News Corp bosses boycott Origin as V'landys goes to war over drugs question
V'landys expressed frustration and displeasure with the editors of The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and Code Sports over the contents of a recently released series about rugby league player-agents titled 'The Deal Makers'.
The series was based on a survey of 50 player-agents on some of the biggest issues in the game, including a question relating to the use of recreational drugs in rugby league.
The agents were asked, 'Is drug use a problem with players?' with 62 per cent responding yes.
That led to a series of heated phone calls between V'landys, and other NRL executives, and News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller, Telegraph editor Ben English, sport executive editor Jason Scott and Queensland editor Chris Jones.
Sources with knowledge of the situation – talking on the condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of the phone calls – said V'landys took exception to the way the question was phrased, believing it incorrectly portrayed the NRL as having a widespread issue with drugs.
The game has already had to deal with a number of recent headlines relating to players and drug issues – most notably involving Brayden Trindall, Josh Addo-Carr and Ezra Mam – and V'landys believed he needed to protect the reputation of the players.
It resulted in several senior News Corp executives ignoring invitations to attend last week's Origin as guests of V'landys in the NRL's corporate suite at Suncorp Stadium.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
25 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Lachlan Galvin will have backing of entire Bulldogs squad as the youngster faces his toughest challenge yet in the blue and white
The Tigers might be out for blue blood this weekend, especially with extra motivation by the name of Lachlan Galvin, but one Bulldogs great says the youngster has nothing to fear. 'There's a simple way to put it. There's no doubt that a lot of focus will be on Lachlan Galvin this weekend,' Fox League's Michael Ennis told 'There'll be high emotion, that's obviously been built up … and on Sunday, it all comes to a head. And so no doubt, he'll be nervous. 'For Lachie, the one thing that I know from Canterbury is once you pull on that jumper, you're all one. Tigers vs. Bulldogs is LIVE and Exclusive with no ad-breaks during play on Fox League, available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. 'It's obviously really important that when Lachie comes into the sheds on Sunday that he knows he's got his teammates and his senior players standing right beside him and he will. That's one thing that Canterbury do well.' Galvin has been at the centre of many a headline this NRL season after his controversial exit from the Tigers. Earlier in the year the club announced well in advance that the youngster wouldn't be at the club beyond the 2026 season after multiple failed attempts to re-sign him on a club record deal for a teenager. Whispers swirled of a dossier of grievances against coach Benji Marshall and a lack of love for the playing group, including premiership winner Jarome Luai, with Galvin's agent Isaac Moses agitating an early release that saw him land in Belmore. Luai, who came from Penrith this season to help Marshall lift his side, became embroiled in the drama after posting to his Instagram story during the saga taken to be a swipe at Galvin. Luai later clarified it was more a directive of his own 'team first' mentality. Luai has also come out this week and declared himself a Tiger 'for life' as he prepares for the much-awaited matchup. Meanwhile in Belmore, after being eased in over a handful of rounds the highly touted five-eighth has now taken over the halfback reigns from Toby Sexton for his new title-contending side midway through a defining part of their season, and handled the task well. But his biggest challenge now lies in the shape of his former team come Sunday when the Dogs and the Tigers meet for the first time since his departure. 'They had an elite kid coming through this system that they'd brought through and debuted. Then obviously with what Jarome's been able to do for Penrith, you thought, well, this could be a really good combination,' Ennis said. 'Didn't work out that way. 'There's no doubt Jarome is an enormous part of the Tigers, and I thought he handed himself really professionally this week when he was asked questions around it. 'While there will be high emotions, I don't think there'll be any dramas. Another unlikely halfback named is Canterbury's 18th man, Mitchell Woods. The highly touted future halfback has risen through the ranks in Belmore and impressed the club throughout his stints in Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup, earning his place in the squad. Where his place is in the squad given Matt Burton and Galvin's form is too soon to tell, but former Dogs hooker Ennis believes his being around the squad from now gives the youngster a perfect early taste of what could come in 2026 and beyond. 'When you've got someone of that quality and you see such potential in, it's a really good opportunity to be able to take them along for the journey,' Ennis said. 'There's a lot of things that go into it, from your diet, to your recovery, to your training while you're away, all those little things. So it's a great experience 'Clearly they think he's getting close and getting ready.'
