Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 8 i Big League Weekly Edition

QUEENSLAND’S best-laid plans have been scuttled just five weeks out from the State of Origin series opener, with three of their key spine options all going down with injury in Round 7. Ben Hunt (shoulder) came off during the second half of the Anzac Day clash with the Roosters, but has been named to play this week in what is a boost for Maroons coach Kevin Walters as he tries to sort out his best playmaking combinations. However, the news isn’t so good for Sea Eagles skipper Daly Cherry-Evans (ankle) and Roosters co-captain Jake Friend (ruptured biceps) with the pair set for lengthy stints on the sideline. The news is particularly disappointing for Friend (pictured) given he was a strong chance of making his Origin debut after starting the season…

NEWLY-appointed Penrith captain James Tamou says he’s enjoying his new role as skipper despite the extra pressure and stress. After starting the season with six players in the side’s leadership group, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary appointed Tamou as the man to lead the team. It was a surprise decision, considering James Maloney was the incumbent skipper and back-rower Isaah Yeo has been touted as the future leader of the club. “There’s a lot more pressure and a lot more stress, but I’m honoured to be captain,” Tamou told Big League. “But everyone is helping out. We’ve already got leaders in this team.” Although Tamou admits he’s not as vocal as some captains, the prop is leading from the front with his performances. Last Friday against South Sydney, he recorded 245…

Which team did you support growing up? I’ve always supported the Dragons. I’m a local junior. I’ve always gone for the Dragons and I’ve always dreamed about putting on the Red V jersey. I was lucky enough to make my debut in 2018 and hopefully in 2019 I can lock down a permanent spot. What are the Dragons fans like? The fans are absolutely unreal. They were riding us all game against the Bulldogs at Kogarah a couple of weeks ago and they got us over the line in the end. We get energy off that and hopefully they can continue with it throughout the year. What are your goals for this year? I had a goal at the start of this year to play every game of first grade.…

FORMER University of Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun once said, “winning and championships are memorable, but they come from the strength of the relationships.” For Broncos skipper Darius Boyd, game 300 on Thursday night, against the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, will be a momentous occasion. And it is one he knows wouldn’t have been possible without former coach and mentor, Wayne Bennett – the man now in charge of South Sydney. BABY BRONCO From an early age, Boyd knew he wanted rugby league to be a part of his future. The only problem was footy didn’t seem to have a place for him. That’s when the shy teenager made a decision that would change his life. “I repeated Year 12 so I could give footy one more crack, and that’s…

HE STARTED the year on the bench and couldn’t crack the 17 for the Round 3 trip to Brisbane, but Matt Dufty has made the most of his return to the No.1 jersey in a huge boost to the Red V’s premiership aspirations. The fullback was forced to bide his time as the Dragons experimented with a new spine, but a serious injury to Gareth Widdop opened the door for him to return to the starting side. The decision to bring him back sparked a three-game winning streak, and although that came to a grinding halt against the Roosters on Anzac Day, Dufty (left) stole the show with a solo effort which is the front-runner for try-of-the-year honours. “I’m proud of him,” hooker Cameron McInnes told Big League. “His attitude…

IT’S been dubbed the ‘Des Hasler Cup’, but those on the northern beaches aren’t getting caught up ahead of their coach’s first game against his former side, the Bulldogs. Hasler led the Sea Eagles to two premierships, only to leave the club after their 2011 success to join the blue and whites. He spent six seasons at the Bulldogs and led them to two grand finals before he was sacked at the end of 2017. The grudge match at Lottoland is bound to attract plenty of headlines, but Sea Eagles back-rower Curtis Sironen says it’s a non-issue for those at the club. “We haven’t really put any thought into that at all,” Sironen told Big League. “Through and through, I think Des is a Manly guy. He had a stint…

DESPITE a disappointing loss to the Wests Tigers last Saturday, Titans prop Jarrod Wallace has thrown his support behind halfback Ash Taylor and says he will get back to to his best. “I think the best Ash has ever played is when 100 per cent of the time he’s got the ball in his hands, when he’s running and taking that line on, so I think he’s just got to get that game fitness and confidence in himself back to do that,” Wallace said. “Tyrone [Roberts] has taken a really good leadership role over the top of him, so Ash has just got to get that confidence back and play his footy like he did in 2016. He set up a lot of tries that year and he was taking…

