Healy's path to World Cup set, will play into summer

Alyssa Healy has ruled out making this year's ODI World Cup a farewell party, revealing recent injuries could persuade her to push back any retirement plans.
Healy's path back to cricket will be confirmed on Tuesday, with the wicketkeeper to be named as part of an Australia A squad to face India A in Queensland in August.
The matches will mark the Australian captain's first since the Ashes success at the start of the year, when she missed games with a stress fracture in her foot and did not keep wicket in others.
Healy has endured a difficult year fitness-wise, also missing the finals of last year's T20 World Cup with the foot injury and having a knee issue end her WBBL season early.
The 35-year-old then sat out ODIs in New Zealand and the WPL in India as a result of her injuries, but said she has been fit and able to play since March.
Healy often jokes she has decided to retire from cricket five or six times before opting against it, and revealed earlier this year she had an ideal exit scenario.
But that will not be after the October-November World Cup, with a hunger for cricket while injured meaning her yet-to-be-revealed plans could be pushed back.
"It's probably shifted a little bit," Healy told AAP.
"It's made me realise that I still want to do a little bit more than maybe what I thought.
"At the same time, sometimes there's stuff in life that are a little bit more important than pulling on the green and gold. So it's just a constant reassess.
"But at the moment I definitely want to play a home summer. I want to bring the World Cup home, but also to play against India (in February-March)."
Tuesday marks 100 days until Australia's opening World Cup clash against New Zealand, with the India tournament presenting a real challenge for the defending champions.
Australia are gunning to be the first side to win back-to-back in the tournament in almost 40 years, with the team having faced a large large transition since 2022.
Forming a pathway to the ODI World Cup was part of Healy's pitch when she took over the captaincy when Meg Lanning retired in 2023.
"That was one of my goals, putting a timeline on it and saying this is where I could take this group, even not knowing what I was going to do personally," Healy said.
"It definitely was a big focus of mine, to get the group to a place to compete at this World Cup, and win the trophy.
"It's not so much about the captaincy (driving me), or ticking one more box.
"It's just that I want to win a World Cup for Australia, and no one has gone back-to-back, which is a real motivator."
Healy has not kept wicket in a match since January, but is confident the three Australia A series and subsequent ODIs in India will have her fit for up to nine World Cup matches in 32 days.
"According to science, the ODI World Cups is one of the heaviest loads that we go through as cricketers," Healy said
"My aim is to play every game of that World Cup. So to make sure I can do that's important."

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Gorden Tallis slams Broncos' ‘disrespectful' Selwyn Cobbo move

News.com.au

3 hours ago

News.com.au

Gorden Tallis slams Broncos' ‘disrespectful' Selwyn Cobbo move

Gorden Tallis has criticised the Broncos for prioritising re-signing two veteran halfbacks over Selwyn Cobbo, who is potentially the future of the club. Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt will both play for the Broncos in 2026 in what looms as their final seasons in first grade, but at 23, Cobbo looks like being forced out of a club he doesn't want to leave. Tallis believes the Broncos have been disrespectful to Cobbo by not leaving enough funds in their salary cap to re-sign him. 'The Selwyn Cobbo one is a bit funny to me because I think he is the future of the club,' Tallis said on NRL 360. 'They have re-signed Kotoni Staggs. They have got two 35-year-old No.7's that they re-signed as a priority and they re-signed another hooker when they have got five. 'Then they have got this young talent and they leave $300,000, which I think is a little bit disrespectful for a State of Origin player and I don't think he has lost that much mojo. 'In my opinion when Reece Walsh was out and he went back to fullback, he kept them in a The Daily Telegraph's Phil Rothfield believes Reynolds may have forced Cobbo out of the club. 'The interesting thing is Adam Reynolds said he would not sign a new deal until the other boys had because he didn't want to force anyone out, well he has,' Rothfield said. 'I'm not blaming him, but it was a difficult decision.' Rothfield revealed the Dragons were close to making a play for Cobbo and his asking price shows how far the Broncos are from keeping him. 'Selwyn Cobbo was in Sydney two weeks ago and he visited St George Illawarra and he spoke to coach Shane Flanagan,' Rothfield said. 'They were asking for about $650,000 to $700,000 and St George were quite keen to do a deal for a little bit less than that if they could get him this year because they have had injuries in the outside backs. 'I don't think it is going to happen, but what it does show is how far the Broncos are off the pace with what the kid and the manager are looking for. They are not even halfway there.' Braith Anasta added: 'Let's be honest they think they are still a chance of keeping him, but really they are not.' The Daily Telegraph's Brent Read believes the Broncos could find more room to up their offer to Cobbo, but the problem is his best form has been in a position they don't need him to play. 'Not unless they find another $200,000 or $300,000 and clubs can do that sometimes when they need to,' Read said. 'They can move a couple of blokes and juggle some funds around, but at the moment, I know he played well at fullback for a couple of games, but they don't need a fullback. 'They need him to play well when he is on the wing and he hasn't been playing well, so that's why he is in reserve grade and the kid who has come in Josiah Karapani is doing really well.' 'Maybe he is busted,' Tallis interjected. Rothfield believes Hunt is an interesting signing because he will be trying to break into the hooker rotation when he returns from injury. 'You talk about the old halves they signed and it is an interesting one with Ben Hunt because when he comes back from injury I don't think he is going to play five-eighth,' Rothfield said. 'Ezra Mam is comfortable there and he is obviously the future, so signing Hunt for those two years, not necessarily the Reynolds extension, might be what costs Selwyn Cobbo a spot at that club long-term.' However, Read believes the Broncos are eyeing Hunt as their hooker until Blake Mozer develops into his replacement in 2027. 'I think they are looking at their spine next year with Ben Hunt at hooker and he is a pretty good hooker Ben Hunt,' Read said. 'He is probably the best hooker they have got on their roster. Obviously Cory Paix is not killing it because they are not re-signing him. 'They have obviously made a decision that Ben Hunt will be their hooker and they have got young Blake Mozer on a long-term deal.' Tallis believes the Broncos may have been better off blooding young gun Coby Black at halfback, who led the Maroons to a win in the under 19s Origin last Thursday. 'It's nothing against the two 35-year-old halfbacks, but the future of the club are not two 35-year-old halfbacks,' Tallis said. 'Queensland won the State of Origin with a young 19-year-old halfback that could sit there and get some experience.' 'He will learn off those guys and at some point he will get an opportunity,' Read interjected. 'Yeah, but it is better playing,' Tallis countered. 'It is better getting a taste and you look at the Roosters with their young halves, there is no better way to learn than at the coalface.'