7th Tackle: Under 20s fixing concerns

Tackle One – Under 20s games ignite match-fixing concerns

Three NRL games involving Manly have absorbed all the focus in the current match-fixing investigation, which escalated this week with the formation of Strike Force Nuralda. But don’t be surprised if the NSW police and Crime Commission also take a close look at suspicious betting trends in Holden Cup matches.

We’ve been made aware of at least two suspicious Under 20s matches over the past twelve months, which have involved crucial late changes. In one case the changes involved around half a dozen eligible players being drafted from NSW Cup at the eleventh hour.

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Bookmakers were stung badly as the team – rated rank outsiders – recorded a comfortable victory. The other game was played midway through last year on a Monday night.

A well-placed source informed punting mates about the withdrawal of a key player for the favourites. Again, bookmakers were caught unaware as a plunge on the outsiders came off in spectacular style.

Tackle Two – Knights try to right Bird-brained blunder

Newcastle has renewed its push to bring Greg Bird back to the Hunter – a belated bid to atone for perhaps the club’s worst ever recruitment blunder.

A Maitland junior, Bird was the land’s most promising teenager in 2001 after leading the Knights to an SG Ball title and also earning selection for the Australian Schoolboys team. He was contracted with Newcastle for the following season, but the paperwork contained a get-out clause: Bird was free to fly the coup if a rival club offered him more than $10,000. At the time that was big money for an untried teenager; money the Knights assumed would never be forthcoming. But Cronulla had other ideas.

Aware that Bird wanted to move to Sydney, they offered him a two-year deal worth a base value of $25,000 – or $12,500-a-season. It was also heavily supplemented with incentives and match payments. Bird couldn’t sign quickly enough and the Knights were left in disbelief.

They even challenged Cronulla’s contract to the NRL, arguing the value couldn’t possibly be realistic. But it was – and Bird raked-in almost $100,000 by making nine NRL appearances in 2002.

Fifteen years later the Knights are right in the hunt to set the error straight. Ironically, they are desperately trying to poach Bird back when he has a year remaining on his contract with the Titans. Bird has endured some turbulent times on the Gold Coast, but has found contentment this season. Nonetheless, he would be tempted to uproot prematurely if Newcastle can offer him a career-sealing deal. We reckon that would basically equate to a three-year contract worth at least $2 million.

Tackle Three – Off the Pearce on Mad Monday

Mitchell Pearce has passed his first and biggest test of sobriety – staying off the booze for Mad Monday.

The Roosters fast-forwarded their traditional end-of-season drink to last Friday night; because their final match was played in Brisbane the previous evening. And for Pearce the venue was haunting – the Royal Oak Hotel in Double Bay.

That’s the same pub he and team mates visited after their infamous Australia Day harbour cruise.

It was there Pearce met a group of locals; and subsequently became acquainted with a poodle named Bella at a nearby apartment. But we’re told Pearce was in a very different frame of mind last week; as he sipped non-alcoholic beverages and kept a close eye on rookie Latrell Mitchell.

The other interesting Mad Monday yarn surrounds the Tigers; with Robbie Farah a notable absentee on their boat cruise. We’re told Farah spent the day with mates from outside football.

He did, however, attend the club’s presentation ball on Tuesday night.

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