NRL SET OF SIX
1 Perenara penalty ‘plot’ Manly skipper Jamie Lyon received a concerning act notice from the NRL over a discussion he had with referee Henry Perenara in Monday’s win over South Sydney. “Mate, that’s a good half dozen in a row,” Lyon told Perenara following a string of penalties against his side. “It just seems like you’re trying to get them back into the game . . . that’s what it seems like.”
2 Billy Crystal . . . Who? South’s co-owner Russell Crowe recently enlisted Hollywood actor and comedian Billy Crystal to address the Rabbitohs, however some of the side’s younger players did not know who the 68-year-old funny man was. The star of City Slickers and When Harry Met Sally spoke to the group at a private function at the Sydney Opera House, but was apparently met with several quizzical looks from the club’s 20-something brigade. Afterwards, older players had to school the Gen-Y squad members about Crystal’s extensive body of work.
3 RTS Legacy Project Injured Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck yesterday launched the RTS Legacy Project, a jersey design competition open to the teams competing at the 2016 secondary schools rugby league tournament in Auckland. The winning design will get a special limited edition set of jerseys from Canterbury clothing with the winner announced at the finals on September 2. “I wanted to give other young people some inspiration and give something back to the school community of league, where it all began for me,” said Tuivasa-Sheck.
4 Cherrington joins Sharks Cronulla have signed rising Kiwis test prospect Manaia Cherrington from Wests Tigers on a one-year deal for next season. The Sharks saw the 21-year-old hooker as an ideal understudy for Michael Ennis but could climb in the pecking order after Ennis announced he will retire at the end of the year. However, Cherrington may have to continue to bide his time behind his Robbie Farah because the out-of-favour No 9 is reportedly a big chance of following him to the Shire.
5 Martin on the comeback trail Kiwi-born playmaker Te Maire Martin returns from injury for the Panthers NSW Cup side in tomorrow’s clash against Newtown in Sydney. The 20-year-old impressed in six appearances in his rookie NRL season before suffering a shoulder injury in the Panthers round eight loss to Cronulla. A quick recovery from surgery has him back ahead of schedule and it will be interesting to see if he can force his way back into the halves after Nathan Cleary and Bryce Cartwright formed a potent combination in his absence.
6 Cronk a coach in the making Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk showed why he is considered a potential NRL coach in waiting when he broke down a slick North Queensland set-move on Fox Sports’ NRL360 show on Wednesday. Cronk’s simple analysis of how Cowboys No 7 Johnathan Thurston confused and manipulated the Broncos defence by switching what shaped as a standard block play on the edge of the ruck into an inside ball to five-eighth Michael Morgan, made for intriguing viewing.