Mercury
9 hours ago
- Mercury
Horse racing tips: Flemington best bets for Saturday, August 2, 2025
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Aurie's Star meeting at Flemington on Saturday. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ BEST BET DE BERGERAC (R3 No.6): De Bergerac won well at Sale first-up then placed twice behind in-form sprinter La Fracas at Sandown and Flemington, the most recent run he was nabbed late at the track and distance. There was a lot of merit in that performance after he jumped awkwardly and was left exposed at the front with 250m left. Drops back from a BM84 to a BM78. NEXT BEST ZOU SENSATION (R6 No.8): Zou Sensation is flying this prep and going for three wins in a row. The improving six-year-old won for the first time over 1400m last start, and looks well placed again in another Benchmark 100 race. VALUE BET AZTEC STATE (R5 No.1): Antez State had to concede from the wide barrier at Caulfield when second-up off a long break, and should be primed to win again third-up here stepping up to 2000m. LAY OF THE DAY FEDERER (R5 No.14): Federer hasn't won in nearly a year and looks a risk around that $2.40 price. He's stepping up to 2000m for the first time and could get cluttered up jumping from barrier two. THE JOCKEY BLAKE SHINN Metro premiership winner Blake Shinn can start the new season with a few winners at Headquarters. EXIT (R1 No.4 – $2.05), OUR COUVER (R3 No.13 – $12), FEDERER (R5 No.14 – $2.35), FORTUNATE KISS (R6 No.6 – $9.50), PUDDING (R8 No.8 – $13), STYLISH (R9 No.1 – $3.90). Originally published as On The Punt: Flemington best bets for Saturday, August 2, 2025
News.com.au
9 hours ago
- News.com.au
Broncos hit with injuries, Ezra Mam report in belting of the hapless Rabbitohs
The Broncos thrashed the Rabbitohs 60-14 on the back of a Reece Walsh masterclass for their highest score in 14 years, but Xavier Willison suffered a broken arm at Suncorp Stadium. Payne Haas was also ruled out pre-match due to an infection, while Ezra Mam was placed on report to tarnish an otherwise stellar night for the home side. Walsh had four try assists and a try, while Kotoni Staggs, Deine Mariner and Ezra Mam grabbed doubles in the 10 tries to two rout. Staggs put Selwyn Cobbo through a hole before he found Mam who passed back and forth to Walsh to race away and score and give the Broncos the lead. Mam was placed on report for high contact on Souths fullback Jye Gray. Adam Reynolds put the ball on a dime for Jack Gosiewski to dive on a grubber to score the Broncos' second. Lewis Dodd put up a pinpoint cross-field kick for Bayleigh Bentley-Hape to produce a brilliant catch to score and get Souths on the board. Walsh put Staggs through a hole as the Broncos scored a dagger just before the break. However Tallis Duncan charged over on the stroke of half-time, but Souths' second missed goal of the night made it 18-8 at the interval. A costly error from Jacob Host allowed Cobbo to pounce and race away to score a 50-metre try against the run of play. In a big blow for the Broncos prop Willison suffered a suspected broken forearm. Walsh produced some magic quick hands to put Mariner over for another try as the Broncos looked to run away with it. Ben Talty charged over from close range off a pass from Billy Walters as the Broncos threatened a cricket score. Mariner finished off a slick Broncos raid to dive over in the corner for his second as the Broncos extended their lead. Mariner turned provider to put Staggs over for his double as the Broncos pushed towards a half century. Mam sliced through a gaping hole to score a double of his own as the Broncos passed 50. Lachlan Hubner scored a consolation try for Souths after Ashton Ward saved a try at the other end with a try-saving tackle on Jordan Riki. Patrick Carrigan put Walsh over for a late try to cap a big win for the Broncos in style on another sad night for the Rabbitohs. Walsh came bounced back from one of his worst performances of the season to produce one of his best in the thrashing of the Rabbitohs. Walsh's run metres were down with just 63 from eight runs, but everything he touched turned to gold in a masterclass display. Walsh finished with four tackle busts, an offload, two linebreaks, four linebreak assists and four try assists to go with the final try of the night. Mam was also brilliant with 209 run metres, four tackle busts, two linebreaks and a classy double in a superb display. With Walsh and Mam in their team and firing the Broncos will be very hard to beat in the finals and they could push into the top four after improving their points differential and the Warriors lost. But Haas had to go to hospital and be put on an IV drip due to a skin infection, while Willison's injury is another headache for Michael Maguire.
