Latest news with #BrianTo'o
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I don't think it's too serious': Panthers provide Nathan Cleary update ahead of rare match in New Zealand
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary doesn't think his son's groin issue is 'too serious', with the champion halfback expected to be fine to take his place in the side for next Thursday's showdown with the Bulldogs. Nathan Cleary battled a groin complaint in Wednesday's second Origin clash, with the NSW No.7 forced to wear a compression sleeve on his right leg. Cleary didn't kick goals and was kept quiet in the first half, only for the four-time premiership winner to take control as the Blues chased points in a dramatic final 40 minutes. The injury caught everyone off guard, but it's not considered serious at this stage. Cleary was always going to miss Penrith's trip to New Zealand for Saturday's game against the Warriors, with all five of their Origin stars rested, including hat-trick hero Brian To'o, who overcame a hamstring injury to dominate in Perth. 'Nathan had that little groin injury. I'm not too sure how he's going at the moment, but I don't think it's too serious,' Ivan Cleary said in Auckland. 'Bizza (To'o) went into the game with a bit of a hamstring issue but he's come out pretty good.' The undermanned Panthers can jump back inside the top eight with an upset win across the ditch in what will be their first match in Auckland since 2019. Isaah Yeo was still playing in the centres back then, James Maloney was halfback and James Fisher-Harris was still at the club as they overcame two sin bins to win 19-18. Cleary, who used to coach the Warriors, voiced his frustrations recently at the timing of this away trip after Origin that forced him to rest his Blues players given the hectic travel schedule. But he's moved on ahead of two massive matches in five days against a couple of top-four teams coached by two of his former assistants. 'It's disappointing for the New Zealand fans because we haven't played here for six years, so they haven't seen any of our team through that pretty good period,' he said. 'That's a little unfortunate, but I know it must be difficult trying to work out the draw, and everyone has their own hardluck stories.'
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Door wide open for Reece Walsh as Slater urged to axe Queensland superstar
Former NRL player Denan Kemp has questioned whether Kalyn Ponga has lost some of his aura, speculating that Billy Slater might be better off axing the star fullback for State of Origin 3. Ponga hasn't been much of a factor in either of the Origin games so far this series, and hasn't been in great form with Newcastle either. In Game 1 he had 21 runs for 163 metres, but in Game 2 on Wednesday night it was just eight runs for 77 metres. Queensland won 26-24 to send the series to a decider, but Ponga had four missed tackles and two errors - both on high balls that he failed to secure. The $1.4 million fullback missed a key tackle on Brian To'o for one of the NSW winger's three tries, and was caught out of position when Angus Crichton streamed through to ground a grubber from Jarome Luai. He also had a poor miss on Nathan Cleary, but got lucky the try was disallowed for an obstruction. Queensland's win has largely taken the heat off Ponga that might have arisen had the Maroons lost. But Kemp is among a number of leading voices questioning his place in Slater's side. Speaking on the popular 'Bloke in a Bar' podcast on Thursday, the former Broncos and Warriors player suggested Slater might be tempted to pick someone else for Game 3. "He dropped three bombs. He got bounced off by Cleary and got lucky there was an obstruction," Kemp said. "I think Billy has to have a real hard look at that fullback position. I think KP (Ponga) is just out of form. "It's tough but if you've got that many errors, it's just a real question we (Queensland) have to ask ourselves. We need someone who's bringing energy around the ruck, making their catches and tackles. It's definitely a question that I think Billy should be considering because we can't afford to go into Game 3 and have that many dropped balls. We'll lose by 30-plus." Co-host Tim Williams, the brother of former Canberra player Sam, added: "KP is normally elite under the high ball. When he's dropping bombs like that...I know the conditions were bad but there were some pretty soft ones. It's normally the case where every time Ponga gets the ball in Origin my heart sinks thinking 'how is he going to kill us (NSW) this time. The last two games, I've forgotten he's playing at times." Reece Walsh would be the obvious choice to replace Ponga if Slater decides to make a change, but Kemp said he's not sure the Broncos fullback has enough games under his belt. Walsh's season was disrupted by a knee injury that sidelined him for six weeks, but he returned with two tries in the Broncos' thrashing of the Titans a fortnight ago. The 22-year-old has played five Origin games to date, and has clashes with the Sharks and Warriors to state his case for selection in Game 3. "When you are a Queenslander, that's all you want to do," Walsh said after the Titans game about a possible call-up. "If Billy needs me in the squad for anything, I'll be there and ready to go. If he doesn't, I'll still be cheering the boys and backing them at home." RELATED: Selwyn Cobbo facing dire situation as Broncos sign three players Andrew Johns airs complaint over Origin moment 'shouldn't be allowed' The other option would be to put Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback - his preferred position. The Hammer played centre in Game 1 and wing in Game 2, but many believe he's Queensland's best fullback option. Murray Taulagi is back to full fitness and would be an option for the wing if Slater puts Tabuai-Fidow in the No.1 jersey in the decider.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Elbows fly as Maroons hold off NSW comeback
