What’s the Buzz: footage shows Wade Graham saving Todd Carney from another off-field drama

CCTV footage of a fight in Cronulla mall last Sunday night has revealed how Sharks’ stand-in skipper Wade Graham saved team mate Todd Carney from yet another off-field drama.

The security film captures Graham dragging Carney away from an alleged assault on two teenagers.

A 28-year-old friend of Carney was arrested and charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and granted conditional bail to attend Sutherland Local Court on April 24.

News_Image_File: Wade Graham and Todd Carney celebrate a Sharks victory following a clash against the Storm.

The footage shows Sharks stars Graham and Nathan Gardner near the door of McDonald’s as the alleged assault occurred at 7.40pm. It then shows Carney moving towards the incident where his friend, according to police, was punching the teenagers in the head. Graham then intervenes and physically pulls Carney away.

Graham would not comment on the incident when approached by The Sunday Telegraph.

“He doesn’t want to be seen as a hero or anything like that,” said Sharks media manager Rob Willis.

“And he doesn’t want to say anything that might suggest Todd was going to do the wrong thing. He just doesn’t want to talk about it.”

News_Rich_Media: Nathan Hindmarsh discusses the controversy around Andrew Fifita.

Graham’s actions show why many at the Sharks regard him as a future captain when Paul Gallen retires.

Police said one teenager lost a tooth and had swollen lips and the other had swelling to his cheek and eye area.

As for Carney, he needs to be very careful. He took to Twitter after the incident to deny any involvement in the alleged assault. But next time Graham might not be there to help.

MAKING A SPLASH ON THE COURT, TOO

MEET one of Australia’s most versatile sporting stars. Michael Auprince won gold and bronze medals in the swimming pool at the 2012 London Paralympics.

News_Image_File: After winning gold and bronze at the 2012 London Paralympics, Michael Auprince is in contention for selection to represent Australia at the 2014 IWF Mens Wheelchair Basketball World Championships.

But then the 21-year-old went looking for a new challenge, so he decided to take up wheelchair basketball.

Now he’s been chosen in the Australian squad vying for positions at the world championships this year in South Korea.

Becoming a dual international is hard enough in any sports, let alone for a disabled athlete. Auprince’s left leg was amputated at the age of 10 because the limb had no muscles as a consequence of a birth defect.

He has been supported all along in the pool and on the basketball court by the NSW Institute of Sport.

BOXA BOMBING BAFFLES POLICE

POLICE remain baffled by the firebombing of Anthony Mundine’s Boxa Café late last year.

St George area commander Dave Donohue says the case remains open but police have run into a dead end.

“Anthony Mundine has been less than helpful in our inquiries,” said Superintendent Donohue.

Police interviewed former boxing champion Jeff Fenech early in the investigation but quickly discarded him as a suspect.

News_Image_File: Anthony Mundine outside his Boxa Bar cafe in Hurstville which was firebombed.

Mundine says he provided a statement to police when the firebombing occurred.

“They tried me a couple of times after that but I was about to have a fight then I was overseas,” he said.

“I believe in karma — if you do bad, something bad will happen.”

CHERRY’S PIE BRINGS A SIGH

MANLY’S refusal to sign club stalwart Glenn Stewart to a new contract has had a rebound effect on the popularity of half-back Daly Cherry-Evans.

A number of senior players, including Kieran Foran, Anthony Watmough and Brett Stewart, have all taken pay cuts over the years to keep the squad together.

News_Rich_Media: Manly have exacted some revenge for last year’s Grand Final. Desperation in defence proved the difference against the Roosters.

Not so Cherry-Evans — he publicly threatened to leave if he didn’t secure a significant upgrade. Manly will now have to bump up Cherry-Evans’ earnings again to around $900,000 a season to keep the Test utility star at Brookvale. Meantime, there is not enough cash left over to keep Stewart.

Watmough admits it’s taking its toll on the team. “It’s like the elephant in the room,” he said.

News_Image_File: Manly’s Glenn Stewart is yet to be offered a new contract at the club.

