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Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Benji Marshall fumes at match officials and claims he 'feels sorry for his players' as Nathan Cleary's Panthers have the last laugh against Jarome Luai's Wests Tigers
A seething Benji Marshall admitted he 'felt sorry' for his players, as he fumed at referees for two controversial calls against star man Jarome Luai, following his side's 18-14 defeat by Penrith. Nathan Cleary 's side had the last laugh over their former five-eighth, Luai, as they leapfrogged the Tigers to go one point clear of them in the NRL ladder. Luai had a mixed reunion with the Panthers, playing a hand in all of the Tigers' three tries but gifting Penrith penalties ahead of two game-defining scores in Sunday's second half at CommBank Stadium. After the teams were locked at 10-10 at halftime, Cleary kicked for goal to put Penrith ahead after Luai tackled Penrith's new five-eighth Blaize Talagi. The four-time reigning premiers later scored off an escort penalty, conceded by Luai. Sat next to the Tigers' five-eighth, Marshall unloaded on referees, appearing to claim they were too involved in the contest. 'I thought it was one of our best performances of the year,' the Tigers boss said, reflecting on the loss. 'We're playing against quality opposition that play at a really good level. 'They test you with their attack. Probably got the best kicking game in the competition. And we went toe to toe with them. And I honestly thought we were the better side tonight. 'The game is so hard and demanding. And I actually feel sorry for our players because they didn't actually get to decide tonight. 'I thought two calls, the first one on Jarome, on last, making a tackle. I thought it was outrageous. That decision took them to 12-10. 'And the second one, he got done for an escort, which I thought was bad too. And then they scored off the back of that set. Just let them decide. Let them play. 'The game is actually hard enough. So I'm proud of our boys and proud of the effort. And we'll keep fighting and turning up like that the way we did tonight and keep improving.' On reflection on the escort penalty, Marshall said he would be taking his concerns up with the NRL. 'Absolutely,' he said, when asked whether he'd get in touch with the league. He again affirmed that the escort penalty was the 'wrong call'. 'I agree with protecting the kickers, but he didn't take his legs out. They didn't put him in a dangerous position. It was simultaneous when he kicked it and he made contact there. Like, that's not a penalty. 'I'm all for protecting kickers. Don't get me wrong. OK, I just I thought it was the wrong call. And I thought it actually cost us because we're in a cycle there where they got field position, kicked the goal, got the ball back, went down, got a penalty and then scored, so anyway, I've had my rant.' Luai, meanwhile, was a little more reserved in his comments. 'I think the ref gave me the explanation of it was a bit careless. So, I understand the rules and in that moment, you know, I understood what I was doing. He's just in the rules.' But interestingly, that was when Marshall quickly interjected, saying: 'He's saying he doesn't want to make any comments.' Despite the contentious penalty, the Tigers' co-captain almost helped his team to victory in the final 10 minutes when Jack Bird regathered his bomb close to the line and offloaded to Jahream Bula. But a miraculous cover tackle from Scott Sorensen and Nathan Cleary stopped the fullback inches short of the line and the Panthers held on. Marking the Tigers' other ex-Panther in Sunia Turuva, left winger Tom Jenkins scored his first hat-trick in a win that keeps Penrith's mid-season resurgence humming. An away clash against the Warriors is set to prove a litmus test in a fortnight, with Penrith only able to lose four more games this season to finish with a 50 per cent winning record. Three-time reigning wooden spooners the Tigers head into their bye on a four-game losing streak that threatens to undo their improved start to the season. Jenkins completed his hat-trick, crossing just after Luai was cited for collecting Liam Martin on a kick chase. But Luai had been involved in everything the Tigers did well in a better first half for Benji Marshall's side. He first put boot to ball from his non-preferred right foot ahead of Starford To'a's try before again swinging to the right side as the Tigers shifted for Turuva to score. The 28-year-old was at the centre of another memorable moment early in the second half, flooring opposite man and long-term teammate Cleary in a bone-crunching one-on-one tackle. In his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jeral Skelton gave the Tigers a sniff with 10 minutes to play as Luai and Adam Doueihi found him on the left wing. But for a second consecutive week, the Panthers rediscovered their gritty best to hit their second bye in form.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers have last laugh over Jarome Luai
Penrith have had the last laugh over Jarome Luai, edging Wests Tigers for an 18-14 win in the four-time premiership hero's first game against his old side. Luai had a mixed reunion with the Panthers, playing a hand in all of the Tigers' three tries but gifting Penrith penalties ahead of two game-defining scores in Sunday's second half at CommBank Stadium. The Tigers' co-captain almost helped his team to victory in the final 10 minutes when Jack Bird regathered his bomb close to the line and offloaded to Jahream Bula. But a miraculous cover tackle from Scott Sorensen and Nathan Cleary stopped the fullback inches short of the line and the Panthers held on. THE TRY SAVER! 🤯#NRLTigersPanthers — NRL (@NRL) June 8, 2025 Marking the Tigers' other ex-Panther in Sunia Turuva, left winger Tom Jenkins scored his first hat-trick in a win that keeps Penrith's mid-season resurgence humming. An away clash against the Warriors is set to prove a litmus test in a fortnight, with Penrith only able to lose four more games this season to finish with a 50 per cent winning record. Three-time reigning wooden spooners the Tigers head into their bye on a four-game losing streak that threatens to undo their improved start to the season. After the teams were locked at 10-10 at halftime, Cleary kicked for goal to put Penrith ahead after Luai tackled Penrith's new five-eighth Blaize Talagi. Jenkins completed his hat-trick, crossing just after Luai was cited for collecting Liam Martin on a kick chase. But Luai had been involved in everything the Tigers did well in a better first half for Benji Marshall's side. He first put boot to ball from his non-preferred right foot ahead of Starford To'a's try before again swinging to the right side as the Tigers shifted for Turuva to score. The 28-year-old was at the centre of another memorable moment early in the second half, flooring opposite man and long-term teammate Cleary in a bone-crunching one-on-one tackle. In his first game back from a hamstring injury, Jeral Skelton gave the Tigers a sniff with 10 minutes to play as Luai and Adam Doueihi found him on the left wing. But for a second consecutive week, the Panthers rediscovered their gritty best to hit their second bye in form.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nathan Cleary opens up on Jarome Luai clash after ugly act with teammate emerges
Nathan Cleary insists he'll be ready to respond if Jarome Luai tries to sledge him when the former teammates square off against one another for the first time in the NRL on Sunday. And if Luai's spray for his own Wests Tigers teammate Jack Bird is anything to go by, there could be fireworks when the four-time premiership winners lock horns at CommBank Stadium. Cleary's Panthers climbed off the bottom of the NRL ladder with an 18-10 win over Parramatta on Sunday. And the four-time reigning premiers will be looking to register back-to-back victories for the first time this season against a Tigers side coming off the back of a four-point defeat to North Queensland. It will be the first meeting between Cleary and Luai in the NRL, after the latter decided to join the Tigers at the end of last season. The pair won an astonishing 78 of 89 matches in the halves together for the Panthers and shared in all four of Penrith's grand final triumphs as part of the greatest club dynasty in the NRL era. Cleary admits it will be weird to view Luai as a rival again, having achieved so much alongside his good friend. The Panthers co-captain got the better of Luai's Samoa in 2022 when Cleary helped the Kangaroos win the World Cup final but the Penrith star still has vivid memories of coming up against Luai's St Marys Saints in his junior footy days for Penrith Brothers. "We had a few duels back then but obviously it's been a long time," Cleary said. "I'm looking forward to it. "I do remember probably the biggest upset in junior footy history. We beat them one day and they were stacked. They were so good. "They used to beat us just about 50-nil every time... and one day we got them. He (Luai) might have cried. I'm not sure that'll happen again." Cleary says he's been impressed by the impact Luai has had on the Tigers since joining the three-time reigning wooden spooners and reckons they're "one of the best teams in the comp" when momentum is on their side. Cleary says the energy Luai brings is "probably his greatest asset" but played down suggestions there could be animosity when they square off. "There's just always that mutual respect there. We don't talk all the time but whenever we do or whenever we see each other, it's always love," he said. "You'll never be able to take away what we've been able to achieve together." But Cleary insists he will be ready to fight fire