Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Gould, Anasta and Johns all off-contract

The three big-time NRL media stars up for grabs, Lachie Galvin’s kind fan gesture during week from hell, Sonny Bill Williams’ early jab at Paul Gallen and more in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.

The three biggest names in the rugby league media are off contract at their TV networks at the end of the footy season.

Phil Gould, Matty Johns and Braith Anasta will soon open negotiations at Channel 9 and Fox Sports, not that their discussions will be played out as publicly as the footy players they so often talk about, as in the likes of Lachlan Galvin, Daly Cherry-Evans or Dylan Brown.

Nine insists Gus is going nowhere.

A Nine spokesman sent me this comment: “Gus is the single greatest mind in rugby league. As a player, coach, commentator and administrator he is without peer.

“He’s been a mainstay of our rugby league coverage since 1994 and as long as he wants to continue he’ll always be part of the Wide World of Sports family.”

This basically means Gus has a Ray Warren/Ritchie Benaud type “life” deal.

The great man is on huge money as a game-day commentator, a panel member on 100% Footy and has his podcast Six Tackles With Gus – all on Nine entertainment.

Plus, he’d have nowhere else to go because he dislikes News Corp so much.

Gus’ polarising opinions on all things rugby league have been a huge part of Nine’s coverage since they bought the TV rights 33 years ago in 1992.

The Johns and Anasta talks at Fox Sports – or now DAZN – will soon get under way.

They are the two faces of the network and by far their most valuable assets via hosting roles with the Matty Johns Show and NRL 360.

Anasta also hosts Sunday afternoon football.

Both do their own negotiations with Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley without a manager.

Getting a comment out of Fox Sports is proving to be difficult because the new owners have taken over and executives are nervous around costs.

While Johns and Anasta are highly unlikely to be going anywhere, we are living in a changing media landscape with new broadcast players, streaming services and podcasts.

And both are so brilliant at what they do.

Both Nine and Fox Sports have the NRL broadcast rights for the remainder of this season and two more years. They are soon to open talks with the NRL to extend beyond 2027.

SAINT

No coach has copped as much criticism as Benji Marshall over the last two years, from myself included. However, I absolutely love the way he has handled the Lachlan Galvin situation. He wants 17 players on the field each week who are committed to the rebuild, the jersey, the logo, the club and the fans. And that is more important than anything else.

SINNER

The weak NRL player agent accreditation rules that allow Isaac Moses to manage five coaches – Shane Flanagan, Anthony Seibold, Andrew Webster, Adam O’Brien and Todd Payten. The same with Chris Orr who looks after Brad Arthur, Jason Demetriou, John Morris, Justin Holbrook and Josh Hannay. This has got to stop to prevent managers having too much power and influence across the game.

SHOOSH

It has been a particularly tough week for one TV presenter, someone I highly respect, who just happens to be managed by twice deregistered player agent Isaac Moses. The presenter no doubt felt obliged — or at least under pressure — to back the agent and his young gun Lachlan Galvin as the Wests Tigers drama unfolded in such a tumultuous way.

SHOOSH

Which former Origin player has been advertising junior rugby league coaching sessions on social media, taking money from parents — but then not turning up. He then ignores their text messages. We’re in contact with the parents and will expose this man unless he quickly returns their money.

Four original NSW Blues – Jim Leis, Alan Thompson, Greg Brentnall and Craig Young.

SPOTTED

Four of the original 1980 NSW State of Origin players — Magpies lock Jim Leis, now 65, Sea Eagles five-eighth Alan Thompson, 71, Bulldogs fullback Greg Brentnall, 68, and Dragons prop Craig Young, 68 — at a reunion at Woollahra Hotel last week organised by NSWRL boss Dave Trodden.

SPOTTED

Sydney Roosters boss Nick Politis and Venues NSW chairman David Gallop having lunch at Rushcutters Bay, no doubt discussing the issue around South Sydney wanting to use Allianz Stadium as a home ground.

