Sports Confidential: Cowboys explore swap deal with Wests Tigers

The Cowboys don’t want to wait until 2023 to get new recruit Luciano Leilua, and they’re prepared to offer a player swap to get the deal done.

Wests Tigers have rejected a straight player swap from the Cowboys as North Queensland attempt to take Luciano Leilua immediately.

It is understood the Tigers were offered hooker Reece Robson in the hope that would allow Leilua to join the Cowboys next season.

However, the Tigers poured cold water on the deal and have so far blocked any attempt for Leilua to exit his deal 12 months early. The Tigers released a statement declaring their intention of keeping Leilua at the club next season despite his decision to ink a three-year deal with the Cowboys from 2023.

The two clubs remain in talks, with Cowboys coach Todd Payten sharing a close relationship with Tigers head of football Tim Sheens and recruitment manager Warren McDonnell.

Robson has two years left on his deal at the Cowboys, who also have hookers Reuben Cotter and Jake Granville on the books.

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Luciano Leilua has signed a big-money deal with the Cowboys. Picture: NRL Photos

Cotter this week re-signed until the end of 2025, while the Cowboys have an option in their favour for veteran Granville in 2023.

Rivals clubs are closely monitoring what happens with young Cowboys back-rowers Heilum Luki, 20, and Jeremiah Nanai, 18, two of the club’s most promising young stars.

Luki and Nanai were blooded earlier this season by the Cowboys and both have entered the final year of their deals, meaning they can begin talking to rival clubs about the 2023 season.

Confidential understands a handful of clubs have already flagged an interest in the pair. The Knights are keen on Luki and have a connection with him through recruitment boss Clint Zammit from his time at the Cowboys.

PANTHERS FORCED TO FAKE PREMIERSHIP PARTY

Penrith were forced to celebrate their premiership success with a replica trophy during last Saturday’s Panthers Parade while the authentic Provan-Summons trophy undergoes repairs.

Penrith fans finally had a chance to mingle with their grand final-winning team as part of a well-deserved celebration.

However, the authentic trophy — which is easily recognisable because it is full of plaques – was getting fixed after the Panthers damaged it in Queensland just days after beating South Sydney.

Spot the difference: The Panthers' grand final trophy.

ROOSTERS ROLL OUT THE BIG GUNS TO LURE SMITH

The Sydney Roosters rolled out the red carpet with some of the club’s highest-profile players taking Brandon Smith for a hit of golf as the tricolours step up their pursuit of the Kiwi star.

Smith’s travelling sideshow hit Sydney and he has wasted no time ingratiating himself with the Roosters. He was spotted playing a round of golf with New Zealand teammate Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and a pair of retired Roosters — Jake Friend and Mitch Aubusson on Wednesday.

Confidential can reveal the quartet were having a hit on Sydney’s north shore and Waerea-Hargreaves insists Smith’s future, which has been one of the big talking points of the off-season, wasn’t on the agenda.

“He’s a grown man,” Waerea-Hargreaves said. “He has a big decision to make. He will know what is right for him. We have played for the Kiwis and roomed together for four or five years.

“He’s a great man.”

The Roosters are one of the favourites to sign Brandon Smith.

Smith has already held talks with North Queensland, Gold Coast and the Dolphins after spending several weeks in Queensland following the end of the NRL season.

He then jumped in a car with teammate Christian Welch for the trip back to Melbourne, stopping in Sydney this week to hold discussions with the Roosters.

The sense is that if Smith decides to leave the Storm, it will become a shootout between the cashed-up Dolphins and the Roosters.

In Waerea-Hargreaves, the Roosters may have a trump card given his longstanding relationship with Smith.

As long as they have known each other, Waerea-Hargreaves’ admiration for Smith doesn’t extend to his golf game.

“He couldn’t play golf if his life depended on it,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.

Smith has told the Storm they will get the last crack at retaining him.

It's A Funny Game summer edition.

NRL STAR CLARIFIES SEXUALITY AFTER POST CONFUSION

An NRL superstar has been forced to clarify his sexuality after an ambiguous social media post generated a wave of support from rugby league fans and the LGBTQI+ community.

High-profile Cronulla Sharks recruit Nicho Hynes took to Instagram to clear up his sexual orientation after he said there was “confusion” surrounding a recent post.

Nicho Hynes' post on Instagram.

Hynes posted a photo four days ago with a male companion and a caption that read “my guy” with a purple heart emoji.

The comments were flooded with supportive responses, including people telling Hynes how “proud” they were of him.

“Cutie couple love is love”, one follower commented. While another replied “Gorgeous couple!!!”

At this point, fans were thinking rugby league was about to celebrate its first openly gay footballer since Ian Roberts more than 25 years ago.

By Wednesday evening, Hynes had changed the caption on the photo to instead read “best mate”, before taking to his Instagram story on Thursday morning to “knock something on the head”.

“I want to start with saying I have nothing against the gay community and I completely support them,” Hynes wrote.

