Swap deal option in Merrin-go-round

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ST GEORGE Illawarra management have discussed letting representative forward Trent Merrin go this season as part of a player swap which could also include financial compensation.

Merrin is off contract at the end of the 2015 season and the Dragons' best forward has received no shortage of big-money offers from rival clubs.

Both Penrith and New Zealand Warriors are leading the race for his signature, while Cronulla are also interested. The Dragons have also made Merrin their final offer.

But the smart money is on the Panthers.

Trent Merrin of the Dragons in action. Source: News Corp Australia

While there remains significant issues to address before a player swap is realised, take it as fact that the Dragons would not stand in Merrin's way if they were to receive a player in return.

Penrith forwards Sika Manu and Adam Docker have been mentioned. St George Illawarra would also seek financial compensation for the difference between Merrin's contract and any new player.

To Merrin's credit, unlike other players currently off contract, he has refused to play out his future in the media.

PEACE IN THE SHARK TANK

Sharks chairman Damian Keogh. Source: News Limited

IT went through last week without a murmur and, given the dysfunction of many of their rivals, it's quite a feat.

After two years of turmoil during the ASADA scandal, it seems stability has finally arrived at Cronulla.

The entire Sharks board got through unopposed when nominations closed on Thursday, with chairman Damian Keogh, chief executive Lyall Gorman and coach Shane Flanagan all pulling in the one direction which will no doubt please your regular columnist Buzz Rothfield.

SUNDAY SESSION

SAINT

SOPHIE Delezio. Her bid to become a Paralympian is one of the most inspiring
stories in world sport.

SINNER

NRL CEO, Dave Smith introduces the NRL's new Chief Operating Officer, Suzanne Young. Source: News Corp Australia

NRL chief operating officer Suzanne Young.

Young's charter is to oversee the integrity of the game.

Her opinion on the handling of last week's South Sydney fiasco would be welcomed, any time she's ready.

SHOOSH

THERE'S a simmering feud brewing at one NRL club where the coach is increasingly frustrated with the attitude of his star playmaker, who still has at least two years left on his contract.

SHOOSH II

WHICH off-contract NRL player's reputation has taken a hammering after he got so intoxicated on a recent trip away he had no idea he had wet his pants.

STARS CAUGHT IN 1D

WHO said One Direction was only for screaming teenage girls?

Check out this list of attendees who have been outed by their mates after being spotted at last weekend's 1D concert at Allianz Stadium.

Brendon Julian, Michael Slater, Mitch Aubusson, Jake Friend, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper, Michael Jennings, Anthony Minichiello and even the great Steve Waugh.

NRL RELAUNCH

Gavin Cooper, Cameron Smith, Josh Morris, Greg Inglis, Simon Mannering and Johnathan Thusrton at the NRL Season launch at Shed 10 on the Auckland Waterfront, New Zealand. Source: News Corp Australia

DESPITE launching the season in Auckland in January, the NRL is set to push the go button a second time, with a soiree featuring all 16 teams on February 26 in Sydney.

Let's hope Channel Nine's head of sport Steve Crawley, its head of rugby league Matt Callander and legendary sports broadcaster and host Ken Sutcliffe earn an invite this time after being overlooked in January.

Nine only tips in $90 million a year to showcase rugby league.

DOG EARNS A PAT

INJURED Canterbury forward Pat O'Hanlon deserves credit as he strives to overcome a career-threatening leg injury.

Between intense rehabilitation sessions and training, he has been working as a PR officer for NSW Mining.

O'Hanlon is hoping to be back by round 20.

BUZZ IN STATE OF SHOCK

THE usual author of these pages has swapped his pen for a clipboard to coach the Sutherland 12s team at the OzTag State Cup in Coffs Harbour.

Buzz's boys had a great tournament but narrowly missed the finals.

He accepted full responsibility and told us he'd never bag an NRL coach again.

He'll be back next week.

NEW T20 GOLF SUITS BRAITH TO A TEE

Golf pro Paul Gow and rugby league player Braith Anasta. Photo: Bob Barker. Source: News Corp Australia

YOU'VE heard of World Series Poker, now get ready for the World Series of Golf.

