Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 11 i Big League Weekly Edition

RETIRING Rooster Cooper Cronk has sent an ominous warning to the rest of the NRL, declaring he’s set to work harder than ever before in his bold bid to lead the Tri-colours to back-to-back premierships. The champion halfback will call quits at the end of the season, bringing to an end one of the greatest careers in the modern era, but Cronk is adamant retirement is the furthest thing from his mind as he looks to cement his legacy as one of the game’s elite playmakers. “My job’s not done,” he declared. “If I sit here and start to clap myself and say ‘well done’ then the slippers go on and you get comfortable and you lose track of what these guys need from me for the next 20 weeks.…

THIS is the best time of the year to be a rugby league player from Queensland or New South Wales. It’s still warm enough to go to the beach, the cool nights are a perfect excuse to binge TV shows, and everywhere you go, people are talking about State of Origin. I was lucky enough to play all three games of last year’s series, and I’m looking forward to donning the Maroon jersey again if Kevin Walters and the selectors decide to pick me. There’s been a lot of speculation as to where I would play if picked, but I must admit that it doesn’t really faze me. My mindset is no matter where I get picked – halfback, hooker or as a utility off the bench – I’ll just…

WHAT started as a small community program in south-east Queensland now shapes as one of the most important tools in closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health statistics. Deadly Choices started nine years ago and has evolved into a tool of change that has captured the imagination of the rugby league world. The Broncos, Titans and Cowboys were the first three clubs to get on board, but the project headed south of the border in late 2018 with the Sharks joining the fight. “General Manager of ‘Sharks Have Heart’, George Nour, reached out to us and wanted to find out more about what we’ve done with Deadly Choices through professional sporting brands,” former Bronco and now Executive Officer of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and Deadly Choices spokesperson…

VETERAN hooker Issac Luke has declared he still has a few years left in him despite being on the outer at the Warriors. Coach Stephen Kearney has signalled his intentions to move towards the future, placing rakes Nathaniel Roache and Karl Lawton ahead of Luke in the pecking order. Luke was originally named in reserve grade last weekend, but an injury to Roache saw him elevated to the NRL team against Penrith. The New Zealand international is unsure if he’ll remain a Warrior in 2020, but said he’s open to new opportunities. “I’ve got a few more years left, whether that’s here or somewhere else,” Luke told Big League. “It was a bit weird not being named in the team until the last minute. I took the opportunity as much…

PLEASED to gain the two competition points, North Queensland coach Paul Green was most impressed with the character his players showed in the win over Parramatta last Saturday. With the game on the line, the Cowboys came up with some big plays to secure the points at home. “There was plenty of character in that win,” Green said. “We didn’t get off to the start we wanted in the second half. It takes a lot of energy to get yourself back into the game and the Eels were pretty desperate coming off the result they had last week. “It showed character from the team to not only get themselves back into the game, but then finish it off in the end.”…

THEY could be Origin rivals in two weeks’ time, but Queensland winger Dane Gagai has nothing but praise for Blues candidate Cody Walker. Walker (left) has lit up the NRL this season with his explosive style and currently leads the league for tries with 11 from 10 games. South Sydney team-mate Gagai lauded his five-eighth’s performances in 2019, and also commended the coaching staff for giving him a license to roam. “Cody has been in outstanding form. He set me up for my first try of the year and that’s from him playing eyes-up footy,” Gagai said. “He’s one of those great instinctive players and the coaching staff have done a great job not trapping him to one side of the field. “They’ve given him the opportunity to roam around.…

DEAN Pay has applauded Kieran Foran following the five-eighth’s masterclass in the Bulldogs’ 22-16 comeback win on the Gold Coast. Trailing 16-0, Foran pulled his team out of the fire and off the bottom of the NRL ladder, setting up three tries before halves partner Jack Cogger sealed the result late. The veteran half put in a good kick for Marcelo Montoya to score the Bulldogs’ first, before assisting both of Jayden Okunbor’s tries. Pay reaffirmed the importance of Foran for a young Bulldogs side. “It’s Kieran’s second game back from injury so he’ll be better again next week,” Pay said. “I thought he was really good for us and had some good touches. “He’s a quality player and if we can keep him healthy he’s only going to be…