FELISE Kaufusi has backed Melbourne and Queensland teammate Cameron Munster to handle the captaincy if the red-hot five-eighth is handed the role for the upcoming State of Origin series. With Greg Inglis and Billy Slater now retired, Munster (above) is one of a handful of names being pushed forward, alongside Cowboys duo Michael Morgan and Matt Scott, as well as injured Sea Eagle, Daly Cherry-Evans. While Munster isn’t captain of his club side, Kaufusi believes the Dally M leader has what it takes to lead his state. “Munster is a good leader as he has shown throughout in games at the Storm, so if he gets it I am sure he will do a good job,” the rep back-rower said. “I know he will just take it in his stride…

As a local junior, were you always a fan of the Cowboys? I grew up mostly in Mackay and the Cowboys are pretty much the talk-of-the-town there. I also lived on the Gold Coast, before the Titans started up, and I was a fan of Darren Lockyer and the Broncos. That all changed when I moved to Mackay. Why was Lockyer your favourite? All my junior footy I was in the halves, right up to under-20s. That’s why he was the main player I looked up to. Also because he was a Queenslander! Did Lockyer get replaced by a Cowboys hero? Oh, not really, he was pretty much my idol. I was pretty footy-mad, so I used to watch all the games growing up. Is your whole family footy-mad? Yeah,…

TARSHA GALE CUP ILLAWARRA V NEWCASTLE DATE: SATURDAY, MAY 4 KICK-OFF: 11AM VENUE: BANKWEST STADIUM The Knights and Steelers lost in the first week of the finals, but recovered nicely to earn their spots in the big dance. Steelers: 1 K Browne, 2 T Graham, 3 M Buchanan, 4 R Tungai, 5 R Scott, 6 M Singleton, 7 M Kidd, 8 U Time-Cribb, 9 O Vale, 10 E Amone, 11 T Berry, 12 M Scutts, 13 M Weatherall, 14 E Andrews, 15 C Tugaga, 16 A Wallace, 17 S Scutts, 18 V Tinao, 19 N Misa. Knights: 1 J Holden, 2 A Russell, 3 P Symington, 4 J Stange, 5 C Harrison, 7 J Morris, 8 K Romaniuk, 9 B O’Neill, 10 C Campbell, 11 O Kernick, 12 C Johnston,…

Form: The Sharks were in a world of pain in Brisbane last Saturday, losing Josh Dugan in the warm-up and five-eighth Shaun Johnson early in the contest, and were no match for a fired-up Broncos outfit. The Sharks were already missing Wade Graham, Matt Moylan and Aaron Woods to injury and young gun Briton Nikora to a one-game suspension. The Storm were lucky to get away with a 13-12 victory over the Warriors on Anzac Day and for the fourth consecutive game went to half-time behind on the scoreboard. History: The Sharks have enjoyed a solid share of success against the Storm in recent years, winning five of the past eight encounters. Sharks fans will never forget the 2016 Grand Final triumph over the Storm and since then they have…

Form: Minor setbacks have proven no hurdle for the Roosters this season; they’ve overcome the absence of halfback Cooper Cronk (two games), five-eighth Luke Keary (one), hooker Jake Friend (four) and experienced winger Brett Morris (five) to climb to the top of the ladder after six consecutive wins. The loss of Friend for a lengthy period with a torn biceps presents another challenge for Trent Robinson’s team but they look extremely well-equipped to cope. Apart from the opening two rounds, the Wests Tigers have struggled to string together quality performances and their 30-14 defeat of the Titans last Saturday night followed their horror introduction to Bankwest Stadium. History: Wests Tigers ended six years of misery against the Roosters when they scored a shock 10-8 victory in the opening round of…

PENRITH forward Billy Burns scored a hat-trick to help the Panthers record a home win over South Sydney last Friday. Mounties are still undefeated following their 44-22 triumph against Blacktown at Lottoland. Fullback Tristan Sailor and forward Jackson Ford bagged doubles as St George Illawarra smashed the Bears at North Sydney Oval. The Bulldogs recorded their first win in a month, beating the Warriors by six points. Western Suburbs enjoyed their return to Lidcombe Oval with a 32-22 victory over Newtown. A late try to Kiah Cooper gave Newcastle a tense four-point win against Wentworthville at McDonald Jones Stadium. PENRITH 20 (W Burns 3, B Too tries; D Edwards 2 goals) D. SOUTH SYDNEY 18 (B Brittain, D Britt, M Hiroti tries; M Hiroti 3 goals). ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 50…

