Curtis Scott’s new girlfriend - who plays for Cronulla in the NRLW - was innocently drawn into the former NRL centre’s latest court proceedings.
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Curtis Scott’s new girlfriend is a NRLW player who was contracted to the Cronulla Sharks.
The mystery woman that was mentioned but not named during Scott’s court appearance last week is Zali Fay – a talented outside back who played for the New Zealand Maori Ferns last year.
Ms Fay – who has been dating Scott for almost 12 months – was innocently drawn into court proceedings when it was revealed she lives in the same street as the woman who has made the historical assault allegations against the former Raiders player.
Scott successfully applied to have the conditions of an AVO altered when it was revealed that Fay lived just 80m away from the footballer’s ex-girlfriend, Australian triple jumper Tay-Leiha Clark.
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Clark moved into the Miranda street where Fay resides last year.
Scott had the terms of the AVO altered so he could walk past Clark’s house to attend a park where he and Fay have been training.
Clark made the historical allegations of assault shortly after she confronted both Scott and Fay as they walked past her house while travelling to the park.
The altercation extended to family members after both Scott and Clarke made separate allegations to police.
Scott has been charged with two counts of intentionally choking a person with recklessness, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking or intimidating intending fear or physical harm and three counts of common assault.
Scott has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer has complained about the NRL stopping his client’s trial with Parramatta until the case is finalised.
“Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence,” Sam Macedone said.
Police will allege in court that the sacked Canberra Raiders player assaulted Clark on multiple occasions in 2018.
KNIGHTS INJURY FEARS REALISED
Newcastle skipper Jayden Brailey will have surgery on Wednesday after scans confirmed he suffered a torn Achilles at training.
The set back is expected to sideline the hooker for four to six months.
As revealed by The Sunday Telegraph, Brailey suffered the injury at training on Saturday in a non-impact drill.
Jayden Brailey is reportedly preparing for surgery on his achilles injury as soon as this week (via @DaveRic1). Would confirm a likely rupture, the sooner the better for surgery. Video shows how injury occurs, why the hands on testing is so accurate & surgical technique example. pic.twitter.com/YT65TflKXM
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) January 16, 2022
The injury leaves back-up hooker Chris Randall in the mix to be the starting rake while Adam Clune will also come under consideration for selection from a disappointed Knights coach Adam O’Brien.
“Jayden Brailey is reportedly preparing for surgery on his achilles injury as soon as this week (via @DaveRic1). Would confirm a likely rupture, the sooner the better for surgery,” NRL Physio Brien Seeney tweeted.
The Knights open their campaign away to the Sydney Roosters at the SCG on March 12.
DOLPHINS’ RECRUITMENT FAIL
There are fears that the Redcliffe Dolphins will be first year fodder with an unprecedented end of season signing spree leaving the incoming franchise fighting for scraps.
In a concern for a team that is yet to sign a genuine star, the biggest name on an off-contract list that includes just two current State of Origin players is Angus Crichton.
Having landed only Felise Kaufusi, Jamayne Isaako and Ray Stone in a recruitment fail, the Dolphins will be left in scramble after clubs like the Bulldogs, Roosters and Tigers pounced to poach the NRL’s best off-contract talent.
Missing out on Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs), Brandon Smith (Roosters), and Api Koroisau (Tigers) to name a few, the Dolphins may fail to sign a genuine marquee to lead the club in their first year with Jesse Bromwich and Tariq Sims joining Crichton as the only other current representative players on the list.
“It’s going to be slim pickings,” said a recruitment manager from a Sydney based club.
“They may have missed the boat. I think they may have been caught a bit of guard because clubs pulled the trigger earlier than usual. Everyone knew they were in the market so that forced clubs to go in hard as soon as the deadline passed.”
In a rare spate of end of season signings, Kikau, Smith, Koroisau, Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith, Isaiah Papali’i, Luciano Leilua, Reed Mahoney, Junior Paulo and Josh Hodgson were all signed or re-signed with-in six weeks of becoming free agents on November 1.
The Dolphins will be left to draw from an underwhelming off-contract list that will see the likes of Matt Dufty, Matt Moylan and Jordan McLean join Crichton, Bromwich and Simms as the best players yet to sign deals for 2023 and beyond.
BEST OF THE REST: Possible Dolphins side based on players unsigned beyond 2022
1. Matt Dufty, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Tom Opicac, 4. Herbie Farnworth, 5. Corey Oates, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Matt Moylan, 8. Jesse Bromich, 9. Freddy Lussick, 10. Marty Taupau,
11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Ryan Matterson, 13. Adam Elliot, 14. Ray Stone, 15. Jack Bird, 16. Jordan McLean, 17. Tariq Simms
THE HITS
Ray Stone (Eels)
Jamayne Isaako (Broncos)
Felise Kaufusi (Storm)
Valynce Te Whare (Rugby Union)
THE MISSES
Brandon Smith (Roosters)
Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs)
Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs)
Api Koroisau (Tigers)
Luciano Leilua (Cowboys)
Isaiah Papali’i (Tigers)
Cameron Munster (Storm)
Junior Paulo (Eels)
All the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.
