Last month Crikey brought you a list of many of the AFL media figures who publicly involve themselves in the betting industry, following our Punted series on gambling advertising.
With the NRL grand final this Sunday, we’ve turned our attention to the favoured football code north of the Barassi Line.
Gambling is now so intrinsically linked with the consumption of rugby league that ahead of this week’s grand final between the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers, three of News Corp’s most senior sports reporters took to social media site X within three minutes of each other to reveal urgent breaking news: wagering giant Tabcorp had released odds for the big game. Crikey makes no suggestion there was any commercial imperative for doing so. Crikey asked The Daily Telegraph editor Ben English, as well as News Corp sports editor Russell Gould, a number of questions, including whether The Daily Telegraph believed gambling odds qualified as breaking news. Neither responded for comment.
Penrith, the defending champions, play their home games at BlueBet Stadium, and fellow preliminary finalists Cronulla play at PointsBet Stadium.
Crikey has compiled a non-exhaustive list of individuals connected to the NRL — from commentators to former players — who involve themselves publicly with the betting industry. Some have made appearances in advertisements for betting agencies or participated in sponsored segments, while others are signed as ambassadors, writing tips and featuring in content on social media.
Joel Caine
Former St George and Balmain winger Joel Caine has been involved with Sportsbet since 2013, and serves as the face of their rugby league content, regularly spruiking multi bets on television ahead of games. At the time of writing, Caine has 10,900 followers on Sportsbet’s platform for sharing bets.
Sam Phillips
Former Sydney Morning Herald and Courier-Mail journalist Sam Phillips pivoted to content creation for Sportsbet in 2022, and hosts the company’s Give Me Something podcast.
Denan Kemp
Former Broncos and Warriors winger Denan Kemp hosts the Bloke In A Bar sports podcast, sponsored by Sportsbet. Bloke in a Bar is the seventh-ranked sports podcast in Australia on Spotify with 51,000 followers as of October 3. At the time of writing, Kemp has 18,200 followers on Sportsbet’s platform for sharing bets.
Dan Ginnane
Fox Sports commentator Dan Ginnane has made appearances in Sportsbet’s online content, and hosts the bookmaker’s Get ‘Em Onside podcast. At the time of writing, Ginnane has 5,100 followers on the Sportsbet platform for sharing bets.
Steve Roach
Former Balmain prop Steve “Blocker” Roach featured in a September Sportsbet advertisement for the Round 27 game between Parramatta and Wests Tigers, dubbed the Spoon Bowl.
Andrew Voss and Greg Alexander
Fox Sports commentator Andrew Voss also hosts a breakfast radio show on SEN 1170 alongside former Panthers premiership captain Greg “Brandy” Alexander, which has a daily betting markets segment sponsored by Sportsbet involving Sportsbet content personality Hammy Goodman.
Matty Johns
Former Newcastle Knights five-eighth Matty Johns now works as a Fox Sports personality, and hosts The Late Show with Matty Johns on the network. The show concludes with a recurring market odds segment sponsored by Tabcorp.
Laurie Daley
Raiders legend and Origin-winning Blues coach Laurie Daley is a regular host of the market odds segment on The Late Show with Matty Johns, sponsored by Tabcorp. Daley also hosts Tabcorp’s Big Sports Breakfast radio program alongside former Test cricket captain Michael Clarke.
Josh Reynolds
Former Bulldogs and Wests Tigers five-eighth Josh Reynolds does regular content for Tabcorp, including regularly hosting the market odds segment on Fox Sports’ The Late Show with Matty Johns.
Hello Sport
The Hello Sport podcast, hosted by Eddy Simpson and Tom Birmingham, is the fourth-ranked sports podcast in Australia on Spotify as of October 3. The podcast is prominently sponsored by bookmaker Neds.
Willie Mason
Former journeyman Willie Mason played 148 games with the Bulldogs. His Levels podcast, sponsored by Tabcorp, is the fifth-ranked sports podcast in Australia on Spotify as of October 3, with 18,000 followers.
Justin Horo
Former Sea Eagles and Eels second-rower Justin Horo co-hosts the Tabcorp-sponsored Levels podcast alongside Willie Mason.
Gus Gould
Phil “Gus” Gould is the current general manager of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and hosts Nine’s Six Tackles with Gus podcast, which has a regular segment sponsored by Tabcorp.
Mathew Thompson
Mathew Thompson is a commentator for Nine, the free-to-air rights holder of the NRL. He co-hosts Nine’s Six Tackles with Gus podcast, alongside Bulldogs general manager Gus Gould, which has a regular segment sponsored by Tabcorp.
Jharal Yow Yeh
Former Broncos winger Jharal Yow Yeh hosts bookmaker Neds’ podcast NRL Unpopular Opinions, while also working as a game development officer for the Brisbane Broncos.
Cooper Johns
Matty Johns’ son Cooper played 19 games in the NRL and produces regular content for Sportsbet. At the time of writing, Johns has 1,300 followers on Sportsbet’s platform for sharing bets.
Josh Mansour
Former Panthers and Rabbitohs winger Mansour co-hosts the ABC’s NRL Daily podcast as well as his own, titled Let’s Trot. Mansour stars in ads for Tabcorp-owned youth-targeted bookmaker Dabble.
Bryan Fletcher
Former Roosters and Rabbitohs second-rower Bryan Fletcher hosts SEN Sydney’s drive radio show alongside Joel Caine. Fletcher is an ambassador for online bookmaker Unibet, which also serves as a jersey sponsor of the Sydney Roosters.
Buzz Rothfield
The Daily Telegraph’s sports editor-at-large Phil “Buzz” Rothfield features in a weekly segment on the Tabcorp-owned Big Sports Breakfast, alongside regular appearances on Fox Sports’ NRL 360.
Dean Ritchie
The Daily Telegraph’s veteran NRL reporter Dean Ritchie regularly features on the Tabcorp-owned Big Sports Breakfast.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
