Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: All the latest NRL and grand final chatter

History, and recent events, suggest the Rabbitohs are sure to win the grand final. Check out all the latest NRL and grand final chatter in Saint, Sinner, Shoosh.

Cameron Murray. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

All the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column - What’s the Buzz.

‘Don’t ask me if I’ll retire’

Hall-of-fame commentator Ray Warren will call his 45th grand final tonight but he has no idea if it’ll be his last.

The 78-year-old legend is happy to chat about his six-decade career, as long as we don’t ask the obvious question: “Is this your last GF?”

“Don’t ask me if I’ll retire,” Warren said. “I don’t want to talk about it.

“Put it this way, I’m not going into the game as though it’s my last.”

It is hoped Rabs will at least stick around to call his 100th State of Origin match next year.

The subject of Warren’s future has been an annual media conversation in sporting circles for several years.

These days he’s calling off TV screens inside Channel 9 studios because of Covid, a far cry from his old fold-up seat at a sideline card table, the umbrella and binoculars when it all started more than 50 years ago on radio.

“I came to Sydney in 1969 as an understudy to John Tapp and Ken Howard on 2GB to do racing,” he recalls.

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Ray Warren after being inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2019. Picture: James Gourley/Getty

“And I was also a backstop caller for rugby league to a guy called Brian Surtees who was calling the footy. Somewhere along the line Brian got sick and I stepped in to fill the breach. That’s around the time I started calling grand finals.”

Warren left television in 1987 but returned five years later when media mogul Kerry Packer picked up the broadcast rights for Channel 9.

Nine is now in negotiations with NRL bosses Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo to retain the free-to-air rights they have held ever since.

Warren’s long-time commentary partner Peter Sterling will retire after tonight’s game.

Ray Warren, sports commentator, pictured alone.

SAINTS

The 450 players, the refs, coaches, officials and all those responsible for keeping this NRL season alive in the most challenging of circumstances. From every Thursday to Sunday they have given us something to cheer about during lockdown.

SINNER

The boofhead Melbourne Storm players Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis in the white powder mobile phone scandal in Noosa. If only they understood the damage it caused the game in that it was on the front page of the Courier Mail rather than the Dally M Awards.

Cameron Munster was embroiled in ‘white powder’ scandal. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

SHOOSH

Roosters teen Sam Walker won the Dally M rookie award legitimately. There was speculation the NRL took the award off Warriors star Reece Walsh to save the embarrassment after his cocaine possession charge. Walsh was in fact ineligible for the award as he had been suspended twice this season.

SHOOSH

Popular referee Matt Cecchin has been inundated with offers from NRL clubs to take on an advisory role since announcing his retirement, like Bernard Sutton at Melbourne and Gavin Badger at the Tigers. It won’t be happening as he has purchased a caravan and will be travelling around Australia for 12 months once Covid travel restrictions are lifted.

SHOOSH

A Queensland-based NRL club has shown interest in signing 36-year-old Rabbitohs star Benji Marshall. You will hear more after the grand final as Benji and his wife Zoe weigh up the prospect of moving interstate for a year.

SHOOSH

Which panel member and colleague of Phillip Ronald Gould on Channel 9’s rugby league coverage has been blocked by the great man on Twitter.

Channel 9 commentator Phil Gould‘s legendary Twitter career is going strong. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty

SPOTTED

Former bad boy Todd Carney with his son Lion on the NSW north coast. For all he achieved in rugby league including a Dally M, Carney never won a grand final. He played in the Roosters side beaten by Wayne Bennett’s Dragons in the 2010 decider.

SPOTTED

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo joined the bosses of corporate high flyers Qantas, Westpac, Coles, Virgin and Medibank on a virtual zoom conference last week to discuss the issues around Covid vaccinations.

SPOTTED

Another South Sydney Rabbitohs star has bought a new house in the Shire. Winger Alex Johnston purchased his first home two weeks ago, not far from Damien Cook and big Tom Burgess.

Todd Carney and son Lion.

Don’t have a Barry

A good omen tip for Rabbitohs fans going into the decider … the last time South Sydney won the premiership was 2014 in the year that a Liberal premier of NSW, Barry O’Farrell, was forced to resign for misleading ICAC over a $3000 bottle of wine.

Storm warning

All is not well at Melbourne Storm – and we’re not just referring to the white powder video scandal involving Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Chris Lewis.

We’re getting mail that hooker Harry Grant is unsettled about his role this year as a bench forward behind Smith, despite the fact they are great mates.

Grant has two years left on his contract but wants a starting role. Smith won’t necessarily play at lock because Nelson Asofa-Solomona is eyeing off Dale Finucane’s old jersey. Watch this space.

