NRL 2022: Former PM Scott Morrison addresses ARL Commission rumours
The NRL has been locked in talks with the NSW government which are set to end the competition’s long-running stadium saga. And a team could be on the move.
The NRL’s long-running stadium saga is set to be resolved in a matter of weeks and it could yet see South Sydney return to Moore Park to play out of the Sydney Football Stadium.
The NRL has been locked in talks with the NSW government over their plans to invest in the city’s stadiums and it is understood talks will be finalised before grand final tickets are due to go on sale, likely at the end of July.
The grand final will stay in Sydney at Accor Stadium but there remains a chance that the Rabbitohs will be on the move as they look to take advantage of the freshly-minted facilities at Moore Park.
Penrith has already secured funding for a new stadium and the hope is that Manly, Cronulla and the Wests Tigers get a slice of the action.
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SCOMO ADDRESSES ARL COMMISSION RUMOURS
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has shot down speculation he is planning to join the ARL Commission.
It is understood the avid Sharks fan had a brief discussion with a senior figure in the game recently about the governing body. But Morrison, who attended Thursday night’s Sharks-Storm match, said he had no goal to take a role in rugby league.
“Sounds to me like just a bit of pub talk,” Morrison told The Daily Telegraph.
“Love the NRL and my Sharks. PVL (Peter V’landys) and Andrew (Abdo) have done a great job. Really enjoyed working with them as PM to get through COVID and to expand the Pacific programme.”
When contacted ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said he had not been approached by Morrison. There are no plans to draft Morrison into any role in the short-term nor was he looking at joining the commission any time soon.
Morrison would have to quit parliament to move into the role and there are no vacancies.
Morrison has been a regular at Cronulla matches since losing the election earlier this year and has also enjoyed a holiday in Bali.
WARRIORS BOSS DENIES DOLPHINS VENDETTA
The Warriors will announce Andrew Webster to replace Nathan Brown as the club’s chief executive Cameron George hit back at suggestions the decision to release Reece Walsh only to the Broncos was part of a personal vendetta against the Dolphins and their recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan.
Webster has agreed to a three-year deal which will see him replace Nathan Brown at the end of the season. Webster was courted for the role after the club’s No.1 target Kristian Woolf knocked back the Warriors.
He has a year left on his Panthers deal but has a clause that allows him to leave only to pursue a head coaching job.
Webster has nearly two decades worth of experience as a coach and is largely credited for ensuring Penrith has the best attack in the NRL. He has close ties to the Warriors having worked as Andrew McFadden’s assistant coach in 2015. He spent two years at the Warriors before returning to the Tigers as Taylor’s assistant.
The Warriors had targeted an emerging coach and Webster fits the bill. He is also the Samoan assistant coach.
Webster will walk into a club who has already undergone significant change. They will be without teenage star Walsh who will quit the club at the end of the year.
Walsh has been linked with the Dolphins for months, the rumours persisting despite the Warriors’ best efforts. There was a view in some quarters that those rumours were designed to destabilise Walsh’s future in Auckland and convince him to return to Brisbane, where the cashed-up Dolphins were waiting.
In the end Walsh will depart, albeit to his former club Brisbane. George said there was no ill-will towards the Dolphins or O’Sullivan, the Warriors former recruitment officer.
“There is nothing personal about it,” George said.
“It’s business. At the end of the day their preference is to go to the Brisbane Broncos. It’s nothing against the Dolphins and it’s nothing against Sully (O’Sullivan).
“I have been a recipient of a similar thing with Addin Fonua-Blake. He said he only wanted to go to the Warriors. What do you think Sully would have done in my shoes?”
RAW, VULNERABLE, UNFILTERED: LATRELL AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN
This is a side of Latrell Mitchell you rarely see. Raw, vulnerable and unfiltered.
Mitchell let down his guard and bared his soul as part of a documentary released by South Sydney titled ‘Pushing Boundaries’.
The footage documents Mitchell’s journey to America, where he visited world-renowned trainer Bill Knowles in Philadelphia in a bid to fast-track his return from hamstring and knee injuries.
WATCH TRAILER OF LETRELL’S DOCUMENTARY ABOVE AND SEE EPISODE ONE HERE
Before getting down to work with Knowles, he had a short sightseeing stopover in San Francisco, where he visited the Golden Gate Bridge.
“Golden Gate baby … where’s Steph Curry?” Mitchell quipped in reference to the basketball superstar.
“I felt like a tourist for once instead of a footy player. I really enjoyed that part of it.”
Then it was back to business as Mitchell was basically taught to walk again.
The Rabbitohs superstar would spend two hours with Knowles in the morning and then two hours again in the afternoon.
