Latest news with #Rabbitohs
The Age
13 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Master coaches Bennett and Bellamy set for record 44th showdown
The last time he was asked about his record against Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bennett gave the question short shrift. 'I couldn't give a rat's about it,' Bennett said before his South Sydney team clashed with Bellamy's Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park in round eight. 'It's the last thing on my mind.' Two months down the track, as he and Bellamy prepare for a record-breaking 44th showdown as rival coaches at Accor Stadium on Saturday, Bennett was more inclined to offer an insight into the respect he holds for one of the few opponents to have dominated him throughout their storied careers. Asked on Friday about where Bellamy rates among the great coaches he has encountered, Bennett replied: 'He's up there with them. His record says that. His win-loss record, his grand final appearances. He's up there with all the great coaches we've ever had.' The previous benchmark was Bennett's 43 clashes with Tim Sheens, which was equalled in round eight when the Storm downed Souths 24-18 at AAMI Park, extending two remarkable streaks in the process. That result left the Rabbitohs winless in the Victorian capital, a curse that dates back 26 years and now amounts to 20 successive games. Moreover, it was Bellamy's 14th consecutive win against Bennett, whose last success against the Storm mentor was nine years ago, during his second stint at the helm of Brisbane Broncos. Bennett has since changed clubs three times, from the Broncos to Souths to the Dolphins and back to the Rabbitohs, without coming any closer to toppling the Melbourne maestro.
Sydney Morning Herald
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Master coaches Bennett and Bellamy set for record 44th showdown
The last time he was asked about his record against Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bennett gave the question short shrift. 'I couldn't give a rat's about it,' Bennett said before his South Sydney team clashed with Bellamy's Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park in round eight. 'It's the last thing on my mind.' Two months down the track, as he and Bellamy prepare for a record-breaking 44th showdown as rival coaches at Accor Stadium on Saturday, Bennett was more inclined to offer an insight into the respect he holds for one of the few opponents to have dominated him throughout their storied careers. Asked on Friday about where Bellamy rates among the great coaches he has encountered, Bennett replied: 'He's up there with them. His record says that. His win-loss record, his grand final appearances. He's up there with all the great coaches we've ever had.' The previous benchmark was Bennett's 43 clashes with Tim Sheens, which was equalled in round eight when the Storm downed Souths 24-18 at AAMI Park, extending two remarkable streaks in the process. That result left the Rabbitohs winless in the Victorian capital, a curse that dates back 26 years and now amounts to 20 successive games. Moreover, it was Bellamy's 14th consecutive win against Bennett, whose last success against the Storm mentor was nine years ago, during his second stint at the helm of Brisbane Broncos. Bennett has since changed clubs three times, from the Broncos to Souths to the Dolphins and back to the Rabbitohs, without coming any closer to toppling the Melbourne maestro.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Quite confident': Blues handed Origin boost after surprise news about Souths forward
Keaon Koloamatangi's hopes of earning a State of Origin recall for the Blues have been given a massive boost after he was named to return from injury in South Sydney's round 16 blockbuster against Melbourne on Saturday night. Koloamatangi fractured his eye socket in last week's loss to Canterbury and was expected to miss the Storm clash, despite being named in Wayne Bennett's extended squad. But the veteran coach confirmed on Friday that the Rabbitohs wrecking ball did not require surgery and would be elevated into Souths' 17-man squad for the home game at Accor Stadium. The news will come as a huge relief to the Bunnies, who will also welcome back Latrell Mitchell, with the star fullback set to back up from the Blues' two-point loss in Origin Game 2. Koloamatangi has been in destructive form since moving to play in the middle this season and Bennett hailed the forward's toughness after revealing he'd been given the green light to play Melbourne this weekend. "(Koloamatangi) didn't need any surgery and the doctor's quite confident (the injury) won't be a problem to him. He's confident and he's happy so we'll go ahead and let him play," Bennett told reporters. "He's a bit like Jye Gray the other night with a broken thumb, played the whole second half. You can't question the toughness and the wanting to play for the club as well. The club's in a good place