Latest news with #StateOfOrigin
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
NRL star Keaon Koloamatangi displays his toughness to line up for Rabbitohs - just DAYS after fracturing eye socket
Wayne Bennett has lauded 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 to be the next cab off the rank if Laurie Daley wants to tweak his 17 for the decider on July 9 in Sydney. The forward 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 winger 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 South Sydney coach Bennett. 'He's a bit like Jye Gray the other night with a broken thumb, (he) played the whole second half (against the Bulldogs). 'You can't question the toughness and the want 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. 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 impressive 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,' he said.
Yahoo
8 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
9 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I'm not happy for him, but I'm proud': Cameron Munster set to play for Storm after earning Origin comparisons to Wally Lewis
Rival coach Wayne Bennett compared Cameron Munster's performance in game two of the State of the Origin series to something Wally Lewis would have done in the past. But he could be on the receiving end on Saturday, with the Storm five-eighth expected to travel to Sydney to take on the Rabbitohs. The former Maroons coach heaped praise on Munster for his man-of-the-match showing in Perth on Wednesday night, likening it to what Lewis did so many times in the past for his state. Storm coach Craig Bellamy wasn't happy for Munster given he's part of the NSW coaching team, but he was super proud of a man who has matured over the years on and off the field in Melbourne. 'Captaining his state would have been a really proud moment for him and his family and the Storm,' Bellamy said. 'He led them with a lot of energy and really stuck to doing what he does well. 'I'm not really happy for him, but I'm really proud of him. Hopefully, the Blues can get them next time. 'The one thing about Cameron and his whole time here, he's got a genuine care for the club, and I think that's his strong suit. 'He's got a lot of strong suits as a footy player, but he's got a genuine care for what's right for the club and what he can do for the club. That's always stood him in really good stead. 'At times he got a bit loose, but Bianca (his partner) and the kids have sorted that out now.' It's been an emotionally draining few days for Munster, who replaced Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland captain and then led his state to a crucial win in the wet, with the champion playmaker heading home to Melbourne to be with his family. But he is expected to take his place on Saturday night for the game against Souths at Accor Stadium, with Bellamy confirming that try-scoring winger Xavier Coates would be rested given his history of hamstring injuries. Harry Grant, Trent Loiero and Stefano Utoikamanu are all expected to play, with the Storm's success built on stars wanting to back up to reward their teammates for helping them make representative sides. 'Xavier won't be playing, but the rest of them have been left alone,' Bellamy said, with Sua Fa'alogo likely to come onto the wing. 'Munster has come back (to Melbourne) to see his kids because he missed them, but he's not trained today. I'm pretty sure he'll play, but the rest of them we'll have to see how they come up and go from there. 'There's a chance of him (Munster) feeling flat because there are certainly going to be fewer people in the crowd. 'But the one thing all of our really good players here have prided themselves on is playing State of Origin and then coming back and backing up for our club. 'Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis all prided themselves on that, and these guys have caught that bug off them. 'They mightn't be 100 per cent tomorrow night because of playing on Wednesday, but we know they're going to give their best, and their best is good enough.'
RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
NRL: Wounded Penrith Panthers still dangerous proposition for NZ Warriors
Penrith celebrate their fourth NRL crown last season. Photo: Photosport Warriors v Panthers Kickoff: 5pm Sunday 21 June Go Media Stadium, Auckland Live blog updates on RNZ Sport NZ Warriors fans should not be fooled by the prospect of a depleted and seemingly out-of-form Penrith Panthers side arriving at Go Media Stadium on Saturday. The four-time defending NRL champions have not played in Auckland since 2019 - before their premiership run began - but have so far struggled in their bid for a fifth straight crown, currently languishing one point outside the playoff picture in ninth with five wins, seven losses and a rare draw. A five-game losing streak set them on their heels early and, as recently as four weeks ago, they sat bottom of the table, but back-to-back wins and a bye week have considerably boosted their hopes. "Obviously, it's not where they want it to be, that's pretty clear," Warriors coach Andrew Webster observed. "They normally have more wins on the board, but you can see they're building to something. "They know when to put the foot down and compete at a high level when it matters. I think you'll definitely see them challenge in this competition. "They're a strong club that are very proud and they'll find a way to get back to where they want to be." Coach Ivan Cleary has ruled out his five State of Origin stars for this fixture, lamenting a shortage of flights available to bring son Nathan, captain Isaah Yeo, fullback Dylan Edwards, winger Brian To'o and second-rower Liam Martin from Perth to Auckland with time to sufficiently recover. "The Origin players won't be playing because they can't," Cleary said. "I don't think it's fair that we can't play... we should be able to make that decision. Through flights, we just can't get them there." The Origin window has often been a difficult period for Penrith, but if the Warriors needed a reminder to never underestimate their rivals, it came in July 2017, when they travelled to the foot of the Blue Mountains to face a seemingly impotent line-up without its star-studded halves combination of Nathan Cleary and James Maloney. Instead, the visitors were shredded 36-4 by rookie Jarome Luai, who scored a try double and kicking 6/8 off the tee, for a personal haul of 20 points in just his second first-grade appearance. These days, Luai is also an Origin veteran, but has taken his talents to Wests Tigers. Only Roger Tuivasa-Sheck remains of that Warriors side, but ironically, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, James Fisher-Harris and Wayde Egan of the current squad turned out for Penrith that night. That encounter also somehow fell between the gaps in Webster's career, somewhere between his first stint at Mt Smart and his move to the Panthers, as Ivan Cleary's assistant. "That's a long time ago, I wasn't at either club - I was at the Tigers probably," he recalled. "I was living in Penrith and