Sport Confidential: Trent Robinson cops warning from NRL, Jye Gray inks fresh deal with Rabbitohs, James Graham slams Peter FitzSimons over James Tedesco retirement ‘nonsense’
Trent Robinson is in hot water with the NRL after receiving an official warning for comment made in the wake of Dom Young’s send off. SPORTS CONFIDENTIAL.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has been given an official warning by the NRL over his comments in relation to the sending off of Dom Young and sin-binning of Victor Radley last week.
This masthead revealed that the NRL was reviewing Robinson’s comments after he slammed the decision to sin-bin Radley for an alleged hip drop - he was cleared by the match review committee - and claimed the dismissal of Young had set a new bar.
Young was suspended for two matches over the tackle on Bulldogs fullback Blake Taffe, who was knocked out in the incident. The NRL was sufficiently concerned by the comments to request a transcript of the press conference and conduct a full review.
It is understood Robinson narrowly avoided a fine, but he was warned by the NRL over the comments. Another transgression and he is likely to be hit in the hip pocket.
It capped a difficult week for the three-time premiership winner, who was taken to task by White Ribbon Australia over his comments in relation to the return of centre Michael Jennings.
GRAY INKS NEW DEAL
New South Sydney fullback Jye Gray has signed a two-year extension to stay at the Rabbitohs.
Gray’s deal expired at the end of the season but he put pen to paper on a new deal with the club on Thursday, agreeing to stay until at least the end of 2026 in a move that confirms Gray as the heir apparent to five-eighth Cody Walker.
While Gray has been named at fullback for Saturday night’s game against Cronulla - the position he has played and excelled at in NSW Cup - he made his name in the halves prior to joining South Sydney.
Gray was a scholarship holder at the Broncos and the star of the Queensland side that won the national schoolboy championships a couple of years ago. He was originally signed as the long-term replacement for Walker but the suspension of Latrell Mitchell has cleared the way for Gray to make his debut in the No.1 jersey.
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity that Souths have given me to play for this Club,” Gray said.
“I can’t wait to see what we can all achieve over the next few years as I know there are some very exciting times ahead.
“We have a great playing group here and I can’t wait to run out with the boys in my debut on the weekend. I’m really so grateful for the opportunities I have been given here at the Rabbitohs and I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”
Rabbitohs head of football Mark Ellison added: “Jye has the potential to have a long and fruitful NRL career and it’s wonderful to know he sees his future here at the Rabbitohs.
“Jye is one of the young, up-and-coming stars at our Club and we’re all excited to see him make his NRL debut this weekend.
“His style of play is very dangerous for opposition defences in attack, using his quicksilver pace to trouble his opponents, and he is a high-quality defender as well.
“We’re excited about Jye’s prospects and we’re certain our Members will enjoy watching him play in the red and green for years to come.
“We look forward to seeing him continue his development at our club.”
CLAY FASTER THAN EVER
Liz Clay spent a year on the sidelines nursing a broken foot and watching Michelle Jenneke own her hurdle crown. On Sunday, she wants to show the world she is back.
Behind Olympic champion Sally Pearson, Jenneke and Clay are the fastest female hurdlers in Australian history. A few weeks ago, they met in Sydney and Clay won by the barest of margins - .003 seconds.
Since Pearson’s retirement, they have spent five years swapping the crown. Now they are ready to lock horns with the Australian title at stake and a Paris Olympic berth on the line.
“Sally finished and Michelle took the reins for the first few years,” Clay said.
“From 2020 to 2022 - when I broke my foot - I was kind of in charge. Michelle took charge when I was sitting out and now I guess we are both back and both running fast.
“It is going to make for an interesting race on Sunday.”
Clay kept an eye on Jenneke while she was working her way back to full fitness after breaking her foot when she tripped over a hurdle at the world championships in 2022. She openly admits it helped motivate her.
“Absolutely,” Clay said.
“It is my sport in my country. As much as I didn’t want to know about the result, I knew about every result and I was watching.
“That was fuelling my fire because I knew I would eventually be back with her. It was perfect that someone was doing real well while I was on the sideline because when I turned up to whatever training that day, I had that in the back of my head.“
Clay insists she is back running faster and better than ever. She made some technical changes while on the sidelines and Jenneke is in her sights as they prepare to meet in the Australian track and field championships in Adelaide - the women’s 100m hurdle final will be on Sunday.
“We’re competitors,” Clay said.
“Michelle is a great person and I am sure she would say the same about me. We see each other at the track when we’re competing and I think we are both just happy to have another athlete at the same calibre.
“It’s a great rivalry. Anyone who knows me knows I step up to the plate in big moments and so does Michelle.
“So it means a lot. Also, it is just a race and I am not going to build it up in my head. It does have huge importance but past this, Paris is four months away and that is even more important than this national championships as much as Liz Clay wants to stamp that I am back in Australian hurdling.
“The countdown is on and I am just waiting for Sunday to roll around.”
GOSIEWSKI STILL WANTS OUT
North Queensland back rower Jack Gosiewski has reiterated his request for a release on compassionate grounds as he looks to move back to south-east Queensland to be closer to family.
Gosiewski has another year remaining on his deal with the Cowboys but has asked to leave with immediate effect due to personal reasons.
The Cowboys have named him on the interchange bench for their game against Parramatta on Saturday afternoon but it is expected to be his final appearance for the club.
It is understood the Brisbane Broncos are open to taking Gosiewski should he be granted a release given he has his heart set on a move to southeast Queensland and they have a vacant spot on their top 30 roster.
ADVANTAGE QUEENSLAND
NSW supporters have their work cut out for them trying to ensure Queensland don’t have a crowd advantage for the second Ampol State of Origin, to be played at the MCG on June 26.
Right now, 18 percent of tickets have been purchased in Queensland for Game Two, giving the Maroons an early advantage.
In comparison, 13 percent of tickets have been purchased in NSW. In a good sign for the game, more than 60 percent of tickets have been purchased in Victoria.
It’s been 30 years since the first ever State of Origin match at the MCG, won 14-0 by NSW in front of 87,161 people. NSW has won four of five matches at the MCG.
SLIPPERY EELS
Parramatta’s slow start to the year has been exacerbated by revelations the club’s NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg sides are yet to win a game, leaving coach Brad Arthur with few options as he looks to spark his side in the absence of playmaking kingpin Mitchell Moses.
The Eels are regarded as one of the most powerful clubs in Sydney but the lower grade ladder suggests otherwise as they rally to keep alive their season while Moses is on the sideline nursing a broken foot.
Arthur doesn’t have a lot of viable alternatives if results are any guide, but he has raised eyebrows with his decision to overlook boom halfback Ethan Sanders in favour of journeyman Daejarn Asi.
Arthur can rightly point to the fact Sanders has been part of the NSW Cup outfit that has the worst defensive record and the second worst attacking record in the league.
However, Asi has also been a member of that side and statistics suggest nothing separates the pair when it comes to their impact in the NSW Cup this season.
Asi has had one more line break and try assist, but Sanders has been the more efficient defender, missing only nine tackles in comparison to 13 by Asi.
Regardless, the decision to promote Asi rather than hand Sanders a first grade debut is likely to end any hope Parramatta had of keeping the young half.
He is expected to sign with Canberra as early as next week. A request for an immediate release is likely to quickly follow.
JAMES GRAHAM SLAMS FITZSIMONS OVER TEDESCO RETIREMENT ‘NONSENSE’
Former Bulldogs captain James Graham has reignited his bitter feud with Peter FitzSimons, criticising the author and former rugby union star over his call for Sydney Roosters skipper James Tedesco to retire.
Graham and FitzSimons have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, the pair famously clashing in late 2022 when Graham accused FitzSimons of using a concussion seminar to put him on show.
Now the relationship has flared again with Tedesco at the centre of the argy-bargy after FitzSimons wrote a column in Nine newspapers at the weekend suggesting the time had come for the Roosters skipper to call it a day after he was knocked senseless in their loss to the Bulldogs last week.
That prompted an acerbic response from Graham on his The Bye Round podcast as he launched a grenade in FitzSimons’ direction, accusing him of using rugby league and concussion to stay relevant.
“This type of behaviour is using our game and the very serious issue of concussion to stay alive,” Graham said.
“He has no right to publicly recommend that James Tedesco should retire from the game of rugby league. It is basically like me saying ‘Peter, I think you are past it, I think you should retire from journalism’. It should carry the same weight because you are talking nonsense.
“Time for you to move on and retire.”
Graham also slammed FitzSimons for inflaming an already difficult situation given Tedesco’s history of concussions.