NORTHERN PRIDE remain undefeated and on top of the ladder after their six-point win over Norths Devils, who slipped to fourth. Burleigh winger Jayden Campbell and hooker Lochlan Turnbull scored 16 points each to help the Bears smash the Mustangs 52-10. Easts Tigers consolidated their place in the top eight with an 18-point triumph over Redcliffe. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Michael Bell bagged hat-tricks and Johnathon Smith scored twice as Townsville thrashed CQ Capras 60-12 at Jack Manski Oval. Sunshine Coast sit eighth on the ladder following their 10-point victory against Mackay. Tweed recorded their fourth win of the season, defeating Ipswich by two converted tries. Ryan O’Keefe scored a double as Wynnum Manly held on to beat Souths Logan by four points at Ron Stark Oval. BURLEIGH 52 (J Campbell…

WOMEN’S Warriors. 1 Abbey JOHNSTON, 2 Keegan SERCOMBE, 3 Ashlynn WAAKA-IRAIA (C), 4 Mikayla WOODHAM-ENOSA, 6 Tara-Leigh TURNER, 7 Ariia TAINUI-MCINTYRE, 8 Lisa RUA, 10 Charlotte DAVIS (C), 11 Calais HURU, 12 Autumn-Rain STEPHENS, 13 Tay-a ANTONIEVIC, 14 Tiare LANG, 15 Katarina ENOSA-TAIFAU Roosters: 1 Kasey DRAGISIC, 3 Stephanie KELLY, 4 Meg MUIR, 5 Kate RYAN, 6 Vienna RANDAL, 7 Nicole SALDERN, 9 Emily REID, 10 Jessica SHANAHAN, 11 Clare VANZINO, 12 Elise WILSON, 13 Rebecca BEATH (C), 15 Chloe WATT MEN’S Warriors: 1 Andy BERGIN, 2 Dallas TEEPA, 3 Calae HIGNETT-MORGAN, 4 Te Tuhi MUIRTUUTA, 5 Chase PAMATATAU, 6 Eldon KAKE, 7 Finlay BARNETT, 8 Jahlon GOVERNOR, 9 Brosnan MELEISEA, 10 Lantze DAVIDS, 11 Tama GUTHRIE (C), 12 Kristopher MIDDLETON, 13 Tiwi DAVIES (C) Roosters: 1 Flynn ANGLES-CORKE, 2…

EVERY year I get plenty of feedback – some nice, some not – about my eagerness to talk Origin selection leading into the first game of the series. But a winter chill has finally hit the air and I’m confidently forging forward with my hot takes. It was an unfortunate weekend for Queensland with both Jake Friend and Daly Cherry-Evans going down with injury, though Anthony Milford’s game against the Sharks will certainly give Kevin Walters some pep in his step. This week we talk to Matt Scott (page 22), who has made a successful return from injury for the Cowboys and could be in the periphery for selection. In NSW, form is the question, with Brad Fittler insisting incumbents James Maloney and Nathan Cleary will get the nod, despite…

SOUTH Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds has labelled Thursday’s showdown between the Rabbitohs and Broncos as just a regular game. Despite coaches Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold facing their former clubs for the first time, in what shapes as an intriguing matchup, Reynolds insists the game has no extra meaning for the players, claiming he and his team-mates have moved on. “It doesn’t mean anything for the players,” Reynolds told Big League. “We’re not playing against him. He’s coaching the team we’re playing and the players have moved on.” Although Reynolds had a close relationship with Seibold last season, the star halfback says he is more than content with Bennett. “We’re happy with Wayne and he’s done a great job for us so far,” he said. “He lives his life in…

8 Ted and John Glossop Back-rower John Glossop played 23 top-grade games for Cronulla from 1975-83 – including four appearances (for four wins) during dad Ted’s sole 1977 season in charge of the Sharks. Despite steering the club to 13 wins and a much-improved sixth-place finish, he was replaced as coach by former St George clubmate Norm Provan for 1978. John started at prop in the drawn grand final and replay loss for the injury and suspension-hit Sharks in 1978, while ‘Gentleman Ted’ sealed his coaching legacy by leading the Canterbury ‘Entertainers’ to a long-awaited premiership triumph in 1980. 7 Tom and Lincoln Raudonikis Western Suburbs icon Tom Raudonikis coached the Magpies for the last five seasons of their premiership existence – including wooden spoon campaigns in 1998 and 1999…

