Latest news with #Dolphins
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Origin duo backed to go full-throttle in Perth
The Dolphins' and Newcastle Knights' respective coaches have vowed their State of Origin stars will be in full flight for Saturday's NRL clash at HBF Park. In the battle of sixth vs 15th, both Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf and his Newcastle counterpart Adam O'Brien backed their Queensland Origin starters Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Kalyn Ponga to back up after their mid-week heroics against NSW. Woolf said Tabuai-Fidow, who scored two first-half tries in the Maroons' heart-stopping 26-24 win at Optus Stadium, had been bouncing off the walls after linking up with his club teammates in Perth. 'He came into camp with a real smile on his face and that's always a great sign for 'Hammer',' he said. 'I liked the way he was moving out there as well, I probably expected him to be a little bit tentative but he's moving around really quick and he's ready to go. 'They performed really well and made some real improvements from what they did in the first game. They all looked like a really happy group; he's certainly come into camp that way and it's great for us.' Ponga started at full-back for the Maroons and O'Brien said the Port Hedland-born star had pulled up well following the grueling clash. Kalyn Ponga. Credit: Scott Gardiner / Getty Images 'Kalyn will play. He looks great. It's an extra day from what it was from Origin one, so that helps, and then he just stayed on, didn't have to travel.' The Knights will bring back Bradman Best, Fletcher Sharpe and Tyson Frizell following injuries and O'Brien said his side needed to be prepared for the exciting Tabuai-Fidow and his fellow Dolphins outside backs. 'They move the ball great, they play to their strengths. With a few of their forwards out, they rely on getting the ball to their outside backs, who are quite athletic,' he said. 'We understand we have to be very good defensively because you're going to face a lot of shift, a lot of shape, particularly in parts of the field you're not normally used to.' Following their thumping 58-4 win over North Queensland last week, Woolf said his team could not afford to put the cart before the horse ahead of the Newcastle match. 'We've just got ourselves into the top eight and we've had to work really hard to do that after a slow start,' he said. 'More concerning for us at the moment is the week-to-week performance and making sure we continue on the right direction.'
West Australian
6 hours ago
- Sport
- West Australian
NRL: Dolphins and Newcastle Knights duo Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Kalyn Ponga ready for Perth clash
The Dolphins' and Newcastle Knights' respective coaches have vowed their State of Origin stars will be in full flight for Saturday's NRL clash at HBF Park. In the battle of sixth vs 15th, both Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf and his Newcastle counterpart Adam O'Brien backed their Queensland Origin starters Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Kalyn Ponga to back up after their mid-week heroics against NSW. Woolf said Tabuai-Fidow, who scored two first-half tries in the Maroons' heart-stopping 26-24 win at Optus Stadium, had been bouncing off the walls after linking up with his club teammates in Perth. 'He came into camp with a real smile on his face and that's always a great sign for 'Hammer',' he said. 'I liked the way he was moving out there as well, I probably expected him to be a little bit tentative but he's moving around really quick and he's ready to go. 'They performed really well and made some real improvements from what they did in the first game. They all looked like a really happy group; he's certainly come into camp that way and it's great for us.' Ponga started at full-back for the Maroons and O'Brien said the Port Hedland-born star had pulled up well following the grueling clash. 'Kalyn will play. He looks great. It's an extra day from what it was from Origin one, so that helps, and then he just stayed on, didn't have to travel.' The Knights will bring back Bradman Best, Fletcher Sharpe and Tyson Frizell following injuries and O'Brien said his side needed to be prepared for the exciting Tabuai-Fidow and his fellow Dolphins outside backs. 'They move the ball great, they play to their strengths. With a few of their forwards out, they rely on getting the ball to their outside backs, who are quite athletic,' he said. 'We understand we have to be very good defensively because you're going to face a lot of shift, a lot of shape, particularly in parts of the field you're not normally used to.' Following their thumping 58-4 win over North Queensland last week, Woolf said his team could not afford to put the cart before the horse ahead of the Newcastle match. 'We've just got ourselves into the top eight and we've had to work really hard to do that after a slow start,' he said. 'More concerning for us at the moment is the week-to-week performance and making sure we continue on the right direction.'