“To see Glenn’s emotions the last couple of weeks is pretty heartbreaking for all the boys.

“Footy’s not a business at our club — we’re a family. The talk that they’re extending other people that are on contract for years to come is probably more disheartening for him.”

NICE ‘WORK’ IF YOU CAN GET IT

JUST when we thought NRL officials had cornered the market in travel perks, Major-league Baseball boss Bud Selig puts Dave Smith and John Grant to shame.

Bud travelled to Australia for last weekend’s action at the SCG from New York via stopovers in Hawaii and Fiji — on his own private jet.

News_Image_File: The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in their MLB game in Sydney on March 23, 2014.

The amount of money in US baseball is unbelievable.

Members of the Arizona Diamondbacks coaching staff and team owners went wine tasting in Rosé Bay and bought $92,000 worth of top-shelf Aussie wine.

RAY GRABS BULL BY THE HORNS

WORKAHOLIC broadcaster Ray Hadley will return to working seven days a week, starting from this afternoon.

He will anchor the 2GB Continuous Call coverage from ANZ Stadium when Souths host Canterbury. Hadley won’t call the game but will host from 12-3pm. Joel Caine will call the action with Andrew Moore to concentrate on weekday duties and calling on Friday and Saturday nights.

Hadley won’t say why he’s going back to seven days a week but it’s believed 2GB want him to take on 2MMM’s revamped coverage.

HARRY STEALS FINAL LIMELIGHT

HARRY Kewell bowed to the inevitable when he announced his retirement. He hasn’t played for the Socceroos for two years and his chances of going to Brazil were all but gone.

But I’m told the timing of the announcement infuriated the organisers of the Asian Cup, who were holding the tournament draw at the Opera House on the same day.

Kewell stole the show by dominating the media.

With Harry’s stellar career coming to a close, the pressure has now turned on Socceroos veteran Lucas Neill to accept Ange Postecoglou’s rebuilding plans.

SAINTS

The Newcastle Knights, for their touching response to the terrible Alex McKinnon accident. From Wayne Bennett down to the ball boys, this club has been all class.

News_Rich_Media: Newcastle Knights skipper Kurt Gidley says the club is grateful for the short turnaround between games with the players looking forward to getting on the field following the tragic injury to Knights forward Alex McKinnon.

SINNER

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, the question has to be asked again — why did we have to sit up until midnight to watch the Dragons v Broncos on delay on Friday night?

When will the NRL wake up to the fact we want the best games as LIVE free-to-air footy in a timeslot when our children can actually watch?

ON THE WRONG HORSE

Manly forward Glenn Stewart often relaxes before big games by having a small flutter on the horses. After being knocked out against the Roosters on Friday night, the club doctor asked Stewart at half-time if he could remember what happened. Stewart replied: “No, but I can remember I lost on the punt today.”

News_Image_File: Glenn Stewart leaves the field after a high tackle knocked him out.

SHOOSH

Who is the former NRL club boss who recently pitched to get the security and cleaning contracts for NRL games at ANZ Stadium?

From the moment he missed out, he has continually bagged the venue on Twitter, describing it as soulless, among other things.

STRATEGIC BLOW

Shane Mattiske’s departure from the NRL as head of strategy is a blow to the game. He was one of the few executives who actually knows and understands the sport.

OOPS

Last week I mentioned young Tigers fullback James Tedesco was a done deal at the Roosters. The postman who delivered that mail has been punted forever.

News_Image_File: James Tedesco in action for the Tigers.

TODD HITS THE ROAD

It’s great to see NRL director of football Todd Greenberg out and about in bush football. After Monday night’s Storm-Knights game in Melbourne, he drove to Wagga, Junee, Temora, Griffith and Leeton to meet country officials.

BLUES GET THEIR DUE

THE NSW Blues missed out on playing their Sheffield Shield final at the SCG because of the baseball.

News_Image_File: Blues players celebrate after winning the Sheffield Shield title.

It didn’t stop them becoming part of SCG history. The champions had the honour of signing the wall in the home dressing room on Thursday, carrying on a great Shield tradition.