JOHN Morris’s head-coaching tenure has been cruelled by injuries to some of his key men, but the troops are starting to return with Matt Moylan likely to play his first game since Round 3 in the derby against the Red V. Moylan (right) was one of the NRL’s form players before he went down with a hamstring injury, with the talented fullback running Cronulla’s attack, which allowed the halves to chime in when they saw something on the edges. “He’s someone I really enjoy playing with because I’ve got a really good combination with him,” halfback Chad Townsend told Big League. “I had a quick chat with him after the Manly game and he said he was really close, but he just wanted to make sure he was 100 per…

UTILITY Connor Watson has praised in-form halfback Mitchell Pearce for turning Newcastle’s season around. Pearce (above) has earned 12 Dally M votes over the past four weeks to lead the Knights to four consecutive wins. “The reason our season has changed is because he’s hit his straps,” Watson told Big League. “In saying that, all the other boys are doing a great job; the big forwards are laying the platform, then ‘Pearcey’ is showing how classy he is with finishing it off.” The Knights will face their toughest test so far on Friday when they face the Roosters.…

HOW about that Fantasy coaches? We actually had a good week with plenty of high scores and hardly any injuries. Enjoy it – because the Origin period and tricky bye rounds are almost upon us. Well done to the many coaches who cracked the 1,000-mark in Round 10 and in particular to anyone who took a wild punt on captaining either of the two top scorers of the round – Kalyn Ponga (87) or Payne Haas (81). With five-round averages of around 66 and 64 respectively, each shapes as a legitimate captaincy option. Jason Taumalolo (76) notched the third-best score of the round and has clearly recovered from his knee injury. He is arguably the best pick-up for the tricky Round 12 bye week. In other welcome news, Andrew Fifita…

Form: The Knights’ recent performances will guarantee a huge crowd for their clash with the defending premiers. Four-straight wins is Newcastle’s best performance under Nathan Brown and the confidence generated by those efforts should ensure his team isn’t overawed by the big names in the Roosters’ line-up. Former Roosters Mitchell Pearce, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and five-eighth Connor Watson will pass on valuable intel to their team-mates. The Roosters fell to their first loss since the opening round when they were stopped by the Broncos last Friday but they were far from disgraced. Trent Robinson’s team may have gone off the boil slightly since their efforts against the Storm and Wests Tigers but there is little question that they remain the benchmark team of the competition. History: The appearance of future Immortal…

Form: The Rabbitohs toughed out a gruelling 80 minutes against the Raiders last Saturday to climb to the top of the premiership pack and they’ll be determined to stay there. The nail-biting victory was the Rabbitohs’ sixth on the trot and their record of nine wins and one loss for the season is the club’s best since their last minor premiership year of 1989. Wests Tigers were gallant in their two-point loss to Melbourne last Thursday and could easily have walked away from AAMI Park with a win. They’re clinging to their place in the top eight and would like nothing more than a win over Michael Maguire’s old team heading into the bye. History: It is an oddity that the 32 encounters between these clubs have produced seven half-century…

SIOSIFA Talakai lit up Magic Round as Newtown prevailed in a 13-try thriller against Blacktown at Henson Park. The second-rower scored a try and assisted three in the 44-28 triumph, which lifts the Jets to ninth place. In the other two fixtures at Henson Park, North Sydney held off Wentworthville in a high-scoring affair, while Jonus Pearson and Lachlan Maranta scored doubles as the Dragons trounced Newcastle. All Saturday games were played at Panthers Stadium, where Elijah Taylor’s last-gasp try saw the Magpies earn a draw against the Bulldogs. Reagan Campbell-Gillard ran 209 metres and Josh Mansour scored a try as Penrith defeated the Warriors 28-10 to maintain second spot on the table. Ladder-leading Mounties returned to winning ways with a 32-18 triumph over South Sydney, despite losing fullback Brad…

