Nz Boss Finds Way To Fix Game's Problems
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday August 29, 2003
Australia should consider going easy in Test matches for the sake of the game, according to New Zealand Rugby League chairman Selwyn Pearson. ``You know what I would do in a three-Test series?" Pearson says in the September edition of British monthly Rugby League World. ``You'd be tempted to throw one! I say that very tongue-in-cheek but you'd actually be very, very tempted to let a couple go to the wire just to keep people on edge. People aren't going to go and watch 50-point floggings. They don't want to see that."
CRITICISM DOESN'T RING TRUE: We hear there is a good reason judiciary commissioner Jim Hall didn't hear from NRL CEO David Gallop before Hall was bagged in a media release. Hall's phone wasn't working properly something he apparently conceded to Gallop yesterday.HIGH JINKS : We hear Cronulla hooker Pat Gibson, on his way to an away game this year, was told by Sharks conditioner Aaron Salisbury about the wonders of frequent-flyer programs. He was told if he wanted to join ``just tell that hostess you want to join the mile-high club". Yes, he did.
RABBLE BABBLE: Classic commentary time, and week it's former Test prop Steve Roach, on 2GB: ``No disrespect to Wests Tigers in recent years but they've been a rabble."
OUT OF SIGHT . . . Stirring piece in the Townsville Bulletin on Saturday about Shane Muspratt and Chris Muckert playing their last home game before joining Parramatta. The story explained how, before each home game, they touched the sign in the tunnel before running onto the field. But when reporter Adam Gardini asked them what the sign says, neither could remember! Boys, it's: ``This Is Cowboy Country". Meanwhile, Cowboys prop Jaiman Lowe has admitted to a fetish for cross-dressing. ``Myself and this other fella used to have two female friends up here and we'd go to their place . . . put on their clothes and walk around their house," Lowe told Rugby League Week. ``Black G-string and pantyhose was a favourite."
EXPERT ON THE GAME? Which league writer recently got in a cab in Brisbane and was asked by the driver: ``Are you a gigolo?"
JETS SET FOR SEVENS: Further to our item last week suggesting North Sydney, Newtown and other former premiership clubs enter the Challenge Cup, both of the above have applied to enter the 2004 World Sevens.
STICKING IN THE BOOT: You know how, in columns like this, they write, ``a wag said"? Well this wag was photographer Col Whelan. With St George Illawarra trailing Melbourne 22-2 at half-time and the Sesame Street show in full swing, Whelan told Dragons official Tracie Edmonson: ``Cookie and Elmo have brought their boots if you need them."
QUALITY EFFORT: Warriors bad boys Clinton Toopi, Sione Faumuina and Karl Te Mata received a novel punishment for breaking the team curfew to stay out drinking in Sydney the trio spent Thursday washing cars to raise money for Camp Quality .
EL MAGIC NEEDS NEW TRICK: Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri needs another 37 consecutive goals to break the world record after Batley halfback Barry Eaton finally missed a conversion attempt last weekend. Eaton's record is 38 three more than El Masri managed when he equalled the previous record set by Henry Paul in the Bulldogs' match against Manly a fortnight ago. El Masri's current streak stands at two.
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald