Brad Fittler, the brains behind the NRL’s proposed 100-metre race, believes the long-awaited dash for cash has the potential to elevate the grand final experience to new heights, declaring: “Everyone wants to see it.”
As revealed by this masthead last month, the NRL wants to end the debate about the identity of rugby league’s top speedster with a race at this year’s decider. With less than three weeks until the grand final, head office is working to secure a sponsor in time to ensure there is sufficient participation and prize money to secure the game’s biggest names.
Fittler, an NRL employee, came up with the idea to stage the race this year, with a view to building it into a ‘mini-Olympics’ in subsequent seasons with events including a goal-kicking challenge, longest kick and various feats of strength.
“Everyone is talking about it,” Fittler told this masthead.
“There was a time when they used to do a Jersey Flegg relay. What’s old is new again. Seeing who is the fastest and the strongest [would generate interest], and it would be great to do kicking comps.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jason Saab, Dominic Young and Reece Walsh could feature in a 100m race on grand final day.Credit: Graphic: Aresna Villanueva
“The athletes are so intriguing at the moment, how far they kick the ball, how strong they are. They like competing, they love winning. They all want to be the best, so let’s give them a chance.
“We are now starting to communicate with clubs and players, trying to get some detail about getting the race done. Everyone would love to see it.
“We’ll have to see what the corporate world thinks it’s worth. We’re speaking to some [companies] and getting details around everything.”
While grand final players won’t be eligible, every other notable speedster will be considered for a match race akin to the one held before the AFL decider. The NRL has already secured a performance from chart-topping global superstar The Kid Laroi, and Fittler said it was important to further add to the entertainment for fans.
“Absolutely. It’s a must,” he said. “Everyone wants to see it, the players want to do it. We just need to find a way to make it happen over the next three weeks.
“At the end of the day, [fans] pay about $250 a ticket. You want to give people value. We believe in our game, we believe in our athletes and it’s our grand final, our showpiece.
Jason Saab and fellow winger Josh Addo-Carr pose for a mock sprint trial.Credit: SMH
“We want people walking away going ‘That was the best $250 I ever spent.’”
Renowned sprint coach Roger Fabri has previously nominated Tolutau Koula, Jason Saab, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Kaeo Weekes, Alofiana Khan-Pereira, Reece Walsh, Josh Addo-Carr, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jahream Bula and Dominic Young as the 10 speed merchants he would like to see on the starting line.
Asked who would be his tip, Fittler said: “Khan-Pereira would be hard to beat.
“They all say Saab. If there’s a prize that the Hammer [Tabuai-Fidow] wanted enough, it feels like he could do anything.”
Fittler has fond memories from a novelty challenge he participated in early in his career.
“I did a goal-kicking comp on the 1990 Kangaroo tour,” he recalled.
“They had Graham Steadman, Frano Botica, there was an Irish rugby union goalkicker, all of these gun goalkickers, and they asked me. In the change rooms, I talked them into sharing the prizemoney.
“I was 18. It was one of my greatest moves ever. I was one-from-nine and they were all eight-from-nine.
“I ended up with some cash, it was like £5000. For an 18-year-old in 1990, I could do some damage with that.”
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now