NRL 2025: Cowboys table extension for Reece Robson, Eels boss slams ‘embarrassing’ rebel ticket | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
With the Roosters believed to be out of the Ben Hunt race, their interest has turned to another Origin star, raising the prospect of a possible player swap involving Brandon Smith. That and more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.
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North Queensland has tabled an offer to Reece Robson as it looks to fend off rumoured interest from the Sydney Roosters in the NSW hooker.
The Cowboys told Robson’s management during the Pacific Championships that they were keen to keep him at the club and it is understood they have followed through with an extension to his current contract, which runs until the end of next season.
The Roosters, however, are believed to be circling as they prepare for the departure of Brandon Smith. Smith is off contract at the end of next season but his management has already called for expressions of interest in the New Zealand international.
It raises the prospect that the two players could swap clubs – Smith spent two years in the under 20s at North Queensland before being sacked.
He landed on his feet at Melbourne and became an international but he is now expected to depart the Roosters at the end of next season, if not earlier.
The Cowboys’ clear preference would be to keep Robson but they may be forced to explore their options if the Roosters have their way.
EELS BOSS SLAMS ‘EMBARRASSING’ REBEL TICKET
Eels chair Sean McElduff has urged the old guard to lay down their guns and allow the club to flourish after an embarrassing attempt to take control of the Parramatta Leagues Club (PLC) ended in high farce, costing the PLC members upwards of $400,000.
A disgruntled group of PLC members forced an extraordinary general meeting last week but the meeting was adjourned before a vote could be held after less than 50 members showed up.
The ridiculous situation embarrassed the so-called supporters pushing for change.
The latest flashpoint was a reminder of the bad old days at Parramatta, when the club was held back by factionalism and self-interest.
Parramatta chair Sean McElduff urged the unhappy minority to accept the outcome and move on.
“The new constitution passed its first test with this EGM,” McElduff said.
“These people don’t like the constitutional change put in place in 2017 and they don’t listen. They will keep banging on at the leagues club and make noise.
“People running for the leagues club and wanting to be on the leagues club board need to know you need certain skills and sophistication.
“These guys couldn’t care less about the leagues club or the football club and it is embarrassing.
“They say they care about the club … but if it wastes members’ money, they don’t care.”
SAINT
The Fox sisters were this week honoured with The Don award, which recognises an Aussie athlete or team whose achievements have most inspired the nation. Well deserved this one. Their gold medal performances – and shared celebrations – in Paris were as inspirational as it gets.
SINNER
The Aussie tennis star who caused a scene at his local cafe in Kensington when his basket of balls blocked the stairs so the local 93-year-old, with her walking stick and three-legged dog, couldn’t get past? Ignoring her request to move, the player finally snapped his fingers at his hangers-on after being named and shamed by another woman.
SHOOSH
What club is trying to get a player to move on graciously — and if he doesn’t cop the hint — they may end up sacking him?
SHOOSH I
Who is the rugby sevens star weighing up a move to the NRL following the defection of Olympian Nathan Lawson?
SHOOSH II
Which player from a rival club stunned Brisbane officials when he nominated his asking price to replace Ezra Mam in the event that the Broncos five-eighth receives a lengthy ban.
SHOOSH III
Who was the club powerbroker who refused to sign the new club licensing agreements at the 11th hour. He ultimately fell into line but only after ruffling a few feathers in clubland and at head office.
SPOTTED
Everyone loves the dated calendar. Ben Hunt is front and centre for the Dragons in 2025 while Clint Gutherson is a poster boy for the Eels. John Bateman is on the Tigers’ calendar, so stay tuned to see how that ages.
SPOTTED I
NRL360 host Braith Anasta working out in Bali — shirt off of course — before catching up for a drink with Storm stars Harry Grant, Jonah Pezet and Trent Loiero.
SPOTTED II
Gus Worland, Jude Bolton and Aaron Woods celebrating the final episode of Triple M’s The Rush Hour on Thursday arvo with some of the station’s finest at The Good Luck Lounge.
