MORE: The Repeat Set - Summer series
Smith to play against Bellamy's will
Cam Smith will play in the Four Nations - but will do so against his coach's wishes.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy wanted Smith to rest up for 2015 after a long campaign for Melbourne and Queensland this season.
But Smith is a proud player who cherishes the green and gold jumper and is close to breaking several Test records.
He told Bellamy he wanted to play and after some 'words' between the pair, the veteran hooker won through.
The withdrawal of a host of Aussie and Kiwi players has taken some of the gloss off the Four Nations.
While it is a sign of the selfish nature of some clubs, it is also a clear indication that the season is too long.
And with the Auckland Nines kicking off next January, players are in for another long, hard year in 2015.
Hunt to miss out an Kangaroos?
Ben Hunt has had a sensational season and is right in the firing line for Kangaroo selection.
But my late mail is he may miss out, with coach Tim Sheens considering using specialist hooker Robbie Farah as his man to cover for his halves in the Four Nations.
Farah has played in the halves for the Tigers at club level as a fill-in under Sheens with some success.
And Sheens is seriously considering using him in that role again - meaning the unlucky Hunt would miss the boat.
Dragons facing cap problems
As the Dragons look to tinker with their roster for 2015, their chief problem is the distribution of wages in the salary cap.
Their two wingers - Brett Morris and Jason Nightingle - are on nearly $1 million a season between them.
That puts the club's salary cap way off tilt and has left coach Paul McGregor and incoming recruitment manager Peter Mulholland with all sorts of problems.
Wingers should be on a maximum of $250,000 each under the current salary cap - and while the Dragons pair are both great talents, the club can't justify throwing such big dollars at them.
That's why the Dragons are considering offloading both try scoring aces.
Brett Morris is getting closer to joining brother Josh at the Bulldogs by the day, while I'm hearing the Sharks are sniffing around Nightingale.
Kurtley to cross over?
From what I'm hearing, this Kurtley Beale for the NRL market http://bit.ly/ZmHuW2 is fairly close to the mark. But there are still lots of hoops to be jumped, boxes to be ticked, I's to be dotted and T's to be crossed before the clubs even get a chance to have a crack.
Smith to play against Bellamy's will
Cam Smith will play in the Four Nations - but will do so against his coach's wishes.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy wanted Smith to rest up for 2015 after a long campaign for Melbourne and Queensland this season.
But Smith is a proud player who cherishes the green and gold jumper and is close to breaking several Test records.
He told Bellamy he wanted to play and after some 'words' between the pair, the veteran hooker won through.
The withdrawal of a host of Aussie and Kiwi players has taken some of the gloss off the Four Nations.
While it is a sign of the selfish nature of some clubs, it is also a clear indication that the season is too long.
And with the Auckland Nines kicking off next January, players are in for another long, hard year in 2015.
Hunt to miss out an Kangaroos?
Ben Hunt has had a sensational season and is right in the firing line for Kangaroo selection.
But my late mail is he may miss out, with coach Tim Sheens considering using specialist hooker Robbie Farah as his man to cover for his halves in the Four Nations.
Farah has played in the halves for the Tigers at club level as a fill-in under Sheens with some success.
And Sheens is seriously considering using him in that role again - meaning the unlucky Hunt would miss the boat.
Dragons facing cap problems
As the Dragons look to tinker with their roster for 2015, their chief problem is the distribution of wages in the salary cap.
Their two wingers - Brett Morris and Jason Nightingle - are on nearly $1 million a season between them.
That puts the club's salary cap way off tilt and has left coach Paul McGregor and incoming recruitment manager Peter Mulholland with all sorts of problems.
Wingers should be on a maximum of $250,000 each under the current salary cap - and while the Dragons pair are both great talents, the club can't justify throwing such big dollars at them.
That's why the Dragons are considering offloading both try scoring aces.
Brett Morris is getting closer to joining brother Josh at the Bulldogs by the day, while I'm hearing the Sharks are sniffing around Nightingale.
Kurtley to cross over?
From what I'm hearing, this Kurtley Beale for the NRL market http://bit.ly/ZmHuW2 is fairly close to the mark. But there are still lots of hoops to be jumped, boxes to be ticked, I's to be dotted and T's to be crossed before the clubs even get a chance to have a crack.