SPOTTED

US president Donald Trump is making life difficult for many across the globe, including NRL fans. The Aussie dollar has crashed since he was elected, putting enormous financial strain on fans who want to travel to Las Vegas next year for the season opener. The accommodation, food and beverage prices were shocking six weeks ago and will be even worse next year.

SPOTTED

Speaking of Vegas, No Limit boss Matt Rose is talking to the NRL about a Friday night event in Sin City next year on the eve of the triple header that will be headlined by Nikita Tszyu in his US boxing debut.

Sonny Bill Williams is primed to take on. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

SBW: GALLEN THE REAL DODGER

Sonny Bill Williams has spoken for the first time of his upcoming fight with his arch enemy Paul Gallen, rubbishing suggestions he had previously avoided the fight.

SBW insists it was the 43-year-old Cronulla warhorse who reneged on a deal several years ago that could have earnt the fighters a $2 million payday.

“Everyone knows this fight should have happened much earlier, so let’s get it on,” SBW said.

“He’s always acted like he wanted to fight me but whenever it was about to happen, it never did. Years ago his adviser (Peter Mitrevski Jnr) agreed to a deal.

“He took it back to Gallen, who then reneged on it. That’s a fact.

“Finally, he’s signed the contract. July 16, see you there. There’s no backing away now.”

The fight will be broadcast on Nine Entertainment’s Stan on July 16.

Both fighters will share the same amount from ticket sales, sponsorship and pay-per-view sales.

The build-up will no doubt become a war of words.

Gallen recently unloaded on SBW, declaring: “I just think he’s a fraud.

“I’m not the fighter I was three years ago, I know that, but I’ve still got enough to beat him and that’s all that matters.”

Bryce Cartwright (left) and Matt Moylan (middle) were once considered megastars out at Penrith. Picture: Supplied

GUSHING GUS’ TEEN HYPERBOLE HISTORY

There’s no question Gus Gould has done a sensational job at the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Friday’s victory over the Rabbitohs is another good example of that.

But he hasn’t always been the best judge of young footballers, according to an old Penrith official, who contacted me last week.

Gus has been raving about Lachlan Galvin for 18 months with comments like these:

“Lachlan Galvin could well be one of the best teenage footballers I have ever witnessed.”

“Lachlan Galvin will earn more money out of rugby league than any player in history.”

“Whoever’s got Lachlan Galvin in their team will be close to winning premierships.”

I had a call from an old Penrith official last week.

“These comments are almost identical to what Gus used to say about Bryce Cartwright and Matt Moylan,” he said.

“Both good, handy footballers but hardly superstars.”

His words, not mine.

It’s interesting because Gus, at the time, put them both on massive contracts.

The Panthers ended up offloading them both.

Richard Zachariah with Deborah Hutton (L) Maggie Tabberer in 1993.

FAREWELL TO ONE OF THE BEST

Journalism lost one of its great characters last week with the passing of Richard Zachariah at 80.

Back in the late 1990s your columnist was the Tele sports editor when Zachariah used his powerful connections — and went way above my head — to the CEO of News Corp, Ken Cowley, to ask for a job.

Hired as a racing columnist, he was thrust upon us to work alongside our legendary turf editor Ray Thomas.

So Dick, as we called him, wrote a column called Zach At The Track. It was brilliant.

He shook up the industry like never before, highlighting the flaws of a tired and clumsy administration to such an extent the AJC withdrew his press accreditation and banned him from covering the races.

The story that led to his expulsion was a page one scoop – the revelation the grandstand at Royal Randwick had concrete cancer, was a safety threat to racegoers — but there was no money to fix it.

Dick wore his ban as a badge of honour. He covered the races from his local TAB instead of the track.

One day I suggested he should cover a greyhound meet to give the dish lickers some exposure.

So on a Wednesday night we drove together down to Bulli Dogs.

The bistro steaks were tougher on the teeth than the rib-eye cut Dick would order at his flashy eastern suburbs restaurants. But he loved it.