In a move that will inject new interest in the gentleman's game, pros and amateurs alike will have the chance to share in a prize pool worth $250,000 when they tee off in Australia's inaugural World Series of Golf at Castle Hill Country Club on June 30.

Celebrities including former NRL player Braith Anasta, who plays off scratch, and PGA tour pro Paul Gow will feature in golf's version of Twenty20 cricket.

The format and rules are like no other golf tournament, with players to compete against their group — not against the field.

There will also be multiple-cup holes and a bag limit of just five clubs per player.

"It's a great concept that will hopefully attract more fans to golf with the rules designed so that anyone can beat anyone on any given day,'' Anasta said.

"It's what every amateur dreams of, standing over a six- to eight-foot putt to win $20-30,000.

"Let's just say I'll be getting plenty of practice in between now and June.''

To enter, players have to cough up $3000.

For further information go to www.worldseriesofgolf.net

COURTNEY'S A PERFECT ROLE MODEL

Ironwoman champion Courtney Hancock. Pic supplied by Sarah Pendergast Source: Supplied

THREE-TIME ironwoman queen Courtney Hancock is wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Hancock has been chosen to help launch a new ad campaign called the "Be You" initiative for popular active wear label, The Upside.

The campaign is designed to give women confidence and help them "be at home in their own skin".

Hancock is a fitting choice, having told her story to The Sunday Telegraph last year of being bullied as a teenager, and she is making an effort to show other young girls that it's OK to be different.

"I try to live my life by one thing, and that's being happy,'' Hancock said.

"The 'Be You' campaign is exactly what I try to be every day. It's important you just be you."

ALL ABOARD THE G-TRAIN

Paul Gallen of the NRL All Stars takes on the defence. Source: Getty Images

NOT a day goes by that Paul Gallen isn't asked to give his best 'G-Train' impersonation.

"I disappoint everyone because only Beau can do the G-Train like it should be done,'' Gallen laughed.

Such is the appeal of the 'G-Train' skit made famous by The Footy Show's Beau Ryan, Gallen is about to release a range of 'G-Train' caps and shirts for this footy season.

"It's just a bit of fun which hopefully puts a smile on the faces of footy fans when they see them, especially the kids,'' Gallen said.

"Beau will want a cut in the sales, but he doesn't need it, he's got enough money.''

The shirts and caps will be available from the Cronulla Sharks website in the next month.

SADDLE UP FOR CLASSIC

HIGHLIGHT March 28 in your diaries.

The Australian Turf Club is set to announce the third weekend of the Golden Slipper carnival at Rosehill will be called Western Sydney Legends Race Day.

Not only will sporting greats Peter Sterling and Mark Waugh be part of it, all members from major sporting clubs the Parramatta Eels, Western Sydney Wanderers, Penrith Panthers and GWS will be granted free admission.

The Group 1 BMW will be the feature event of the day.

KEYS TO OPEN POPULARITY

Canada's Eugenie Bouchard plays a shot. Source: AFP

WE all know how successful the run of Nick Kyrgios was at the Australian Open.

Surprisingly, he was upstaged as the most viewed player of the tournament on website ausopen.com.

Not by Andy Murray, Rafa Nadal or even winner Novak Djokovic.

The most viewed player was American female tennis star Madison Keys, with 212,748 views compared to 208,863 from Kyrgios.

Eugenie Bouchard and Serena Williams filled positions three and four.

ENGLAND INVADE OUR MOST SACRED TURF

THE Australian dressing room at the SCG is among the most sacred of places.

But as the cricketing elite prepared for the World Cup, the unthinkable happened — England, Stuart Broad included, moved into the home dressing room.

The Poms swapped change rooms, using the home dressing room during their warm-up matches against the West Indies and Pakistan last week.

LAMB ROAST — AND YOU CAN BUY RICHIE'S SUIT

Richie Benaud one of the new Lambassadors. Source: Supplied

THE beige jacket and pink shirt worn by Richie Benaud in the recent Australia Day lamb advertising campaign have been personally signed and donated by him for auction at the Ricky Stuart Foundation fundraising dinner for autism in Canberra tomorrow week.

The dinner, which follows Stuart's annual Pro-Am event at Royal Canberra Golf Club, will have as its MC, Sam Kekovich, who also featured in the television commercial.

Bids can be sent to sarah.rea@rickystuart.org.

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