NRL news 2022: Holbrook puts young Gold Coast star on notice
One of the Titans’ brightest prospects has copped a grilling from coach Justin Holbrook while Storm star Cameron Munster has made a significant decision.
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Titans coach Justin Holbrook pulled no punches when expressing his disappointment in young gun Tom Weaver after the schoolboys sensation was arrested for alleged drink driving.
Weaver will front court later this month after being charged with drink driving on the Gold Coast in the early hours of Sunday.
Weaver, 19, is one of the Titans’ brightest young prospects and is being groomed to be a long-term playmaker at the club.
Holbrook has been left bitterly disappointed with the Titans’ top talent.
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“I’m really disappointed,” he said. “It’s hard when you’ve got 34 young men you’re responsible for. Some of them are going to make poor choices.
“If I’m honest, Tommy would have been the last I thought would have made a poor choice. That’s what disappoints me.”
Titans coach Justin Holbrook was disappointed with Tom Weaver’s actions. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
“We’ve got a lot of knockabout blokes playing rugby league and that’s what we love about the sport. But there are some genuinely smart guys playing and Tommy is one of them.
“I’m really disappointed with the position he put himself in over the weekend for himself, his family and our club. He is such a smart young boy that made a silly decision.”
While he won’t be playing NRL any time soon, Holbrook said Weaver would be disciplined by the club once his case was finalised.
“He will be, I’m sure that will go through a process,” he said. “We’ve got to make him accountable for that as well as support him.
“I’m not shying away from it. I’m really disappointed about it and he is too. He’s made a really poor choice. We’ve got to avoid those situations and make sure he makes the right decisions in the future.”
SPORT CON: MUNSTER JOINS FORCES WITH ANASTA
Braith Anasta has pulled off a major coup with the Fox Sports commentator and NRL-accredited player agent winning a multimillion-dollar battle for the signature of Queensland Origin star Cameron Munster.
Anasta is kicking goals in the media world, doing a slick job as the new host of NRL 360 on Fox League, and now Munster, one of the NRL’s big guns, has joined his management stable.
Sport Confidential can reveal Munster and Anasta agreed terms on Tuesday night.
Former NSW Origin and Test utility Anasta will make the announcement in coming days, with Munster to join the Searoo Sports stable that also includes Souths halfback rookie Lachlan Ilias.
Munster recently parted ways with Queensland-based agent Shaun Pyne, who signed him as a 16-year-old in Rockhampton and helped turn him into a premiership-winning State of Origin player at Melbourne.
Pyne brokered Munster’s current $4 million Melbourne mega deal and it is understood the Maroons maestro had to pay a severance package in excess of $100,000 to become a free agent.
That prompted a host of big-name NRL agents to clamour for his signature, but Anasta has won the race.
The 40-year-old Anasta has no interest in having a massive stable of NRL stars, instead picking and choosing who he signs to ensure he can deliver quality mentoring to his elite client base.
Munster faces a massive season after the white-powder scandal that saw him enter rehab last year. The Origin five-eighth needs good people around him and Anasta understands the pressures of NRL after a decorated 288-game career across 15 seasons.
Munster’s former captain at Melbourne, Cameron Smith, was highly critical of the pivot in the aftermath of the white-powder affair, but the NRL legend has backed his ex-teammate to fire this season with Anasta’s mentoring.
“It’s vital he repays the club and I think he is up to that too,” Smith said of Munster.
“I have known Cameron for a long time and the decisions that he made wouldn’t have been intentional to hurt the (Storm) organisation or anyone who has been involved in it.
“It was a poor decision, he knows that, everyone knows that, and he has taken steps to improve himself, which for me is the best decision he could have made, not only for his football career, but for himself and his young family.
“If he is a better person for it I am happy for him and his family. Looking at him in pre-season with his training, I have spoken to a few people at the Storm and they say he is in a great frame of mind.”
MILFORD STAYING FIT WITH MAGPIES
Could troubled former Broncos star Anthony Milford make a shock return to Queensland’s premier league competition?
Sport Confidential can reveal Milford has been running with mates at the Souths Logan Magpies as the former Queensland Origin utility desperately fights to save his NRL career.
The 27-year-old remains in limbo following assault charges levelled against him last September. Milford’s next court hearing is in early April, meaning it could be some months before the NRL considers registering his next NRL contract, pending the ex-Bronco being cleared of all charges.