New ref campaign The NRL has launched a campaign to encourage a new wave of local talent to join the refereeing ranks. The ‘Make the Call – Be a Ref’ campaign is aimed at informing new and aspiring referees about opportunities aligned with becoming a referee, including the ability to be part of a team and earn money, the potential to carve out a full-time career, and the opportunity to become TAFE qualified. NRL General Manager, Officiating for Pathways and Development, Tony Archer said that an increase in competitions and pathways across rugby league had provided increased opportunities for referees. “It’s an incredibly rewarding and exciting experience to be part of a match – no matter whether you are refereeing a junior game or a State of Origin – and…

PARRAMATTA recruit Shaun Lane may be at his fourth club in five years, but he believes he’s finally found his home. From the Bulldogs to the Warriors to Manly and now the Eels, Lane has played 55 NRL games but hasn’t chalked up more than 33 with any one club. Now, just seven games into his tenure at Parramatta, he has declared he wants to finish his career in blue and gold. “I’ve only been here for a short time, but I feel it’s a place I could stay for the rest of my career,” Lane tells Big League. “I’m 24 now and I feel I could build quite a good career here. I’d like to play for one club and stay consistent. “I don’t want to be known as…

CAPTAIN James Tamou is expecting a tough match when the Panthers travel to Wagga Wagga to face Canberra on Saturday. The Raiders suffered a loss to Manly last weekend, and Tamou knows they’ll want to bounce back immediately. “They are looking pretty good and their confidence is pretty high,” the prop told Big League. “They’ve been finding ways to win. They’ve got dangerous players – their gun players who stand up at key moments. It isn’t going to be easy.” The Panthers have started the season with a 2-5 record and are desperate for victory. “There’s a long way to go and we know we are improving,” Tamou said. “There were a lot of positive signs [against South Sydney] but we need to start winning.”…

HALFBACK Adam Reynolds praised his halves partner Cody Walker after the five-eighth starred against Penrith. Walker (right) has been in red-hot form this season and has raced into contention for New South Wales’ No.6 jumper. Blues coach Brad Fittler indicated he’ll stick with halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary this series but admitted Walker is on his radar. Reynolds says it’s a joy to play alongside the crafty playmaker. “He’s going well. He’s putting in the hard yards at training and it looks like it’s paying off,” Reynolds told Big League. “It’s a joy to play with each other and it’s been good to come up with different plays.” The Rabbitohs face the Broncos on Thursday night, and the halfback is bracing for a tough match. “We know they’re going…

FORWARD Leeson Ah Mau said the Warriors are building and praised his side for matching it with the Storm last Thursday. The Warriors nearly pulled off the upset of the season but fell one point short. “We’re definitely building,” Ah Mau said. “It’s just a few errors and our completions that we’ve got to fix. Apart from that, everything is looking pretty good.” The Warriors will be hoping to bounce back when they host Parramatta on Sunday. “They’ve got a great side and a few dangerous players in their team, so we really need to focus and work really hard at training. Hopefully we can get a win in front of our home crowd.”…

IT’S BEEN a bumpy start for the North Queensland Cowboys who have only won two of their opening seven matches, but coach Paul Green remains confident that, despite injury setbacks, the team is getting closer to finding its groove. “The difference between our good and worst is pretty significant at the moment and one try quickly leads to two and before we know it, in a short period the game tends to get away from us, but we’re not far off either,” Green said. “While we’ve got some personnel out at the moment – which is making it a little bit more challenging – but I think the guys that are there aren’t too far off.” Hulking forward Jason Taumalolo has again been named on an extended bench. His early…

Form: The Rabbitohs have kept pace with the high-flying Roosters and Storm over the opening seven rounds but they have been unconvincing in recent wins against teams sitting well down the ladder in the Warriors, Bulldogs and Panthers. Opponents Brisbane finally snapped out of a month-long slump to dispose of a brittle Cronulla last Saturday night and record only their second win of the season. History: South Sydney enjoyed a brief period of dominance over the Broncos in and around the time of their 2014 premiership triumph but aside from those four consecutive victories it has been slim pickings from them in this fixture. Overall, the Broncos have won 28 from 38, including victories in the past seven meetings. Last year, the Wayne Bennett-coached Broncos defeated the Anthony Seibold-coached Rabbitohs…

