Bunnies say no to Noddy
By Steve Mascord and Dave Donaghy
SLUMP-HIT South Sydney last night revealed they turned down the chance to sign Test star Brett Kimmorley.
Off contract at the end of the season and now tipped to stay at Cronulla, Kimmorley's management approached the Rabbitohs about him solving what is seen as uncertainty in the halfback position for the club.
But despite Saturday night's 26-10 loss to Melbourne at Olympic Park being the Bunnies' fifth in a row, their response was a polite "no".
"Noddy is a good player but he was outside our price range," Souths chief executive Shane Richardson told The Daily Telegraph last night.
"And we believe we've got other options. Aside from the very good players we have in first grade in the halves right now, Eddie Paea is the NSW under-19s half at the moment and Luke Capewell plays for Queensland."
The Rabbitohs face a stern test of their public appeal when they host Penrith at Telstra Stadium to kick off round 13 in Friday's only match this week.
Owner Peter Holmes A Court said last night: "Friday night will be a year and a day since we took over.
"We know we've got a long way to go but the culture that is being created within the club is great to watch."
Meanwhile, Storm star Greg Inglis wants to be known as a "footballer" rather than being stereotyped into a position.
And the mercurial Inglis, fresh from scoring arguably the try of the year, has declared Queensland ready to break through for their maiden Origin win at Telstra Stadium when they face the Blues in Origin II on Wednesday week.
"I think we can take the Blues in NSW," he said.
"We haven't won there for quite a long time and I think this year's the year."
The Maroons' last win in Sydney was a 19-4 victory at Aussie Stadium, then the Sydney Football Stadium, in the deciding game of the 1998 series.
Inglis and Storm teammates Cameron Smith and Dallas Johnson are automatic selections for Queensland, with both states ready to name their squads tomorrow.
After having scored two tries in Origin I, Inglis finally broke his try drought for the Storm on Saturday night with a miraculous touchdown.
Chasing a deft Cooper Cronk chip-kick, Inglis bounded over Rabbitohs five-eighth Ben Rogers, fumbled the ball mid-air before regathering centimetres from the ground and planting it down in the same motion.
The try capped off a hard-fought 26-10 win that sent Melbourne to the top of the table on points differential.http://http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21844203-5006066,00.html
By Steve Mascord and Dave Donaghy
SLUMP-HIT South Sydney last night revealed they turned down the chance to sign Test star Brett Kimmorley.
Off contract at the end of the season and now tipped to stay at Cronulla, Kimmorley's management approached the Rabbitohs about him solving what is seen as uncertainty in the halfback position for the club.
But despite Saturday night's 26-10 loss to Melbourne at Olympic Park being the Bunnies' fifth in a row, their response was a polite "no".
"Noddy is a good player but he was outside our price range," Souths chief executive Shane Richardson told The Daily Telegraph last night.
"And we believe we've got other options. Aside from the very good players we have in first grade in the halves right now, Eddie Paea is the NSW under-19s half at the moment and Luke Capewell plays for Queensland."
The Rabbitohs face a stern test of their public appeal when they host Penrith at Telstra Stadium to kick off round 13 in Friday's only match this week.
Owner Peter Holmes A Court said last night: "Friday night will be a year and a day since we took over.
"We know we've got a long way to go but the culture that is being created within the club is great to watch."
Meanwhile, Storm star Greg Inglis wants to be known as a "footballer" rather than being stereotyped into a position.
And the mercurial Inglis, fresh from scoring arguably the try of the year, has declared Queensland ready to break through for their maiden Origin win at Telstra Stadium when they face the Blues in Origin II on Wednesday week.
"I think we can take the Blues in NSW," he said.
"We haven't won there for quite a long time and I think this year's the year."
The Maroons' last win in Sydney was a 19-4 victory at Aussie Stadium, then the Sydney Football Stadium, in the deciding game of the 1998 series.
Inglis and Storm teammates Cameron Smith and Dallas Johnson are automatic selections for Queensland, with both states ready to name their squads tomorrow.
After having scored two tries in Origin I, Inglis finally broke his try drought for the Storm on Saturday night with a miraculous touchdown.
Chasing a deft Cooper Cronk chip-kick, Inglis bounded over Rabbitohs five-eighth Ben Rogers, fumbled the ball mid-air before regathering centimetres from the ground and planting it down in the same motion.
The try capped off a hard-fought 26-10 win that sent Melbourne to the top of the table on points differential.http://http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21844203-5006066,00.html
