Let's get ready to rumble: Floyd Mayweather jnr (left) and Manny Pacquiao prepare for battle. Credit:Reuters Now I get it. But do you smell that? Can you see it, brothers and sisters? That, right there on the horizon, is a revolution. It might not be clear just yet but the winds of change are about to howl through rugby league. Those geniuses on talkback and even greater geniuses on social media have been asking what Shane Richardson has been doing at League Central since leaving South Sydney to take on the newly created "head of strategy" role.

As one of the game's leading club chief executives, he was almost quoted on a daily basis. In the past three months, he has barely uttered a word publicly. The reason is Richardson has been quietly burrowing away, piecing together a new blueprint for the entire game. The details are sketchy. They are top secret. They are also unfinished. But somethin's doin', as they say. It is understood Richardson laid down a draft proposal before the ARL Commission in Brisbane on Thursday, with a more detailed plan to be handed down later in the year. But from what I've heard there are some significant changes ahead. Some commonsense ones, too, such as a potentially shortened NRL season so there's more quality than quantity, a proper place for international footy, stand-alone Origins, a professional Nines competition to take on rugby's version of sevens, and greater emphasis on touch football at the grassroots level.

Again, it's early days, but it looms as a "whole of game" blueprint that firstly stops player burnout, stops the contract circus, increases the number of quality matches at all levels, all played at the right time for a change. Critically, it will ensure rugby league is a game for all. Sounds like nirvana, yes? It also sounds like an unrealistic pipedream given the agendas and self-interest that rip at the fabric of the game every day. But you can bet NRL chief executive Dave Smith is banking on it to help deliver a potential $2 billion-plus broadcast and digital rights deal. News broke last week that Smith had started negotiations with interested parties. The current $1.2 billion rights deal ends in 2017.

In reality, he has been talking to the likes of Lachlan Murdoch and James Packer from Ten, representatives of Seven boss Kerry Stokes and Nine chief executive David Gyngell for months. No matter what happens, though, fans should expect – and can only hope – to see a very different game when the new deal kicks in. Mayweather v Pacquiao bout as big as it gets The fight between Floyd Mayweather jnr and Manny Pacquiao is going to be BIG. It's been billed, with typical boxing understatement, as the "fight of the century", involving a fighter who is "better than Ali". Well, that's Mayweather's claim.

Tickets for the cheap seats at the 16,800-capacity arena at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas are being resold at the bargain basement price of about $US4000 ($5000). A floor single seat went earlier this week for about $US41,000. Ringside tickets: about $US100,000 apiece. As far as we can tell, there will be only two notable Australians in the crowd: former world champ Jeff Fenech is one; the other is Khoder Nasser, the manager of Anthony Mundine and Sonny Bill Williams. He has well-placed connections with the WBA. The fight is likely to smash pay per view records in Australia, with about 100,000 people expected to subscribe through Main Event – making it second to the fight between Danny Green and Mundine in 2006. The smart money is on Mayweather to win, of course, but if there's any justice in this crazy old world the result will fall to Pacquiao, who, unlike the bloke in the opposite corner, hasn't been convicted five times for punching four different women. Sterling effort

The paint is still peeling off the walls at Fox Sports' Artarmon headquarters after an explosive argument between colleagues Paul Kent and Peter Sterling. They haven't sent each other Christmas cards for many years, and the relationship apparently hasn't improved even though they are now in the same stable. Kent is co-host of NRL 360 alongside Ben Ikin, while Sterling hosts his own show, Sterlo. At the heart of the dispute is Sterling's interview with reformed drug dealer Danny Wicks on Wednesday night, and an interview he did earlier this year with Darius Boyd. Kent believed the Wicks interview had been secured for his show. Sterling has reportedly denied the claim he went behind his stablemate's back. On Wednesday afternoon, in the Fox Sports offices, the creative tension bubbled over, with Kent and Sterling engaging in some colourful tongue-fu, much to the surprise of nearby colleagues.

Neither Kent nor Sterling wanted to comment when contacted on Wednesday. Hayne not appy Fairfax league reporter Michael Chammas is in San Francisco dodging cable cars and hunting down Jarryd Hayne. Chammas tells us that the 49ers hopeful was angry his NRL app wouldn't allow him to watch the Roosters-Dragons Anzac Day clash. Someone at League Central might want to look into that one. Meanwhile, 49ers players have discovered the former Parramatta fullback's signature "Hayne Plane" try celebrations on YouTube – and have accordingly started impersonating him at training.