To keep fit during his time in exile, Milford has been training with Broncos feeder club the Magpies, fuelling speculation he could embark on a cameo in the Hostplus Cup while he awaits a final call on his NRL future.
Milford’s fall from grace has been dramatic. On a $1 million contract last year, Milford was earning almost $20,000 a week, but he has been without any income since his Broncos deal expired on November 1.
QRL chief executive Rohan Sawyer says Souths Logan have not submitted a registration form ahead of the Magpies’ season opener against the Capras on Sunday week, but insists Milford can apply to play.
“We would consider any application,” he said. “In the case of Anthony, it would be something that would have to go to the QRL board and we would also speak to the NRL about his possible registration from an NRL perspective as well.
“We always consider things, but that doesn’t mean there is a guaranteed pathway.
“No-one at Souths Logan has spoken to me about Milf. I wasn’t even aware that he was running with the guys at Souths Logan. The season kicks off next weekend, but at this stage nothing has come forward to us.”
‘CHOPPER’ PULLS NO PUNCHES
Legendary Broncos trainer Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess has conquered the world.
Chopper has spent the pre-season whipping Broncos players into shape with weekly boxing sessions and he has walked the walk by winning his maiden amateur world title.
In his pomp, Burgess was a three-time Australian amateur heavyweight champion, a three-time Queensland champion and he once traded blows with former world-title challenger David Tua in a 1994 Commonwealth Games trial.
A world crown, however, had always eluded him — until now. Last month, Chopper, his supreme fitness defying his 61 years, destroyed his rival John McDonald on the Sunshine Coast, winning all six rounds to claim the masters cruiserweight world title.
“Winning a world title means everything,” he said.
“I have won six Australian titles, but when you win a world title and you have your son in your corner, that means everything to me.
“I was well prepared. I won every round, my fitness was great. He was a tough, hard man. I hit him with everything and he kept coming back. There were 32 fights on the card and we got chosen fight of the night, so that was great.
“I’ve had a couple of offers to defend my world title in Los Angeles or the Philippines, but I will have a break for the moment and enjoy time with my son.”
Broncos players have been blown away by Burgess’ strength and fitness in his 60s.
“My one guiding principle is discipline,” he said. “No drugs, no alcohol, eight hours sleep and a balanced diet.
“Success isn’t born, it’s made and that’s the message I pass onto the guys at the Broncos.
“I’m really enjoying working with the Broncos, guys like Payne Haas, Patty Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs are tremendous fellas.”
DOGS INVADE BRONCOS HEARTLAND
Canterbury chief Phil Gould has struck a blow on the Broncos by moving into a traditional heartland of league in Queensland as the Bulldogs search for the next Johnathan Thurston.
The Bulldogs have struck up an affiliation agreement with the Western Clydesdales as the club fights to gain entry to the Hostplus Cup.
The two clubs have signed a three-year deal from 2023 which will see the Bulldogs establish and run an Academy program servicing south-west Queensland, work with the Clydesdales staff, and make visits to Toowoomba over the course of the partnership.
The Bulldogs hope to build a bigger following in Queensland and unearth future stars like Steve Price and Thurston, who made the move from Toowoomba to Belmore with great success.
“I am really excited about this partnership,” Gould said.
“It will help provide development for young players looking for a career in rugby league. It is important that every team in the Queensland Cup has a pathway through to the NRL.
“It’s about participation. Helping junior league in this area and junior league coaches and bringing local players into the Academy to get the best possible resources and coaching.”
The Clydesdales used to be a feeder club for the Broncos before they dropped out of Queensland’s top competition.
But they are now chasing re-entry from 2023 and chairman Tony Coonan said the Bulldogs deal would help their case.
“It’s incredibly exciting to partner with the Bulldogs given their history of success and promising future as you can see from what they’re building at the moment,” he said.
“The Clydesdales Board and I think this affiliation is a tremendous boost for rugby league in our region as it will help develop and inspire the next generation of players. It also provides a direct pathway from our region through to the NRL.
“On top of that, this affiliation boosts our bid for inclusion in the HostPlus Cup in 2023, which is certainly gaining momentum.
DEMETRIOU FINDS A HANDY BENNY-FACTOR
Wayne Bennett has spent the past five years mentoring Jason Demetriou and the super coach believes his one-time apprentice can take the Rabbitohs to this year’s premiership.
