Parramatta Eels join the hunt for Manly Sea Eagles five-eighth Kieran Foran Who holds the cards in the chase for Keiran Foran's signature? THE Parramatta Eels are the latest club to join the queue to land the signature of Manly Sea Eagles and Kiwi Test five-eighth Kieran Foran, with the combination of coach Brad Arthur and Anthony Watmough shaping as two blue-and-gold aces. Sport Confidential can reveal Foran has a huge opinion of Arthur from his time as an assistant at Manly, with the interest from the Eels taking the total number of clubs seriously chasing the New Zealand Test star to seven. The Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown, the Roosters, the Warriors, Cronulla, Canberra and Foran's existing club the Sea Eagles have all signalled an interest in signing the no.6, who is guaranteed to become one of the highest-paid players in the NRL. Realistically, only the Eels, Bulldogs and the Roosters are genuine contenders to lure Foran away from the Sea Eagles" Narrabeen headquarters, with all three holding influential trump cards. Canterbury-Bankstown coach Des Hasler still enjoys an extremely tight bond with Foran, with the Bulldogs only just missing out on his signature the last time the Manly pivot was off-contract. The Sydney Roosters also hold a strong hand, with Foran's best mate from their days at Marist College in North Sydney, Mitchell Pearce, having previously stated how the pair would love to play for the same NRL side. The Warriors obviously also believe they're in a decent position, with owner Eric Watson forced to retract a Tweet trumpeting Foran's signature last Sunday. Foran's agent Paul Sutton declined to comment when asked about the intense interest in his client. The Manly five-eighth is expected to make a call on his future early in the new year. Glenn Maxwell's selection at No.3 has stirred plenty of debate. GLENN Maxwell outraged plenty of Baggy Green legends when he attempted a reverse sweep batting at no.3 in the Australian Test team earlier this week. Granted, it did seem a rash shot selection in the longer form of the game but at the same time, Maxwell was given the green light to go out and play his natural game. What struck us as even more startling was why Maxwell was selected to bat at no.3? Surely Australia would be better suited using him in an Adam Gilchrist-style role further down the order at no.6 or no.7. Brendon Julian, Damien Fleming, Allan Border and Glenn McGrath discuss the surprise selection of Glenn Maxwell at three and the decision to replace Steve O'Keefe with Mitchell Starc. In the short term, Maxwell has probably cost himself a place in the Test side against India to start the summer. Shane Watson appears a strong chance of walking straight back into the Test side at no.3. The other pressing questions are how long can Chris Rogers survive at the top of the order and who will join pace spear heads Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris leading the bowling attack. There's plenty of options with Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Josh Hazlewood all pressing for selection. Kali Meehan with his son, boxer and junior Kangaroos Willis Meehan. JUNIOR Kangaroo and rising Sydney Roosters rookie Willis Meehan is set to make his professional boxing debut on the same card as his heavyweight champion father Kali in New Zealand on November 22. The father and son are regular sparring partners at All Sorts gym in Alexandria, with Willis an up-and-coming heavyweight who fights as a southpaw but is skilful enough to spar his old man and heavyweight contender Alex Leapai standing orthodox. "He always wanted to be a boxer so to be fighting on the same card as my son is a dream come true," Kali Meehan said. Kali and Willis Meehan will fight on the same card in New Zealand later this month. Not many fathers have done that. Oliver McCall did it but there aren't too many others. I've always thought sport keeps kids out of courts. Willis can go all the way if he wants to. He's got the skills and the mindset. He can fight orthodox, southpaw, on the inside, outside, whatever. He's also got nice heavy hands when he lets them go. Willis will glove-up again a fortnight after making his pro debut in Auckland, with the promising NRL player also set to feature on the Daniel Geale-Paul Gallen fight night at the Hordern Pavilion on December 3. Both the Kali-Meehan-Shane Cameron fight card in Auckland and the Geale-Gallen promotion will be televised on Foxtel's Main Event. World champion trainer Gergen is predicting a big future for Meehan. I've heard good things out of the amateurs, I'm sure the old man has taught him well. He's in good hands. The pedigree is there, Kali Meehan was unlucky not to be a world champion. Trainer Andreas Voehler has predicted Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist will soar to even greater heights in the near future. POPULAR Newcastle trainer Kris Lees might have missed out with mighty mare Lucia Valentina in the Melbourne Cup but what about his pick-up of Protectionist for the autumn. With Australian Bloodstock purchasing the horse outright, the German connections of the Melbourne Cup winner have said their goodbyes, with Lees now to take over the training of the horse. Given its performance on the first Tuesday in November, the sky appears to be the limit for the lightly-raced champion. IT'S been a who's who of sporting talent in the Birdcage at Flemington over the past week, with champions from all codes embracing the festivities during the Spring Carnival. Champion cricketers Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne, Sydney Kings star import Josh Childress and retired boxer Ricky Hatton were all spied enjoying the action trackside. Childress backed the last winner on Cup day ahead of his return from a striking suspension against Wollongong. INTERNATIONAL rugby league and its eligibility rules. Just five weeks after declaring himself an Aussie, Tim Lafai is now playing for Samoa in Sunday's Test in Wollongong. Under the RLIF's absurdly complicated rules, Lafai can still qualify to play for Australia after next year's World Cup. A three year stint in the Super League would also make him eligible to become a Pom. In fact a player could potentially represent five nations in eight years under the farcical laws. SWIMMING'S governing body FINA has defended its decision to award Russian president Vladimir Putin its highest honour, the FINA Order. Are they for real? We normally steer well clear of politics but this was too outrageous to let slide. The timing of the award has rightfully created huge debate around the world, with one commentator describing it as "a collective moan of disgust around Europe." Surprise, surprise, the announcement was made as Russia was hosting an International Sport Conference titled "Russia - A Sport Power." Oh, and the Ruskis are also set to host next year's FINA world championships. Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert (centre) with former Bathurst champion Mark Winterbottom (left). MORE surprising than Chaz Mostert's last to first Bathurst 1000 win was the Ford young gun's date for the Melbourne Cup last Tuesday. "I don't think he has quite cashed in on his new found fame yet,"" said Mostert's Ford teammate Mark Winterbottom. "You know you're struggling when you take your mechanic to the Cup."" The latest Bathurst King may have done a little better with the ladies had he gone Hugo Boss instead of Bozo the Clown. "How about his suit?"" Winterbottom said. I would have knocked him back too. KANGAROOS coach Tim Sheens put his players on notice earlier this week by cancelling a planned trip to Flemington racecourse for the Melbourne Cup. Sheens, a four-time premiership-winner, is clearly facing his greatest challenge at the national helm in this year's Four Nations. If the Kangaroos fail to make the final, it will mark the first time since 1954 Australia has missed the final of a rugby league tournament. The Kangaroos meet Samoa in Wollongong on Sunday.