Sport Confidential: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui’s Bondi ties, Real reason Hunt wants out of Dragons
No trip to Cairns is complete without a visit to notorious night spot Gilligan’s and the Maroons visit to FNQ was no exception.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has a three-month period to decide his future and one club that will be watching his contract situation closely is the Roosters.
Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita have a clause in their new contracts that made the pair free agents in the event of coach Justin Holbrook being sacked, which is exactly what happened a fortnight ago.
Under the terms of the clause, it is understood the Queensland Origin duo have three months in which to advise the Titans if they will activate their status as free agents to begin talks with rival clubs.
The good news for the Titans is Big Tino has no interest in playing for most Sydney clubs.
But the one Sydney outfit he has great respect for is the Roosters because of his family links to the Bondi glamour club.
Fa’asuamaleaui’s father Fereti played reserve grade for the Sydney City Roosters in the mid-1990s. Known by his mates as ‘Fred’, Fa’asuamaleaui Snr represented Samoa in league and union and was spotted by legendary Roosters scout Arthur Beetson, who lured him to Bondi.
The Roosters could do with another midfield enforcer as Jared Waerea-Hargreaves inches closer to retirement, but the Titans have the inside running to retain Fa’asuamaleaui.
“His intentions are probably to stay, but he won’t be short of offers and choice of coaches and we will explore that,” said his manager Simon Mammino.
“Tino could have another 10 years at the Titans, he wanted to make the Gold Coast his home, that was his intention, but the sacking of Justin has thrown a spanner in the works.
“Tino came from a premiership-winning club at Melbourne, so we’ll let him play Origin, let the dust settle and sit down with Titans hierarchy and their new coach Des Hasler.”
Real reason Hunt wants out of Dragons
Ben Hunt wants out of the Dragons over a series of broken promises that have seen the Queensland Origin star lose faith in St George Illawarra management.
Sport Confidential can reveal Hunt’s relationship with Dragons bosses is untenable and it’s unlikely the arrival of incoming coach Shane Flanagan can convince the skipper to remain at the Red V next season.
Hunt was privately preparing to join the Broncos for the rest of this season, but the Dragons’ refusal to sign off on a proposed transfer deal last week has only intensified tensions between captain and club.
The cracks will never be truly repaired.
At the heart of Hunt’s discontent is his view that the Dragons have failed to uphold their end of the bargain on two key matters.
Hunt has copped brickbats for his decision to ink a two-year extension with the Dragons last October. Critics of the Origin and Test star have argued if Hunt is so unhappy at the Dragons, why did the playmaker sign a new deal until the end of 2025 just nine months ago?
Had he refused to ink a new deal and waited just four more weeks, Hunt would have been a free agent and permitted to test his value on the open market.
But there’s where the Cold War between Hunt and the Dragons began to surface.
When Hunt mulled over whether to sign the two-year extension, in his eyes, he was given assurances by Dragons bosses that coach Anthony Griffin was safe and would not be sacked during the 2023 season.
Saints officialdom also assured Hunt 12 months earlier that an aggressive recruitment drive was underway to bolster their roster, headlined by the blue-chip signing of Panthers back-row sensation Viliame Kikau.
Griffin was sacked in May, while Kikau ended up joining the Bulldogs amid fears the Dragons botched the Panthers forward’s signing by tabling a formal offer that was worth less than what the parties had originally discussed.
The Dragons gave Kikau’s management a letter of offer outlining a three-year deal at $750,000 a season. It was the Kikau camp’s belief they would join the Dragons for $800,000 annually, hence the reason the deal collapsed.
While Hunt was close to Griffin – ‘Hook’ coached him in the Broncos’ under-20s – he is also frustrated at being a sounding board for disgruntled Dragons players.
As captain, he is being buffeted by a list of grievances from Dragons teammates over the running of the club. He is sick of being the middle man at a club Hunt believes has lost premiership direction.
Dragons CEO Ryan Webb did not return calls, but in the wake of Origin II, Hunt hinted at feeling let down by the club over some recruitment objectives.
“When I signed (a new deal), there was a lot going on,” he said.
“They wanted to get me signed first to get it sorted out so they could start making recruitment decisions.
“It’s gone nowhere.
“I just thought once I signed there would be a snowball effect (of other recruits coming to the club) and a few things would happen, but it hasn’t happened.”
While Hunt has given up hope of being at the Broncos this season, a move to the Titans next year remains a possibility.
Newcastle legend and former NSW Origin playmaker Matty Johns urged the Dragons to sever ties with Hunt.
“Ben went to the club in 2018 and they made the finals, but since then, it’s been mainly failed seasons,” Johns told Fox Sports.
“The formula ain’t working.
“It’s a wasted opportunity to keep Hunt there.
“The Dragons can turn this into their favour. They can look at the market and pick a player they want and get some compensation.
“Ben has been their best player this year but they are in the midst of another losing season.
“They need to change the formula.”
Sexton wants to be top dog
Titans reject Toby Sexton has been seeing a sports psychologist as he prepares to resurrect his NRL career at the Bulldogs.
Just 12 months after being hailed as the Titans’ next scrumbase superstar, Sexton fell out of favour at Parkwood and has been thrown a lifeline by the struggling Bulldogs.
Sexton will wear the No.7 Canterbury jumper made famous by halfback legend Steve Mortimer in Saturday’s clash against the Rabbitohs and it’s a golden chance to resurrect his NRL career.
“Toby met with Cameron Ciraldo and he was really impressed with the (Bulldogs) coach,” said his manager Tas Bartlett.
“The Bulldogs are under pressure at the moment but Ciraldo’s got a style that suits Toby’s strengths which is being on the ball as a halfback.
