24 SPORT FRIDAY MAY 12 2017 Barba in limbo after axing PETER BADEL tionally unravelled yesterday. NRL this year. signs for 2018. advised of Toulon’s decision a ward now playing for Catal- A leading French news- But Barba will not simply His earnings this season month ago following the sack- ans) in France, he spoke to me THE NRL will place a paper reported Barba had been waltz back into the NRL. He would be negligible as Barba ing of coach Mike Ford, but and he said he was finding it $600,000 price tag on Ben advised he was unwanted by was on $650,000 when he left has yet to serve his 12-match Orr was last night shocked by hard not playing regularly. Barba as the former Sharks Toulon next season, leaving the Sharks in February follow- cocaine ban — meaning he the development. He’s not getting a run and fullback eyes a return to rugby the former Dally M golden boy ing his cocaine ordeal and the would only be available for the “I’ve heard from no club of- Mike Ford, his former coach, league after severing ties with in financial and sporting limbo. NRL integrity unit will apply a final month of the premiership. ficial at Toulon,” Orr said. “I’m has been moved on. rugby giants Toulon. Barba will pocket $500,000 notional figure for any club The NRL integrity unit currently trying to contact the “Since then, we’re hearing Barba’s management was for his 96 minutes of service for wishing to purchase Barba. would also meet with Barba to club. I spoke to Ben three days he’s gone at Toulon.” last night exploring options in Toulon, with his agent Chris The NT News understands assess whether he is a fit and ago and he mentioned nothing Orr said if the reports are all codes, including the English Orr now scouring the market- the NRL will not accept clubs proper person to return to the about being released. accurate, he will begin the Super League, after his $2.5 place in a move that could see paying less than $600,000 for code. “He was catching up with search for a new home for million move to France sensa- the 28-year-old return to the the full year of any deal Barba It is understood Barba was Greg Bird (former Titans for- Barba immediately. Is Storm’s Munster the answer for JT-less Queensland? Cronk in Qld, Tahs’ sights TRAVIS MEYN PETER BADEL MAROONS coach Kevin Wal- ters has appealed for Cooper CAMERON Munster could be Cronk to shun a defection to the radical answer to Queens- rugby union to prevent land’s five-eighth conundrum Queensland’s Origin scrum- in a move that would see Mel- base being torn apart. bourne’s all-star spine trans- Walters is adamant Cronk planted into Maroons colours. will play on next season and is Queensland coach Kevin banking on him to spearhead Walters has confirmed Mun- the Maroons when his halves ster is in contention for a shock partner Johnathan Thurston Origin initiation if Johnathan retires from representative foot- Thurston fails to prove his fit- ball after this year’s World Cup. ness for the May 31 series open- Cronk will be a key figure for er at Suncorp Stadium. Melbourne in tomorrow night’s Four chief candidates for the double-header clash against the Maroons No.6 jersey have Titans at Suncorp Stadium, but emerged since Thurston in- how long he remains in rugby jured his shoulder in last week’s league is uncertain. Anzac Test. Cowboys team- Six NRL clubs, including mate Michael Morgan is at the Newcastle, are targeting Cronk, top of the pecking order, while while the Maroons ace has also Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans, been linked with rugby’s NSW Broncos pivot Anthony Milford Waratahs. and Eels sensation Corey Nor- Auckland Blues coach Tana man have also been discussed. Umaga, a 74-Test All Blacks But Munster could be the icon, told rugby identities in ideal stopgap solution if Thurs- Sydney on Sunday the Wara- ton is to only miss game one of tahs are privately gunning for the series. Cronk. The Rockhampton rocket The Waratahs insist they has shifted to five-eighth for the have made no formal approach, Storm this season to accommo- but are willing to talk to Cronk date Billy Slater’s return at full- if he is interested in a career fi- back. While a broken jaw has nale in rugby when he moves to limited