JOHNSTON FIGHTING FOR FUTURE
The greatest tryscorer in South Sydney Rabbitohs history may be on the move.
Sunday Sesh understands that Alex Johnston has appeared on the radar of rival clubs after entering the final year of his deal on November 1.
Johnston has been down this road before.
Four years ago he was on the verge of being squeezed out of Souths due to salary cap constraints as the Rabbitohs were fighting to keep Joseph-Aukoso Suaalii at the club.
Johnston eventually sacrificed a reported $200,000 to stay, while Suaalii ended up at the Sydney Roosters before moving to rugby union.
Johnston, — scorer of 195 tries in 227 games with the Rabbitohs — is now fighting for his future at the club once more, with his fate likely in the hands of incoming Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett.
It is understood Souths haven’t ruled out making Johnston an offer, but want to see how he returns from injury — he missed the latter stages of the season with an Achilles problem.
In the meantime, his management has gone to market to see the level of interest in him and it’s understood that if Johnston was to secure a long-term deal at another club, there is every chance that Souths would consider an early release for next season.
Johnston isn’t the only issue South Sydney has on its hands — the Rabbitohs are also battling to retain boom speedster Tyrone Munro, who has an offer on the table but is yet to accept it.
Johnston is at the other end of his career.
He turns 30 in January but he remains one of the game’s most potent tryscorers, having crossed for eight tries in 13 games last season before succumbing to his injury.
That tally took him past Melbourne Storm legend Billy Slater on the Australian rugby league all-time try scoring list, leaving only Ken Irvine above Johnston on 212 career tries.
The Rabbitohs flyer only needs 17 tries to catch Irvine but unless he gets it done this season, he may be forced to pursue the record in another jersey.
BOXING TITANS EYE AUSTRALIA
Lou DiBella and Eddie Hearn – two of the world’s biggest boxing promoters – have united to co-promote a blockbuster card in Australia which will see the return of George Kambosos Jr.
DiBella and Hearn have come together for a landmark agreement which will see the boxing giants join forces.
It will most likely result in Kambosos returning to the ring in Australia. February looms as the most likely period for the fight with Queensland in the mix to host the event.
Kambosos will also jump up a weight class with Mathieu Germain lined up as a potential opponent. Kambosos last fought in May after losing a world title fight against Vasyl Lomachenko in Perth.
DiBella has been Kambosos’ long-term promoter. Australian world champion Skye Nicolson is also expected to fight on the card.
SAIA THE SLAYER TO DEBUT
Former Wallabies star Saia Fainga’a is set to make his boxing debut in honour of his late grandmother.
‘Saia the Slayer’ is jumping into the ring on Saturday week at Crown Towers in Perth to take part in a charity boxing event to raise funds for breast cancer.
Now 37, Fainga’a played 36 Tests for the Wallabies from 2010-15 and was rocked by the recent death of his grandmother, who lost her battle with breast cancer.
The former Reds and Brumbies hooker is determined to raise money for cancer research and has been sparring Brisbane-based former IBO world champion Dennis Hogan to learn the art of boxing.
Fainga’a is not the only footballer donning the gloves – NRL enforcer Matt Lodge makes his professional boxing debut tonight in Sydney.
Lodge always wants a shot at Paul Gallen and has urged the NSW Origin legend to come out of retirement for a heavyweight blockbuster.
WOMEN’S ORIGIN TOPPLES MEN
The potential for women’s rugby league has been laid bare with the revelation that more people attended the first-ever three match women’s Origin series than the first ever three-match men’s series.
Historian David Middleton was poring through figures for his 2024 Annual when he made the discovery. No fewer than 74,093 people attended the three women’s Origin matches this year at Suncorp Stadium, Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium and Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium
A record crowd of 25,782 attended game II this year in Newcastle. In comparison, 67,003 people attended the Origin series in 1982 – the first time the concept was ever held as a three-match series.
