Sport Confidential: AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell ‘not talking’ amid fullback battle
Titans star AJ Brimson has confirmed a three-way duel is underway for Gold Coast’s fullback duties – and competition is fierce.
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Titans star AJ Brimson has confirmed a duel is underway for Gold Coast’s fullback duties.
Brimson and Jayden Campbell have both gone public in their desire to wear the Titans’ No. 1 jersey next season.
Throw emerging star Keano Kini into the mix and new coach Des Hasler has a big decision to make on who starts at fullback.
Brimson made light of him and Campbell both gunning for the same position.
“It’s pretty awkward at the moment,” Brimson said with a smirk.
“We don’t really talk too much out there. It’s just death stares and that.
“We both put our hand up to play on the wing so Keano can play fullback anyway. I think it’ll work itself out.
“Fullback is my favourite spot. But Des is the big dog and can pick the team.
“At the end of the day, whatever teams he wants, he will pick the best chance to win the comp. I’ll back whatever he does.”
There have been suggestions the injury-prone Brimson could shift to centre to prolong his career and allow Campbell to start at fullback.
It’s not something Brimson is overly keen on, but he will make the move if Hasler decides it’s the best fit for the team.
“I’ll be open to it,” Brimson said.
“I’ll have to learn it this pre-season, but I am open to doing that. We’ll see what happens.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to have a bit of a roving role if I end up playing in the centres and get to still be around the ball for offloads.
“I’ll still try to do the same stuff I do at fullback, just less touches and less Ks to look after the body a little bit.
“It might be a little less taxing on the body, but I’m also confident I can play another five to 10 years at fullback every week.
“I’m open to everything and being optimistic. I love playing for the Titans and living on the Gold Coast so I’m happy to play anywhere. I just want to play finals.”
BENNETT CALLS TIME ON BROMWICH
The NRL is set to lose one of the code’s greatest servants with Dolphins skipper Jesse Bromwich tipped to retire next season.
This masthead can reveal the curtain is coming down on Bromwich’s glittering NRL career, with the Kiwi Test legend poised to join super coach Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins exit at the end of 2024.
Bromwich is off-contract next year and while the Dolphins’ foundation captain has yet to make a definitive call on his future, Bennett believes the end is nigh.
Bromwich turns 35 in May and Bennett, who will finish up as Dolphins head coach next year, expects the 2024 campaign to be the front-row enforcer’s 15th and final season in the NRL.
“I think Jesse will be finishing up next year,” Bennett said.
“He’s a bit like me. We both did two-year deals and I don’t think Jesse will be going past next year.
“We haven’t had those talks yet but I assume Jesse will be retiring.”
The Auckland-born prop made his NRL debut at Melbourne in 2010 and has gone on to compile a remarkable record, playing 34 Tests for the Kiwis and 316 first-grade games.
Currently the 27th most-capped NRL player of all-time, Bromwich needs 22 more games next season to leapfrog Darius Boyd (337) into the Telstra Premiership’s top 10 servants.
Bromwich is on the verge of surpassing legends such as former Storm teammate Billy Slater (319) and Queensland Origin champion Johnathan Thurston (323).
It is a head-spinning achievement given Bromwich plays in the code’s toughest position in the engine room.
Once rated the world’s best prop, Bromwich took a leap of faith joining the Dolphins after 13 years of outstanding service for the Storm and Bennett says he is the perfect mentor for new signing, ex-Broncos firebrand Tom Flegler.
“Jesse has been a wonderful signing for the Dolphins,” Bennett said.
“I can’t think of a better mentor for a young forward like Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert.
“The good thing is Jesse will be with Flegler for the first 12 months and Tom will do a great apprenticeship under him.
“Tom (Flegler) has always needed that senior mentor around him. He didn’t have that at the Broncos since Sam Thaiday and Corey Parker left the club, so Jesse is going to be great for him.
“Jesse has played over 300 games, he has done it all, he has won premierships and played for his country and he will do a lot for Tom.”