with fire if Luai resorts to sledging on Sunday. "I don't really start the chirp but if he starts it then we'll see," Cleary said with a smile. Luai has already shown that even his own teammates won't be spared from a spray if they fail to meet standards after he was captured giving Tigers forward Jack Bird a bake during Saturday's loss to North Queensland. Bird copped it after a miscommunication with prop Terrell May that saw a pass go to ground before Luai scooped up the footy and got smashed in a tackle. WATCH: Jerome Luai blows up at Jack Bird after the decoy runDT wrote a whole article about happens constantly on the footy field; the cameras are just picked up on this one. — NRLCentral (@nrlcentrall) June 2, 2025 Luai clearly felt it was sloppy from Bird but the Tigers co-captain was himself to blame after being sin-binned earlier on for holding down in the ruck off the back of multiple infringements. That proved costly as the Cowboys put on two tries to race out to an early lead , with the home side also running in three more either side of halftime when Adam Doueihi was binned. The Tigers scored four tries in the final 20 minutes to set up a grandstand finish but it was ultimately too little, too late. Heath Mason impressed in his first game at No.6 and will be hoping to get another crack as Lachie Galvin's replacement at the Tigers, who will be desperate to avoid four straight defeats. with AAP
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Blaize Talagi starting to fire ahead of showdown with former side
Blaize Talagi hasn't given his new Penrith teammates any inside information on what to expect from his former side on Sunday afternoon, with the five-eighth hoping to get one over the Eels in a blockbuster battle of the west. Parramatta fans thought Talagi would be their next superstar – especially with whispers Clint Gutherson was on the way out – but they now have to cheer on an Eels side missing their former skipper and one of the hottest young talents in the NRL. Talagi broke their hearts when he told the club he wanted to leave last year, and it only got worse when their noisy neighbours signed him to replace Jarome Luai. He now returns to CommBank Stadium to take on his old club, with Penrith needing a win to get off the foot of the table, with the Eels hoping to heap more pain on the champions. Off-season shoulder surgery slowed down his partnership with Nathan Cleary, with Talagi forced to start the year in reserve grade before he finally earnt a start in round 6. It was a clunky start but the young gun has quickly found his feet, headlined by four try assists against the Cowboys a few weeks ago when he only had eight in 19 games last year. 'He's really starting to grow in belief,' veteran back-rower Scott Sorensen said ahead of his return from suspension. 'Everyone is working hard, and he's right up there in working really hard on his game and understanding our system and his role in defence and attack. 'I think his confidence is starting to build, which is really exciting. 'Being out, you get to have a bit of a bird's-eye view on it. It's awesome to see his game grow, and his voice has grown as well. 'That comes with confidence and working on his combination with Nathan.' Questions were being asked in the early rounds when Talagi wasn't getting picked, while plenty of tough judges were quick to sink the boot in when Penrith were losing with him in the team. But he's starting to look more comfortable every week and hasn't been afraid to over call his famous halves partner if he sees something brewing on the left. 'He hasn't really missed a beat,' Sorensen said. 'He obviously had his shoulder surgery (in the pre-season) and I'm sure that would have played a part in building confidence and getting back into it. 'He just hasn't looked backwards. He's tried to grow and accept that this is his position now. He's been patient. There's a lot of outside noise, but he's believed in what's happening in the four walls here. 'I'm sure he's had conversations with Ivan, and you can see that he's taken his time to grow and learn our system. He's starting to blossom which is nice to see.' Outside back Tom Jenkins played against his former side the Knights last week but said Talagi hadn't even brought up Parramatta ahead of this weekend's grudge match. Jenkins was on the end of a stunning chip kick from Talagi to score against the Cowboys and said the young half's enthusiasm had been crucial for the four-time defending premiers who aren't stressing about being last on the ladder. 'I love playing with Blaize. He always brings the energy and he's one of those X-factor players that we look for,' he said. 'You never know what's going to happen around him, but it's usually pretty good. 'I didn't get to see him in pre-season, but from round 1 to now, it's clear to everyone that he's found his feet and he's developed.'