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Rams coach Sean McVay ‘open-minded' to reunion with Dolphins corner Jalen Ramsey
Just go ahead and get the deal done already. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay called the team 'open-minded' when it comes to bringing back Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, only further fanning the flames of a reunion. 'Usually, those are scenarios and situations that you have to have plans in place prior to executing some of the decisions that have occurred,' McVay said Tuesday. 'Definitely don't want to rule anything out because we're always open-minded to onboarding and acquiring quality players and people like him if we're able to do that, but there would be some obstacles that are real that are in the place of maybe preventing that from occurring.' Speculation about Ramsey's return to Los Angeles have swirled since he and the Miami Dolphins mutually agreed to deal the seven-time Pro Bowler in mid-April. Even Rams general manager Les Snead confirmed that he and the Dolphins front office had a conversation about Ramsey. 'I've had discussions with Miami,' Snead said April 22, later adding that 'there are a lot of nuances to that situation based on all the things that come with a trade, contracts and things like that. I'm not sure where they're at in the process.' The All-Pro corner, for one, has not been shy about his love for Los Angeles. Ramsey, of course, spent 2019 to 2022 with the Rams, even helping to bring Los Angeles a Super Bowl during the 2021 season before the team dealt him to Miami in 2023. 'L.A. is like a second home for me,' Ramsey said prior to his 2024 return to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, later adding that 'the community always treated me and my family with nothing but love and respect.' A potential reconciliation between the Dolphins and Ramsey was always a long shot yet effectively fell apart when the nine-year veteran skipped last week's mandatory minicamp. 'He is not here,' Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said June 10, calling Ramsey's absence 'excused.' 'We are focused on building the Dolphins today, and anything outside of that, any sort of distractions I'm not focused on.' The biggest obstacle to the blockbuster deal, however, is Ramsey's price tag as he will make approximately $25.1 million in 2025. Los Angeles, however, waived fellow corner Derion Kendrick on Friday, a move that saved them about $3.4 million. The Rams did re-sign Kendrick Tuesday yet the extra cap space would certainly be necessary if a deal for Ramsey manifested. 'We've had conversations through the weekend with some teams about it as well,' Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft, 'so depending on what happens and if and when it'll happen — whatever it is — we'll make the deal at the appropriate time.' Despite the Dolphins' willingness to move on from Ramsey, the 30-year-old still remains one of the best corners in football. During his 27 game stint in Miami, Ramsey had five picks, 16 pass deflections and 82 combined tackles. Quarterbacks only completed roughly 59-percent of their passes with a rating of about 71.8 when throwing in his direction over the last two years. The Rams, meanwhile, could desperately use an injection of talent in their secondary as the team finished the 2024 season ranked 20th against the pass.
The Advertiser
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Young leader: Dolphins gun equals idol Cleary's record
Isaiya Katoa will become the youngest NRL captain since his idol Nathan Cleary in 2019, having given Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf the ultimate accolade as he prepares to step up. The 21-year-old will lead the Dolphins for the first time on Saturday, when they face Newcastle in Perth without suspended acting captain Felise Kaufusi. The Dolphins expect to have Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on deck for the clash after he made it through Queensland's game-two State of Origin win, while Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga is also set to back up. Katoa, at just 21 years and 123 days, will be the youngest player to captain an NRL side since Cleary did so at the exact same age when he co-captained Penrith in round one of 2019. Katoa, who came through the Panthers system with Cleary as a role model, has been the catalyst for the Dolphins winning their past three games in emphatic fashion and surging into sixth position. The superstar is the player former greats Andrew Johns and Cooper Cronk wax lyrical about most weeks for his elite playmaking ways. The Tongan international has engaged the line 161 times this year, the best in the NRL, while he has the most kick metres (6254m) and is equal second for try assists (13). He played his first two seasons of NRL under master coach Wayne Bennett but has gone to another level under Woolf in 2025. "'Woolfy' has been awesome for me and has probably had the biggest impact on my footy career so far," Katoa said. "I've had him as a coach since I was 18 years old in the Tonga team. He knows how to bring me right back to square one when I need it and at the same time he gives me praise when I need it as well. "That balance has been awesome and is what I do love about him … just the way he can connect with everyone on a personal level and instil a lot of confidence into you." Despite missing four of their best forwards, the Dolphins have won their past three games against Canterbury, St George Illawarra and North Queensland with a combined tally of 158-18. "I think we understand our DNA as a team," Katoa said. "We now know we can base our game off hard work, winning the tough stuff first and then we get the joy to play a bit of footy towards the back end of the halves. "If we can keep the balance right with that and go after teams physically and win games with our shoulders it is going to be great for us in the long run." Isaiya Katoa will become the youngest NRL captain since his idol Nathan Cleary in 2019, having given Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf the ultimate accolade as he prepares to step up. The 21-year-old will lead the Dolphins for the first time on Saturday, when they face Newcastle in Perth without suspended acting captain Felise Kaufusi. The Dolphins expect to have Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on deck for the clash after he made it through Queensland's game-two State of Origin win, while Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga is also set to back up. Katoa, at just 21 years and 123 days, will be the youngest player to captain an NRL side since Cleary did so at the exact same age when he co-captained Penrith in round one of 2019. Katoa, who came through the Panthers system with Cleary as a role model, has been the catalyst for the Dolphins winning their past three games in emphatic fashion and surging into sixth position. The superstar is the player former greats Andrew Johns and Cooper Cronk wax lyrical about most weeks for his elite playmaking ways. The Tongan international has engaged the line 161 times this year, the best in the NRL, while he has the most kick metres (6254m) and is equal second for try assists (13). He played his first two seasons of NRL under master coach Wayne Bennett but has gone to another level under Woolf in 2025. "'Woolfy' has been awesome for me and has probably had the biggest impact on my footy career so far," Katoa said. "I've had him as a coach since I was 18 years old in the Tonga team. He knows how to bring me right back to square one when I need it and at the same time he gives me praise when I need it as well. "That balance has been awesome and is what I do love about him … just the way he can connect with everyone on a personal level and instil a lot of confidence into you." Despite missing four of their best forwards, the Dolphins have won their past three games against Canterbury, St George Illawarra and North Queensland with a combined tally of 158-18. "I think we understand our DNA as a team," Katoa said. "We now know we can base our game off hard work, winning the tough stuff first and then we get the joy to play a bit of footy towards the back end of the halves. "If we can keep the balance right with that and go after teams physically and win games with our shoulders it is going to be great for us in the long run." Isaiya Katoa will become the youngest NRL captain since his idol Nathan Cleary in 2019, having given Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf the ultimate accolade as he prepares to step up. The 21-year-old will lead the Dolphins for the first time on Saturday, when they face Newcastle in Perth without suspended acting captain Felise Kaufusi. The Dolphins expect to have Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on deck for the clash after he made it through Queensland's game-two State of Origin win, while Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga is also set to back up. Katoa, at just 21 years and 123 days, will be the youngest player to captain an NRL side since Cleary did so at the exact same age when he co-captained Penrith in round one of 2019. Katoa, who came through the Panthers system with Cleary as a role model, has been the catalyst for the Dolphins winning their past three games in emphatic fashion and surging into sixth position. The superstar is the player former greats Andrew Johns and Cooper Cronk wax lyrical about most weeks for his elite playmaking ways. The Tongan international has engaged the line 161 times this year, the best in the NRL, while he has the most kick metres (6254m) and is equal second for try assists (13). He played his first two seasons of NRL under master coach Wayne Bennett but has gone to another level under Woolf in 2025. "'Woolfy' has been awesome for me and has probably had the biggest impact on my footy career so far," Katoa said. "I've had him as a coach since I was 18 years old in the Tonga team. He knows how to bring me right back to square one when I need it and at the same time he gives me praise when I need it as well. "That balance has been awesome and is what I do love about him … just the way he can connect with everyone on a personal level and instil a lot of confidence into you." Despite missing four of their best forwards, the Dolphins have won their past three games against Canterbury, St George Illawarra and North Queensland with a combined tally of 158-18. "I think we understand our DNA as a team," Katoa said. "We now know we can base our game off hard work, winning the tough stuff first and then we get the joy to play a bit of footy towards the back end of the halves. "If we can keep the balance right with that and go after teams physically and win games with our shoulders it is going to be great for us in the long run."
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jalen Ramsey spotted at UCLA — fueling Steelers trade rumors due to DK Metcalf connection
Jalen Ramsey's UCLA training pic has gone viral after weeks of Steelers trade rumors and speculation. UCLA Football posted several pictures of Ramsey's training session, which sent social media pages into a frenzy. Polymarket Football quickly speculated that the workout could be connected to DK Metcalf, as the Steelers wide receiver had his famous throwing session with Aaron Rodgers there. Back in April, insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Dolphins and Ramsey had mutually agreed to seek trade options. Over the past several weeks, Ramsey has been connected to both the Rams and Steelers as potential landing spots for the three-time All-Pro corner — while HC Sean McVay claimed "obstacles" may prevent Los Angeles from acquiring him. Advertisement Steelers fans should take the now-viral UCLA workout speculation with a grain of salt, as Ramsey's choice of training facility being similar to that of Rodgers and Metcalf is likely coincidence — but it definitely adds more fuel to the rumored Pittsburgh trade narrative this offseason. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers' trade target Jalen Ramsey goes viral for UCLA training pic