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader remains hopeful Bromwich could soldier on in 2025, but it appears unlikely.
“Jesse has done everything in the game,” Reader said.
“He was our first captain and has set a wonderful foundation for the Dolphins and work ethic for our younger players.
“We’ll see how Jesse goes through the year and he will make a decision himself on what he wants to do with his future.
“He will know how he is feeling as the year goes on and we’ll afford Jesse that respect as a legend of the game.”
BRADY’S OZ BONANZA
Tom Brady could extend his Australian tour to encompass Sydney as the cost of seeing the NFL legend in the flesh Down Under reaches eye-popping levels.
Sport Confidential understands the cost of a table for Brady’s Melbourne show is as high as $50,000, underlining the popularity of the man widely regarded as the greatest NFL quarterback of all-time.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion will host an evening with Tom Brady on Saturday, January 27 at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, an event which sold out in a matter of minutes.
But talks are also underway for Brady to head to the Harbour City to ensure his legion of Sydney fans don’t miss the opportunity to rub shoulders with the NFL icon.
The 46-year-old has also been linked with a trip to Brisbane, but it’s understood Sydney is the next cab off the rank if Brady opts for a second function following his historic visit to Melbourne.
While the cheapest ticket for the Melbourne event is $99, the premium ‘Touchdown’ tables have fetched up to $50,000.
SIMPLY THE BEST BOXER
NSW Origin centre Bradman Best has revealed he wants to be the next NRL star to test himself in the boxing ring.
Sport Confidential can reveal Australia’s No.1 boxing promoters, No Limit, are keen for Best to make his fight debut next year – possibly against Dragons rival Zac Lomax.
Best is a fan of boxing and attended the Nikita Tszyu-Dylan Biggs Australian title blockbuster in Newcastle on Wednesday night.
The day prior, Best was one of the four Knights players invited to jump on the scales at the official weigh-in and the hard-running centre looked in impressive shape at 98.52kg.
Best has trained with Australia’s world-title hopeful Sam Goodman and the Origin ace is open to a cameo performance.
“In the future I would like to have a fight for sure,” Best said.
“I do a bit of boxing here and there. I know guys like Sammy Goodman and Joel Keegan (Goodman’s trainer), they’ve taught me the foundations.
“I just like learning the sport. The footwork of it can relate to rugby league as well, which is why I do it.
“I would like to have a crack at a fight for sure, to get out of my comfort zone and experience what it’s like.
“I’m used to a team environment. Boxing is a lonely sport, but the experience of testing myself in the ring would be great.
“Guys like and Junior Paulo can throw them and move like boxers.
“I would have to train properly for a good year or so, I would take it seriously if I was to jump in.”
PANTHERS ON SIN CITY PROWL
Premiers Penrith won’t be part of the NRL’s historic trip to Las Vegas but the Panthers don’t want to miss the second edition.
Penrith boss Brian Fletcher is hopeful the NRL will include the title powerhouse among a four-club touring party in 2025 as the Panthers prepare for a $300 million redevelopment of their home ground.
The Panthers won’t play a single game at BlueBet Stadium in 2025 and Fletcher believes it’s the ideal time for a road trip to Sin City.
“We’d like to go to Vegas in 2025,” Fletcher said.
“We’ve asked the NRL to go in the second year because we pull our stadium down then (for the 2025 season) and we have to effectively play all our games away from home.
“It’s a $309 million project, we’re in the process of doing the final plans for that now.
“We always move one home game to Bathurst, we’ll have one at Mudgee and most likely have the rest of our home games at CommBank (home of the Parramatta Eels).
“It’s a pity we will be away from home for a year. It’s a disadvantage because we’re pretty hard to beat at Penrith.
“But it will be great to bring our home ground up to modern standards, which we needed to do.”
DOLPHINS WON’T FLIP OUT
Dolphins boss Terry Reader is adamant the new franchise won’t suffer a dose of second-year syndrome next season.
Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins were the fairytale story of the 2023 season, defying critics by winning nine games in their foundation year to finish 13th – ahead of bottom-four battlers the Titans, Bulldogs, Dragons and Tigers.
Bennett will be under pressure to edge the Dolphins closer to the finals next season, especially after a brilliant recruitment drive that has netted Broncos duo Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth and ex-Bulldog Jake Averillo.
No-one will take the Dolphins lightly next season and Reader is determined for the $100 million operation not to go backwards in 2024.
“As a club we certainly intend to kick on and capitalise on the hard work of our amazing first season and we have a great foundation in place to do so,” Reader said.
“In 2024 we do not intend to just make up the numbers and have high expectations for the season ahead.
“With an already stable squad and the addition of Herbie, Flegler and Averillo and other quality younger players coming through, there is great optimism and excitement.
“We certainly go into the new season with our ‘PhinsUp’ on what is to come.
“The Dolphins are not just the feel-good story for 2023 but as the sheer weight of support we received demonstrated, people showed us that they not only needed, but wanted another team in Brisbane to support.
“I have no doubt bigger and better things are to come for our fans in 2024.”
‘CHICKEN ARMS’ CAM
Broncos winger Corey Oates has challenged golf superstar Cameron Smith to join Brisbane’s big boys in the Red Hill gym.
Oates was no match for Smith on the fairways of Royal Queensland this week in the Australian PGA Championship Pro-Am.
But the Broncos flyer reckons he can get one over Smith in the gym when the Brisbane fan pops into training during the pre-season.
“I wouldn’t mind getting him on a bench press – I wouldn’t mind seeing what those little chicken arms can bench,” Oates said.
“He’ll get a kick out of being around the club and seeing how the boys train and I know the boys will love having him around and his presence.
“Two years ago, there were four players that liked playing golf and watching it. Now there’s easily 24 players that love playing it, watching it and think they can analyse it. They’ve got no idea.”
NBA CLUB’S AUSSIE VISIT
Talks are underway for a historic first in Australian sport – an NBA team arriving Down Under.
Sport Confidential can reveal one of the country’s leading sports agents, Chris Orr of PSM, has hatched plans to bring the New Orleans Pelicans to Australia next year.
In June, travel giant TripADeal became the first Australian company to broker an NBA sponsorship with New Orleans and the next step is bringing the ‘Pels’ to the southern hemisphere.
Bendigo-born young gun Dyson Daniels is contracted to the Pelicans and Australian NBA star Josh Giddey has previously led a push for an American basketball game Down Under.
Orr confirmed he is in negotiations with Pelicans powerbrokers.
“Basketball is the fastest growing sport in Australia and our NBA representation has never been higher,” Orr said.
“It is the right time to try to bring an NBA team to Australia.
“With the newly-formed corporate sponsorship of TripADeal, along with Aussie player Dyson Daniels on the New Orleans roster, the Pels would be the perfect team to visit.”
BLUES YOUNG GUN WANTS TITANIC EXTENSION
Emerging Titans halfback Tom Weaver is chasing a new contract with Gold Coast after hitting the NRL’s open market.
A former NSW under-19s Origin representative, Weaver is attempting to impress new Titans coach Des Hasler as he comes off-contract at the end of next season.
He is the only top 30 playmaker currently training with the Titans as Tanah Boyd (shoulder) and Kieran Foran (leave) unavailable.
And the Gold Coast born and bred Weaver said he wanted to remain at his home club after playing three NRL games last year.
“I’m from the Gold Coast. I grew up here and have lived here my whole life,” Weaver said.
“That’s definitely something I want to look at trying to extend here a bit longer.
“I’ve got to let my footy do the talking.
“I’m going into the pre-season trying to push myself as much as possible, hopefully that pushes Tanah a bit.
“I guess he’d be the walk-up number seven at the moment after playing most of the year.
“I’m looking to push him as hard as I can and myself to get that number seven jersey.”
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