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I was about to cry': Emotional scenes before, during and after Joash Papalii's first game in the NRL
Joash Papalii may have had his eyes closed when he scored a try on debut on Friday night, but they were wide open as he embraced family and took photos with everyone in the CommBank Stadium sheds as they celebrated a moment that he'd been dreaming about since he was a young kid supporting the blue and golds. There were emotional scenes after the game as friends and family held up posters as Papalii posed with anyone and everyone in the home dressing room, with pride replacing the sheer hysteria they showed when he ran out for the first time two hours earlier. His dad was hugging senior players in the sheds while everyone soaked up the atmosphere, before the 20-year-old was whisked away from the deafening celebrations to a quiet place where he smiled for eight minutes straight in his first proper interview. It was a much more relaxed feeling compared to Monday when he was ushered into Jason Ryles' office after training with no idea what was about to unfold. 'I was walking in the physio room and he goes 'Joash' loud as. 'Come here, I need to talk to you in my office', so I ran there straight away,' the youngster explained. 'Nathan Brown then asked me if I was in trouble and I was nervous. He told me to sit down and I was shaking my legs. 'He asked me how it was going with my performance. He said I was killing it and then told me straight that I would be debuting this week. 'When he told me, in my mind I was saying 'are you joking?' 'I was about to cry but I held my tears. I didn't expect it this week, but I had to be ready for anything.' Papalii spent a couple of years in the Canterbury system but made the move to Parramatta this season where he's starred in reserve grade. But after being so close a number of times as 18th man, Papalii finally earned his shot after being picked on the bench for the showdown with the Sea Eagles. The message from Ryles was simple, with the rookie told to be ready for anything. So when Will Penisini came off inside the opening two minutes following a head knock, the lifelong Eels fan hopped off the bench and was straight into the action without any time to worry about what might happen. He was strong from the outset, with Papalii living out a childhood dream in the 24th minute when he finished off a big break up the middle to score in the right corner. It's a moment he'll never forget, but it's one he'll have to watch again and again given his eyes were closed as he grounded the ball for what should be the first of many NRL tries. Joash Papalii on DEBUT! 🤩ðŸ'� #NRLEelsManly Telstra Moment of the Match. — NRL (@NRL) May 23, 2025 'I did not expect it,' he said. 'I just told myself, just keep moving, just push and then when I saw Dylan Walker break the line, I was like, 'he's breaking'. I had to get on my bike. 'And then when I saw Dean Hawkins, he got tackled, and then he looked at me and he just chucked it (the ball). 'I was like oh, I've got to grab it. And I was about to go in the corner, and then I was like, I've got to come back in, and then I threw the dummy, and I was like, am I actually over the line? 'And when I opened my eyes I was like, wow, I actually got it. And I did not expect it. 'I was so happy. And when I heard the crowd it was so loud. I've always dreamed about this – watching it as the 18th man, experiencing the boys playing, it's all I ever wanted to do.' Papalii isn't sure if there were 150, 250 or 300 people who were there to support him on Friday, with friends and family travelling from as far as Melbourne to cheer him on. He was a ball of energy on and off the field, with the nephew of Raiders legend Josh Papalii cracking jokes and exuding pure joy from the moment he ran on until the recorders were switched off at the end of the interview, with the rookie just glad his parents were there after supporting him throughout his journey. 'All I ever wanted to do was to give back to them for all the sacrifices they've given me throughout my life,' he said. 'I just wanted to make them proud.'