Form: After a high-rolling month in which they charged to a share of the competition lead, the Raiders lost their way dramatically against a depleted Manly side last Sunday at Lottoland. The Panthers slumped to a third-straight loss when they went down to the Rabbitohs at home but at least there were positive signs in their performance. History: The Panthers have strung together four-straight wins over the Raiders to claim a 38-35 lead in head-to-head results between these clubs. In typical style, the Panthers have come from behind in all four games to win. Their effort in Bathurst in Round 14, 2017 was the most remarkable of them all. Approaching the 79th minute, the Panthers were in a seemingly hopeless position when they trailed 20-12 but somehow they conjured back-to-back…

Form: The Warriors could count themselves unlucky to go down to the Storm on Anzac Day, especially in light of the personnel crisis that affected the team last week. Stephen Kearney’s men were expected to be lambs to the slaughter when they travelled to AAMI Park without Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, David Fusitu’a, Solomone Kata and Blake Green but their stand-ins excelled and went close to emerging with a famous victory. The Knights reacted well under heavy pressure last Sunday to put a full stop to five-straight losses with their 28-14 defeat of Parramatta at McDonald Jones Stadium. History: The Warriors have run up a number of high-scoring wins over the Knights in recent seasons but Newcastle managed to peg back a victory last year when they won 26-10 at McDonald Jones…

THE top three marched on in Round 7 but it was another horror weekend for those sides at the bottom of the ladder. The Sea Eagles remain winless after they were thumped by the Raiders by 52 points. Their defence has been a concern in 2019, with the team conceding almost 50 points per game. Things were even worse for the Thunderbolts and Bears, with the teams combining for just four points in their respective losses. It was business as usual for the top teams with Penrith obliterating the previously unbeaten Rabbitohs, while the Sharks bounced back from a rare loss to trounce the Wests Tigers. The Roosters missed a golden opportunity to force a three-way tie at the top after they were held to a 16-all draw by the…

MAL MENINGA CUP – SEMI-FINALS WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 30 (Max Plath 2, Grand Hagai, Tahu Kingi, Jake Simpkin, Zaen Edmonds tries; Reece Hoffman 3 goals) D. SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS 12 (Zac Laybutt, Jayden Taufa tries; Zac Laybutt 2 goals) at BMD Kougari Oval. TWEED SEAGULLS 24 (Reece Walsh 2, Caleb Hodges, Xavier Coates, Brendan Piakura tries; Toby Sexton 2 goals) D. SOUTHS LOGAN MAGPIES 16 (Adonai Faagutu, Tyrone Sa’u, Konrad Tu’ua tries; Konrad Tu’ua 2 goals) at BMD Kougari Oval. SUPER LEAGUE Round 13 SALFORD 30 (J Lussick, N Evalds, D Murray, J Hastings, L Mossop tries; K Inu 5 goals) D. LONDON 10 (R Williams, M Fleming tries; K Dixon goal) WIGAN 6 (S Powell try; Z Hardaker goal) D. CASTLEFORD 4 (P Mata’utia 2 goals) WARRINGTON 50 (B…

A PRAGMATIC Aidan Sezer says the next few months will determine his future at the Raiders after the talented half lined up for the second week in a row in the Canterbury Cup, with Sam Williams getting the nod in first grade. Canberra’s brilliant early-season form has made it tough for Sezer to fight his way back into the side after he was forced to miss a few games with an oblique injury. He’s had to bide his time in the NSW reserve grade competition and has looked a class above, helping Mounties to back-to-back wins over the Warriors and Sea Eagles. “I’ve just got to take it as education for myself. I’ve never really played reserve grade before but I’m enjoying the boys’ company. It’s not where I want…

DRAGONS five-eighth Corey Norman is predicting plenty of banter when he takes on his former Parramatta team-mates at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday afternoon. “I’ll be spraying them. I’ll be giving them plenty of lip. No doubt I’ll be seeing a bit of traffic and I’m looking forward to the competition,” he laughed. Norman spent five seasons with the Eels but left at the end of 2018 after it was rumoured he was being shopped around with a year still to run on his contract. His combination with former halves partner Mitch Moses simply didn’t click last year, making it increasingly clear that one of them would be forced out of the club. “There’s no point to prove. I’ve left there so it is what it is. It’s rugby league, and…

