Trump’s Vegas invite
He couldn’t get Prince Charles to the races, but Peter V’landys is hopeful he may convince Donald Trump to see Nathan Cleary land a couple of sideline conversions in Las Vegas.
The NRL has extended an invite to Trump to attend its Las Vegas season opener next weekend. It was all in place before the little TV stunt with Fox News this week. The NRL is doubtful Trump will attend, but it would be a massive coup for the game if he did.
Seats back for launch
The Panthers reverted to a sit-down season launch this year, after feedback from sponsors that the ‘mingle’ style of previous events, especially last year, missed the mark.
Marto gets call-up
Talking of season launches, the Panthers opted to send forward Liam Martin to the NRL season launch earlier this month rather than either of the side’s co-captains.
We can only imagine what Marto is chatting to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo about here.
The NRL’s launch was reasonably low key, held at 8am on a Monday morning. It’s certainly been a scaled back event in recent years.
Lost ring
I keep hearing that a four-time Panthers Premiership winner has lost his 2024 ring from the Grand Final. Apparently he lost it within days of the win over Melbourne.
Forgotten Hall of Fame
Will we see the long-awaited revival of the Panthers Hall of Fame this year?
It has to be one of the most bizarre missteps in terms of Panthers history that this has just been forgotten about over the years.
Grahame Moran, Royce Simmons, Greg Alexander and Craig Gower were the inaugural Hall of Fame inductees in 2016, with a promise players would be added progressively over time. But not a single player has been added since that night in 2016 and the concept seems to have been forgotten.
It’s something that needs to be revived and properly recognised, especially considering the eastern grandstand featuring the four original inductees’ names will soon be torn down.
Spotted
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, his wife Bec and daughter Indi at Accor Stadium for the Luke Combs concert earlier this month.
Whispers growing
I keep hearing whispers that a major figure in the Panthers’ administration will call it quits later this year. Watch this space.
Keeping close
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary is still close with Warriors coach and former Panthers assistant, Andrew Webster. So much so that Webster house sat for Cleary over the summer.
Podcast returns
Troy Dodds and Nathan Taylor have been back with their Tension’s Running High podcast for a few weeks now. Make sure you listen in each Wednesday by searching Western Weekender wherever you listen to podcasts, and hitting subscribe. You can also head to https://www.westernweekender.com.au/podcast.
Vegas bound
The Panthers fly out to Las Vegas today, giving themselves plenty of time to get ready for next weekend’s season opener against Cronulla at Allegiant Stadium. The team will settle in Vegas straight away, opting against the idea of a camp elsewhere in the US.
Fox schedule stays stable
Fox League has opted against any changes to its schedule this year, sticking with the same general format as recent years.
Braith Anasta and Gorden Tallis will host ‘NRL 360’ Monday to Wednesday from 6.30pm, while ‘Face to Face’, ‘The Fan’, ‘The Late Show With Matty Johns’ and ‘NRLW On Fox’ are all back.
Yvonne Sampso will of course be the face of the network when it comes to game days. I’m still hearing Fox may use Ray Hadley in same format this year – we’ll have to wait and see.
Spill the tea
As always I want to hear your news, gossip and thoughts in 2025. You can email me at [email protected]. I don’t keep secrets, but I do protect my sources.
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