Sport Confidential: Matt Lodge’s hilarious take on his new ‘rug’, Bronco’s titanic transfer blow
Matt Lodge has opened up about why he believes the Turkish hair transplant which ‘cost him less than a bad Saturday on the punt’ will prolong his NRL career. Check out Sport Confidential.
It’s official. Matt Lodge has had a hair transplant.
The Manly enforcer and former Broncos star looks 10 years younger after a hair-raising experience while visiting Europe and Gallipoli with his family last year.
Lodge is renowned for his shaved head but eagle-eyed league fans couldn’t miss the Sea Eagles prop’s full head of hair when he ran out against the Titans a fortnight ago after eight months out following a knee reconstruction.
Scores of balding Australian men are heading offshore for cheaper hair transplants as part of travel packages, flying abroad thanks to ‘Turkish Hairlines’.
Lodge saved more than $20,000 by having his hair transplant overseas and believes his new look could prolong his NRL career.
“Everyone thought it was retirement time … I’m only 28,” Lodge said.
“I’ve taken the tough carry and paved the way for the next generation of young bald men.
“There’s a very long list of high-profile people inquiring about this special service.
“Due to the amount of inquiries I’m getting, I might have to put together a direct package for people.”
The procedure took just one day and Lodge said it is common practice for men in Europe and the Middle East to have the ‘yeah, yeah’ treatment.
“I’m not one to take any medication or spend a fortune on my hair,” he said.
“For what it cost me … I’ve had worse Saturdays on the punt.
“It was very affordable.
“I went on a Europe trip with the family after I did my ACL as a break to get away and come back refreshed before rehab began.
“I won’t confirm exactly where I went but I did visit Disneyland (in America), Paris, the Greek Islands, Ibiza, Malta and also went to see Gallipoli.”
BRONCO’S REJECTION AFTER BEING SHOPPED TO RIVALS
Broncos hooker Cory Paix has been shopped to several NRL rivals in a bid to revive his career.
Sport Confidential can reveal Paix has been offered to Queensland derby foes the Gold Coast as he looks to break back into the NRL after falling out of favour at Red Hill.
But Titans coach Des Hasler says he has enough hookers on his books, leaving Paix in limbo at the Broncos.
Just turned 24, Paix only signed a two-year extension at Brisbane last year and he played 14 consecutive games to open the 2023 season as a back-up rake off the bench for starting No.9 Billy Walters.
But Paix has not been seen in the NRL this season and has fallen behind Tyson Smoothy, who wore the No.14 jumper in last year’s grand-final loss to Penrith.
It is understood the Cowboys had some interest in Paix, but a possible move to Townsville fell through when the club signed Karl Lawton from Manly.
The Toowoomba product is off-contract at the end of 2025 and Paix has no plans of walking away from the game as he languishes with feeder club Wynnum Manly in the Queensland Cup.
“Cory has no intention of retiring,” said his manager Paul Hogan.
“He is contracted to the Broncos for another year and we’ve been given permission to look around.
“We’ve looked at a few options but there’s nothing on the horizon at the moment.
“We’ve had some interest, but it’s about finding the right deal that suits.
“Cory hasn’t given up hope of getting back into the team. He scored two tries recently against the Cutters and played the full 80 minutes, so he’s genuinely NRL quality.
“He is training the house down, his attitude at the Broncos is great.”
DOLPHINS TO CUT CULT HERO
He is one of the cult heroes of the NRL, but Valynce Te Whare’s career at the Dolphins is coming to an end.
Sport Confidential can reveal Te Whare will not be offered a new deal by the Dolphins as Wayne Bennett’s coaching successor, Kristian Woolf, begins to put his stamp on the Redcliffe organisation.
Te Whare was labelled ‘Val Meninga’ because of his bullocking frame and he became one of the feel-good stories of the 2023 season when he scored two tries in a stunning Magic Round debut against Cronulla.
But after six tries from 12 games in his rookie season, Te Whare lost his way at the Dolphins.
Last summer, Te Whare was ordered to attend a personal boot camp by Bennett in a bid to get fitter and save his Dolphins career after his weight ballooned in excess of 120kg.
Te Whare trained alone with Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess, Bennett’s former conditioner at the Broncos, and the rotund centre lost almost 10 kilos to give himself every hope of playing NRL this season.
But the 23-year-old has since regressed, blowing out to 119kg as the off-contract Kiwi languished in the Queensland Cup.
A no-nonsense taskmaster, Woolf will replace Bennett in charge of the Dolphins next season and the rookie NRL head coach has informed Te Whare he won’t be on his full-roster in 2025.
The decision is a clear sign the Dolphins coaching baton is being passed to Woolf as South Sydney prepare to ramp-up plans to bring Bennett back to Redfern following the sacking of Jason Demetriou.