Bozza left speechless "It's very, very rare that I've got nothing to say, but unfortunately today I haven't. Would you believe that?" So said Fox Sports football expert Mark Bosnich on the steps of Downing Centre Local Court this week after he pleaded guilty to a reckless driving charge for knocking a cyclist to the ground with his car in the Sydney CBD last year. If Bozza could've talked, he might've brought to light that the cyclist in question, Arron De Tourettes, has some of his own issues to deal with. In other words, a driving under the influence charge from that very incident. As a police spokeswoman told Fairfax Media: "A 39-year-old man has been issued with a Court Attendance Notice. He will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on 5 May 2015 to answer an allegation of driving under the influence of alcohol/other drug." It is understood that the police have asked Bosnich to be a witness in that case.

Finch faces his demons We're sending good vibes and wishes to the loveable Brett Finch, who has been in rehab dealing with depression. We're told, though, that he's made outstanding progress and there's every chance he will call the City-Country match in Wagga on Sunday for Channel Nine. Finch comes from good Hunter Valley stock. We're certain he'll be OK and wish him all the best. No more good time Gal

Late last year, Paul Gallen took to Twitter to brand NRL officials, er, something that rhymes with James Blunt. On Triple M's Deadset Legends last weekend, the injured Sharks captain said the leadership course he was ordered to do as a result had been invaluable. "It was pretty deep to be honest," Gallen said. "About yourself, where you come from, things that have affected you throughout your life. It made me realise I'm more influential than I think. I'm a boy from out west who loves playing with his mates. I'd love to be having a bourbon with this bloke here. The position I'm in, I can't do that. It's made me realise I have to stop and think about things before I act." Morrow reborn The NRL's "buy of the season" is not a player. It's commentator David Morrow. The veteran caller retired last season after 34 years at the ABC. Ray Hadley quickly enticed him out of it to join The Continuous Call Team on 2GB. It's been a second coming for "Thirsty".

"I'm not surprised how quickly he's fitted into his 'commercial' role," Hadley told us. "He's an outstanding broadcaster and an even better bloke. I think to a certain extent he's been reborn, unshackled by the ABC's 'content directors' who wouldn't know a quality broadcaster if he or she bit them." Q&A: Wade Graham We speak to the City captain ahead of Sunday's annual showdown with Country in Wagga. Those planes to Wagga are usually small. How was the flight from Sydney? It wasn't too bad. I was playing games with Freddie [City coach Brad Fittler]. His weirdo games made time pass by pretty quick.

How has the super coach been in camp? He makes it easy to come into camp, because of the type of guy he is. But he can be serious, too. He knows when to switch it on and turn it off. What are these weird games you speak of? He's got these weird memory games on his phone. Just weird Freddie stuff. Righto. Do you remember him as a player?

I remember the back end of his career at the Roosters. He was actually my favourite player. When he's on the training paddock, he's still got some skill. We get out there early and have little kicking comps, or passing competitions. He's still got all the skills and backs himself. Let's not rap him too much. An honour to be City captain? A massive honour. Any time you can lead a team it's an honour. I've been involved with City a few times now. I hope we can get the job done on Sunday. Your Sharks teammate Jack Bird has been on everyone's lips this season. He plays for Country this weekend ... He's a confident kid. We all knew at the Sharks he had ability. After the Nines, I saw the raw ability he had. We didn't see him as a five-eighth or in the halves. He's got a lot of freedom, he just goes out there and plays. He doesn't have much responsibility in the team. His responsibility is to just play footy when he gets it.

Who are you rooming with? Joshy Reynolds. We've been in a few camps together now. There's a lot of young blokes in the side. I'm 24 and one of the oldest. Wagga Cup's on Friday, isn't it? It is. I'll be finding a pub to have a punt somewhere. The quote

"Boring, I think, is 10 years without a title. That's very boring." Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho responds to Arsenal chants of "Boring, boring Chelsea!" Sport is for grown ups. It's a big weekend for ... Shaun Johnson, who admits Benji Marshall should've been playing for New Zealand instead of himself against the Kangaroos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. It's an even bigger weekend for ...

David Pocock and Michael Hooper as the respective Brumbies and Waratahs openside flankers go head-to-head in a ding-dong Super Rugby battle for Australian conference supremacy in Canberra on Friday night. Both sides are making the right noises publicly, but there will be some bile in this one. Thumbs up The Red and Black Bloc has been copping it after the ugly scenes at Pirtek Stadium last week, but this quote from Andy Waite, captain of the Wanderers' wheelchair football team, Powerchair, reminds us of what it's really about: "To have 150 plus of the RBB come and surprise us at one of our matches was an amazing experience." Thumbs down We've all done silly things after a few drinks. And, yes, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson has an exceptionally short fuse. But it takes a special breed of halfwit to harass a coach, with the purpose of filming them, as Port Adelaide fan Luke Helps did at the weekend. That's not a fan, that's a fool.