Another former Blues mentor, Laurie Daley<\/strong>, is also being considered for a role as NSW look to come back from two straight series losses to Queensland.<\/p>\n Gould is the most successful coach in Blues history \u2013 winning six and drawing one of eight series \u2013 and has long resisted the idea of returning to the interstate arena. But there will be plenty of reasons to return this time, including a financial carrot supplied by the Laundy family<\/strong>, which owns a $1 billion pub empire.<\/p>\n Gould has a long history with Fittler at state and club level, and as fellow commentators at Channel Nine. He will make a comeback if Fittler wants him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to Brad Fittler, he has never asked me for much … anything I\u2019ve ever asked him to do, he has always said yes,\u201d Gould said. \u201cAnd the same applies to me \u2013 anything he asks, I always say yes. We will worry about Origin if he asks.\u201d<\/p>\n No one knows Origin football better than Gould, and the Laundy family\u2019s desire to sponsor Fittler\u2019s Blues coaching outfit in next year\u2019s Origin series has gone up a notch.<\/p>\n Phil Gould and Brad Fittler during NSW\u2019s Origin series victory in 2004.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n We recently revealed the Laundys\u2019 desire to financially back Fittler, but now the full extent of the plan can be revealed. Stu Laundy<\/strong> wants Andrew Johns<\/strong> to increase his role with NSW and he knows Gould gets Origin like no one else in this state. Gould is also very close to Fittler, who pitched his case to retain his job to the NSW Rugby League on Friday.<\/p>\n Gould would consider being involved only if Fittler wanted him. He would not want a role unless Fittler was up for the extra scrutiny his involvement would bring.<\/p>\n Fittler has already shown he is prepared to call on outside help when he invited Panthers coach Ivan Cleary to assist him during Origin III this season.<\/p>\n \u201cThe combination of Freddy, our second most capped coach, and Gus [Gould], our statistically most successful, is simply the most potent stewardship our state could possibly conjure up,\u201d Laundy said.<\/p>\n Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans lifts the Origin shield for Queensland in July.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cMy friend Laurie Daley, an Immortal in waiting, was cut too soon and our long-term momentum lost as a result. I\u2019m so passionate about returning order to the Origin arena, and Freddy, Gus and Joey [Johns] are the holy trinity we require to do so and enjoy my firm and total backing in this regard. Whatever it takes, I\u2019m in. I want to help the Blues team.<\/p>\n \u201cMy family\u2019s involvement has been bagged by some hack whose name escapes me. It was said we should focus on bush footy … we\u2019ll do that, too; as without the health of our grassroots being front of mind, we won\u2019t have a game in 25 years. So whilst I appreciate sage advice from some media people, I\u2019m coming back from where you are headed.\u201d<\/p>\n While on Origin, the Blues will be poorer for the exits of Greg Alexander<\/strong> and Paul \u201cMary\u201d McGregor<\/strong> on Friday, but one person keen to return to the Blues set-up is Newcastle director of football Peter Parr<\/strong>.<\/p>\n He took this year off as NSW manager to establish himself at the Knights. He has been a smash hit after just one year in the job. He is a leader and an excellent team manager, so Parr\u2019s return to the Blues would be a bonus if coach Fittler wants him back.<\/p>\n Parr is passionate about NSW and he\u2019s the kind of person the Blues need to rebound after consecutive series losses.<\/p>\n Bronson Xerri<\/strong>\u2019s four-year suspension for using banned substances ends on Sunday. The former Sharks star, 23, has signed with the Bulldogs for next year, and has documented some of his journey back to the game with videographer Dylan Allen<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Bronson Xerri in 2019.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n They will drop some footage on Xerri\u2019s Instagram page as early as Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a long and testing four years, but I\u2019ve learnt my lessons and a lot about life,\u201d Xerri said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to get to the Bulldogs and give my all to the club.\u201d<\/p>\n Warriors owner Mark Robinson<\/strong> says he will sit down with coach Andrew Webster<\/strong> after the dust has settled on the season to extend his deal with the club.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat he has done with the team is something that deserves reward,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cHe is very different to a lot of people … I\u2019ve never heard him say a negative thing about anyone.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had some discussions already, but we said we will talk about his future after the season. It will be him and me sitting down \u2013 he doesn\u2019t have a manager, and I like to talk like that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will sort something out that sees him here for the long term. He\u2019s here \u2019til 2025 and we can extend that out.