Munster to six games Sydney next season to be closer this year, he spent the pre-sea- to fiancee Tara Rushton. son training alongside Cooper The loss of Cronk, by way of Cronk in a playmaking com- retirement or a code switch to bination with Maroons veter- rugby union, would be a crush- ans Cameron Smith and Slater. Melbourne’s Cameron Munster could break through for a debut spot in Queensland’s Origin line-up Picture: MARK KOLBE/GETTY IMAGES ing blow for the Maroons. DRAGONS TIGERS PANTHERS Footy flair and family V V V SHARKS RABBITOHS WARRIORS scare for City’s Tamou TODAY, 5.30PM, JUBILEE OVAL TODAY, 7.20PM, ANZ STADIUM TOMORROW, 2.30PM, PEPPER STADIUM JAMES Tamou, last Sunday evening, should Jason Nightingale 1 Valentine Holmes James Tedesco 1 Alex Johnston Matt Moylan (c) 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) have been talking NSW Origin. Nene Macdonald 2 Sosaia Feki David Nofoaluma 2 Braidon Burns Peta Hiku 2 David Fusitu’a Instead, the City enforcer was racing towards Euan Aitken 3 Jack Bird Michael Chee-Kam 3 Siosifa Talakai Dean Whare 3 Blake Ayshford the carpark of Mudgee footy ground. Timoteo Lafai 4 Ricky Leutele Moses Suli 4 Hymel Hunt Waqa Blake 4 Solomone Kata Apologising to a pair of reporters as he went: Taane Milne 5 Gerard Beale Kevin Naiaqma 5 Bryson Goodwin Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 5 Ken Maumalo “Sorry, I can’t talk ... something’s happened to Kurt Mann 6 James Maloney Mitchell Moses 6 Cody Walker Bryce Cartwright 6 Kieran Foran my son.” Josh McCrone 7 Chad Townsend Luke Brooks 7 Adam Reynolds Nathan Cleary 7 Shaun Johnson Now, five days on, Tamou has opened up to News Corp about a chaotic afternoon that not Russell Packer 8 Andrew Fifita Sauaso Sue 8 Thomas Burgess James Tamou 8 James Gavet only saw him star in the last-ever City-Country Cameron McInnes 9 Jayden Brailey Matt McIlwrick 9 Damien Cook Peter Wallace 9 Issac Luke game, but then disappear to Mudgee hospital Paul Vaughan 10 Matt Prior Ava Seumanufagai 10 Kyle Turner Reagan Campbell-Gillard 10 Jacob Lillyman where son Bronx, still only nine months old, had Tyson Frizell (c) 11 Luke Lewis Joel Edwards 11 John Sutton James Fisher-Harris 11 Bodene Thompson been rushed into emergency. Joel Thompson 12 Wade Graham Chris Lawrence (c) 12 Angus Crichton Isaah Yeo 12 Ryan Hoffman While the toddler is now fine, the Penrith re- Jack de Belin 13 Paul Gallen (c) Elijah Taylor 13 Sam Burgess (c) Trent Merrin 13 Simon Mannering cruit confessed to some nerves after wife Britt- INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE INTERCHANGE ney, who had driven west on game day with the couple’s three children and her mum, arrived in Tariq Sims 14 Joseph Paulo Tim Grant 14 Robbie Farah Tyrone Peachey 14 Nathaniel Roache town to see the toddler “lifeless”. Leeson Ah Mau 15 Chris Heighington Josh Aloiai 15 Jason Clark Leilani Latu 15 Sam Lisone “So it was a real scare,’’ Tamou says. “On the Hame Sele 16 Jeremy Latimore Jacob Liddle 16 Zane Musgrove Tim Browne 16 Ligi Sao way out to Mudgee, Bronx wasn’t feeding prop- Jai Field 17 Kurt Capewell JJ Felise 17 Cameron Murray Corey Harawira-Naera 17 Ben Matulino erly and then looked really limp. Lifeless. Kalifa Faifai Loa 18 Sam Tagataese Kyle Lovett 18 Anthony Cherrington Moses Leota 18 Manu Vatuvei “So Brittney, she knew something wasn’t Jacob Host 19 Daniel Mortimer Justin Hunt 19 Robbie Rochow Sione Katoa 19 Mason Lino right and drove straight up to the hospital.” Luciano Leilua 20 Edrick Lee Jack Littlejohn 20 Tyrell Fuimaono Viliame Kikau 20 Bunty Afoa Until the scare, the afternoon had been a huge one for Tamou, proving he was an Origin possi- Siliva Havili 21 Kurt Dillon Malakai Watene-Zelezniak 21 Aaron Gray Te Maire Martin 21 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad bility. Playing his best game of 2017, the prop ran REFEREES Gerard Sutton, Chris Butler REFEREES Henry Perenara, Chris James REFEREES Ben Cummins, Chris Sutton for 203m, made three tackle busts, as many off- TV Live Fox League TV Live Fox League, Channel 9 TV Live Fox League loads, 25 tackles and scored a strong solo try. Dragons $3, Sharks $1.40 Tigers $2, Rabbitohs $1.82 Panthers $1.68, Warriors $2.20 NTNE01Z01MA - V1.