if players want to play and they've got injuries or getting back a little bit earlier. They work really hard." Koloamatangi was named in the Blues' extended squad for Origin Game 2 but missed the trip to Perth after picking up the game-ending injury in the six-point loss to the Dogs. And he'll be keen to press his Origin claims for the series decider in Sydney on July 9, with NSW coach Laurie Daley alluding to potential changes after Wednesday night's defeat. Stefano Utoikamanu seems the NSW player most under threat of being replaced by the likes of Koloamatangi or Wests Tigers star Terrell May after an underwhelming display off the bench in Perth. The Blues interchange forward only had four runs for 41 metres and gave away a costly penalty for obstruction that saw a try to Blues teammate Nathan Cleary correctly chalked off. And Saturday's clash against Utoikamanu's Storm could be a straight shoot-out between the Blues hopefuls. Koloamatangi's blistering form for the Rabbitohs has led to growing calls for Daley to hand him an Origin recall after impressing in his one and only game for the Blues in the 2023 decider. And his inclusion for the Storm clash means he'll have two games to press his Origin claims, with Souths taking on the Dolphins in round 17 the following week. RELATED: Details emerge as Ezra Mam seen in post-match moment with Leniu Door wide open for Walsh as Ponga floated for shock QLD axing Andrew Johns airs complaint over Origin moment 'shouldn't be allowed' Melbourne have their own concerns for the match against the Rabbitohs, with Maroons winger Xavier Coates ruled out. Queensland skipper Cam Munster and Utoikamanu are also in some doubt after flying back to Melbourne, despite both being named in Craig Bellamy's starting side. While Maroons duo Harry Grant and Trent Loiero look good to go after they both flew directly to Sydney from Perth. with AAP
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘He'll be playing': Latrell Mitchell to play for Souths on Saturday as Keaon Koloamatangi cleared to take on Storm
South Sydney has received a double boost with Latrell Mitchell set to back-up just three days after Origin, while influential front-rower Keaon Koloamatangi will also play despite initial fears he could need surgery on a nasty facial injury. While those two are key ins, the Rabbitohs will be without injured duo Cody Walker and Campbell Graham for another week, while coach Wayne Bennett also confirmed Lewis Dodd would not start at five-eighth against the Storm. Mitchell's inclusion is a big boost for a team fighting to stay in touch with the top eight, with the superstar fullback keen to play just days after the Blues were beaten in Perth. 'He'll be playing, he'll be captain of the team and he's all good,' Bennett said. 'It's really important for us with other players missing. He's happy and he wants to play, so that's good.' The Rabbitohs have endured a horror run of injuries this year, with Bennett revealing skipper Cam Murray is about to start running again as he eyes a return later this year from an achilles rupture. Koloamatangi has been huge for them since moving to the middle, with medical staff clearing him to play after he suffered a suspected fractured eye socket last week. Keaon Koloamatangi has been named on an extended bench for the Rabbitohs this week - could he play just one week after suffering an eye socket fracture? It’s not common but it’s been done before! Even if it isn’t quite this week I think SuperCoach/Fantasy players will be happy. — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 17, 2025 'He didn't need any surgery and the doctor was quite confident that it won't be a problem for him,' Bennett said. 'He's happy and he's confident, so we'll go ahead and let him play. 'You can't question their toughness and their wanting to play for the club. They don't want to let the other players down if they can avoid that.' Bennett confirmed Walker had signed an extension at the club for 2026 and isn't concerned about the veteran five-eighth who has battled several soft tissue injuries. 'Cody should be back next week and Campbell should be back next week,' he said. 'They were close today, but they just weren't right. 'It just happens sometimes that you have a bad run with injuries. Most of them have been minor, so we're confident (Walker will be fine going forward).' Jack Wighton had a field day at left centre when the Rabbitohs went to Melbourne earlier in the year, but he'll shift to five-eighth and replace Dodd who was named in the halves but was unlikely to ever play there. 'I haven't really had a conversation with him because I told them on Tuesday that it probably wouldn't be the team anyway because I didn't know what was going on with Origin and other people's injuries,' Bennett explained. 'I only really announced the team this morning to the players, so they didn't know what they were doing. 'Cody trained with us on Wednesday and we thought he might have been playing.'
