Tristan Sailor display lights up NRL world after Wendell's swipe over 'disgusting' act

NRL fans have showered Tristan Sailor with praise after the stand-in Brisbane fullback starred in his side's gutsy, but heartbreaking 34-32 defeat to Melbourne on Thursday night. The Storm have not lost at home against the Broncos since 2016 and extended that record in a pulsating back-and-forth contest at AAMI Park.

Brisbane's loss was compounded by an injury to veteran halfback Adam Reynolds, who limped off at halftime and failed to return after the break. It looked at first like being a serious injury to Reynolds' troublesome knee, but turned out to be a less serious hamstring issue, with scans to determine the extent of the damage.

Despite the defeat, Sailor was a revelation for the Broncos in the absence of Reece Walsh and showed that the Broncos appear to be in safe hands in the extended absence of their injured superstar. Sailor had a difficult start to the match after tough carries out from his own half and a dicey moment under a high ball from the Storm.

But the 25-year-old son of Broncos legend Wendell Sailor soon stamped his mark on the contest in style. It was Sailor's sublime cut-out pass to Jesse Arthars that saw the Broncos winger race clear before putting a kick back in-field for Ezra Mam to score the first of his two tries.

He then delivered a clever catch and pass that helped Reynolds put through a kick for Arthars to score later in the half. Sailor looked dangerous almost every time he chimed in on Brisbane's backline plays and was safe at the back for the most part, easing the pressure on his side with some energetic runs from the back.

Fans hail Tristan Sailor's display for Broncos

Even though Sailor's last-gasp bomb for Arthars didn't find its mark and his performance was part of a losing side, it was enough for fans to hail him as a tremendous first grade talent. Many urged Brisbane to try and find a way to include Sailor in the Brisbane 17 when Walsh eventually does return from injury to reclaim his No.1 jersey.

Wendell Sailor slams Dragons over treatment of his son

The praise for Sailor came after his famous father Wendell lashed the 25-year-old's treatment at his former club, the Dragons. Wendell also played for St George-Illawarra and had an affinity for the club that appears to have eroded after claims they threw his son to the curb after only a handful of games in 2020 and no explanation.

“The way Tristan got treated at the Dragons was disgusting,” Wendell told The Courier Mail. The NRL great went on to claim that the culture at the Dragons wasn't the same since Wayne Bennett left and argued the master coach would never have treated a young kid the way he claims the Dragons treated Tristan.

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It appeared at one stage as though Tristan would replace the out-of-form Corey Norman as fullback for the Dragons but the youngster failed to cement his spot in the side. The Dragons eventually opted to go with Norman as their No.1 and Sailor went from being a starting player to out of the squad completely - apparently with no explanation from the club he grew up idolising.

“They picked Corey Norman and that’s fine, I understood that, but Tristan went from starting, to the bench, to 18th man, to No. 21 and 22 and out of the squad with no reason at all as to why," Wendell said. “Then before a game against the Storm – their last game of the (2020) season – a Dragons official walks up to Tristan and says, ‘Thanks for your service, we no longer need you at this club, we’re going in a different direction’. Seriously, what a joke."

Wendell said the Dragons could have at least given his son more time to find another team and said the club "just threw him out the backdoor.” A fortnight after his release, Tristan was charged with sexual assault and stood down by the NRL under the No Fault Stand Down policy, before being found not guilty in 2022 and landing back on his feet at the Broncos.