A new record for the women’s game could be set in 2025, with matches scheduled for Suncorp Stadium, Allianz Stadium and McDonald Jones Stadium.
FARAH WEIGHS UP SUPER LEAGUE
Robbie Farah and his business partner Jai Ayoub are eyeing off Super League after being alerted to the potential of the London Broncos by the club’s former head coach and chief executive Tony Rea.
The Broncos are in the midst of a financial crisis after finishing the Super League season at the bottom of the ladder, leaving owner David Hughes looking to sell the club amid a sea of debt.
Ayoub and Farah are partners in Two4Seven, a flourishing business that offers tailored trips to global sporting events, and it is understood the pair are looking to expand their interests.
Their relationship with Rea – they worked together with the Lebanon national team – prompted the pair to look into the prospect of buying a stake in the London Broncos.
It is understood their interest in Super League has led to other opportunities and the pair are watching closely as the game in England continues to struggle.
London is the ultimate challenge, although the upside is immense given the size and history of the city.
KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR
One of the game’s genuine good guys – Jayden Brailey – tied the knot with long-term partner Liliana Brogan recently.
The pair were married at Tides Byron Estate in Byron Bay. The “honeymoon” was soon over for Brailey, who is due back at pre-season training with Newcastle next week.
EELS GET HANDS DIRTY
Parramatta players will spend three days next week landscaping and working in factories. They’ll be teacher’s aides and kitchen hands. They’ll be packing hampers and doing maintenance work.
Eels coach Jason Ryles has taken a leaf out of his former club Melbourne’s highly-successful book and plans to give his players a dose of the real world.
They’ll also get a taste of what it means to be a Parramatta player by spending time in the community they represent with the fans who help pay their wages.
Ryles is hoping the players emerge from the experience feeling a mix of gratitude for the unique position, humility for the opportunity they have been given and a greater understanding of what life is like in the working world.
Ryles had outlined plans to shake up the culture at Parramatta when he was given the job and it has already begun in pre-season training, but it will begin in earnest next week as players mix with the community.
Players on million-dollar deals will spend their days working at the Foodbank, Habitat for Humanity, Giant Steps and Nathan’s Lawns and Gardens.
The only players who will miss the experience are those who are yet to return to training because they were involved in representative football at the end of the year.
It means the likes of Dylan Brown, on a bumper contract believed to be worth in the vicinity of $1 million a year, could be mowing lawns or helping educate young minds.
“It’s more about connection with our community,” Ryles said.
“It also gives us a bit of perspective on how lucky we are to do what we do and call it a job. We’ll do an open training session on the Saturday as well at a local ground in Fairfield to maintain and grow that connection with our community, fans and sponsors.”
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CEO … WITH TIGERS BOSS SHANE RICHARDSON
First job?
My first job was working at an abattoir. I worked in abattoirs every year from age 13 onward on my holidays, until I was 17.
Greatest personal sporting achievement?
Best boy rider at the Kilcoy Show in 1965. It involved everything — drum racing, dressage. I was only nine years old.
Sporting team you supported as a kid?
Fortitude Valley in the Brisbane competition. I can still sing the song and name the 1972 team. I was a big fan of Marty Scanlan, who was the five-eighth.
Who was your sporting hero?
My uncle Ross Richardson. He played rugby league for Wide Bay and Beaudesert and got me involved in the sport. He was also the president at Beaudesert and got me excited about administration as well. I made my debut in first grade with him at Beaudesert.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to be a lawyer. I got into law at Queensland Uni and then after the first six months I thought this was not for me. I transferred to Commerce. The rest is history.
Most famous person on your phone?
Anthony from The Wiggles. He is a made Tigers fan and good bloke. I love his motto in life. One word — fun!
What’s at the top of your 2025 wish list?
The top eight is the goal.
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Originally published as NRL 2025: Cowboys table extension for Reece Robson, Eels boss slams ‘embarrassing’ rebel ticket | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
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