NRL 2024 grand final sprint race: Roger Fabri claims game’s fastest players will be absent from event

The proposed grand final day 100 metre race to decide the NRL’s fastest player will be severely tarnished with game’s quickest stars to be absent from the event, according a renowned sprint coach.

Jason Saab and Roger Fabri.

Renowned sprint coach Roger Fabri has slammed the proposed grand final day 100 metre race as “ridiculous” and shut down speculation any of the NRL speedsters he trains will be competing just for fun at the end of the season.

The spectacle created by Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s spectacular chase down of Josh Addo-Carr last weekend, has ramped up excitement for the event, but Fabri can’t see it happening.

The mooted race would potentially see the likes of Tabuai-Fidow, Addo-Carr, Jason Saab, Dominic Young, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Maika Sivo, Alofiana Khan-Pereira and Kaeo Weekes sprinting for glory.

Fabri, who coaches some of the NRL’s fastest players, including Saab, Young, Bronson Xerri, James Tedesco among others, has slammed the idea of the race, calling it ridiculous.

“Do you know the risk factor of not having specific preparation and then going straight into a race,” Fabri told this masthead.

“It’s like going into a gym and never lifting before, and you go for 150kg straight away.”

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Josh Addo-Carr reflect on their Bundaberg foot race. Picture: Emily Barker/Getty Images

The sprint specialist has also sparked debate between players, with Fabri claiming Saab will win, and some of his other athletes taking exception and wanting to prove him wrong.

Roosters flyer Young messaged Fabri after he posted his prediction on social media claiming Saab would be crowned the fastest, with the English international asking if his account got “hacked”.

Fabri took to Instagram on Monday to list off a few reasons why he believes the race could not go ahead.

“What about all the teams that get knocked out before the finals,” Fabri said.

“Those players of each team, they’re going to continue to train on their own, in their off season.

“Are you also going to try and tell me that potentially the coaches are going to say, ‘oh yeah because you went in the sprint race, you don’t have to come back when everybody else comes back’.”

Roger Fabri (R) says his stable of stars, including Jason Saab (L), won’t run in the mooted race.

Following his video, he also took to his Instagram story to call anyone who thinks his athletes will compete, delusional.

“If you honestly think that the guys I train in the NRL would take a sprint race on just for fun, you’re absolutely delusional,” he posted.

He continued, asking if the fans think the players who are knocked out during finals will make themselves available with only one week of training.

Fabri said he would be surprised if any of the athletes that fans wanted to see in the race took part.

Many already consider Saab the fastest man in league, and he’s already declared he probably won’t be running as he said the system is flawed and he wants to being playing footy on grand final day and not sprinting.

“How do you crown the fastest person when the fastest people aren’t running in it?” Saab said.

“Some players might get a three-week rest (if their team hasn’t made the finals) while others might have a preliminary final the week before.

“There are a few ways that mean it doesn’t work out too well, but maybe a separate event would be better.

“I’m just focused on playing finals. I’d love to not be there on grand final day.”

Originally published as NRL 2024 grand final sprint race: Roger Fabri claims game’s fastest players will be absent from event