“Last year, Toby was stuck on the right side at the Titans but what got him into the Australian Schoolboys side and into the NRL is his ability to control the team and to be on the ball.
“Sexton doesn’t have the foot speed to play five-eighth. He’s not a guy who will skip to the outside and beat a bloke and create some space, but what he does well is control a game and Ciraldo understands the role he will play at the Bulldogs.
“He wants Toby to control the team and hopefully he can free up Burton to play more of an instinctive role and they can have a good combination.”
Bartlett said Sexton’s self-belief has not been dented by his relegation to the Queensland Cup.
“His confidence is good,” he said.
“Toby sees a sports ‘psych’, he doesn’t get much head noise.
“I actually think Toby is playing better now than he did when he made his NRL debut in 2021.
“He is still only 22 years old and has another decade ahead of him in the NRL, so this move to the Bulldogs can be a positive one for Toby.”
Maroons make mark in tropics
The Maroons got plenty done during a 48-hour trip to Cairns earlier this week.
Innisfail-raised coach Billy Slater took the Queensland team to his home region for a jam-packed two days.
The Maroons hit the training paddock twice, held a fan day for 4000 fans at a wet Barlow Park, and did a number of other community activities.
They also managed to sneak in a trip to renowned party venue Gilligan’s.
Everyone knows a trip to Cairns isn’t complete without a stop at ‘Gillies’ and the Maroons were treated to a private room on Tuesday night.
They flew back south on Wednesday and entered Camp Maroon at Sanctuary Cove to ramp up preparations for next week’s attempt at a 3-nil series whitewash.
DCE to speak
Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans will dodge next Wednesday’s post-match press conference but he won’t be able to avoid talking completely.
The NRL players’ media boycott will include post-match commitments after the Origin series finale at Accor Stadium.
Cherry-Evans and NSW counterpart James Tedesco won’t appear next to their coaches in the post-match press conference. Nor will players speak to Channel 9 in the immediate aftermath.
But Cherry-Evans will have to speak when he is presented with the Origin shield after the game.
Queensland has already wrapped up the series and is gunning for a 3-nil clean sweep.
Cherry-Evans will fulfil his acceptance speech, making for a potentially awkward encounter with NRL chiefs.
Aussie firm’s NBA slam dunk
It began as a small, start-up operation in the NSW far-north beach town of Byron Bay.
Now local travel firm TripADeal has made history by becoming the first Australian company to strike a monster sponsorship deal in the NBA.
Currently sponsors of NRL sides the Dragons and Manly and AFL outfit Carlton, TripADeal has now spread its wings to America after agreeing to a three-year sponsorship with NBA side New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans drafted Victorian Dyson Daniels last summer and the 20-year-old is one of 12 Australia-born players in the NBA this season.
“It’s a historic deal for an Australian company – we’re thrilled,” said TripADeal co-founder Norm Black.
“Chris Orr, an Australian sports agent from PSM, helped open the door and we went over there and brokered the deal.
“The NBA has made a big deal of it and we’ll have our brand up on the basket at Pelicans games which is pretty monumental for us.
“The lady who owns the ‘Pels’ (billionaire Gayle Benson) also owns American football side the New Orleans Saints, so this gives us a chance to look into the NFL market down the track.”
Road to Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the true superstars of world football.
Now, for the first time, budding Aussie soccer stars will have the chance to take part in the world-famous Cristiano Ronaldo Football Campus Youth Trials.
The Campus, in conjunction with Gold Coast-based sports firm PSM, are giving 24 Australian kids between the age of 11-13 the chance to join 1000 participants at Ronaldo’s Global Youth tournament in Portugal next year.
A series of state and national trials will be held over the next nine months. A Ronaldo Campus official selector will attend the national trials on the Gold Coast next year to select the lucky 24 Aussie young guns for the trip of a lifetime.
“The Ronaldo Youth Tournament is a FIFA sanctioned event and is attended by some of the biggest football clubs and football scouts from around the world,” said PSM Australia director Chris Orr.
“Those who are selected will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Portugal. It’s exciting, this is the first time young Australian football players have the chance to secure their place at the CR7 Campus.”
Log on to www.cr7trialsaustralia.com to register for your spot in the upcoming trials.
Tszyu are kidding
Tim Tszyu’s camp have slammed American rival Jermell Charlo for delivering the latest kick in the guts to the unbeaten Australian.
The proposed Tszyu-Charlo unification blockbuster in September-October collapsed last week after the American dropped a bombshell by revealing he will instead fight Mexican legend Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Tszyu’s showdown with Charlo, originally slated for January 29, has twice been delayed because of the American’s hand injury. There are now fears Tszyu will never get his shot at super welterweight top dog Charlo in Vegas.
“It totally blindsided us. They have pulled the rug from under us,” said Tszyu’s manager Glen Jennings.
“It’s about as low as it gets for us.
“Charlo did this to us in January and he has done it to us again
“I am gutted for Tim and he is bitterly disappointed, but we’re better than that, we’ll dust ourselves off and Tim will keep fighting.
“We’re just absolute nobodies in their eyes, Canelo couldn’t give a stuff about Tim and we get that.
“Tim will still go about getting all four belts.
“If Charlo loses to Canelo, he might come back to 154 (super welterweight) and guess what ... he has to face Tim eventually.”
Yeo takes top honours as Panthers celebrate history-making season
Penrith players ditched the party attire for suits and ties for their end-of-season presentation night, where co-captain Isaah Yeo took top honours. See the full awards plus the best photos from the evening.
‘Scandalous’: ARLC under pressure to intervene over Kernick snub
Pressure is ramping up on Peter V’landys and the ARL Commission to intervene in the shocking omission of Dally M winner Olivia Kernick from the Jillaroos squad.