Punters pal: Nathan Tinkler with Newcastle Jets fans last Friday night. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers Tinkler spent much of Friday night's match on the hill with Jets fans, posing for selfies and enjoying a beer. After full-time, though, his mood became much darker when he spotted Dillon typing up his match report in the press conference room on the ground floor of the stadium. According to witnesses, Tinkler made a beeline for Dillon, and then on several occasions referred to him as "spreading the cancer", that he was "a cancer", that The Newcastle Herald was "a cancer", before remarking that "I hope you get cancer and die". One witness said: "This was a totally impromptu and unrelenting attack on the journalist, who was subject to a torrent of abuse on a scale and ferocity I have not witnessed. Nathan did not back down from his stance and his expressions grew progressively more profane, with a particular focus on denigrating Dillon and his newspaper as a 'cancer'. It was clear this was several years of pent up frustration being released in a single, furious tirade." When a Jets official tried to intervene, Tinkler brushed him aside and kept going.

A game of two halves: Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson share a moment after winning back the Origin trophy last year. Credit:John Veage For his part, Dillon was more than prepared to cop the tirade. Journalists need to be prepared to get as good as they give, and the experienced Dillon did so. The complaint to FFA did not come from Dillon or The Newcastle Herald. But Tinkler's outburst clearly went too far, and it has continued to echo throughout the week. The FFA is suitably unimpressed. Although head office was making no comment about the incident publicly, it is understood to be putting the finishing touches on a show-cause notice for misconduct. Since Friday night, Dillon and Tinkler have been in contact. The fallen mining magnate was said to be conciliatory, but to suggest he had apologised is a bridge too far. "Since Friday evening I have moved to clear the air with journalist Robert Dillon," Tinkler said. "We have communicated via e-mail and telephone and agreed to meet for lunch within the next two weeks with a view to building a more amicable working relationship. Our conversation last week was intended to be private, and was one in which I expressed my views that the Newcastle Jets, The Herald and the City of Newcastle are all stronger if we work together. Comments were made in the heat of the moment which Robert and I have discussed and moved on from."

Tinkler and The Newcastle Herald – which is owned by Fairfax Media, publishers of The Sydney Morning Herald – have been butting heads for years, with his Hunter Sports Group shutting local reporters out for simply writing about his downfall. This is just another episode in the melodrama surrounding the former Muswellbrook sparkie. He's called the "Boganaire", but he remains an intriguing character nonetheless. Despite the continual uncertainty around his sporting interests, he remains steadfast about his belief that he has the Hunter's best interests at heart. "I've always been about this Newcastle and Hunter community," he said less than a week ago. "I've always thought it deserved better than what it's got and I want to try to help it win. I've been like a duck in the pond; I've been calm on top of the water and pedalling like nothing else under it, trying to help this club get stabilised." Pearce isn't even half a chance for Origin I but defeat could force a rethink

Don't be surprised if neither Trent Hodkinson nor Mitchell Pearce is selected for City Origin this weekend – the clearest indication yet Laurie Daley will stick solid with the NSW incumbents for State of Origin I. It must be April: there's a feeding frenzy over who the Blues halves will be for the first game of the series at ANZ Stadium on May 27. This column has lived and died by too many selection stories to start making bold declarations – especially this far out from the team being named – but the word is Daley will stick with Hodkinson and Bulldogs teammate Josh Reynolds for the series opener, despite their less-than-dazzling form at club level. Indeed, the same side that ended the Maroons' eight-year winning streak last year seems certain to get the nod, although a place is likely to be found for Glenn Stewart. NSW will clearly try to tackle and claw their way to an all-important win in game one, just as they did in game two last year. If that doesn't work, expect Daley to throw caution to the wind, with attacking weapons such as Matt Moylan and Dylan Walker spirited into the team for game two in Melbourne. And Pearce is tipped to be left out of the City game altogether, because Daley has already made up his mind about game one, although Reynolds is expected to play for City against Country in Wagga on Sunday. To that end, the drama surrounding Andrew Johns' comments about being "terrified" about the form of Reynolds and Hodkinson has been blown way out of proportion.

Johns is believed to have backed out of attending the "True Blues" black-tie function honouring every NSW player since 1908 at The Star on Wednesday night to avoid the spotlight. His absence was the talk of the room. If the halfback of the century can't suggest who the halves should be for Origin, we should all pack up and go home. Daley also had something to say when being interviewed on stage. "I've got every confidence in the players I select and every confidence in Josh and Trent," he said. "They played really well last year. Yes, they may not be playing at their best at the moment, but I think everyone needs to chill and relax a bit. State of Origin is four weeks away. I'm comfortable with where we are at." NSW assistant coach Brad Fittler made an interesting point from the stage, too. "We eat our own," he explained of relentless criticism of the Blues side over the years. "Some say that's a bad thing, but it also means the toughest survive." Blues captain Paul Gallen agreed, saying all the histrionics and criticisms of the Blues had made them battle-hardened.

We'll soon see. Panthers storm home They went very close to calling off the Cronulla-Souths game at Remondis Stadium on Monday night, such was the cyclonic weather lashing the Shire. It ended up as the highest rating match for Fox Sports this season. The big wet that hammered Sin City and the rest of NSW this week sparked memories for some about playing and coaching in atrocious conditions. Matches at the SCG were often played in a foot of mud, with forwards carting the ball forward in their socks after the turf had sucked their boots off.

Phil Gould was coaching Penrith at Cronulla in the final game of the 1993 season when the conditions were said to be worse than those encountered on Monday night. It was 0-0 at half-time and the players told Gould in the sheds they would win it for him if he sat in the rain on the sideline, without an umbrella, for the second half. "I did," he recalls. "We won 10-0." Making great strides An all-star cast of celebrities and sporting superstars are already warming up their hammies ahead of next month's "Plebs, Pros and Personalities" 24-hour run to raise funds and awareness for Suicide Prevention Australia. Now in its third year, the event has grown to have runners doing their best on treadmills all around the country. The Sydney event will be held on the weekend of May 8-9, with the likes of Braith and Jodi Anasta, Brett Lee, Matt Shirvington and Daniel MacPherson doing their bit for the cause.

For more info – or, more importantly, to participate or sponsor a runner – see ppp4spa.com.au. Q&A: Israel Folau We talk to the Waratahs champion on the eve of the Tahs' big Anzac Day showdown with the Melbourne Rebels at ANZ Stadium, starting at 7.30pm. During your career across the three codes, have you played on Anzac Day before? I've actually played a fair few Anzac Day games over the years, and they're always memorable – listening to the Last Post before kick-off and then feeding off the energy from the crowd.

This is the first match at ANZ Stadium since the Tahs won the Super Rugby final, in the final seconds, in front of 61,000 people. What stands out the most from that night? Probably the victory lap. Beating the Crusaders so close to the death was a special moment, but getting the opportunity to thank our supporters stands out because they'd been waiting so long for the premiership. Most of the biggest games I've played have actually been at ANZ Stadium, so it feels like home to me. Tomorrow night will be the first time we're all back there as a group. Do you guys already have an eye on the May 23 game at ANZ, the rematch against the Crusaders? Not really. I'm sure that will be another big night for the players and fans, but the competition is so tight this year we can't afford to look too far ahead. Your brother John has been playing very well for the Eels this year. Thoughts on his form? Have you been handing out any advice?

I'm very proud to see Johnny playing first grade and it's been exciting for my family to see him enjoying his footy. We talk about it here and there, but Johnny's his own man. He's working hard and learning a lot from leaders at Parra like Tim Mannah, Chris Sandow and Joey Paulo. Can I ask a serious question, although I appreciate it's hard to answer: how are you feeling about the possibility of playing Sevens at the Olympics? If at all? Will that be a tough choice? Or do you know what you're doing? To be honest, things have been so busy this year, with Super Rugby and preparations for the World Cup, I haven't thought about it too much. THE QUOTE "Yep, that's a compound. He might need some tape." Nine caller and part-time medico Brad Fittler upon seeing a bone protruding from the finger of Eels forward David Gower during the match against Newcastle.

THUMBS DOWN Like a seasick passenger propping up the bar on the Carnival Spirit earlier this week, I feel like vomiting over the insane amount of money, hype and excess buzzing around the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. Organisers are charging fans $10 to see the weigh-in. Yuck. THUMBS UP Earlier this week, Eels winger Semi Radradra finished training, got on the loop bus outside Parramatta Leagues Club, got off outside Peter Wynn's Score in Church Street, signed some jumpers for some fans, then got back on the loop bus back to Eels headquarters. That's the side of rugby league few see enough of.