probably went to the game." Ivan Cleary (right) won't have son Nathan to steer the ship on Saturday. Photo: AAP/ Webster and Cleary have forged a strong relationship over the years, from the time they first hooked up at Wests, then a two-year period together at Penrith. Webster helped the Panthers to the first two titles of their dynasty, before returning across the Tasman to the Warriors with Cleary's recommendation for the top job. This will be their fourth head-to-head meeting, with Cleary ahead 2-1, but the Warriors took the most recent victory at 'Magic Round' in Brisbane last year, when their own revamped line-up shocked the titleholders with a late converted try to fullback Taine Tuaupiki. Webster admitted the significance of meeting his old club and mentor probably wasn't as strong as it once was. "Early on, the first couple of times you do it, you look into it a bit," he said. "Still got some fond memories and some people there I've got a lot of respect for, particularly Ivan, but that's kind of dwindled now. "They're the ex team, and you've got to go out and win. There are two points up for grabs and we're motivated to get better at what we want to do. "I'm just glad that the fans get the champions at our stadium." Ivan Cleary. Photo: Photosport Both teams are coming off a bye week and both have lost coming off their previous byes this season. The Warriors barely fired a shot in the first 40 minutes of a 42-14 defeat to Melbourne Storm in April, while the Panthers dropped a real headscratcher 25-6 against Newcastle Knights three weeks ago. Sitting third on the table, the Warriors produced probably their best performance of the season to vanquish Cronulla Sharks 40-10 two weeks ago, but lost an opportunity to build on any momentum from that outing. "We've got a chance to build on it now," Webster insisted. "It only seems like the other day we played, not like a month ago or six weeks ago. "We've still got an opportunity to build on what we did." The Warriors focused on themselves to start the week, but likely turned their attention towards their opponents nearer to gametime. "Their defence is very aggressive," Webster said. "Their line speed, they go after you, so you've got to make sure you earn your way out of trouble - we've got to have a hard edge about us there. "You have to make sure you have your own backyard in order, earning plenty of momentum with the ball and defending well. "If you start watching everyone and wondering what to do, you start losing focus on yourselves." Meanwhile, Webster has resisted the temptation to name Cleary's youngest son, Jett - born in Auckland during his dad's tenure with the Warriors and now back playing for the club's U21 side - for a surprise NRL debut against his father's team. 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News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Jarome Luai makes Tigers call just 48 hours after wild Origin return
Jarome Luai remains a strong chance of backing up just 48 hours after Wednesday's State of Origin match in Perth for the Wests Tigers against the Raiders on Friday night. Luai was a late inclusion for the Blues after Mitchell Moses went down at training last week, with the four-time premiership winner heading to Leura last Thursday and then flying out with his NSW teammates to the other side of the country. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. He got through the 26-24 loss unscathed and avoided a ban for an alleged eye gouge and now wants to back up against Canberra as the Tigers look to stay in touch with the top eight. 'I'll tell you exactly the conversation,' Tigers coach Benji Marshall replied when asked if Luai would play after he set up a couple of tries but also had a few errors in the narrow NSW loss. 'I said 'how'd you pull up?' and he goes 'I'm good to go, coach, put me in'. 'You've got to trust your senior players, but at the same time we'll get a medical done on him tonight when he gets back, massage, and see how he pulls up tomorrow. 'We've got back-up options if he doesn't play and we've prepared all week like he's not going to play. If he does play, it's a bonus. 'He's pulled up pretty well, apparently. We'll touch base tonight, but at the moment he's playing. 'I thought he had a lot of good moments with their tries. In the second half I thought he set up a lot of good play on their left edge. I reckon if they went there another time they probably could've jagged it at the end.' Marshall was worried that the decision would be taken out of his hands after Luai was placed on report for an alleged eye gouge on Reuben Cotter, but he escaped with a small fine after being hit with a grade 2 contrary conduct charge. Watch video of the incident with Cotter below 'I was (worried that he'd be banned) but I don't have to worry anymore. He got a fine, so he'll be right to play,' the coach said. 'You just don't know, I don't think it was intentional what he did. Anyway, that's not up to me anymore, that's been dealt with, he got a fine, it is what it is and we move on.' The Tigers have options if Luai is unable to play after a hectic few weeks where he had to deal with the pain of missing out on selection, only to be rushed in on short notice just hours after a brutal training session with the Tigers. 'I felt a bit sorry for him because we flogged him on Thursday because we had the bye and put a lot of fitness work into him,' Marshall said. 'He wanted some extra stuff to get fitter again and then he got called into camp. But professional athletes, it is what it is. You want to play at the highest level. 'He was hurting not to make Game 1, so to be back in there would've been a dream come true for him.' If Luai is ruled out, Latu Fainu will likely come into the halves to partner Heath Mason, who was elevated to the top 30 squad and signed an extension on Wednesday. Marshall has been thrilled with Mason's progression since replacing Lachlan Galvin but sees Fainu as the club's long-term option at halfback. 'Heath is such a pleasure to coach. He's a really good kid who comes from a good family and there are no dramas at all with the way that he does his work. He trains really hard and wants to learn,' he said. 'He played fullback a lot, so we've thrown him into a position that's probably unfamiliar to him. What I like about what he's done there is that he hasn't tried to overplay his hand or play like anyone else – he just uses his strengths. 'His story has been great and he deserves his upgrade and extension. 'Heath is a guy that everyone loves in the team and everything he's got has come from hard work. That's the type of player we want in our team and the type of player we want to build our team around. 'If you look at our roster, we've got young Latu Fainu, who is not far off from getting a real good opportunity in the halves and is probably our long-term option there. 'He just needs a little more match fitness coming back from his hamstring injury for him to play 80 minutes.' The Tigers, who are sitting 14th on the ladder, face the second-placed Raiders at Campbelltown Stadium from 8pm on Friday night.