The Advertiser
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Souths beast to play days after fracturing eye socket
Wayne Bennett has hailed Keaon Koloamatangi's toughness as he prepares to line up for South Sydney less than a week after fracturing his eye socket. The rapid-fire return gives Koloamatangi two games to reassert his State of Origin credentials, after missing NSW's trip to Perth for game two with the game-ending injury suffered against Canterbury on Sunday. Koloamatangi had originally been a member of NSW's extended squad for Origin II and appears the next cab off the rank if Laurie Daley wants to tweak his 17 for the decider on July 9. Koloamatangi comes in from the extended squad to face Melbourne on Saturday and will be joined in the team by star fullback Latrell Mitchell, who is backing up from NSW's two-point loss. The Storm have ruled Xavier Coates out of the game at Accor Stadium but are likely to have his Queensland teammates Harry Grant and Trent Loiero on deck after they flew direct to Sydney from Perth after Origin. Fellow Origin representatives Stefano Utoikamanu and Cam Munster flew back to Melbourne and are at longer odds to make the trip to Sydney to face Koloamatangi and the Rabbitohs. "(Koloamatangi) didn't need any surgery and the doctor's quite confident (the injury) won't be a problem to him. He's confident and he's happy so we'll go ahead and let him play," said Souths coach Bennett. "He's a bit like Jye Gray the other night with a broken thumb, played the whole second half. You can't question the toughness and the wanting to play for the club as well. "The club's in a good place if players want to play and they've got injuries or getting back a little bit earlier. They work really hard." The news is not so good for recruit Lewis Dodd, who had been named to come in from reserve grade for the injured Jayden Sullivan but will be replaced at five-eighth by Jack Wighton. The axing raises further questions as to Dodd's future at the Rabbitohs, who have only started him in the halves once since he was lured from England on a salary of more than $600,000. Dodd's selection chances will only diminish further when Cody Walker returns from his groin injury next weekend, having almost recovered in time to face the Storm. "I haven't really had a conversation with (Dodd) because I told him on Tuesday he probably wasn't in the team anyway," Bennett said. "I didn't know what was going on with Origin, I didn't know the other guys' injuries. I only really announced the team this morning to the players." Saturday's game will be the 44th time Bennett has coached against Storm mentor Craig Bellamy, breaking the record for most match-ups for two coaches since the grand final era began in 1954. To keep their top-eight tilt on track, the 14th-placed Rabbitohs must snap Bellamy's 14-game winning streak against Bennett-coached sides. "(Bellamy's teams) all do their jobs, they're really good at that. Whatever role you've got in the team, they do it," Bennett said. Wayne Bennett has hailed Keaon Koloamatangi's toughness as he prepares to line up for South Sydney less than a week after fracturing his eye socket. The rapid-fire return gives Koloamatangi two games to reassert his State of Origin credentials, after missing NSW's trip to Perth for game two with the game-ending injury suffered against Canterbury on Sunday. Koloamatangi had originally been a member of NSW's extended squad for Origin II and appears the next cab off the rank if Laurie Daley wants to tweak his 17 for the decider on July 9. Koloamatangi comes in from the extended squad to face Melbourne on Saturday and will be joined in the team by star fullback Latrell Mitchell, who is backing up from NSW's two-point loss. The Storm have ruled Xavier Coates out of the game at Accor Stadium but are likely to have his Queensland teammates Harry Grant and Trent Loiero on deck after they flew direct to Sydney from Perth after Origin. Fellow Origin representatives Stefano Utoikamanu and Cam Munster flew back to Melbourne and are at longer odds to make the trip to Sydney to face Koloamatangi and the Rabbitohs. "(Koloamatangi) didn't need any surgery and the doctor's quite confident (the injury) won't be a problem to him. He's confident and he's happy so we'll go ahead and let him play," said Souths coach Bennett. "He's a bit like Jye Gray the other night with a broken thumb, played