“I posted a photo a few days ago of my best mate and I. It has come to my attention that people have made out that the post was my expressing he was my partner.

“Which is definitely not the case. He’s been my best mate for 25 years and he’s happily in a relationship with his girlfriend of around eight years.

“I am 100 per cent interested in women.”

A STRETCH FOR FARAH

A serious back injury threatened Robbie Farah’s career and, had it not been for pilates, who knows if he would have had to call time prematurely?

Now the ex-Tigers skipper has turned his hand to becoming a pilates studio owner, opening a KX Studio at Concord alongside his brother and sister-in law.

Former NRL player Robbie Farah in his new pilates studio, KX. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“It was something I really believe in first and foremost,” Farah said. “I saw the benefits first hand.

“Post-footy you’re looking for things you’re passionate about and you want to keep busy. I enjoy my training and keeping fit.”

Farah is close to opening a BFT Gym in Five Dock and plans to expand into Marrickville and Concord once he finds sites for the venues.

“I thought when I retired I’d let myself go and not train as much but it’s been the opposite,” Farah said.

Farah has stepped up his commitments with the Tigers this year working alongside Nathan Cayless on the team’s defence. He is now at training two to three days a week.

“Nathan has been really good,” Farah said. “He has fresh ideas and clarity with what he expects. I’m working closely with him on developing those systems and making some big improvements.”

OLYMPIC STADIUM GETS A NAME CHANGE

Sydney’s Stadium Australia has a new naming rights sponsor with the venue now known as Accor Stadium.

The hotel giant has signed a bumper seven-year deal to take on the naming rights of the stadium, which will host the NRL grand final next year.

Accor Stadium’s first major event will be hosting the Matildas against USA in front of an anticipated record crowd on Saturday.

Weather permitting, it is hoped the attendance record of 33,000 for a Matildas game at the venue will be broken with a crowd of about 40,000 expected.

Stadium ambassador and Matildas star Ellie Carpenter said she hoped to be playing in front of a packed crowd.

Sydney’s Stadium Australia has a new name.

“It’s a dream come true really as I grew up watching some of Australia’s most iconic football moments at the stadium and now we get the chance to play the USA there on Saturday in front of a big home crowd,” Ellie said.

“We’re all excited that the FIFA Women’s World Cup is coming to Australia and the final will be at Accor Stadium, so this is obviously a really important game for us on Saturday against a powerful team like the USA.”

Accor Stadium will soon feature the world’s longest straight-run stadium video screen which will be in place by mid-February.

Stadium Australia CEO Daryl Kerry said the venue had already welcomed more than 30 million fans since it opened in the lead-up to the 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We are delighted to partner with Accor as we welcome people back to watch world- class sport and entertainment events,” Kerry said.

V’LANDYS READY TO COLD-CALL VACCINATION HOLD-OUTS

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has offered to pick up the phone and personally call Nelson Asofa-Solomona or any other player who is reluctant to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

The number of NRL players yet to be vaccinated is now in single figures as the ARL Commission prepares to meet to finalise salary cap dispensations for clubs who are affected by players who refuse the jab.

V’landys is happy to personally intervene if necessary to get the final few players across the line.

“If it helps for me to ring them, I will ring them,” V’landys told Confidential.

WELCH SERVED NO PORPOISE WITH DOLPHINS

Melbourne forward Christian Welch has revealed he never opened talks with the Dolphins about a move to the new club.

As revealed in Confidential a week ago, Welch has signed a four-year deal with the Storm that will take him through until the end of the 2026 season.

Welch recently lost his grandmother and revealed he would have considered a return to southeast Queensland, but he never spoke to the Dolphins.

Christian Welch has re-signed with the Storm (AAP Image/Darren England)

“I am a Brissie boy and recently my grandmother passed away, so I have been home for six weeks,” Welch said.

“I appreciate being around family but they (the Dolphins) never really showed any interest so it was an easy decision.

“I am really happy and really settled (at the Storm). It is a great club. I probably would have only considered coming home for family reasons — I wouldn’t have considered for football reasons because it is a great club.”

Welch conceded his latest extension would likely see him through, meaning he will finish his career as a one-club player.

“You want to be competing and chance of winning a premiership every year,” Welch said.

MAL’S ROO MOVE

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is close to inking a contract extension that will take him beyond next year’s World Cup.

Off-contract Meninga’s deal is aligned with the World Cup, which was supposed to be played this year before being postponed 12 months. It is understood he is keen to sign a multi-year deal to carry on beyond that.

ALL EYES ON

Will the Aussie selectors stick with Tim Paine in the first Ashes Test? What leadership role will Steve Smith have?

FRIDAY FLASHBACK

Usman Khawaja cast aside any doubt on his Test position on this day five years ago. Opening the batting, Khawaja whacked an unbeaten 138 in Australia’s first innings against South Africa in Adelaide.

Originally published as Sports Confidential: Cowboys explore swap deal with Wests Tigers