He trained alongside Ipswich Town soccer player Kayden Jackson. Knowles challenged Mitchell but Mitchell insisted it was worth it in his pursuit of success, not just for Souths but for his family.
“It is a bit hard with different timings,” he said.
“Kids are getting tired by the time I am waking up or going to sleep. It is a bit hard. Definitely grateful to be able to talk to them on my phone.
“I am definitely missing that but I know I am sacrificing that time now just to be able to invest in myself, to give back to the club, my family and myself most importantly.
“Anyone who knows me and knows the game of rugby league knows I am 100 percent in.”
Mitchell’s passion for the game spilled over.
“I get goosebumps talking about rugby league,” he continued.
“Can’t wait to get back with my mates and [expletive] rip in. It’s what I love to do. People take the piss out of this [trip] and say he is the golden boy, or he can’t back up a season, he can’t play finals.
“I am so invested in the club because I want to go to that level. I know once we get there there is no stopping me, there is no stopping this club.
“Once we get this shit right, I tell you what, the sky’s the limit.”
WORLD TITLE REDEMPTION
George Kambosos Jr will get a chance to reclaim his world titles just four months after losing the belts to Devin Haney.
Sydney and Melbourne are locked in a battle to host the anticipated rematch between Kambosos and Haney. The parties have agreed to another fight with October now looking like the most likely time the two will square off.
Kambosos Jr instantly enacted his rematch clause after dropping his WBA, IBF and WBO belts to Haney in front of a packed Marvel Stadium in June. There were suggestions Haney would either try and buy himself out of facing Kambosos again or change weight classes which would see him drop the belts.
Kambosos praised his adversary for sticking to his word.
“I’m very excited and blessed to get another opportunity to reclaim my undisputed crown in front of my country,” Kambosos said. “Haney is an exceptional champion and I’m happy he is a man of his word to give myself the rematch, just like I was a man of my word and gave him a shot when no one else would. I know with the right game plan I will be victorious”
The Victorian Government are keen to host the event again but NSW will also a make a play with either the new SFS or the indoor Qudos Bank Arena potential venues.
A crowd of about 40,000 will be expected.
The loss in Melbourne was the first of Kambosos’ 21-fight professional career. He is expected to shift his training camp to the US.
The winner will almost certainly fight Vasiliy Lomachenko.
BRONCOS UNSETTLED BY WALSH SIGNING
Rival clubs are watching developments at the Broncos closely amid talk that Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo could be unsettled by the club’s signing of Reece Walsh.
Confidential understands that Farnworth and Cobbo walked away from talks over their respective contract extensions earlier this year convinced that they would be given the chance to have a shot at the No.1 jersey.
That opportunity now appears gone given Reece Walsh’s impending arrival at the club. It is understood rival clubs began asking questions over Farnworth’s future almost immediately after news emerged of Walsh’s return to Brisbane.
Farnworth only signed a one-year extension with the Broncos and could look for the opportunity to play fullback elsewhere at the end of next season.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are in dialogue with the Broncos about a potential player swap in a bid to close out the Walsh signing.
Walsh will join the Broncos next season but the Warriors are still on the look-out to add a player to their ranks.
They are keen on keeping outside back Jesse Arthars at the club. Arthars was loaned out to the Warriors this year but is scheduled to return to Brisbane in 2023.
However, the clubs are discussing the prospect of Arthars staying at the club as a condition of allowing Walsh to be released from the final year of his deal.
WAYNE EXCITED BY FUTURE OF NRL
Seven-time premiership-winning coach Wayne Bennett soothed the disappointment of missing out on Reece Walsh by watching the cream of the country’s under 15 talent at the Australian all-schools championships at Moreton Daily Stadium this week.
Like a Roman Emperor watching gladiators in the Colisseum, Bennett perched himself high above the ground - on the top floor of the Dolphins Leagues Club - as he cast his eye over a host of players who are committed to the club.
Bennett no doubt liked what he saw as he watched the games with the NRL’s head of agent accreditation Paul Massey, who was once his right-hand man at St George Illawarra.
Massey has had his hands full this week as agents have descended on the home of the Dolphins along with a throng of NRL officials, all hoping to nab the game’s next superstar.
The Roosters were represented by Mitch Aubusson and Jake Friend. St George Illawarra’s Ian Millward and Shaun Timmins were on hand.
So too Melbourne’s Tim Glassy and Cronulla talent guru Glen Brailey, father of Jayden and Blayke. Newcastle guru Clint Zammit and North Queensland’s Dane Campbell were casting their eye over the talent on show along with Gold Coast recruitment boss Ezra Howe and South Sydney development coach Joe O’Callaghan.
