The man who organised secret training sessions for Jarryd Hayne two years ago has predicted the cross-code star will revolutionise the way American football is played.
The Hayne effect continues at home and abroad after the NSW gridiron competition kicked off this weekend with record participation numbers.
Gridiron Australian director Matt Steel organised clandestine training sessions for Hayne with the University of Technology, Sydney American football team to teach him the basics and allow the former Eels fullback to gauge his interest in the sport. Even in those introductory lessons, Steel saw enough to suggest the Dally M medallist would not only make the grade but excel in the US.
"Yeah, he's a natural talent," Steel said. "His athletic ability is right up there and he was quick to learn. He was always up against guys who have played American football since the age of six or seven, so he's doing well.
"He's changing the way they look at some of what they do in terms of running the ball. They've always had the stiff arm in the game but it's never been used. It's more put the head down and burrow to make yards.
"If players get out in the open they generally rely on their raw speed to get away from people, whereas Jarryd has the talent and flair to fend people away from him.
"He came to us really wanting to learn. American football has been played here for 30 years but it's taken this to put it on the map."
The Australian Gridiron League, a national competition, will start next season in another pointer to the growing interest in the sport.
"All of the publicity we're getting every time you open the paper was unheard of before," Steel said. "It looks like it's going to be a record year for participation in NSW."
Thanks to Frank the Tank
New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney was a special guest at the testimonial dinner for departing Bulldog Frank Pritchard. Kearney and New Zealand star Manu Vatuvei made the trip to honour the veteran back-rower during an evening that raised almost $45,000 for Save our Sons, a charity searching for a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
"Footballing ability aside, the thing that really stands out is that he's an incredibly loyal person," Kearney said to an audience that included most of Pritchard's Canterbury teammates.
"We call that mana, the way he carries himself.
"He has a quality that is sorely missed in our game: he makes you feel good. What you've seen with the New Zealand team over the past 20 months is us having a pretty good run. A lot of that can be attributed to what Frank has instilled into the group. The culture, the brotherhood, the good feeling the boys have. Frank has been a contributing factor to that."
The Kiwi and Samoan international was contracted to the Bulldogs for next year but got the dreaded tap on the shoulder.
"I love the Bulldogs," Pritchard said. "I love the fans, I love everybody.
"It's just one of those things with the salary cap where you can't fit every player in," he added before choking up with emotion.
The man dubbed "Frank the Tank", who was feted on a harbour cruise, will join Hull FC next year.
Knights' coach bothers the Storm
Nathan Brown's appointment as Newcastle coach has sent Melbourne back to the drawing board in the succession planning for Craig Bellamy. Bellamy will coach the Storm again next year but his future beyond that is uncertain. The premiership-winning mentor has previously stated his intention to hang up the clipboard at the end of next year, but he is now having a rethink. Regardless, officials are keen to ensure someone worthy is ready to fill the void and Brown, who was given a consultant role to ready himself for the top job, was earmarked for the role. Now that he is Newcastle-bound, the search for Bellamy's replacement starts afresh.
Talented genes: Luke Brooks. Photo: Getty Images
Brooks' talent runneth over
Luke Brooks isn't the only talented footballer in his family. The Wests Tigers halfback's younger brother Scott led the Holy Cross Rhinos to clinch the under 16s division one premiership against Coogee-Randwick last weekend. The 16-year-old is a speedy centre who knows how to find the line and, if he continues to progress at the current rate, may one day join Luke in first grade.
Farah next year's man
If Wests Tigers make good on their promise to play Robbie Farah in reserve grade next year, you may as well award the joint-venture the NSW Cup trophy right now. That's the opinion of sportsbet.com.au, which will post a Farah-led Tigers team as $5 favourite for next year's title. The Blues hooker is also the $2.50 favourite to be the competition's most valuable player.
"If Robbie Farah were to play NSW Cup, he'd only have to stay on his feet to win the Player of the Year Award … he's obviously a class above," said sportsbet.com.au's Christian Jantzen.
"I know Tigers fans are desperate for a title, but playing Robbie Farah in the NSW Cup seems a bit desperate."
Peats in Blues' sights
Nathan Peats has had neck surgery and is expected to recover in time to resume his career at the start of next season. The Parramatta hooker played the final 36 minutes of the loss to the Roosters with a broken neck in yet another injury-plagued season. While Blues coach Laurie Daley has indicated he is prepared to pick Robbie Farah from the NSW Cup, Peats appears to be the next in line for a call-up if the Wests Tigers captain isn't available for selection.
Johnson ready to pass on pressure
Warriors superstar Shaun Johnson had the honour of being the face of the game this season. But who does the reigning Golden Boot winner predict will earn the title next year?
"The way the Broncos have gone this year, with [Anthony] Milford and [Ben] Hunt playing the way they have, they could be the next couple of players to go through that cycle," Johnson said. "But it could be a number of players."
Johnson, who did a number of promotional appearances as an ambassador for clothing company Canterbury, said the position came with plenty of pressure.
"I really enjoyed it but I found it tough at times," he said. "I never asked to get put into the position I am in. I thought some of the criticism I copped at the start of the season was unwarranted and made it a lot worse that it ever was.
"I said at the time it wasn't as bad as it seems and a couple of weeks later they were raving about how well I was playing. It's been an up-and-down journey and it's all part of the game. Being in the position I'm in, I take it as it comes and roll with the punches."
The injured Test playmaker has been mooted by several league luminaries, including Matthew Johns, as the man most likely to be the NRL's first $2 million-per-season star.
"It's probably done wonders for my next contract so I'll send them a postcard saying thank you," Johnson quipped. "It is nice to hear those sorts of things.
"As players, you don't ever think you are worth whatever, that's up to the club and they will pay you accordingly. It's nice to have that opinion from past players. I've had to go through it when they haven't approved [of me] so it's nice when they do. It's all a bit of fun. I won't read into it too much."
Fox on the ball again
NRL powerbrokers would have cringed when Fox Sports, which has already paid overs to help the AFL land a record multibillion-dollar deal, again spent more money on a sport that isn't rugby league. Fox signed off on five-year deal to televise all NBL matches live and in high-definition in prime-time slots. It raises further questions about how much money they are prepared to shell out for what's left of the remaining NRL rights.