IT’S always tough to sit out with injury, but this stint on the sidelines has made me think about the state of the game and its impact on our bodies. We’re seeing a lot of soft tissue injuries in the game at the moment – hamstrings, calves and all those sorts of things. Obviously there’s a bit of luck involved when it comes to injuries, but there’s a lot more to it, and I think we have to look at the evolution of our game. The game is being played at a faster pace than ever before, and the physical demands on players are greater than I’ve ever seen – that’s why we’re seeing so many injuries. Not only are we running more kilometres, and running them at a much…

A shout out to Darwin resident Paul McLoughlin and his eight-year-old son Ocean who were lucky enough to head into the sheds after the Bulldogs’ win over the Cowboys last Friday night to meet their favourite players. It was a very special experience for Paul, who had only been to two NRL games prior to last week – the 2004 and 2012 grand finals. They also took the opportunity to visit the SCG and watch the Roosters take on the Dragons in the Anzac Day clash. A special mention also goes to Paul’s daughters, Pearl and Rainbow, who would have loved to meet the Bulldogs players but were unable to make it.…

AGE is just a number for Bulldogs prop Aiden Tolman, who at 30 years old is playing some of his best football. The Kempsey-born workhorse racked up 144 metres and 44 tackles in last week’s win over the Cowboys and says his surge in form has come off the back of Dylan Napa’s injury. “I’m probably playing more minutes than what I have in the past and obviously because Dylan is out I’ve had to step up and we’ve got a pretty inexperienced forward pack as well,” Tolman told Big League. “I just do my job, whatever the coach and team asks of me I go out there and do – they’re the ones I play for when I’m on the field.” Tolman has always been a leader at the…

COACH Brad Arthur says the Eels need to work on their starts if they want to give the competition a shake this season. They conceded 14 points in the opening 10 minutes against the Knights last Sunday, putting them on the back-foot immediately. “They out-enthused us at the start. We knew they were going to come nice and hard and fast, and we weren’t prepared to do the same early,” Arthur said. “The boys have been around long enough, they knew exactly what the situation was, and we knew how important our start was. We didn’t have any ball, but we [caused] that as well.” Despite being disappointed with the result, Arthur praised his side’s resilience in fighting back in the second half. “The pleasing thing was that while it…

GOOD news for Newcastle fans with Jesse Ramien cleared of serious injury. The Knights centre suffered a minor issue to his AC joint last weekend against Parramatta and is expected to face the Warriors on Sunday. “Jess battled through that second half as much as he could,” Head of Physical Performance Balin Cupples said. “He suffered a minor grade AC joint sprain. At this stage, he’ll get a needle and build through his contact this week and it all looks like he’ll be available come this weekend.” Utility Kurt Man, who has missed three games with a sternum injury, is also expected back soon. “He’s been doing everything he can, both treatment-wise and building through his training,” Cupples said. “He’s been doing plenty around the team. He hasn’t missed any…

INJURY struck the Sharks again last Saturday when star winger Josh Dugan was ruled out minutes before their clash against the Broncos. But coach John Morris has complimented rookies in his squad such as Blayke Brailey (above) for stepping up and holding their own in a testing time in their short NRL careers. “You’ve got to take positives out of everything – you’ve heard people say ‘you don’t lose, you learn’ – so I think these young blokes are learning all the time,” Morris said. “This is a tough initiation to this level.”…

IT’S THE heavyweight confrontation that has gone under the radar this week, but fans should expect big things when Tevita Pangai and Sam Burgess go toe-to-toe at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night. The Broncos enforcer was sensational in his Round 2 takedown of Cowboys lock Jason Taumalolo, but the key, according to his skipper, is ensuring that game is the rule and not the exception. Pangai (left) is coming off a season-high 180 metres against the Sharks after his season was stalled by a two-game ban. The young buck is part of Brisbane’s gifted pack, and they’ll need to find another gear against South Sydney’s group of hardened veterans. “We’ve got some very talented kids, but they’re still very young,” captain Darius Boyd told Big League. “We know what Tevita…

COACH Ricky Stuart says one loss won’t derail Canberra’s brilliant start to the year. The Green Machine have been one of the surprise packets of 2019 but slipped up at Lottoland against a Sea Eagles side that found a new gear with skipper Daly Cherry-Evans on the bench. Canberra’s discipline was poor last week, but they remain on track for a strong season ahead of their clash with the under-fire Panthers. “It’s not going to be the only game we lose. We’ll handle this now together and get back home and start preparing for (our next game),” Stuart said. “We’ll just keep our heads down, think about the next opposition and don’t think too far ahead.”…