He spent the night interviewing every character on the course then headed home to write the most wonderful feature.

I tell the Bulli story for a reason.

Here’s an A-list high-society guy who’d normally knock around in the company of his wealthy barrister and breeding mates.

Dick looked so out of place in his designer jeans and RM Williams boots on a night where the dress code was more shorts and thongs.

That was the thing about Dick. He was not just a beautiful writer but a beautiful person. He treated everyone the same.

RIP old mate.

DOGS’ DOLLAR DAZZLER

The Good Friday blockbuster at Accor Stadium was a $1 million payday for the Canterbury Bulldogs on the back of a record crowd of 65,305.

The Bulldogs shared the $1 million in gate takings with the South Sydney Rabbitohs but made another $300,000 from corporate suites and $200,000 from merchandise sales.

This compares to the $50,000 profit from playing the Titans at Belmore earlier this season.

Lachlan Galvin with Hendrix Cribbs.

Galvin with Natalija Cribbs.

LACHIE PUTS DRAMA ASIDE

Your columnist has been one of Lachlan Galvin’s harshest critics in recent days.

I think the teenager has got ahead of himself in many ways.

However, beneath the surface is a thoroughly impressive young man.

Check out this email from a reader last week.

“Hey Phil, I know there is a long list of bad press with Lachlan Galvin.

“I live next door to his grandparents and I just want to say Lachlan is a sincerely decent person.

“My son suffers from autism and has confidence issues. Lachlan’s grandfather made a promise that he would get Lachlan to come say hello and take a picture with my children on a Saturday afternoon.

“Lachlan obviously has a busy schedule, so when it got late, we assumed that time got away from him. But at 8pm that night we got a knock on the door, and there was Lachlan and his father and grandfather. For 10 mins he was there, and you could not wipe the smile off my kids’ faces.

“I understand he has made a decision that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but outside that, there is a decent human.”

Christy, Matt and Hercules King.

THE BETTER HALF – with Christy King, wife of Bulldogs prop Max King

—Tyson Jackson

Where did the two of you meet?

At church. I was sitting in the row behind and I swear he nearly broke his neck trying to look back at me the whole service, haha. We didn’t speak that day, but he asked our Pastor who I was and he linked us up.

First date?

We met halfway to where we both lived, which happened to be Parramatta. We went for lunch and finished like all first dates do, at Timezone.

What’s his weirdest superstition?

Apparently, he doesn’t like cutting his toenails close to a game!

Does he bring his intensity home?

It’s actually the opposite. At home he goes into sook mode and always complains about his soreness. He really is a gentle giant. Sometimes I wonder how he is an NRL player!

What present did he get for his last birthday?

I got him some clothes online but they happened to show up about two weeks late. He definitely let me know about it too.

Christy and Max King at a Bulldogs awards night. Picture: Supplied

Max plays in such a tough position, but for anyone that knows him, he’s a gentle and very loving. How does he flick the switch?

When I met Max he was already playing NRL, so I have only ever known him to do what he does. A lot of people say to me I can’t even imagine my husband or boyfriend running into four guys, but for me it’s all I have ever known.

The Bulldogs have been on fire this year. You have been with Max through the rough times, what’s it like now to see the light? 

It’s changed the vibe in our household for sure. They train all week and there’s so much preparation which goes into games, so when they were going through the rough times two years ago, it was so disappointing to see him work so hard and not have the result. But now, our nights are a bit better, our days off are a bit better — a bit more spring in the step.

Being a dad now, you have seen a new side of Max. What’s he like there?

It’s so sweet. Hercules is a bit older now so he has more of his personality. Max is obsessed with him, it’s been so cool just to watch their bond develop. They go to the pool or the beach. Hercules is walking now which is all from Max. He gets the walker out and practices with him.

Who came up with the name Hercules?

We were dating and got UberEATS and it was the driver’s name. We thought it was so cool we agreed if we ever had a son we’d call him Hercules. Then I got pregnant and it was a boy and we were like, ‘Awesome there’s the name’.