St George Illawarra make key market moves, re-sign Moses Suli, eye Heilum Luki | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh

New Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has wasted no time in trying to overhaul their roster - with a Cowboys raid added to his pursuit of Addin Fonua-Blake, and a key re-signing. Sport’s top whispers inside.

Former NRL player Mark McGaw will have a new role in the rebirth of the Gladiators.

St George Illawarra are on the verge of agreeing a new deal with blockbusting centre Moses Suli and have widened their recruiting net to include North Queensland back rower Heilum Luki as they look to supercharge their rebuild under coach Shane Flanagan.

Suli has a three-year deal on the table from the Dragons and it is understood the parties are close to signing off on the agreement, which would mean the Tongan international remains at the Dragons until the end of 2027.

North Queensland second-rower Heilum Luki is a big recruitment target for new St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan. Picture: Getty Images

Flanagan has been selective about who he has attempted to retain and ambitious about who he wants to sign. The club’s interest in Addin Fonua-Blake has been well documented but less is known about their pursuit of Luki, the Cowboys back-rower who made his debut for Samoa this year and is knocking on the door of the Queensland State of Origin side.

Luki has an option in his favour at the Cowboys for 2025 but is blocked for a starting role on the edge by the presence of Jeremiah Nanai and Luciano Leilua.

The Cowboys are also fighting hard to retain boom youngster Kulikefu Finefeuiaki in the face of lucrative offers from rival clubs. There has been talk that Leilua could be moved to the middle to accommodate either Luki or Finefeuiaki in the starting side.

The Cowboys have to retain them first as they battle a salary cap squeeze - half Tom Dearden has also entered the final year of his contract along with Chad Townsend and Coen Hess.

EX-NRL STARS LINE UP FOR GLADIATORS

The Hammer is back. Nearly 30 years after starring in the original series of Gladiators in Australia, former Cronulla, South Sydney and NSW star Mark McGaw is set to play a central role in the rebirth of the hit television series.

McGaw was known as Hammer when the show first appeared on Australian television screens in the mid-1990s. Remarkably, at the time he was in the final days of a rugby league career at the Rabbitohs.

Now the show is set to return in early-January on Network 10 and McGaw will once again take centre stage, this time as a referee. Casting agents for the show originally contacted McGaw hoping to get in touch with his son Torey about auditioning for a role as one of the Gladiators.

Hosts Beau Ryan and Liz Ellis with former rugby league star Mark McGaw, who will appear on the revived TV show, Gladiators, which will air on 10 in January, 2024. Picture: Supplied

“I said Torey is over in America at the moment – he has been over there for a while,” McGaw said.

“While we were having a chat I was talking to him about who the hosts were. I said, ’Well you need a big, ugly guy to keep them in line as a referee’.

“So I put my hand up. The rest is history.”

McGaw is now 59 and relishing the chance to be involved in the return of the show he helped make a hit in the 90s. It will have a real rugby league flavour - former Melbourne winger Sandor Earl is one of the Gladiators and the host is ex-Cronulla and Tigers winger Beau Ryan.

“We die with our experiences don’t we?” McGaw said.

McGaw will be a referee on the revived TV show, Gladiators, which will air on 10 in January, 2024. Credit: Supplied.

“One thing you never say to people is you never finish your life at 59. I am just starting really. I met so many good people (as a Gladiator), learnt what it was like to be in that sort of game, how it worked, it was quite interesting.

“I was actually playing my last year of footy and trying to get around that. I was recovering from a broken leg at the time.

“As much as I appreciated everything back then, because you are a little bit older every minute is absorbed and enjoyed.

“This time you go round and meet everyone, make sure you chat for 10 minutes and get to know who they are and what they do.”

Nathan Cleary was named GQ Sportsman of the Year this week. Credit: Supplied.

SAINT

Penrith captain Nathan Cleary has had a year to remember and he topped it off on Tuesday night when he was named GQ’s sportsman of the year. It was thoroughly deserved given what Cleary has achieved over the course of 2023.

He couldn’t escape the night without being asked about his relationship with Matildas star Mary Fowler. Cleary, as always, handled the inquisition with class.

SINNER

Rugby Australia has made one mistake after another in recent months. The latest is the loss of young gun Mark Nawaqanitawase. They can’t get anything right.

SHOOSH

Which NRL chief executive is not so discreetly looking for other job opportunities at the big end of town.

SHOOSH I

Which former NSW and Australian forward made a comeback to play in the recent touch football state cup in Port Macquarie. The tournament was loaded with former rugby league stars.

SHOOSH II

Which former Australian cricket captain was spotted having a quiet beer on Thursday night at The Clock Hotel in Surry Hills. He was due to play the next day.

Ben Elias with David Warner at the Fox Cricket launch. Picture: John Appleyard

SPOTTED

Australian cricketer David Warner and former Balmain and Kangaroos hooker Ben Elias chatting at the Fox Cricket launch this week.

SPOTTED II

Manly coach Anthony Seibold and assistant Michael Ennis dropping in for a coffee at Fuel cafe in Brookvale on Thursday morning.

SPOTTED III

Former Melbourne and NSW back rower Ryan Hoffman made a surprising comeback last week when he played at the Legends Dubai7s alongside the likes of Martin Offiah and Pat Richards. Grabbed himself a try as well playing on the wing.

SPOTTED IV

Former Wallabies winger David Campese - one of the harshest critics of Rugby Australia in recent years - seated next to Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh at the Sydney Cricket Ground gala dinner

SPOTTED V

A trio of former NRL chief executives - Todd Greenberg, David Gallop and John Quayle - in deep conversation at the Sydney Cricket Ground gala dinner.

SPOTTED VI

Andrew Ettingshausen and his wife Monique having a coffee in Lilli Pilli. Ettingshausen still looks fit enough to pull on the boots.

FAALOGO FOR LONGER

Melbourne are edging towards a contract extension for local product Sua Faalogo that could see the boom fullback commit to the club until the end of 2027.

It is understood Melbourne bosses and Faalogo’s agent Liam Ayoub have held positive talks in recent weeks and there is an acknowledgment that the Samoan international wants to stay at the Storm and continue to learn off Ryan Papenhuyzen and Billy Slater.

Melbourne Storm youngster Sua Faalogo is on the cusp of signing a new contract extension. Picture: NRL Images

Fa’alogo made an eye-catching debut in the final game of the regular season and then went on to make his international debut against the Kangaroos, more than holding his own as Samoa suffered a lopsided defeat.

He is expected to be a more consistent first grader next season, although his path to the No.1 jersey will be blocked by the returning Papenhuyzen.

That is unlikely to be an issue in the short term with Faalogo seemingly happy to bide his time and learn his craft.

FOX IN FOR FIJI

Fox League have shown their commitment to rugby league and the Melbourne Storm after agreeing to televise their trial game in Fiji against Newcastle.

Fox League will ship equipment to Fiji and potentially send talent over as part of the broadcast. The Storm struck a major sponsorship agreement with Fiji Airways in October and will take one of their trials to the country as they look to grow the game.

Originally published as St George Illawarra make key market moves, re-sign Moses Suli, eye Heilum Luki | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh