THE biggest talking point out of the NSW State of Origin camp in Coffs Harbour was star forward Anthony Watmough’s discontent at his NRL club, the Manly Sea Eagles.

Long-considered a one-club player who would never leave the Sea Eagles’ Narrabeen headquarters, the chances of Watmough remaining at Manly beyond this year are lengthening by the day because the Blues enforcer is fuming at the way his mate Glenn Stewart was forced out of the club.

media_camera Anthony Watmough is said to be considering his future with the Sea Eagles.

Contracted with the Sea ­Eagles until the end of next season, Sport Confidential has been told Watmough was telling Blues teammates he could well end up at the Parramatta Eels next season. Despite all the denials, there is an ever-widening divide at the Sea ­Eagles between the club’s senior players and star halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.

It’s not the first time Watmough has wanted to join the Eels. The Sea Eagles icon also entertained the idea when Ricky Stuart was coaching at Parramatta.

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A WHO’S who of Australian cricket will assemble in Brisbane on Monday for a ­fortnight-long fitness camp in the lead-up to a gruelling six-month schedule.

With the Indian Premier League to have run its course by Monday, Dave Warner, Mitchell Johnson, captain ­Michael Clarke and Shane Watson will all be on deck at the National Cricket Centre for a two-week testing program designed to have us ready to rumble for another long summer.

media_camera Wally Lewis and Mark Geyer reunited for the 100th State of Origin game.

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CHANNEL 9’s best-ever State of Origin ratings weren’t the only smash hit success from Origin I. The other major talking point was the brilliant pre-match build-up.

Head of sport Steve Crawley was the architect of the wonderful production, which along with celebrating the rich history of Origin also delivered brilliant insights into the current NSW and Queensland line-ups.

Bravo to Nine and the NRL, with the game’s governing body organising for 26 Origin greats to be part of the celebration. The doyen of Australian sporting commentators, the great Ray “Rabbits” Warren, put the icing on the cake.

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IT has been one of the toughest months in the history of Australian sport in terms of ­funerals, with horse racing icon Guy Walter to be farewelled at Warwick Farm today.

Walter, rugby league Immortal Reg Gasnier, AFL champion Tom Hafey and F1 legend Jack Brabham have all left us over the course of the last month but their contributions to Australian sport will live on forever.

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SPOTTED: NRL Independent Commission chairman John Grant inside the NSW State of Origin dressing rooms at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night. We were unable to confirm if Grant was wearing a maroon tie, a la last year.

media_camera Sydney FC star Nikola Petkovic (left) helping out with flood relief in Serbia

SYDNEY FC STAR ON FLOOD DUTY

The honour of being crowned Sydney FC’s player of the season certainly hasn’t gone to Nikola Petkovic’s head.

Having returned to Serbia earlier this month, the star defender has witnessed the worst floods in the history of his homeland. As well as pulling on the gumboots, Petkovic also made a trip to a local supermarket to purchase six trolleys of supplies for the victims.

media_camera Bryce Cartwright and Logan Geyer will continue two great family histories at Penrith.

A NEW CHAPTER IN PANTHERS’ PROUD HISTORY

THE names Cartwright and Geyer are rugby league royalty in Penrith, with retired champions John Cartwright and Mark Geyer both key enforcers in the club’s inaugural premiership in 1991.

On Friday at Sportingbet Stadium, rookie forward Bryce Cartwright will ink another chapter in his family’s magnificent history at the Panthers, with the ball-playing backrower set to make his NRL debut against Parramatta.

IDRIS STOOD DOWN AFTER ALCOHOL-RELATED INCIDENT

Cartwright’s grandfather, Merv, was one of the driving forces behind Penrith being admitted to the premiership in 1967, while his uncle John needs no introduction, having played eight Origins for NSW and 18 Tests for Australia.

Logan Geyer is the eldest son of the great Mark “MG” Geyer, whose legacy as one of the most intimidating forwards in history still remains. Logan is a chip off the old block in terms of height and build, but that’s where the similarities end. He’s part of the Panthers’ under-20s squad and can play at five-eighth, halfback or fullback.

Cartwright’s NRL debut has come at the expense of the Panthers’ out-of-favour prop Tim Grant.

media_camera Kevin Proctor’s friendship with Jesse and Kenny Bromwich kept him at Melbourne Storm.

HOW A GAME OF GOLF KEPT PROCTOR IN MELBOURNE

CANBERRA are privately furious at Storm back-rower Kevin Proctor, whom the Raiders believe reneged on a handshake deal with coach Ricky Stuart this week.

In a backflip that would have generated big news if not for Origin I, Proctor is believed to have told Stuart he would accept Canberra’s huge $700,000-a-year offer over dinner in Melbourne on Monday night.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy certainly had that impression after speaking to Proctor later that evening, turning his focus to finding a replacement after the Kiwi requested another day to decide.

That made Bellamy a pleasantly surprised individual when Proctor rang back on Tuesday with news that he’d decided to stay for significantly less money.

In between, the 26-year-old played a round of golf with teammates, including Jesse and Kenny Bromwich. Their friendly hit will now be remembered as the pivotal moment in Proctor’s change of heart.

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FORMER Socceroos Mark Bosnich, Vince Grella and Stan Lazaridis will dust off the boots on June 16 to head up a team of Australian Fanatics tourists against local stars from Brazilian World Cup host city Porto Alegre.

Proceeds from the match will go toward purchasing computers for school kids.

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COULD Eels cult figure Fuifui Moimoi be destined to end his career with neighbouring

rivals, Penrith? Sources close to Moimoi tell us he has been tossing up a mid-season move further down the M4.

On Thursday Penrith general manager Phil Moss denied any talks about getting Moimoi on board, while the Eels have reported no knowledge of the story.

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CRONULLA’S early demise from finals contention could come as a blessing in disguise for skipper Paul Gallen, who is negotiating a second pro boxing bout.

September shapes as the only window for the fight, with Gallen certain to be part of the Australia’s Four Nations campaign in October/November.

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THERE is sure to be plenty of debate over ABC Grandstand’s dilemma of whether or not to stand down senior duo Warren Ryan and David Morrow this weekend.

The latest drama relates to Ryan recounting a story featuring the term “old darky” during last Friday night’s call.

While we don’t pretend to know Ryan, Morrow is respected among his peers and deserves to wind down his stellar career with the highest degree of dignity.

SHOOSH

■ WHICH NRL club has started slugging players $50 a month to pay for barbecues at training?

■ RUGBY circles have been buzzing about the appointment of the next Wallaby captain, to be announced next week. We’re told Stephen Moore has got the nod over Michael Hooper and James Horwill, with some players already made aware of coach Ewen McKenzie’s call.

■ WHICH beefy NSW Origin star prefers red grapes to the team’s official drop, VB? While his teammates dived straight for the stubbies, our man instead chose to celebrate Wednesday night’s victory with a few glasses of fine rouge.

GITEAU WOULD PUT HAND UP FOR WALLABIES

■ DON’T be surprised if the ARU throws outcast James O’Connor a peace pipe to return home for next year’s Super 15 tournament with the Queensland Reds. We hear the ARU will sweeten O’Connor’s contract by making him a sevens player, meaning he can qualify for next year’s Olympics in Rio.

WINNING

HOW could we go past NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley and the NSW Blues? Daley showed there is more to his coaching than just bringing an elite group of players together, orchestrating one of the greatest upsets in Origin history at Suncorp Stadium. Blues fans should temper the unfamiliar taste of victory with the fact the job is nowhere near done.

BRONCOS: WE’VE GOT NOTHING TO HIDE

DUNCE CAP

WE’RE extremely sceptical about clubs unloading their dirty laundry on the eve of Origin matches. Last year it was Parramatta telling a dozen players they were unwanted just before game one kicked off. This week Brisbane self-reported salary cap concerns to the NRL, while Manly fullback Brett Stewart and Souths rookie Kirsome Auva’a appeared in courtrooms in the space of 24 hours.

FIRE-UP FRIDAY

Was there anything to suggest the Socceroos won’t be World Cup cannon fodder from this week’s draw with South Africa?

Josh (Yes): Six shots on target in the first half should suffice to win this one in regulation time. Our starting XI — minus skipper Mile Jedinak and creative duo Marco Bresciano and Tom Rogic — executed some fantastic one-touch sequences in the opening 30 minutes. The rest was experimental and, therefore, incidental.

SOCCEROOS FIRST TO ARRIVE IN BRAZIL

Hoops (No):Last time I checked South Africa were a long way off being a superpower in the scheme of world football. As much of a wonderful achievement it is for the Socceroos to be competing in Brazil, the fact of the matter is we are going to be lame ducks.