Infotainment Factory: Two clubs locked in tug-of-war for axed forward

Premiers Penrith are poised to make their first forward signing for next season - former Storm veteran Tom Eisenhuth.

The 31-year-old - who played 18 games for Melbourne this year - is expected to start in the Panthers' second tier as their 30-man roster is full.

But he is certain to be called into the top side at some stage of the year, most likely during the State of Origin period, where his experience will be invaluable.

Tom Eisenhuth is tackled during the 2023 preliminary final between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm.

The Dragons are also keen on Eisenhuth, but he is believed to be close to accepting terms at Penrith.

Eisenhuth has had a somewhat bizarre career - he made his top-grade debut at the Panthers in 2012, playing just one game.

He then moved to Melbourne and had to wait more than 2300 days for his next game in the NRL, but he has proved a handy back-up for the Storm and will add to the Panthers' depth.

(L-R) Tom Eisenhuth of the Storm, Nelson Asofa-Solomona of the Storm and Harry Grant of the Storm celebrate

He will join Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers), Brad Schneider (Hull KR) and Paul Alamoti (Bulldogs) as gains for 2024.

The club has lost plenty of experience with Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), Spencer Leniu (Roosters), Jaeman Salmon (Bulldogs), Jack Cogger (Knights) and Tom Jenkins (Knights) all heading elsewhere.

Long-time NRL coach's role in soaring sport

You can't keep a good coach down… and former Steelers, Dragons, Eels, Knights and Roosters coach Brian Smith is back in business.

Smith, who turns 70 next year and began his coaching career in the lower grades with Newtown in the 1970s, is playing a key role in the growth of the booming sport of Oztag.

Smith has been appointed an Australian Oztag ambassador - identifying and mentoring the new generation of coaches in the game.

He was prominent in the national championships at Coffs Harbour last weekend and Oztag founder Perry Haddock revealed to Wide World of Sports that Smith played a major role in the sport's creation.

Brian Smith with former Wests halfback Josh White at last weekend's Outage National Championships.

"I played under Brian at the Steelers in the 1980s and then coached the under 21s when he was head coach of St George," he said.

"One day he let me do a demo of this new sport I was trialling at half-time of a Dragons game and it all started from there.

"We've always stayed in touch and I'm delighted to have him on board.

"The sport is going great guns and having a guy of Brian's stature can only help us."

Grand final hero earns unusual bragging rights

Pat Richards holds a special place in Aussie sports history for THAT try from Benji Marshall's miracle flick pass in the 2005 grand final for Wests Tigers - now he has a new claim to fame.

Richards, now 41, hit his first century in grade cricket for Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club, belting 124 against Uni of NSW in fifth grade… and he did it in bizarre circumstances.

"We had a golf day in the bush the previous day and a big night on the drink to finish," one of Richards' 'brothers' from the Tigers' premiership-winning team told me.

"Somehow Patty got up early next morning, made his way back to Sydney… and played the innings of his life!"

Eels bag emerging young talent

The Eels have signed a giant young prop from the Roosters system.

Javahn Stevenson-Hala stands at 190 centimetres and weighs 108 kilos, and at 19, still has plenty of growth in him.

Born in New Zealand, the youngster played his early football for Palmerston North before being scouted by the Roosters a couple of years ago.

He has looked good in the Harold Matthews and Ball Cups for the Roosters and will be one to watch at Parra over the next couple of seasons.