Shaun Johnson has nothing to worry about. With poster-boy looks to go with the rarest of sporting talents, the 24-year-old has the rugby league world at his feet.

Disgraced former Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron has broken his silence to explain his part in the Storm's NRL salary cap scandal.

Yes, the mail must go through. But whether it would still be them delivering it after this weekend was a question three South Auckland posties had to think long and hard about after being asked to....

Shaun Johnson says he's finally coming to grips with what it means to be a first-grade halfback as he enters his fifth NRL season.

League superstar Johnathan Thurston will be missed, but his absence will not detract from the entertainment at this weekend's NRL Nines, organisers say.

It's not often you hear a 1.93m, 107kg front-rower admit to being scared, but that's how Ben Matulino is feeling ahead of this weekend's NRL Auckland Nines.

Australia is preparing a raid on the lucrative Auckland NRL Nines tournament - but is being warned to keep its hands off.

The Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines hit town on Friday, and the build-up begins in the city before the action heads over to Eden Park. Last year more than 90,000 fans packed the stadium; 5000 fans made it into the city for the opening party.

Benji Marshall will make his return to Eden Park as captain of the St George Illawarra Dragons at the NRL Auckland Nines this month.

NRL premiers South Sydney suffered a double blow yesterday with forward Luke Burgess heading to Manly for the next two seasons and CEO Shane Richardson leaving the club to take up a position at the NRL.

The Warriors are embracing the pressure that comes with being the only home team competing in the NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park next month.

Warring Warriors owners Eric Watson and Sir Owen Glenn will be kept on opposite sides of Eden Park when they attend the NRL Auckland Nines at the end of this month.

The NRL Auckland Nines might be the brainchild of Dean Lonergan, but Australian league legend Mal Meninga is the man who convinced him that the concept was a winner.

'If I could take it back, I would.' A repentant Ben Flower wants to meet Lance Hohaia and thank him for not holding a grudge after last year's punches.

The Warriors might unveil a not-so-secret weapon at the Auckland Nines later this month.

Street thug Russell Packer has done the time, or half of it thanks to a successful appeal. Yet his crime was so vicious the NRL would be crazy to let him walk straight through the prison gates and into their playing ranks.

There were just two arrests for intoxication over two days at last year's sold-out inaugural Auckland NRL Nines tournament.