\u201d<\/p>\n Robinson has watched with interest talk of a second NRL team in New Zealand.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d say good luck!\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a tough road. This club was turned into a bottom feeder by other people before I got involved and it\u2019s taken time with a great administrator in [chief executive] Cameron George<\/strong> to turn it all around.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got our teams from first grade down and a women\u2019s team on the way … we aren\u2019t getting government help for centres of excellence. If anyone thinks there is money in this they have rocks in their head.\u201d<\/p>\n St George Illawarra are upset by a whispering campaign about halves Ben Hunt<\/strong> and Kyle Flanagan.<\/strong> After we broke the story in June that Hunt wanted an immediate release from his deal at the Dragons, the story caught fire and has yet to be fully doused.<\/p>\n Hunt is prepared to stick it out. He\u2019s not happy but knows incoming coach Shane Flanagan<\/strong> won\u2019t budge on a release for his biggest playing asset, whose contract runs until the end of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n Hunt\u2019s management has not asked for a meeting with the club in weeks. And it says it won\u2019t. The Dragons accept Hunt\u2019s reluctance, but not the speculation.<\/p>\n A disappointed Ben Hunt looks to the heavens after Sean Russell\u2019s try for Parramatta last month.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n One senior Dragon told me: \u201cIf [it\u2019s] a hostage situation, as some want to say, I\u2019d like to be a hostage getting his income.\u201d<\/p>\n On the other hand, Kyle Flanagan is delighted to have found a home playing for his dad. There have been rumours Flanagan jnr will be well remunerated by the Dragons. He was on $600,000 at the Bulldogs, but we have been assured that he is on less than half that wage with the Dragons.<\/p>\n The NRL\u2019s Las Vegas adventure is shaping as a great spectacle, but what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas unless you are willing to stump up for pay TV.<\/p>\n The NRL is in discussions about airing its season-opening game behind a paywall, with game two on free-to-air TV on Channel Nine. Nine Entertainment Co owns Channel Nine and this masthead. It would be an extraordinary move by the NRL. It is hard to recall a season opener exclusively on pay TV.<\/p>\n High-level talks continue between Nine Entertainment and the NRL to resolve the issue so the widest possible audience gets to see the ground-breaking clash \u2013 but that can be hard to achieve with multiple stakeholders. It would be a significant precedent in sport to have a major football code launch its season away from free-to-air TV.<\/p>\n Nothing is set in stone, but the games in Las Vegas are Broncos v Roosters and Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs. Those matches have plenty of appeal for various reasons.<\/p>\n Admittedly, the opening game of the season is in a bit of a viewing dead zone, early Sunday afternoon. It\u2019s not a blockbuster time, but there will be huge interest in those clashes because they are part of the push for the growth in the US \u2013 and the gambling dollar. But that\u2019s another story.<\/p>\n The issue with giving up the season opener to pay TV may be the prestige related to the game and the fact it can provide a flow-on audience into the second match.<\/p>\n It is also a five-year plan to play season openers in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n We broke the story last week about Wests Tigers\u2019 interest in Michael Cheika<\/strong>.<\/p>\n There is no question Cheika has been approached by the Tigers, via club great Robbie Farah<\/strong>. Farah deserves praise for showing leadership at a club that often struggles in that area.<\/p>\n Argentina coach Michael Cheika shakes hands with Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Cheika has long had an interest in being involved in rugby league on a full-time basis and he\u2019s done a considerable apprenticeship under Trent Robinson<\/strong> at the Roosters and with the Lebanese rugby league team.<\/p>\n In the background is Cheika\u2019s desire to spend more time at home in Sydney, which he hasn\u2019t done a lot of in recent years. He is also vastly experienced in big-time sport.<\/p>\n John Morris<\/strong> is an important addition to the coaching line-up.<\/p>\n Benji Marshall<\/strong> had a decorated playing career, but he\u2019s facing arguably the toughest job in the NRL next year. If he can somehow galvanise the group, it will be one of the biggest achievements of his already impressive career.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Peter Parr and Mary<\/h3>\n
Xerri flavour<\/h3>\n
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Art of Wah<\/h3>\n
Deal cut by half<\/h3>\n
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NRL\u2019s Vegas adventure hits a wall for viewers<\/h3>\n
Tigers sniff around<\/h3>\n
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Knight in sights<\/h3>\n