Sutt’s tough break

South Sydney legend John Sutton will miss the grand final, despite his role as an on-field trainer. The Rabbitohs had no room for the 2014 premiership winning skipper in the 30-man bubble when the competition was relocated. Sutton was spotted surfing at Maroubra on Wednesday.

John Sutton will miss Sunday’s grand final. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Roosters’ top signing

The Roosters have made their most significant off-season signing – and it’s not a player.

After a shocking run with injuries in recent years, coach Trent Robinson has hired a new head of high performance.

David Misson is hugely respected in sporting circles, having worked for the Sydney Swans, AFL premiers the Melbourne Demons and St Kilda as well as Cricket Australia, the Wallabies and Tennis Australia over 25 years.

The Roosters miraculously made the finals this year despite the worst injury run in the club’s history, losing the likes of Luke Keary, Joseph Suaalii, Brett Morris, Billy Smith and Lindsay Collins with season-ending injuries as well as Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend with concussion.

Misson replaces long-time Roosters conditioner Travis Touma, who is joining the Rabbitohs.

Melbourne training at Gosch's Paddock. Fitness coach Dave Misson

Fox lock up SKW, Skull

Old leg spinners Shane Warne and Kerry O’Keefe have extended their contracts at Fox Sports until 2024. It is a huge year for the network with the Ashes series in Australia.

“They are both exceptional talents,” said Fox Sports executive director Steve Crawley, “And they get along so well. We’re delighted to have them on board for another two years.”

Fox Sports has exclusive rights to cover the T20 World Cup in Dubai which starts on October 17.

Pappas in demand

The biggest off-season recruitment target in rugby league is highly regarded South Sydney chairman Nick Pappas.

NRL powerbrokers are trying to convince the long-time Rabbitohs boss to join the independent commission, with a view to him eventually taking over as chairman from Peter V’landys whenever the NSW Racing boss wants to move on, hopefully not in the near future.

In the cutthroat and often bitter world of NRL administration, Pappas enjoys remarkable support around the 16 clubs’ chairmen and chief executives.

A move like this would normally be opposed because of his obvious loyalty to Souths. Yet he is trusted to put the bigger picture ahead of his long-time allegiance to the Rabbitohs.

Pappas was the legal mastermind behind the Rabbitohs’ reinstatement to the NRL in 2002. This is his 20th season since their comeback.

No doubt Souths owner Russell Crowe will want him to remain at Redfern.

“It’s selfish on my part but we definitely want Nick to stay,” said Souths CEO Blake Solly when asked if the grand final could be Pappas’ last game in charge.

The commission, however, is in need of new blood. Wayne Pearce and Tony McGrath have been there for 10 years.

They are facing some huge decisions around expansion and the next TV broadcast deal.

Captain Cam

Legendary South Sydney second-rower Bobby McCarthy has declared Rabbitohs forward Cameron Murray will become the club’s sixth Australian captain.

McCarthy is one of five Souths champions to have captained Australia along with Clive Churchill, Ron Coote, John Sattler and Arthur Hennessy – all absolute legends.

McCarthy is a highly respected judge who was a NSW and Australian selector up until a decade ago.

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The captaincy at the Rabbitohs becomes an issue after tonight’s grand final with playmaker and skipper Adam Reynolds off to the Brisbane Broncos for the next three years.

“Next year I’d give it to Cody (Walker) or Cameron,” McCarthy said, “It doesn’t matter because they’re both terrific leaders.

“Long term, however, Cameron will not only captain Souths but also Australia. I’ve got absolutely no doubt he’ll achieve it.”

Bobby McCarthy’s great grandson Asher Arrow Grant.

Cameron Murray is a future Kangaroos captain. Picture: Nigel Hallett

With Nathan Cleary expected to take over from Daly Cherry Evans next season as halfback for the Kangaroos, Mal Meninga is likely to be looking for a new skipper.

Sydney Roosters and NSW Blues captain James Tedesco is the most obvious choice.

Down the track though, Murray is certain to be a serious contender.

“He’s a great player,” McCarthy said, “He’s tough, he’s strong and very skilful. You can see how much Souths miss him when he’s having a spell on the interchange bench.”

***

McCarthy is celebrating the arrival of his first great grandchild – a little boy, Asher Arrow Grant.

Asher, four weeks old, has been decked out in Souths colours for the big game.

“I haven’t been able to hold and cuddle the little fella yet because of Covid,” McCarthy said, “But he’s a good size and a future Souths captain … around 2044.”

RLPA funding fight

There is major drama brewing between the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL administration. Both Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo are only just on speaking terms with RLPA chief executive Clint Newton.

Such is the poor state of their relationship, there is talk the NRL may even withdraw their financial support to the RLPA.

This would cause massive issues with the players as they prepare for crucial negotiations during the off-season, including Covid-19 vaccination requirements.

Originally published as Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: All the latest NRL and grand final chatter