Brian To'o scored a hat-trick as NSW came from 26-6 down at half-time to almost snatch victory in Origin II. Queensland held on for the 26-24 win, with the series now locked up at 1-1 ahead of the decider in Sydney on July 9. BIG MOMENTS FROM ORIGIN II: *Early mistakes prove costly A dropped high ball from Kalyn Ponga and a brain implosion penalty against Cameron Munster for a shove meant Queensland had to defend for an extended period near their try line in the early minutes of the match. The dam wall finally broke, with Jarome Luai's grubber opening the door for Brian To'o to score. *Flying high magic earned after a piece of grunt work Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's second try was a piece of magic - with the Queensland winger jumping high to reel in a skied kick before maintaining his composure to touch down. But it was a play a minute earlier that paved the way for the moment - Maroons enforcer Valentine Holmes laying a huge hit on Liam Martin to force the turnover. *Elbow your way in With the rain tumbling down, NSW's Zac Lomax let his frustrations get the better of him when he elbowed Trent Loiero. Lomax had just been tackled to the ground when he threw his left elbow back to collect Loiero in the face. The subsequent penalty gave Queensland a 14-6 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. *Get out of my way At 20-6 down NSW were in desperate need of a try, and star halfback Nathan Cleary delivered by twisting and turning his way through Queensland's defence. But the Blues' joy soon turned to despair when the try was ruled for an obstruction. Rubbing salt into the wound, Kurt Capewell touched down less than two minutes later to give Queensland a dominant 26-6 lead at half-time. *When the bounce ain't right With Queensland clinging on to a 26-14 lead with 18 minutes to go, Tabuai-Fidow tried to trap a tumbling kick with his foot. But he was left embarrassed when the ball bounced up, hit him on the arm and hip before deflecting in front of him. NSW made the most of the gift, with To'o scoring his third try two minutes later to reduce the margin to eight points. *Dribble magic from Luai With all the momentum going NSW's way, Jarome Luai ensured the try barrage continued with a beautiful dribble kick for Angus Crichton to run onto and touch down. The successful conversion made it a two-point game with just seven minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finish. *Oh so close With less than 90 seconds remaining and NSW pushing for the winning try, Blues prop Payne Haas lost the ball after being tackled by two Queensland players. It proved to be NSW's last chance, meaning they fell short of pulling off one of the great Origin comebacks. Brian To'o scored a hat-trick as NSW came from 26-6 down at half-time to almost snatch victory in Origin II. Queensland held on for the 26-24 win, with the series now locked up at 1-1 ahead of the decider in Sydney on July 9. BIG MOMENTS FROM ORIGIN II: *Early mistakes prove costly A dropped high ball from Kalyn Ponga and a brain implosion penalty against Cameron Munster for a shove meant Queensland had to defend for an extended period near their try line in the early minutes of the match. The dam wall finally broke, with Jarome Luai's grubber opening the door for Brian To'o to score. *Flying high magic earned after a piece of grunt work Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's second try was a piece of magic - with the Queensland winger jumping high to reel in a skied kick before maintaining his composure to touch down. But it was a play a minute earlier that paved the way for the moment - Maroons enforcer Valentine Holmes laying a huge hit on Liam Martin to force the turnover. *Elbow your way in With the rain tumbling down, NSW's Zac Lomax let his frustrations get the better of him when he elbowed Trent Loiero. Lomax had just been tackled to the ground when he threw his left elbow back to collect Loiero in the face. The subsequent penalty gave Queensland a 14-6 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. *Get out of my way At 20-6 down NSW were in desperate need of a try, and star halfback Nathan Cleary delivered by twisting and turning his way through Queensland's defence. But the Blues' joy soon turned to despair when the try was ruled for an obstruction. Rubbing salt into the wound, Kurt Capewell touched down less than two minutes later to give Queensland a dominant 26-6 lead at half-time. *When the bounce ain't right With Queensland clinging on to a 26-14 lead with 18 minutes to go, Tabuai-Fidow tried to trap a tumbling kick with his foot. But he was left embarrassed when the ball bounced up, hit him on the arm and hip before deflecting in front of him. NSW made the most of the gift, with To'o scoring his third try two minutes later to reduce the margin to eight points. *Dribble magic from Luai With all the momentum going NSW's way, Jarome Luai ensured the try barrage continued with a beautiful dribble kick for Angus Crichton to run onto and touch down. The successful conversion made it a two-point game with just seven minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finish. *Oh so close With less than 90 seconds remaining and NSW pushing for the winning try, Blues prop Payne Haas lost the ball after being tackled by two Queensland players. It proved to be NSW's last chance, meaning they fell short of pulling off one of the great Origin comebacks. Brian To'o scored a hat-trick as NSW came from 26-6 down at half-time to almost snatch victory in Origin II. Queensland held on for the 26-24 win, with the series now locked up at 1-1 ahead of the decider in Sydney on July 9. BIG MOMENTS FROM ORIGIN II: *Early mistakes prove costly A dropped high ball from Kalyn Ponga and a brain implosion penalty against Cameron Munster for a shove meant Queensland had to defend for an extended period near their try line in the early minutes of the match. The dam wall finally broke, with Jarome Luai's grubber opening the