Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Erin Molan dumped from Nine’s State of Origin coverage
Erin Molan was nowhere to be seen for the biggest night of rugby league. So where was she and why are Nine being so cagey about it?
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Channel Nine had its entire commentary team working on State of Origin night except for one – the very talented host Erin Molan.
A team of 14 were rostered on from Townsville and Nine’s Sydney studios — James Bracey, Ray Warren, Cameron Smith, Phil Gould, Paul Vautin, Peter Sterling, Allana Ferguson, Billy Slater, Andrew Johns, Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer, Paul Gallen, Sam Thaiday and Danika Mason.
Yet no Molan, who presumably watched the game from her lounge room.
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This is a big story that can be traced back to league immortal Joey Johns’ falling out with the 2DayFM breakfast radio host and Nine sports presenter. They have hardly worked together since. Molan hosts Friday nights, which is Joey’s day off.
She also co-hosted Origin with Bracey up until 2019.
We went to Channel 9’s Head of NRL Simon Fordham via a text for an explanation.
“Hey Simon, it’s Buzz. Just checking why Erin Molan didn’t get a start at Origin. I noticed every other 9 personality was part of the broadcast. Thanks.”
This guy must be publicity shy because we got no response. Nothing.
Or maybe there is no decent explanation. Molan also declined to comment when we tracked her down on Friday.
Interestingly, her contract at Channel 9 is up at the end of the year. Molan reads the weekend news, hosts Friday night football and the Sunday Footy Show each week.
The network is obviously going in a different direction.
We reported last week how Gould and Vautin had been demoted from the commentary box for the game, replaced by Billy Slater and Peter Sterling. Vautin got a phone call before the game with the news he wouldn’t be calling. Gould did the most stirring pre-game spiel but other than that both he and Fatty were hardly sighted.
😤 GOOSEBUMPS! 😤
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) June 9, 2021
Gus' Final Word for Origin I.
Watch: @Channel9
Stream: https://t.co/WUQrarniA7#9WWOS#NRL#Originpic.twitter.com/UeEIe6IVpN
Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another big weekend of rugby league.
SAINT
Forget about the football code rivalries because there is not a more important sporting occasion this weekend than the holiday Monday AFL Big Freeze at the SCG. Melbourne v Collingwood is a huge annual fundraiser all about raising money for research into Motor Neurone Disease. You can buy a beanie from Coles or Bunnings to back this great cause.
SINNER
Cameron Smith blamed injuries and Queensland’s poor preparation for the Origin flogging. Please. This NSW side is so good the Blues could have beaten any of the great Maroons sides that included the likes of Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis.
SHOOSH
The fact the NRL received $8.3 million from the Queensland government to play in Townsville on Wednesday night hasn’t gone unnoticed by the players, who are still on a 50 per cent Origin pay reduction from Covid. Their match earnings have gone from $30,000 to $15,000.
SHOOSH
Which NRL club chairman has placed a complete media ban on all journalists after being on the receiving end of criticism in recent weeks.
SHOOSH
Steve ‘Slippery’ Morris was noticeably absent and didn’t rate a mention in champion winger Brett Morris’ retirement speech before teammates and family at the SCG last week. Sadly the pair fell out many years ago.
SPOTTED
Boxing legend Tony Mundine celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday at his South Hurstville home with family and close friends. Wests Tigers centre Jimmy ‘the Jet’ Roberts and Parramatta Eels star Blake Ferguson were among the guests. Tony is the fittest 70-year-old you will ever see and still trains and hits the bags every day. “He’s a beast,” says his son Anthony.
SPOTTED
Tough Dragons backrower Tariq Sims played a blinder in Origin I to help NSW to a stunning victory. His beautiful family flew in from Sydney to support the Blues — wife Ash and daughters Vayla and Lakia.
SPOTTED
Eastern suburbs boy Victor Radley having a night out on the northern beaches last weekend with teammate Sam Verrills at the Wharf Bar in Manly.
SPOTTED
RLPA boss Clint Newton watching Origin I at Avoca Bowlo with his Central Coast mates, no doubt enjoying the fact referee Gerard Sutton didn’t use the sin bin.
SPOTTED
Dean ‘Bulldog’ Ritchie overheard at Origin telling anyone who cared to listen that his Weekend Big Sports Breakfast show with Ray Thomas went gangbusters in the latest ratings. So unlike the Doggy to talk himself up.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH NRL PODCAST
Phil Rothfield, Michael Carayannis and Adam Mobbs break down the Blues’ big victory over the Maroons and whether Queensland has a chance of turning the tables. Plus, Buzz and Mick fire up over Mal Meninga questioning Jarome Luai’s selection and why the high-tackle crackdown fizzled out.
TRYING TO RAISE $150K FOR MOSE … YOU BETCHA
NRL fans love a good try celebration and hopefully next month they will get to see plenty of them.
Bookmakers Sportsbet have come up with an incredibly generous campaign called Try July — where players can raise $5000 for each try celebration that will go towards Mose Masoe, the stricken footy player recovering from a severe spinal injury.
A Greg Inglis goanna crawl or a Bryan Fletcher hand grenade toss … they’ll pay out on anything.