“He also says ‘I am someone with no medical expertise’,” Graham said.
“You got that part right. You got that part spot on. You know when you write this that James’ loved ones — his wife, his mum, dad, extended family and friends — would all read this and it does nothing helpful other than stir up unnecessary anxiety and stress.
“You’re making the situation worse. He knows the complexities and weight and delicate nature of such a decision and you are calling for him to retire.
“How dare you do that? He is saying it is going to draw flak. Well you have your reaction. I am calling it out for what it is.
“It has hit a nerve and it has really frustrated me because it is just something that shouldn’t be going on — and he needs to be called out for it as well.”
FLASHBACK
Israel Folau dominated headlines on this day five years ago. Rugby Australia declared its intention to sack Folau for his homophobic social media posts. The NRL also ruled out allowing Folau to switch back to the code.
SCHUSTER GRANTED RELEASE
Manly have granted Josh Schuster immediate personal leave to allow the youngster time to try to sort out his future.
It is likely that Schuster has played his final game for the club after the Sea Eagles agreed to grant him an indefinite break from the game.
The Sea Eagles informed Schuster on Wednesday that they were going to release him from his $800,000 contract which expires at the end of 2027. However, subsequent meetings in the past 24 hours has led to Schuster and the club agreeing to give the 22-year-old some time away from the game to deal with personal matters.
There is no timeframe on Schuster’s return although the chances of him playing or even training with the Sea Eagles again seem remote.
The Sea Eagles are continuing to provide any support Schuster needs as he deals with the situation. Schuster has not played first grade this year and was again named to play NSW Cup this weekend.
He has spent the past month playing in reserve grade but Schuster has failed to impress at that level. Despite almost $3 million being owed to Schuster, the Sea Eagles are confident they will not have to chip in any large amounts to move him on given some parameters around his new deal.
There were performance based clauses in his contract. He had met those prior to Christmas before his pre-season was interrupted by illness and a raft of injuries.
Despite his natural talent, Schuster has struggled to make any real impact in reserve grade and was next to no chance of playing first grade any time soon.
He will now be forced to look elsewhere to get his NRL career back on track. Schuster has not played first grade since round 25 last year which was his 50th appearance for the Sea Eagles.
Manly’s feeder club Blacktown are due to play the Warriors in Auckland on Saturday but they will take to the field minus Schuster.
CHERRY ON TOP
Manly presented Daly Cherry-Evans with a special engraved Rolex watch to help celebrate his record breaking appearance last weekend. The club partnered with prestigious Sydney jeweller Julian Farren-Price to put together the gift.
INKED UP PREMIERS
What is it with the Penrith Panthers players and extreme tattoos?
Taylan May is the latest to get the odd ink with a black neck tattoo spelling out his surname. He also has ink under either eye.
Follows Nathan Cleary’s giant panthers tattoo from 2022.
And way back in 2010 Panthers cult hero Jarrod Sammut made headlines when he got Justify Your Existance (sic) across his chest.
Fun fact, Sammut is somehow still playing professionally after stints at Crusaders, London Broncos, Bradford, Wakefield, Featherstone, Workington Town, Wigan, Leigh and Barrow
MADGE ASSEMBLING DREAM TEAM
NSW coach Michael Maguire is working over-time in getting former Blues players on board to support the Origin team this year. Already Maguire has caught up with countless ex-NSW players. And on Wednesday he hosted a get together for any former NSW player at the Harbour View Hotel, The Rocks. Recent retirees including Paul Gallen, Robbie Farah, Wade Graham, Brett and Josh Morris were joined by the likes of Greg Alexander, Benny Elias, Peter Wynn, Paul McGregor, Anthony Watmough, Brad Clyde and Mick Cronin.
More Coverage
Originally published as Sport Confidential: Trent Robinson cops warning from NRL, Jye Gray inks fresh deal with Rabbitohs, James Graham slams Peter FitzSimons over James Tedesco retirement ‘nonsense’
Bulldogs ramp up Hunt chase after missing out on Storm star
The Bulldogs are set to turn their attention back to Ben Hunt, after Canterbury supremo Phil Gould failed in a secret last-ditch attempt to poach Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Ex-NRL star’s impressive heavyweight KO
Alex Leapai Jr, a promising NRL front-rower before making the switch to boxing, has impressed with a dominant knockout.