door for Brian To'o to score. *Flying high magic earned after a piece of grunt work Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's second try was a piece of magic - with the Queensland winger jumping high to reel in a skied kick before maintaining his composure to touch down. But it was a play a minute earlier that paved the way for the moment - Maroons enforcer Valentine Holmes laying a huge hit on Liam Martin to force the turnover. *Elbow your way in With the rain tumbling down, NSW's Zac Lomax let his frustrations get the better of him when he elbowed Trent Loiero. Lomax had just been tackled to the ground when he threw his left elbow back to collect Loiero in the face. The subsequent penalty gave Queensland a 14-6 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the first half. *Get out of my way At 20-6 down NSW were in desperate need of a try, and star halfback Nathan Cleary delivered by twisting and turning his way through Queensland's defence. But the Blues' joy soon turned to despair when the try was ruled for an obstruction. Rubbing salt into the wound, Kurt Capewell touched down less than two minutes later to give Queensland a dominant 26-6 lead at half-time. *When the bounce ain't right With Queensland clinging on to a 26-14 lead with 18 minutes to go, Tabuai-Fidow tried to trap a tumbling kick with his foot. But he was left embarrassed when the ball bounced up, hit him on the arm and hip before deflecting in front of him. NSW made the most of the gift, with To'o scoring his third try two minutes later to reduce the margin to eight points. *Dribble magic from Luai With all the momentum going NSW's way, Jarome Luai ensured the try barrage continued with a beautiful dribble kick for Angus Crichton to run onto and touch down. The successful conversion made it a two-point game with just seven minutes to go, setting up a grandstand finish. *Oh so close With less than 90 seconds remaining and NSW pushing for the winning try, Blues prop Payne Haas lost the ball after being tackled by two Queensland players. It proved to be NSW's last chance, meaning they fell short of pulling off one of the great Origin comebacks.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
The moment that decided Origin II: Maroons finally stop To'o
Michael Carayannis and Brent Read unpack how the Maroons right edge was finally able to stop Brian To'o when the Blues threatened to steal the match - and the series.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Queensland 26-24 New South Wales: Maroons weather dramatic late Blues comeback to keep State of Origin series alive
Series decider in Sydney to be played on July 9 Queensland have kept the State of Origin series alive by beating a fast-finishing NSW in a frantic finish at Optus Stadium in Perth. After three weeks of turmoil that included the axing of captain Daly Cherry-Evans, the Maroons produced a famous Queensland performance for the ages to win 26-24. It didn't come easy after the Maroons led 26-6 at half-time and then let in four second-half tries to allow the Blues to get within two points with six minutes left. But just as NSW threatened to pull off the first 20-point comeback in Origin history, Payne Haas dropped a ball on attack late and the Maroons held on. Goalkicking proving the difference with NSW scoring more tries, but Zac Lomax converting just two of five. The result sets up a series decider in Sydney on July 9, with NSW suddenly searching for answers after being well below their best at Optus Stadium. Queensland have kept the State of Origin series alive by beating a fast-finishing NSW 26-24 at Optus Stadium in Perth (pictured, Maroons skipper Cameron Munster) Winger Brian To'o (pictured) scored a hat-trick for NSW - but still came up short in Perth On a frantic night that boiled over on several occasions, Jarome Luai was placed on report for an alleged eye gouge on Reuben Cotter. Luai appeared to make contact with Cotter's eye in the first half before Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga then made a raking action to officials. That alone summed up the night for the Blues, who at one stage trailed the penalty count 9-0 and had a crucial Nathan Cleary try overturned by an obstruction before the break. Even still, this was night for the Maroons on a day that began with coach Billy Slater apologising for press-conference comments that referenced the late Paul Green. NSW looked as if they were going to continue their form from the series-opening 18-6 win at Suncorp Stadium early, crossing first through Brian To'o. But what followed was an invoking of the Queensland spirit that Origin has largely been built on. The Maroons attack came to life, with Robert Toia sending Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow over for one and the winger jumping over To'o for another. New captain Cameron Munster scored once when Harry Grant got out of dummy-half, while Kurt Mann offloaded for a Kurt Capewell four-pointer before the break. Capewell's try looked likely to be a heartbreaker for the Blues, after Cleary had been denied for the obstruction moments earlier. But any thought Queensland had of cruising to victory was quickly killed off in the second half. On a frantic night that boiled over on several occasions, NSW Blues star Jarome Luai (pictured) was placed on report for an alleged eye gouge on Reuben Cotter in the first half To'o had his second shortly after the break when NSW stripped Queensland for numbers, before Stephen Crichton went through three defenders to make it a 12-point game. The comeback was then well and truly alive when Cleary and Luai combined to help Latrell Mitchell send To'o over for his third. And when Mitchell pulled off a one-on-one strip on Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Angus Crichton ran onto a Luai grubber kick, NSW looked set to storm home. But in the end Queensland stood tall at the death, sealing a famous backs-to-the-wall win to keep hope of winning back the Origin shield.