The former Roosters, Panthers and St Helens star is facing huge medical costs and the expensive exercise of bringing his young family home from England.
The challenge to the players will start next month in premiership and Origin games.
Sportsbet has set a minimum target of raising $150,000.
Rabbitohs skipper Adam Reynolds says South Sydney players are all on board.
“We are extremely mindful of how important this is for Mose and will definitely be supporting it,” he said.
“This is just a great opportunity for players from all clubs to help one of our own. I’ve already given some thought to something but unfortunately I don’t score that often — I’ll be leaning more on Dane Gagai and Alex Johnston as my back up plan.”
Some coaches are often wary of their players going over the top with ceeelebraton and rubbing it in to the opposition after a try.
This will surely be relaxed in July for such a great cause.
Sportsbet ambassador Joel Caine is driving the campaign for the bookmaker.
“What Mose Masoe has been through is truly tragic,” Caine said.
“He is one of those humans that you simply can’t find a bad word said about them.
“The emotional boost can sometimes do more than the financial benefit. You can just imagine the lift it will give Mose when the players get right behind him, and we hope this donation can make things just that little bit easier for him and his family.”
Let the celebrations begin!
HUNI FIRST, TOMORROW THE WORLD
As much as it sounds impossible for an ex-NRL player, Paul Gallen could fight for a world title if he can beat Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni on Wednesday night.
There are two options his advisor Peter Mitrevski jnr will look at.
If the undefeated old Cronulla Sharks warhorse upsets Huni, he will go into the top 15 in world rankings and would target American WBA heavyweight champ Trevor Bryan, who fights for legendary boxing promoter Don King.
This is the same belt Lucas Browne once held, the man Gallen demolished with a furious first round onslaught in Wollongong in his last fight.
Watch Paul Gallen v Justis Huni on Main Event available on Foxtel and Kayo, Wednesday 16 June at 7pm AEST. ORDER NOW >
The other option for Gallen is to drop down to cruiserweight – where he is almost at – and challenge for Danny Green’s old IBO belt currently held by South African Kevin Lerena.
Gallen is already world ranked for the vacant new WBC Bridgerweight World title.
The 39-year-old is unbeaten after 13 fights and insists he’s looking no further than Wednesday night and the highly-rated Huni. However, Mitrevski has no doubts he can get the job done.
“We’re not disrespecting Huni but if Gal wins, a world title is a realistic option,” he said. “We’d bring the belt holder to Australia where it’s much safer with Covid.
“It would be a huge event. Gal has been underestimated since he started out in boxing. His improvement has been phenomenal and he can achieve anything.”
MAROONS SOUNDED OUT OLAM
Queensland Maroons coach Paul Green always feared that NSW centre Tom Trbojevic would be a State of Origin game-breaker.
That’s why he made discreet enquiries a few weeks back about the selection qualifications of Melbourne Storm hitman Justin Olam.
This is an interesting one because the crash-tackling centre first played for the PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup. He then joined the Sunshine Coast Falcons, before making it to NRL at Melbourne Storm. There is not a tougher player in the entire competition.
Olam wouldn’t be the first Papua New Guinean player to wear the Maroons jersey … halfback Adrian Lam played 14 games for Queensland in the 1990s.
The Maroons are highly unlikely to keep Panthers utility Kurt Capewell in the centres against Trbojevic. Maybe Will Chambers is an option.
TRYING TO KEEP TABS ON TURBO
Blues superstar Tom Trbojevic not only tore Queensland to shreds on Wednesday night but also left bookmakers battered and bruised. “Turbo was easily the best backed to win man-of-the-match and first tryscorer,” TAB’s Gerard Daffy said. “He’s that popular if we put him in the Everest market they’d probably back him to win that too.”
CHANNEL 10’S RECRUITMENT DRIVE
On the back of securing the A League TV rights, Channel 10 is now chasing Socceroos games. Their next task will be pulling together a commentary team. We told you last week match caller Simon Hill will head up the new team. Fox Sports also have three world-class commentators in Mark Bosnich, Robbie Slater and Andy Harper, who will no doubt be approached to jump. Adam Peacock is also off contract at Fox Sports.
BELL TOLLS FOR SHARKS VETERAN
The Sharks are torn over the future of veteran prop Aiden Tolman. After 14 NRL seasons, the 31-year-old is not as dominant as he once was, but still a handy middle forward. He is however a wonderful person to have around young footballers in a leadership role. Tolman has played 287 first-grade games and will fall agonisingly short of the big 300 this year.
HUNI IS THE MAN, SAYS MUNDINE
Anthony Mundine is hesitantly tipping the first loss of Paul Gallen’s boxing career on Wednesday night at Darling Harbour against Australian heavyweight champ Justis Huni.
“Huni will beat him,” Mundine said. “He’s too young and too skilful.
“Gal’s made good money, brought profile to the sport and he’s a legend. I love him.
“He’s such a tough bloke and keeps proving people wrong. I guess he could wear Huni down but I doubt it.”
Huni v Gallen is on Foxtel’s Main Event on Wednesday night
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Originally published as Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Erin Molan dumped from Nine’s State of Origin coverage
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