the whole second half. You can't question the toughness and the wanting to play for the club as well. "The club's in a good place if players want to play and they've got injuries or getting back a little bit earlier. They work really hard." The news is not so good for recruit Lewis Dodd, who had been named to come in from reserve grade for the injured Jayden Sullivan but will be replaced at five-eighth by Jack Wighton. The axing raises further questions as to Dodd's future at the Rabbitohs, who have only started him in the halves once since he was lured from England on a salary of more than $600,000. Dodd's selection chances will only diminish further when Cody Walker returns from his groin injury next weekend, having almost recovered in time to face the Storm. "I haven't really had a conversation with (Dodd) because I told him on Tuesday he probably wasn't in the team anyway," Bennett said. "I didn't know what was going on with Origin, I didn't know the other guys' injuries. I only really announced the team this morning to the players." Saturday's game will be the 44th time Bennett has coached against Storm mentor Craig Bellamy, breaking the record for most match-ups for two coaches since the grand final era began in 1954. To keep their top-eight tilt on track, the 14th-placed Rabbitohs must snap Bellamy's 14-game winning streak against Bennett-coached sides. "(Bellamy's teams) all do their jobs, they're really good at that. Whatever role you've got in the team, they do it," Bennett said. Wayne Bennett has hailed Keaon Koloamatangi's toughness as he prepares to line up for South Sydney less than a week after fracturing his eye socket. The rapid-fire return gives Koloamatangi two games to reassert his State of Origin credentials, after missing NSW's trip to Perth for game two with the game-ending injury suffered against Canterbury on Sunday. Koloamatangi had originally been a member of NSW's extended squad for Origin II and appears the next cab off the rank if Laurie Daley wants to tweak his 17 for the decider on July 9. Koloamatangi comes in from the extended squad to face Melbourne on Saturday and will be joined in the team by star fullback Latrell Mitchell, who is backing up from NSW's two-point loss. The Storm have ruled Xavier Coates out of the game at Accor Stadium but are likely to have his Queensland teammates Harry Grant and Trent Loiero on deck after they flew direct to Sydney from Perth after Origin. Fellow Origin representatives Stefano Utoikamanu and Cam Munster flew back to Melbourne and are at longer odds to make the trip to Sydney to face Koloamatangi and the Rabbitohs. "(Koloamatangi) didn't need any surgery and the doctor's quite confident (the injury) won't be a problem to him. He's confident and he's happy so we'll go ahead and let him play," said Souths coach Bennett. "He's a bit like Jye Gray the other night with a broken thumb, played the whole second half. You can't question the toughness and the wanting to play for the club as well. "The club's in a good place if players want to play and they've got injuries or getting back a little bit earlier. They work really hard." The news is not so good for recruit Lewis Dodd, who had been named to come in from reserve grade for the injured Jayden Sullivan but will be replaced at five-eighth by Jack Wighton. The axing raises further questions as to Dodd's future at the Rabbitohs, who have only started him in the halves once since he was lured from England on a salary of more than $600,000. Dodd's selection chances will only diminish further when Cody Walker returns from his groin injury next weekend, having almost recovered in time to face the Storm. "I haven't really had a conversation with (Dodd) because I told him on Tuesday he probably wasn't in the team anyway," Bennett said. "I didn't know what was going on with Origin, I didn't know the other guys' injuries. I only really announced the team this morning to the players." Saturday's game will be the 44th time Bennett has coached against Storm mentor Craig Bellamy, breaking the record for most match-ups for two coaches since the grand final era began in 1954. To keep their top-eight tilt on track, the 14th-placed Rabbitohs must snap Bellamy's 14-game winning streak against Bennett-coached sides. "(Bellamy's teams) all do their jobs, they're really good at that. Whatever role you've got in the team, they do it," Bennett said.
