He has arguably Australia's greatest exponent of centre play standing just a few feet away at training each day, but it's an entirely different message Josh Dugan has ringing in his ears from Mal Meninga.
One of the country's leading authorities on brain injuries has warned the NRL missed an opportunity to show how serious it is about tackling concussion when Melbourne lock Dale Finucane's removal from the field was delayed late in the grand final.
The use of ratchet clauses to ensure the NRL's top talent receive pay rises linked to any salary cap increase when the new broadcasting deal takes effect has divided the code's clubs.
Much like Sharks skipper Paul Gallen, James Maloney was thinking he really needed a break. But a first Kangaroos call has been enough for that body cultured for football rather than chiselled in the gym to pick itself up and go again.
Andrew Fifita has been tabled an offer to meet with the NRL's top brass to seek an explanation over his Kangaroos ineligibility as his Cronulla Sharks teammates hoped the selection row wouldn't force him to walk away from the game.
One of the first of many phone calls which lit up Shannon Boyd's phone came from Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. In between the congratulations being peddled from the other end of the line came a message the Kangaroos rookie has heard all too often before.
A Las Vegas buck's party is not the normal place to learn of your selection in a national sporting team. But Josh Mansour's end-of-season plans weren't going to be routine in any case.
Federal Treasurer and the Sharks' No.1 ticketholder Scott Morrison wants other levels of government to help fund Cronulla's redevelopment plans for Southern Cross Group Stadium while passionately defending the future of suburban grounds in the NRL.
The front-of-jersey sponsorship for the NRL's cinderella side could be up for grabs at the end of next year with the club's major backer, Southern Radiology, unsure whether it will be able to sign on beyond next season.
The father of Sharks skipper Paul Gallen has slammed the Australian Sports Anti Doping Agency's pursuit of Cronulla players over the 2011 supplements program as "a joke" as coach Shane Flanagan said he would go through the whole ordeal again to savour an NRL title.
Search pagination
Save articles for later.
Subscribe for unlimited access to news. Login to save articles.
Return to the homepage by clicking on the site logo.