Whenever I think of Michael Maguire’s approach to rugby league, I don’t think about the day he took a baseball bat to the lockers at Brookvale Oval, or the time he wanted to bring a snake into the dressing room to illustrate a point, or even the game when he posted an image of a rival player on the wall under the word “ROADKILL”.
No, I think of the time at South Sydney when he turned up at Redfern Oval long before training for a one-on-one session with one of the strength-and-conditioning trainers.
“Don’t stop until I spew,” Maguire ordered.
If NSW players can become as obsessive as Maguire, they can beat Queensland in next year’s State of Origin series.
Maguire was finally confirmed as the next Blues coach at a media conference in Sydney on Thursday, ending weeks of speculation.
The NSWRL had no choice but to sweep the proverbial broom through their Origin set-up, and that’s what it has done.
New NSW Blues coach Michael Maguire.Credit: Wolter Peeters
Apart from the addition of former players John Cartwright, Matt King and Brett White as assistant coaches, the most notable name in the media release announcing Maguire was that of Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi, who is coming on board as team performance manager.
Brad Fittler missed the guiding hand of experienced football manager Peter Parr during this year’s series loss. Ponissi brings decades of knowledge and a calming hand, which is needed because Maguire has the capacity to run his players into the ground.
That Maguire wanted to continue coaching New Zealand and working as an assistant under Ricky Stuart at Canberra while coaching NSW says everything about his approach.
Maguire’s first job is to pick the right players, which isn’t easy in Origin because you need the right blend of experience, fresh blood and those who are in form.
But the real test will come if he’s one-nil down in the series, is battling injuries, and those heathens of the NSW media want to make him roadkill.
Until then, let’s get behind him. As John Lennon kind of said, all we are saying is give Madge a chance.
Bald ambition?
There’s been quite a kerfuffle, you may have noticed, concerning Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding extending his tenure for two more years.
The word on Macquarie Street for weeks is that it’s all part of a plot by chief executive Peter V’landys to eventually replace Balding, who has been a close ally for many years.
Interestingly, one of the proposed amendments to legislation suggested by the Animal Justice Party earlier this week was to block anybody who had been chief executive from becoming chair or deputy chair.
V’landys told me on Thursday that various industry participants had heard this whisper, too.
“I’ll tell you what I told them,” V’landys said. “It’s not something I’m planning to do. I am happy where I am.”
Giddey story enough to make your head spin
The story concerning Australian NBA star Josh Giddey is a modern-day sports scandal playing out before our bloodshot eyes.
Last week, an anonymous social media account posted images of the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder star half naked and in the company of a young woman. It was claimed she was underage. Another image showed them at a nightclub.
The posts have been deleted, but the fallout has been nuclear: the NBA launched an investigation, then Newport Police did the same. TMZ reports, though, the young woman and her family don’t want to cooperate with authorities.
Giddey was on the end of some blood-curdling booing against Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday and the mob on social media have already made up its mind about whether he is guilty.
ESPN talking heads Stephen A Smith and Malika Andrews have been drawn into the debate. They’ve been accused of going easy on Giddey — even though the facts are a long way off being established — while being critical in the past of black NBA players who have made off-court errors. Smith and Andrews are black.
Under investigation: Josh Giddey.Credit: AP
“You know why Stephen A hasn’t said anything?” Smith boomed on his podcast Stephen A Smith. “Because you could get sued, idiots. You don’t just go out there running your god-damn mouth over something this serious. You use your social media accounts and go to Josh Giddey and flat out accuse him and state it as a point of fact.”
He makes a salient point. Commentators are being condemned for not condemning athletes for an act for which they haven’t yet been charged, let alone convicted.
Then there’s the story doing the rounds about Giddey’s “four-year, $40 million sponsorship” with Weet-Bix being up in the air because of the allegations.
I love Weet-Bix as much as the next Aussie kid, but the figure seemed ridiculously excessive.
“You’re right, we’re seeing incorrect media reports mistakenly stating that Josh Giddey is on a $40m sponsorship contract with Weet-Bix,” a Sanitarium spokesperson said. “We can see how his $40M NBA contract might have been picked up within this fast-moving story and associated with Weet-Bix however, but just confirming that the information is incorrect.”
Immortal combat
Debate about who should be the next Immortal fired up this week, with Parramatta chief executive Jim Sarantinos demanding Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Ray Price and Mick Cronin be included on the “shortest of shortlists”.
Add them to the rather long shortlist that also includes Ron Coote, Allan Langer, Brad Fittler, Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Ricky Stuart, Glenn Lazarus and Darren Lockyer.
Then there’s the crop of younger players, like Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis, who are eligible now that five years have passed since their retirement.
Sarantinos wants the four legendary Parra players considered to acknowledge the great Eels teams in which they played in the 1980s.
Peter Sterling during the 1986 grand final win.Credit: SMH
Alas, it doesn’t work like that. When Rugby League Week brought the Immortal concept to life in 1981, it was about honouring the absolute elite of the elite — not elite teams.
Stats guru and the game’s leading historian, David Middleton, reckons Immortal status should be bestowed to players who were the game’s No.1 player for a period of time — and among the best in their position to ever play the game.
That makes it a very small club, which I always thought the Immortal concept was about. That’s why there are only 13 of them.
Personally, I like Lazarus as the next inductee. He was the game’s premier prop in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, winning premierships at Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne.
NEW ITEM
SHOOSH and SPOTTED: Which legendary sports columnist and part-time grey nomad was spotted at swanky Mr Wong’s restaurant last week dining with Fox Sports personality Bryan Fletcher?
The veteran scribe was hoeing into what he thought was sweetcorn and chicken soup only to be informed – once he had demolished most of it – that it was a bowl of garlic butter for the whole table.
Outstanding.
THE QUOTE
“It’s alright to write positive stuff. People will read your positive shit. You don’t always have to be negative. The world is already negative enough, right? Let’s see some positive stuff on positive people who are doing their jobs on a nightly basis. We’re only into this year, we can’t go back to last year. That’s the f—ing problem. Have a good night.” — Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd rips into an ESPN reporter for not being “positive”.
THUMBS UP
Cristiano Ronaldo received a penalty while playing for Al Nassr against Iran’s Persepolis in an Asian Cup Champions League knockout match. To the surprise of everyone, including the referee, he insisted it wasn’t a foul and the decision was overruled via VAR. Amazing sportsmanship, Cristiano.
THUMBS DOWN
Sad news this week with the passing of former Socceroos and England manager Terry Venables, 80. This from Ange Postecoglou: “He almost got us [Australia] to the World Cup, but the biggest testament is that anyone who I have ever come across that has worked with him will say he is by far the best coach, manager and tactician they have come across.”
It’s a big weekend for … the Matildas, who meet Canada in the first of two international friendlies on Saturday afternoon AEDT in Victoria, Canada. They will be Samantha Kerr-less, however, after she withdrew with a foot injury.
It’s an even bigger weekend for … Cameron Smith — again. The Queenslander was left in tears after missing the cut at the PGA Championship at Royal Queensland but can dry those tears at the Australian Open, being held at The Australian and The Lakes golf courses this weekend. He’s one under after the first round.