Bennett said the fate of Te Whare rests with Woolf, the Tongan Test coach who has served a two-year apprenticeship under the 74-year-old.
“I’m not going to be the coach there next year,” Bennett said.
“Kristian has to have the squad he wants. I’m in no position to decide who stays.
“We talk about it (the Dolphins roster) but it’s Kristian’s call on who stays or goes.
“Kristian is hands-on now.
“Val tried really hard in the pre-season, he had a real dig, so it’s up to Kristian.”
Te Whare has explosive speed and great footwork for a big man but it’s unlikely he will be offered a lifeline by another NRL club.
It is understood the New Zealand-born flyer is considering a return to rugby union, where he was plucked from obscurity by the Dolphins and learned the rugby league ropes with Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup.
Te Whare scored 12 tries from 14 games in a sizzling rookie year in Queensland’s premier league competition, but the Dolphins have run out of patience with his struggle to grasp NRL professionalism.
“It’s really disappointing for Val,” said Burgess, who put Te Whare through a punishing pre-season.
“He is a beautiful young guy and he really worked his butt off with me in pre-season.
“He lost nearly 10 kilos and was going great, but unfortunately he has put some weight back on and slipped into some bad habits.
“I hope he can turn things around because there’s no doubting his natural talent.”
WHY ‘BEN HUNT’ CALLED TITANS
Titans co-owner Darryl Kelly thought all his dreams had come true when his phone rang last week and the name ‘Ben Hunt’ flashed up on the screen.
But it wasn’t the Dragons, Maroons and Kangaroos star the Gold Coast wanted to sign last year to lead a Titanic revival.
Instead, it was Kelly’s cardiologist Dr Ben Hunt calling to check in on his patient.
Kelly’s pacemaker had been throwing up some abnormal readings following multiple nailbiting Titans matches and an alert was sent to the doctor.
Kelly was at the ground for Gold Coast’s controversial golden point loss to Canberra, watched them lose a thriller at home to Manly and then travelled to New Zealand for the Anzac Day epic win against the Warriors.
“It’s been stressful,” Kelly said of the Titans’ 1-6 start to the season.
“If anything goes wrong I know I’ll get a phone call from him.”
Kelly is hoping the Titans can record a comfortable win against the Storm at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday and give his heart a break.
TEVITA’S SELF-PROMOTION
Tevita Pangai Jr is a man of many talents.
Former NRL player. Ex-Origin and Test enforcer. Professional boxer. And, now, fight promoter.
Pangai Jr will stage his maiden boxing event when the former Broncos star returns to the ring at the Greek Club in Brisbane on Saturday, May 11.
The Tongan torpedo (4-0) will look to chalk up his fifth consecutive win when he takes on Kenny Niko (0-3) on a six-fight card put together by his own company - TPJ Promotions.
Pangai Jr has spent months planning his first boxing show, enlisting the help of former Broncos teammate Sam Thaiday, who will don the tuxedo as ring announcer.
“I’m getting into fight promotion,” he said.
“I’ve always had an interest in business, so I’ve started my own promotional company.
“Two of the biggest stars in boxing are Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather and they saw the money in being a fighter-promoter.
“I am fortunate I’ve built a profile through rugby league and the NRL and I’m grateful it’s given me the chance to go into boxing promotion. This is only my fifth fight, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Brisbane-based property developer Jim Valery has helped Pangai Jr fund his maiden boxing show.
“I have had the backing of Jim Valery, so I’m appreciative of his support,” he said.
“There’s a lot more stress involved. You have fighters pulling out, there’s a lot of planning and you have to generate revenue.
“No Limit (Australia’s No.1 fight promoters) have done a wonderful job for Australian boxing.
“I love their story, the Rose brothers (Matt, George and Trent) started at Dubbo RSL and now they are putting on big cards in Vegas with Tim Tszyu.
“I love my boxing and I love the business side of things.
“Down the track, I would like to do more promotions. I’ve sold 90 per cent of tickets so it will be a good night.”
BRIMSON SPILLS FIFITA SECRET
Titans fullback AJ Brimson has tipped off rival teams about one of Gold Coast’s most deadly plays.
Brimson has revealed rampaging backrower David Fifita yells “hot” when he wants the ball in attacking territory.
Fifita has made a habit of scoring tries from close range and now opposition teams know when he wants the ball.
Brimson spilt the beans when asked this week about whether Fifita had told his teammates if he was staying at the Titans or activating a round 10 get out clause.
“I don’t speak to Davey outside of footy,” he said.
“He just calls ‘hot’ when he wants the ball and I give it to him. That’s the call.
“He calls that near the line, we give it to him and he ends up scoring. That’s the only time I chat to Davey.”
After an injury-interrupted pre-season, Fifita has been working his way back into form over the past few weeks and was fantastic in the drought-breaking Anzac Day win against the Warriors.
He’s been tipped to remain at the Titans, even if he is keeping the club guessing ahead of next week’s deadline.
“He’s been awesome. He’s that hard to handle near the line and he’s really been working on his effort plays,” Brimson said.
“He’s been carrying for a lot of metres and putting his hand up out of his own end. He’ll be big for us this week.”
V’LANDYS COLD ON KICK-OFF BAN
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys says there is no high-powered push to ban the traditional long kick-off.
There have been calls for the NRL to scrap kick-off restarts amid fears of head-trauma injuries and the prospect of long kicks giving players the momentum for high-speed collisions.
The debate reared its head again last week after Dragons centre Moses Suli was knocked out cold from a kick restart in the Anzac Day clash against the Roosters.
V’landys has led the crackdown on high shots in rugby league, but insists he won’t be axing the kick-off that has been a part of the code’s fabric for 116 years.
“Nothing will be done anytime soon,” he said.
“It’s not on the agenda at the moment.
“The only people putting it on the agenda is the media.
“It’s not on the Commission’s agenda.”
Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds is reluctant to change the status quo.
“It is part of our game,” he said.
“I don’t carry the ball back from the kick-off and don’t look for the contact from the kick-off.
“I love the part of our game where a front-rower gets to have his moment and that legacy where they charge into the line or put on a big shot.
“You can look at it both ways but it’s above my pay grade to make those choices.”
NO BYE BYE BRIERS
Brisbane have received a boost with Kevin Walters’ key assistant coach Lee Briers staying loyal to the Broncos.
Briers was being targeted by Hull KR following the departure of Tony Smith but he has rejected the opportunity to return to the English Super League.
The Warrington legend is contracted to Brisbane until the end of 2025 and is relishing his time working under Walters at the rejuvenated Broncos.
Briers has played a key role in Brisbane’s attacking shapes with skipper Adam Reynolds and playmaker Jock Madden lauding his tactical knowledge and work with the Broncos’ outside backs.
LETHAL LEEK’S TITLE SHOT
Victorian fighter Mitchell Leek will continue his rise when he fights for the vacant Australian middleweight title.
The unbeaten 24-year-old will chase his 10th consecutive win when Leek (9-0) takes on former super welterweight champ Adrian Rodriguez (13-8-2) at The Melbourne Pavilion this Saturday night.
Leek is coming off a stunning first-round knockout win over Lachlan Higgins and is an emerging force in a middleweight division led by Michael Zerafa, Mateo Tapia, Joel Camilleri and Issac Hardman.
“It’s been great to see the development of Mitch over the past 12 months,” said Team Ellis trainer Antoni Topic.
“Mitch has had multiple sparring rounds with some of Australia’s best talent, including Michael Zerafa and Jack Brubaker to help prepare for this fight.
“Provided Mitch passes the test against Rodriguez on Saturday night, we’re looking to continually step him up in levels and face the best Australia has to offer.”
The Melbourne card, staged by promoter Jake Ellis, will also see former Bulldogs AFL star Clay ‘Showtime’ Smith return to the ring after victory in his professional debut in December.
SMITH SWITCHES TEAMS
Golf superstar Cameron Smith is a diehard Broncos fan, but you wouldn’t know from this photo.
A life-size cut-out of Smith hoisting the Claret Jug after winning The 2022 British Open has been draped in a Titans scarf at Parkwood Village – home of the Gold Coast NRL club.
The PGA of Australia’s Queensland office is based at the home of the Titans and they’ve embraced their neighbours.
An Adam Scott cut-out is adorned by a Queensland Maroons scarf too.
DOLPHINS SPONSOR UP IN SMOKE
Controversial Dolphins sponsor Alternaleaf has disappeared from the club’s jersey.
The medicinal cannabis company has been in the spotlight following suggestions the sponsorship could be in breach of Therapeutic Goods Administration guidelines.
The arrangement is currently under review and the Dolphins attempted to tape over the Alternaleaf logo in last week’s game against Parramatta in Darwin.
When the Dolphins ran out against Newcastle at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, the logo was entirely gone.
The sponsorship isn’t over, but this could take months to resolve and for now, Alternaleaf won’t be anywhere to be seen on Dolphins kit.
It hasn’t been a total disaster though. The company has arguably received more publicity with the controversy than it would have without.
More Coverage
Best 17, rookies to watch: Bulldogs primed for premiership charge
There’s something special about Canterbury heading into 2025. PAMELA WHALEY breaks down the issues facing the club, the rookies to watch and more in our deep dive into the Bulldogs.
Milford signs with Brisbane Broncos feeder club
Former Broncos and Dolphins playmaker Anthony Milford has made a last-ditch effort to revive his NRL career, signing with one of Brisbane’s feeder clubs.