What’s the Buzz: Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
Jeff Fenech calls for an extra round after the Hall-Gallen drawn fight, Redfern retirements come at a cost and Trent Hodkinson puts Newcastle’s culture in the spotlight.
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SAINT
Steve Smith’s wonderful commitment to teenagers suffering depression and those who have contemplated taking their own young lives.
It is so important for our superstars to talk of their own tough experiences to raise public awareness for mental health.
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SINNER
The ABC’s decision not to cover the Tokyo Olympics next year is another sign of Aunty’s hopeless disregard for sports lovers across the country. We blew up recently about the dumping of their best rugby league talent, Craig Hamilton, which had nothing to do with funding cuts. Their summer of cricket coverage has been on a decline for years. Now the Olympics. It’s a disgrace.
SHOOSH I
Trent Hodkinson’s spray at former coach Nathan Brown about a toxic culture that existed at the Newcastle Knights reveals a lot about the team’s dismal performances in recent years. We’re hearing the normally mild-mannered Hodkinson was not the only player dirty on Brown. It’s probably why Brown has drifted off quietly and avoided proper questioning about his dismissal.
SHOOSH II
Which English Super League sponsor, and mate of Paul Gallen, flew all the way to Australia for his fight, fell over, broke his foot, and had to fly straight home for surgery in London — without getting to see the fight. True story.
SPOTTED III
Another of those awkward moments … Celebrity TV star and partner of Barry Hall, Lauren Brant, bumped straight into Paul Gallen in the lifts at the Crown Promenade less than 24 hours after labelling him a dickhead. Hall and Gallen were booked into rooms on the same floor of the hotel.
SPOTTED IV
The NRL’s head of football, Graham Annesley, in business class on Qatar airlines travelling to Sweden for a contact sport medical conference. All the major sports were there, including the NFL, NHL, World Rugby, the AFL and EPL.
SPOTTED V
Channel 9’s Erin Molan, former Test cricket captain Michael Clarke and rugby union guru Tim Horan at a sportsmen’s lunch at Melbourne’s Bistro Guillaume hosted by celebrity accountant Anthony Bell on the eve of the Gallen-Hall fight.
SPOTTED VI
Not all footy players are misbehaving in Bali during the off-season. Melbourne Storm’s Cameron Munster has been relaxing in Hawaii after a tough premiership, Origin and Kangaroos campaign.
SPOTTED VII
The great Cliff Lyons is still winning footy games at 58. Cliffy played for the East Coast Dolphins in the recent Over-50s Oztag national championships. His team won and went through undefeated. Other old NRL players included Chris Quinn, Jeff Hardy, Kurt Wrigley and Michael Lyons.
SPOTTED VIII
Fox Sports star Braith Anasta having dinner with his uncle George Piggins at his South Coogee home on Wednesday evening.
SPOTTED IX
Who says there is a bitter rivalry between Cronulla and Melbourne Storm? The club’s massage therapist Luke Thomas looked after Paul Gallen with rub-downs in the days leading up to the fight — free of charge.
FURIOUS FENECH CALLS FOR EXTRA TIME
Jeff Fenech has slammed the drawn verdict at Friday night’s Code War in Melbourne and says boxers should fight an extra round if scorecards are level at the end of a bout.
The boxing legend says fans are entitled to feel ripped off having to pay again to watch Paul Gallen and Barry Hall should there be a rematch.
“If it’s a draw they should fight another round,” he said, “the NRL has golden point and cricket has a super over.
“Boxing has got to change with the times. People hate a draw. They feel rorted. It’s really disappointing after so much hype for six weeks.”
One judge gave the fight to Gallen while two couldn’t split them. A rematch appears certain for next year with the pair to share another million dollar payday.
BOOKIES WARY OF LATRELL’S MOVE
There are huge betting implications on a possible Latrell Mitchell transfer from the Sydney Roosters to the Wests Tigers on the TAB premiership market.
A TAB spokesman on Friday said the Wests Tigers odds would be slashed from $34 to $17 if they can land the prized signature of the Kangaroos centre.
At the same time, the Roosters’ odds would drift from $4 to $5.
“It would possibly be the biggest signing in the Wests Tigers’ history,” the spokesman said, “If they can make the finals, his class and genius can win them a comp. Not many others in the league possess his talents.
