The NRL Snipe was off the mark the other week when he indicated former Broncos leading points scorer and foundation player Terry Matterson would be back for last week’s 20-year reunion to be elevated to the Hall of Fame and possibly step into Wayne Bennett’s shoes after 2009.

The Snipe is adamant that Matterson will be back before the end of the season to take his place in history, but he now says: “The new mail is that Bruno Cullen is softening on his 2009 end for Bennett and it now looks like he is going to give him a two-year extension.”

The Snipe is like a dog with a bone when it comes to the coach.

Maybe there has been some friction there during the years.

There is no doubt about the Broncos coach. He seems to run the game in Queensland.

He leaks stories when he wants to get them out there and seems to control Brisbane’s media.

Take this week with the grapple tackle debate. The NRL is now looking to make new rules after Wayne led the charge.

He reminds me of the late Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen a bit. He either isn’t talking to the media or he is getting them to do exactly what he wants – genius.

At least he’s leading the tipping

Recovering ironman star Tim Peach reckons the only luck he has had so far this year is building what he thinks is an unassailable lead in the Daily footy tipping competition.

Of course, there’s bad luck with that, too, because unfortunately there is no prize. So it has been a lean year, culminating in him nearly severing his toe in a work accident which proves that Tim and labouring don’t mix.

Everything appears to be improving but the surf star nearly took another wrong turn.

Now living on the Gold Coast, Tim was thinking of moving in with Titans rugby league star Josh Graham but thankfully his new surf coach stepped in and said maybe it would be more sensible if he lived with him for a while.

That advice became particularly prudent when Mad Monday celebrations for the Titans were booked in at Josh Graham’s place after their last game of the season.

Peach, footballers and beer, would probably make the toe injury insignificant.

Speaking of Peach, I was told he was quite put out on Thursday when he rang his brother Chris, who is living in London, to wish him happy birthday.

Apparently, Chris was labouring on a job and his boss got annoyed about the one-minute phone call.

Tim’s comment was: “Are you sure they’re English if they’re worried about stopping work?”

Wanted: The world’s best putter

Now here is a novel idea.

I received this via a PGA press release:

“The PGA of Australia today announced it had entered into a service and licence agreement with World’s Best Putter Pty Ltd to assist in establishing national and international putting competitions with over $1,000,000 in prize money.

“PGA professionals will host and administer a series of competitions for both members and visitors to find each golf club’s best putter. These club champions will progress through to state finals with the winners then competing at a national level for the title of Australia’s best putter.

“Australia’s winner will be invited to the World’s Best Putter global event to compete against putters from up to 20 other countries, all vying for the World’s Best Putter title and US$1 million in prize money!”

What a great idea. It gets underway in early 2008, but it doesn’t help me.

I am a victim of the easiest shot in golf: the fifth putt.

Can you help with hockey history?

The Sunshine Coast Hockey Association is staging the Oceania Cup next month with teams from New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea vying with Australia for a berth in the Beijing Olympics.

While planning the event, they stumbled across the fact that it was also the 25th year they had been based at Ballinger Park.

The association has compiled a sketchy history of hockey that began on the Coast in 1949 and urges anyone with historical information to email John Hammond at jwh002@student.usc.edu.au or write to PO Box 375 Buderim, 4556.