The Raiders star who sent Piers Morgan into a frenzy for celebrating by mocking the controversial Ashes stumping is a proud Englishman despite admitting he will settle in Australia after retirement.
Elliott Whitehead says he’s a proud Englishman Canberra star raising money for charity Whitehead hopes to settle in Canberra
English NRL player Elliot Whitehead who made headlines for a post-try celebration mocking Jonny Bairstow’s infamous Ashes stumping wants Piers Morgan to know he is a proud Englishman.
Morgan tweeted his displeasure that Raiders star – who hails from Yorkshire – Jordan Rapana was happy to be part of the game scene after scoring an early four-pointer against the Dragons.
Backrower Whitehead pretended to be Bairstow on the field, leaving Morgan furious.
“This disgraced spirit-of-the-game batsman is not only English, but a Yorkshireman,” Morgan tweeted.
‘What on earth are you doing Elliot Whitehead? Are you a closet Australian?’
Raiders star Elliott Whitehead made headlines for celebrating his ridiculous try
Whitehead says he is a proud Englishman and he wants Piers Morgan to know it
Whitehead says he was shocked to learn what Morgan said about him, especially since he is a proud Englishman.
Whitehead told the Herald, ‘I remember coming back to the shed and our media guy Benny saying Piers Morgan had got involved and what he said.’
‘We were just laughing. [Raiders hooker] Jack Woolford came up with the idea, and I got the role of Johnny because I was the only Pom in the group and, it turns out, I’m from the same part of the world as him.
‘I’m obviously a proud Englishman and I want Piers to know that. I actually met Jonny, and he gave me my England jumper at the World Cup.
‘With the whole celebration, we were laughing and raising money for charity. We’re looking for some things in Pierce… we haven’t found anything yet, but we can work something out.’
Whitehead says he likes living in Australia and hopes to settle down once his career is over.
‘I love it here, and after eight years, this is definitely my home and where I will be,’ he said.
What Morgan probably didn’t know was that Sportsbet was offering $5000 to NRL teams for imaginative post try celebrations as part of their annual Tri July campaign.
Whitehead says Jonny Bairstow gave him his jersey at the World Cup
Canberra’s stumping celebrations came as part of a fundraising campaign for the Wounded Stars
According to Fox Sports anchor Yvonne Sampson, the gambling company was so impressed by the Raiders’ on-field skit that they were going to hand over $10,000.
Funds raised will be donated to the recovery efforts of former Sharks winger Nathan Stapleton and former NRL coach Daniel Anderson.
Stapleton became a quadriplegic after suffering a spinal cord injury while playing rugby union in NSW and Anderson – who coached the Warriors and Eels between 2001 and 2010 – faces the same uncertain future after a freak accident while bodysurfing on the NSW Central Coast last December. .