WE’VE had our first centurion of the season so raise that bat, Corey Harawira-Naera, for a well-earned 100. The Panther-turned-Bulldogs back-rower was an instant hit in Fantasy when he debuted in 2017 but is in few Fantasy teams this year due to starting his Belmore career with limited minutes off the bench. However, with an average in the low 40s from his previous three big-minute starting performances, I’d hold off snapping up the talented Kiwi just now despite his two-try 100 on the weekend. KEEPING TABS Another on the watch list is CHN’s former teammate Viliame Kikau, who has shrugged off an early-season knee injury and powered his way to 75 against the Bunnies with a remarkable individual try. He has been too up-and-down so far to be worth the…

Form: The Cowboys had the opportunity to build on a strong win in Auckland when they met the Bulldogs last Friday night but let themselves down with a high mistake-rate and an attacking game that lacked fluency and confidence. The Titans struck a Wests Tigers side determined to bounce back from an Easter Monday caning against the Eels and despite rushing to an early lead, were unable to reverse the momentum once the Wests Tigers struck back. History: The Titans established a tidy lead in head-to-head clashes between these teams until 2014 but the Cowboys have been dominant since then. Powered for the most part by the recently retired Johnathan Thurston, the Cowboys have claimed seven successive victories and they haven’t gone down to the Titans in Townsville since 2012.…

Form: There is no underestimating the effect Manly’s win over Canberra last Sunday will have on the team in the coming weeks. Faced with the loss of captain Daly Cherry-Evans and with fullback Tom Trbojevic still weeks away from returning, the team’s outlook could have been bleak. However, defeating the Raiders will do wonders for the team’s confidence. The Bulldogs impressed in their win over the Cowboys last Friday night; their attacking attitude proved difficult to contain and frequent offloads led to four tries. History: With Des Hasler in charge, the Bulldogs enjoyed six years of dominance over the Sea Eagles (winning 10 of 14 encounters) but with the shoe back on the other foot, Manly will be confident of a change in fortunes. In last year’s only encounter, the…

Form: The Eels were unable to get past the emotional letdown of their exhilarating win at Bankwest Stadium on Easter Monday when they travelled to the Hunter last weekend. The short turnaround worked against Brad Arthur’s men, who were off the pace from the opening kick-off against the Knights and crashed to a 20-0 deficit after half an hour. History: Despite their woes in recent years, the Eels have assembled an impressive record of victories over the Dragons, claiming seven wins from the past eight head-to-head meetings. The biggest upset came in Round 22 last year when the Eels came from last place to pummel the Dragons 40-4 at ANZ Stadium. St George Illawarra were clinging to a position in the top four at the time but the result, coupled…

SUNSHINE COAST have continued their undefeated start to the season with a win over Mackay. They did most of the damage on either side of half-time and Sandor Earl put the icing on the cake with a try in the final two minutes. Burleigh have made it clear they’re here to dominate another season with a huge win over PNG, who are struggling to find their feet. The Bears led 22-0 at half-time and scored another six tries in the second half. Easts Tigers held on for a gritty win over defending premiers Redcliffe. The Dolphins almost walked away as winners from the grand final rematch until the Tigers’ Kelma Tuilagi crushed their hopes with the match-winning try in the 72nd minute. Townsville fullback Zac Santo bagged a hat-trick in…

ST MARYS 48 (A Fitzgibbon 2, J Faiumu, G Tsikrikas, I Thompson, G Daniela, M Filino, V Henry Seumanu, K Falls Tries; K Falls 6 goals) D. HILLS DISTRICT 4 (P Bolea try). WESTERN SUBURBS 34 (H O’Toole 2, J Daley, O Slaimankhel, S Luke tries; K Coakes 7 goals) D. GLEBE-BURWOOD 10 (P Rokolati, B Jones tries; B Jackson goal). GUILDOFRD 38 (J Lewis 3, J Camroux 2, D Harris, M Woods tries; J Lewis 5 goals) D. BLACKTOWN 12 (J Tohi, C Shepherd tries; K Cryer 2 goals). WENTWORTHVILLE 24 (E Roberts, J Minhinnick, N Walker, D Howard tries; B Henry 4 goals) D. ASQUITH 16 (J Remfrey, K Preece, M Pearsall tries; T Brown 2 goals).…