MARRIED life began on the wrong foot for North Queensland enforcer Carl Webb, who was allegedly caught drink-driving the morning after his wedding as he was on his way to clean up the reception hall. Webb left the Jupiters Hotel early on Saturday morning to help clean the site when he was pulled over at 6.50am by Townsville police, and blew more than twice the legal limit, 0.121. "I wish to apologise to everyone involved at the Cowboys including our sponsors and fans for putting myself in this situation," Webb said in a statement last night. "In no way do I condone drink-driving and I have learnt a valuable lesson. In hindsight I should have had someone else drive the car back to the reception location for the clean up." The 27-year-old was served with a notice to appear at Townsville Magistrates Court on November 27 - we're not sure if he must rearrange his honeymoon plans. Webb did attend the Cowboys' presentation night with new wife Renee that same evening. Man christened Anthony 'The Man' Mundine is likely to be introduced to US audiences by a new ring name if plans for him to fight next year on a card promoted by boxing great Oscar De La Hoya come to fruition. "They've got a different name for me over here," Mundine told the Herald's Brad Walter after meeting De La Hoya and representatives of his company, Golden Boy Promotions, in Los Angeles last week. "They call me The Wonder From Down Under. But everyone knows that. It ain't nothing new." The meeting, organised by Russell Crowe , stemmed from a joke between the Oscar winner and Mundine's manager, Khoder Nasser , and was initially intended as an introduction over lunch. But plans are advanced for Mundine to have possibly two fights in the US next year to help set up a big money bout in 2010. Crunch time at Eels Hot on the heels of whispers Parramatta captain Nathan Cayless fronted chief executive Denis Fitzgerald about besieged coach Michael Hagan comes this: the out-of-work Daniel Anderson will return to the country in the next few weeks. There has been plenty of talk behind the scenes at the Eels about Anderson replacing Hagan. He's a former Eels premier league coach who remains a favourite son and is desperate for an Australian gig after three hugely successful years at St Helens. While that may put pressure on Hagan, whose contract stipulates his future beyond this season must be sorted before March 1, it also places Fitzgerald in the cross-hairs about making a decision before Anderson slips off the market. Layne almost beached
Layne Beachley will attempt to win her own contest when the Beachley Classic resumes at Manly today - but only after the Commonwealth Bank stepped in at the 11th hour to kick in $60,000 to sponsor the event. It was sure not to be lost on those at Billabong, whom Beachley brushed as her personal sponsor a few years ago on principle. As documented in her new autobiography, she effectively told the surfwear giant to jam it because she didn't believe it was giving women's surfing enough recognition. It was something Billabong's US marketing director Graham Stapelberg took great delight in pointing out after she clinched her seventh world title in 2006. "You so blew it!" he exclaimed. Peters puts slipper in Manly big man Peter Peters revealed on his 2KY radio show yesterday morning one of the funnier remarks that did not see the light of day in grand final week. During the Carbine Club lunch on the Thursday before the decider, Peters deadpanned this of rookie Storm hooker Russell Aitken when compared to Cam Smith : "Replacing a player like Cameron Smith with a player like Russell Aitken is like replacing a Rolls-Royce with a Goggomobile." Ha. At the time, the room broke up. The press aren't allowed to report what's said during the function, but we can tell you that Peters' scathing criticism of the Storm during an interview with compere Ray Warren hardly went down well with Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron , who vented his fury to plenty once the function was over. While winger David Williams has developed cult status, Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler reckons the decider's three-try hero, Michael Robertson , was unlucky not to join him in Australia's 24-man World Cup squad. "I think he's been one of the most consistent wingers in the NRL in the last two seasons," Hasler told us. Say what?
"I had a bit of gastro this morning - and all last night - but I haven't left any surprises in the seat for Will [Davison] today." Bathurst driver Steven Johnson , while attached to a drip in the pits. WEEKEND WARRIOR: KERRIN McEVOY After feeling the wrath of stewards, punters and the media in the past few weeks, the Darley stable jockey has hit a purple patch - including victory on Wilander at Caulfield on Saturday.
A few days ago, you were considered the worst jockey in the land … [Laughs] It's been a topsy-turvy week. I got off to a slow start when I arrived back in Australia with some suspensions. It's taken some adjustment riding here again. But in the last week, I've ridden four winners at Warwick Farm last Monday, then one at Moonee Valley on Friday night and another in a big race on Saturday.
Is it tough when you're being criticised so heavily? Not really. I've been a jockey for 11 years. You have to develop a thick skin in this game. There were a lot of experts who thought some local jockeys should have got the job [as Darley stable jockey] so I was expecting it.