SAINT
All those involved in getting cricket’s first Indigenous round off the ground and running. The inaugural First Nations round of the BBL, which ended on Friday, was a part of Cricket Australia’s reconciliation action plan. Indigenous bowler Josh Lalor proudly wore the Melbourne Renegades First Nations-inspired strip and used the occasion to start an intelligent conversation about cricket’s role in reconciliation.
SINNER
Virat Kohli for accusing South African broadcaster SuperSport of manipulating a Hawkeye review to save South African captain Dean Elgar. While we have always loved his passion, Kholi needs a slap over the wrist for using the stump microphone to make the sensational claim during third Test between India and South Africa. Elgar was originally given out but the LBW decision was overturned.
SPOTTED
Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns and former Souths prop Ian Roberts catching up after a swim at Bronte beach. Johns weaved his way through the summer crowd to have a chat with the rugby league enforcer turned actor after spotting him on the crowded beach. Bronte is becoming an NRL hotspot with Roosters coach Trent Robinson among the regulars.
SPOTTED II
Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis tasting whiskey at Lark Distillery in Hobart. Apparently Cummins is quite the connoisseur when it comes to his top-end liquor and has developed quite the nose when it comes to judging a fine drop. The Australian captain was obviously impressed by the work of the award-winning Tasmanian whiskey maker given that he bought a bag full of bottles. Lark’s top-shelf whiskey – a rare cask mizunara – sells for $1000 a bottle.
SPOTTED III
Zinc cream has made a comeback, with NRL players taking to training fields for the pre-season covered in the heavy-duty sunscreen. The sun-smart Panthers looked pretty in pink with a handful of players going for the loudest colour they could find.
SHOOSH
Which two behind-the-scenes powerbrokers have been bagging a high-profile sports administrator? While it is not a job-threatening situation, the administrator would be well advised to keep these former friendlies onside.
SHOOSH II
Which NRL agent is signing kids as soon as they turn 15? We have been told that the accredited agent signed a boy after watching him play just once. The boy in question has never played in a representative team and is two years away from playing Harrold Matthews – should he make it.
PARALYMPIANS SNUBBED
Australia’s Paralympians were fuming with Swimming Australia after the likes of Ellie Cole and William Martin were excluded from the Swimmer of the Year Awards.
Summer Buzz obtained a copy of the email which was sent to Paralympians last week to inform them that they would be excluded from attending the gala presentation because of Covid restrictions while able bodied athletes would still attend.
“In the light of the current Covid situation and based on medical advice, the difficult decision has been made to reduce the number of attendees at the 2021 Swimmer of the Year Awards,” the email said.
“As a result, we will now host the Paralympic awards night via an online platform on the same evening.”
Several high-profile Paralympians contacted Swimming Australia after the email was sent out.
“Unfortunately, occurrences like this are not uncommon,” said a high-profile Paralympic athlete.
“We are treated like the ugly sister.”
Swimming Australia has since reversed the decision and will allow Paralympians to attend the February event, to be held on the Gold Coast, should they meet Covid protocols.
A Swimming Australia spokeswoman said an apology was issued to the Paralympians and explained that a miscommunication was to blame for the email.
“It was never about exclusion,” the spokeswoman said.
“There was an internal breakdown in communication and following conversations with the athletes, anyone who wishes to attend will be accommodated.”
QUITE A CATCH FOR COURTNEY
James Courtney’s reign as the V8 playboy is officially over with the Ford star taking himself off the market.
Following a string of high-profile relationships, including a short-lived dalliance with Kylie Clarke, Courtney announced his engagement to glamour girl Tegan Woodford last week.
Courtney, 41, turned heads at the Bathurst 1000 when the stunning Woodford accompanied him to Mount Panorama.
The pair went public with their relationship last April.
While he might be slowing down off the track, Courtney has no plans to take the foot off the pedal when it comes to his career.
Courtney has no plans to retire and is eyeing off a new deal with Tickford Racing after making the switch from Holden to Ford.
EM’S STILNOX SCARS
Emily Seebohm has pulled the scab off an old wound by telling Nathan Buckley Swimming Australia “pushed it under the rug” when referring to the infamous Australian swimming Stilnox scandal of 2012 during the filming of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
Speaking to the AFL great during the filming of the Channel 10 reality show, Seebohm discussed making the complaint which would later force James Magnussen, Tommaso D’Orsogna, Cameron McEvoy, Eamon Sullivan and Matt Targett to admit to mixing Stilnox with stimulants.
“I was the one that told the management that it was going on,” Seebohm said.
“I was one of the few people that did say something but it was just kind of pushed under the rug.
“I went straight to the head coach and he just said, ‘they would not have done that’.
“I was really annoyed that it happened because they didn’t care for anyone. It had an effect on the team.”
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