MANLY STAR ON THE MOVE
Manly veteran Jorge Taufua looks set to have played his last game for the game with the winger expected to link up with a Super League club immediately.
Taufua is one of the Sea Eagles’ longest serving players having made his NRL debut in 2012. He has played 164 games for the club but only match in the last two seasons. The 30-year-old is now destined for a move to England.
KNIGHTS EXTEND STAR ENFORCER
Newcastle fill-in skipper Tyson Frizell has extended his stay at the club. The ex-Kangaroos back-rower has told the club of his plans to take up an option to remain at the club for next season.
Frizell had an option in his favour to be a Knight next year. He joined the club on a guaranteed two year deal last season.
The 30-year-old still remains one of the best back-rowers in the competition and was part of the Blues’ extended squad for the series opener. He will captain the Knights on Friday night against South Sydney.
DOLPHINS WORST KNIGHT-MARE
Newcastle are fighting hard to keep Anthony Milford at the club next season and their determination to retain the former Queensland star may force the Dolphins to budge on their initial offer.
The Dolphins agreed to give Milford a one-year deal some time ago but his form at the Knights has prompted the Newcastle club to consider handing him a three-year-deal.
The Dolphins have spoken to Milford’s manager Sam Ayoub this week and are likely to come to the party with another year. It may be enough to get them over the line.
DRAGONS UNVEIL TEAM OF THE DECADE
Players from St George Illawarra’s 2010 premiership winning team have dominated St George’s team of the decade.
As part of St George’s century, the St George side of the joint-venture have been naming their respective teams of the decade ahead of announcing the greatest Dragons side of all time later this month.
1982–1998
Brian Johnson, Steve Morris, Mark Coyne, Michael O’Connor, Ricky Walford, Anthony Mundine, Noel Goldthorpe, Brad Mackay, Graeme Wynn, Gorden Tallis, Craig Young, Nathan Brown, Pat Jarvis. Bench: Brian Johnston, Scott Gourley, David Barnhill, Wayne Bartrim. Coach: Roy Masters
1999–2020
Darius Boyd, Brett Morris, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Jason Nightingale, Trent Barrett, Ben Hornby, Ben Creagh, Beau Scott, Tyson Frizell, Luke Bailey, Dean Young, Jason Ryles. Bench: Nathan Blacklock, Shaun Timmins, Lance Thompson, Michael Weyman. Coach: Wayne Bennet.
COVID CHAOS HITS BROADCASTERS
Covid-19 caused chaos through some of the game’s broadcast partners last week. Radio stations ABC and 2GB were saved by the virus. At ABC, lead caller Andrew Moore and panelist John Gibbs were sidelined on Sunday because of Covid-19. While rivals 2GB Mark Levy, Darryl Brohman and David Morrow missed last weekend.
MBYE: TRUST BROKEN BETWEEN NRL AND PLAYERS
Trust between the NRL and the players union is at breaking point ahead of a meeting on Friday after Moses Mbye declared that it was time for the players to be recognised for their heavy lifting over the past three years.
Mbye, speaking on behalf of his fellow players, said Friday’s talks with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo were necessary to correct what had happened in the past and restore trust between the parties.
The comments are a reference to ongoing talks between the NRL and the union over the cuts that the players took over the past three seasons during the Covid crisis. The NRL has already promised to return $30 million to the players but it appears the union and their players feel that falls short of what they are owed.
It is understood the NRL originally forecast losses of more than $400 million. Sources close to the talks suggested they were nearly half that, in part because the players took substantial pay cuts and the NRL took a broom to head office.
The NRL and RLPA are due to commence talks over the next five years on Friday but it appears those talks could be problematic unless the past is resolved, particularly after Mbye indicated that trust had become an issue.
“This meeting with Peter and Andrew is extremely important to the playing group, because we need to work to correct what has happened in the past, especially ahead of CBA negotiations,” said Mbye, an RLPA board member.
“It’s important that we re-establish our partnership because we would like to trust the NRL, but right now we are not where we should be.
“It’s probably been the most disappointing thing to be honest. As players, we feel we came to the table and sacrificed a lot to keep the game in the best shape possible.
“Based on the information given to us by the NRL, our whole playing group took cuts in good faith, including to wellbeing and education and injury hardship funds.
“The sacrifices we’ve taken have been far more substantial than what we were led to believe was needed. So now the players and the RLPA want to make sure those sacrifices were in proportion to the NRL’s own cuts.
“It’s great that the game has performed so strongly but have the losses we have taken on been fair?
“Now we’re hoping that the heavy lifting we did as players is recognised. Friday’s meeting isn’t just about the deal, it’s about fairness and what we want the relationship to be like in the future.”
Not for the first time, the talks have reached a delicate stage during the State of Origin series.
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