“The Roosters chances of winning the premiership will take a minor blow but they still have the class and quality to win three straight premierships.”
TRICKY SITUATION FOR GREENBERG
Recently retired Parramatta Eels warhorse Tim Mannah is involved in an intriguing integrity unit investigation with his former manager Isaac Moses.
The pair had a bitter falling out midway through last season, around the time of Mannah’s move to join the Wests Tigers before he back flipped.
This is a tricky one for the NRL and its investigators because Moses is a close friend of chief executive Todd Greenberg.
They were once work colleagues at ANZ Stadium and then did business when Greenberg was CEO of the Canterbury Bulldogs. They often mix socially.
The normally helpful NRL media man Daniel Meers is not assisting with this story but has given an assurance Greenberg is in no way involved with the case.
REDFERN RETIREMENTS COME AT A HEFTY COST
There is pressure building on veteran official Shane Richardson at the South Sydney Rabbitohs over multi-million payouts to retiring champions Greg Inglis and Sam Burgess.
Questions are being asked by a cost-conscious board about why the two superstars were put on such long-term contracts towards the end of their careers.
It has cost Souths $5 million to pay them out and then another $5 million to replace them in the salary cap. It is an interesting one because Richo is still close to co-owner Russell Crowe but not necessarily with directors or the players.
There is even talk he has fallen out with Burgess. The Burgess payout will threaten profit forecasts for at least the 2020 season. Now that Gus Gould has retired, Richardson is the highest-paid football general manager in the game.
FAREWELL TO A GREAT
We’ve heard many great John Fordham stories since the legendary agent passed away last Sunday morning. My personal favourite, or certainly most dramatic, is from the late 70s on a night out prior to random breath testing.
Fordo, who was an airline PR consultant at the time, kindly offered your columnist (then a cadet reporter) a lift home after a long session at the Journalists’ Club in Surry Hills.
It was about 2am and we both lived north of the harbour bridge.
Fordo loved newspapers and they were piled up on the floor and the back seat of his car. Weeks of old Telegraphs, Heralds, the Sun and Daily Mirrors.
His attempt to throw a cigarette out of the driver’s window failed. Suddenly there was a smell of smoke from the back. Then burning. then a full evacuation on the Harbour Bridge to put out a mini-blaze. It was always a secret in the Fordo vault, until now. RIP old mate.
SHIELD VENUES NEED A RETHINK
Cricket Australia is wasting millions of dollars that could be invested in grassroots by continuing to play Sheffield Shield games at empty major venues.
The costs are astronomical to open the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Gabba, MCG and Adelaide Oval over the summer months for games that often don’t even attract 100 spectators.
Their argument is that players need to prepare for Test cricket on first-class-standard pitches.
However, money saved from not having to hire major venues could be spent on improving wickets and great suburban grounds such as North Sydney Oval or Drummoyne and Bankstown Ovals.
These smaller venues also attract far bigger crowds.
LEWIS LIVING THE HIGH LIFE
It hasn’t taken rising boxing star Daniel Lewis long to enjoy the rewards of fight-game fame. On Friday we spotted Lewis travelling to Melbourne for the Gallen-Hall Code War in Qantas business class. His manager, former Australian champion Peter “Baby” Mitrevski, was in economy.
YOUNIS HONOURED AT BRADMAN DINNER
The Bradman Foundation’s annual dinner at the SCG is always one of the most special nights in cricket. Last week’s was no different, with legendary Pakistan paceman Waqar Younis was honoured as special guest.
Waqar, who now lives in Sydney, told the never-before-heard story of how an Australian coach helped the aspiring young quick some 30 years ago in Pakistan to launch his career.
“I went to the Australian team hotel because I needed some advice,” he said, “My English wasn’t very good but I asked to speak to the coach and they put me through to his room.
“He came down to see me, which he didn’t have to, and then he arranged a pair of bowling boots for me. They were too big, but I wore them with four pairs of socks for the next two years and they really helped me get on my way as a fast bowler.
“I am forever thankful for that help and I am delighted that he is here tonight. That coach was Bob Simpson.”
Simpson, the champion player, captain and coach, rarely receives the credit he deserves in Australia and we now know his influence on the game spreads well beyond our shores.
Originally published as What’s the Buzz: Saint, Sinner, Shoosh