Bennett had such faith in Demetriou that when the duo were sacked from the Broncos in December 2018, the 72-year-old issued a lifeline for his assistant to join him on a new chapter at the Rabbitohs.
The duo helped the Rabbitohs to last year’s grand final. Bennett is a hard marker, but the super coach, who takes charge of the NRL expansion club the Dolphins in 2023, explained why Demetriou will succeed as a head coach.
“There’s several things,” Bennett said. “Jason is passionate. He knows the game.
“Tactically, he is very good. He is great with players, he has good empathy for them and most importantly, he has proven he can win trophies.
“The Cowboys won a premiership when he was there (as an assistant to Paul Green in 2015), he has won a Queensland Cup premiership and state championships.
“Jason’s apprenticeship has been spot-on. He just needs a bit of luck now. The lesson I have learned in all my years of coaching is coaches need great players to succeed. Jason will need players to get the job done, so hopefully guys like Cody (Walker), Latrell (Mitchell) and Damien (Cook) stay fit this season.
“This Souths team can challenge for the premiership, absolutely. The culture underpins everything and with Jason as coach, they have the recipe for success.”
COWBOYS FIND SOME LOVE
The Cowboys are being backed to beat the Bulldogs in round one and they are now no longer the worst supported side to win the title, even though they have blown out to the equal longest odds of $67 with TAB.
Newcastle have taken over as the least supported side to win the Premiership. TAB punters have clearly written them off with the Knights also best backed to miss the top 8 and to finish with the most losses.
Plenty will be happy to see Selwyn Cobbo named in the Broncos’ starting line-up for Friday night’s clash against Souths.
At $101, he’s one of the roughies to attract solid money for the season’s Top Try Scorer award. Ex-Bronco Xavier Coates is the most popular now he’s switched to the Storm.
Interestingly, the Broncos ($26) have received stronger support than the Titans ($23) to win the title despite the Gold Coast making last year’s finals.
BIRD FLYING IN
First it was Israel Folau. Then Tony “T-Rex” Williams.
Now Clive Palmer’s Southport Tigers could be set to welcome another big-name former NRL star into the Gold Coast A-grade competition.
Former NSW Origin and Kangaroos star Greg Bird has been in discussions with the Tigers about appearing in this year’s league.
Bird is back living on the Gold Coast following five years of playing and coaching with French club Catalans in the Super League.
And Palmer is keen to get the former Titans captain on board for the Tigers’ 2022 premiership pursuit.
NO CAM DO FOR DOLPHINS
NRL legend Cameron Smith has played down suggestions he could join forces with Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins.
Smith is loving retirement on the Gold Coast and has been inundated with opportunities, including helping new Queensland coach Billy Slater reclaim the Origin crown this season.
Bennett is on the lookout for an assistant coach at the Dolphins, but the Storm legend scoffed at the prospect of being Wayne’s right-hand man at the NRL’s 17th team.
“I haven’t spoken to Wayne about it,” he said.
“I caught up with Wayne at an event late last year and I’m sure he knew he would be coaching Redcliffe by then, but he didn’t say anything to me.
“He is pretty crafty Wayne, we all know that, but he hasn’t reached out to me about any role. I am only 12 months out of playing. I still love the club I represented, the Storm, so that’s where my allegiance lies.”
BRAITHWAITE’S BRONCOS
THE Broncos won’t be the only horses getting around Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Aussie music icon Daryl Braithwaite has been called in to add some more horsepower to Brisbane’s round 1 blockbuster against South Sydney.
Braithwaite will be banging out his trademark hit “The Horses” before kick-off in the NRL season-opener.
Braithwaite said he couldn’t wait to play in front of a huge crowd.
“We’re really looking forward to it and hopefully you’ll come along – and sing along – before the game starts,” he said.
“I know we’re going to see all the Bronxnation there on Friday night and we can’t wait to play in front of a packed stadium.”
Braithwaite’s performance will be part of a huge game day that marks the full reopening of Suncorp Stadium after Covid restrictions for the past two years.
Gates open at 5.30pm and tickets are still available via Ticketek for the match, which kicks off at 7.05pm, when the weather is expected to be ideal as temperatures hover in the early 20s.
There will be free Public Transport available with your event ticket on regular bus and train services, with officials encouraging fans to give themselves plenty of time to get to the ground early.
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