Warriors winger David Fusitu’a has scored six tries in his past six games at Mt Smart Stadium. Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga has scored 70 points in his past four games. Melbourne have won their past three games against the Bulldogs. Manly haven’t defeated the Titans at Lottoland since 2013. Parramatta have scored 83 points in their two games at Bankwest Stadium. Cronulla halfback Chad Townsend will play his 150th NRL game. The Rabbitohs are aiming for a 10-1 start to a season for the first time since 1989. Cowboys centre Justin O’Neill will play his 100th game for the club.…

RUGBY league journalists are often called too negative or cynical, or not doing enough to publicise positive stories in the game. Though we don’t generally have that problem here at Big League – with plenty of space to dedicate to long-form feature stories that lend themselves to great storytelling – we do sometimes fall into the weekly footy grind which more often than not means reflecting on poor results, difficult calls, or off-field problems. One thing rugby league clubs and players always do well is use their platform to advocate for helping communities, whether it’s publicised or not. This Indigenous Round you can read about the Sharks and the Deadly Choices initiative, where they lend their star power to help young people make healthier choices in their lives. Or about…

PENRITH five-eighth James Maloney has backed Nathan Cleary to be selected for New South Wales for Game One of the upcoming Origin series. Although the incumbent halves are under intense pressure to keep their place in Brad Fittler’s side, Maloney doesn’t want to see Cleary dropped. The young playmaker made his Origin debut last year, leading the Blues to just their second series victory in 13 years. “Nathan always tries his heart out,” Maloney said. “He did a great job last year and I’ve got no doubt he’d do a good job for them again.” Origin veteran Maloney, who will miss Thursday night’s derby match against Parramatta due to suspension, will not play again before the Origin teams are announced, and it’s possible his interstate career could be at an…

Do you have any siblings? I’ve got one brother who’s two years older than me, but he’s actually more of a father figure for me and a mentor. He was a big leader and really instrumental in my upbringing. What team did you support growing up? I grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. My dad was a rugby union player and I played union as well, so I grew up a massive Hurricanes supporter and obviously the All Blacks as well. Did you get far in rugby union? Union was a massive failure for me, I wasn’t very good at it. I went down those avenues and I attempted to come through the ranks but it didn’t work out. I lost interest and discipline and my passion just wasn’t there,…

IT remains one of the most infamous crowd disturbances in Australian sport – the ‘Earl Park Riot’ of 1928, when Dragons fans invaded the field after full-time baying for the blood of a Balmain forward who was taken away in an ambulance in the aftermath. And who was alongside him when he stepped inside? None other than the St George forward he had clashed with, which saw him threaten retribution before medics held him back. The players at the centre of league’s black day were St George centre George ‘Bluey’ Carstairs, who had been stretchered from the field after claiming he had been kicked in the head by opponent Tony Russell. The Dragons, in their eighth season, had been involved in an all-in brawl with Western Suburbs at the Sydney…

THIS week’s Indigenous Round is a wonderful opportunity to not only showcase some of the game’s best Indigenous talent, but to also help raise awareness for social issues that are affecting Aboriginal communities. The NRL and its clubs have launched a range of special jerseys this week, with incredible stories linked to the artwork on display. The Sea Eagles have unveiled a stunning jersey inspired by club legend Cliff Lyons (pictured, left), which includes his lizard totem as well as circles and dots to represent his prolific career. Back-rower Joel Thompson has been one of the game’s greatest ambassadors, and his social work should be celebrated this week, as will Knights utility Connor Watson who helped design Newcastle’s jersey. Watson and his family have organised for all players to have…

SIX-STRAIGHT losses have them sitting on the bottom of the ladder and Penrith five-eighth James Maloney has slammed his team’s lack of effort. “I don’t know,” Maloney responded when asked if the effort is still there. “It might be there, but it’s in the wrong places. We’re way off the mark.” The veteran playmaker, who is suspended this week, has called on his team-mates to lift against Parramatta. “We need to keep working hard,” Maloney said. “If only there was a magic wand we could wave, but we can’t. We need to stick together. We’re the only ones who can fix it for us – no one else can help us.” The playmaker says the team needs to get back to basics and can’t dwell on poor performances. “It’s the…

THE Eels are yet to win on the road in 2019, and coach Brad Arthur put his side’s latest away loss down to “dumb moments”. Parramatta conceded two tries and a field goal in the final 15 minutes to suffer a 17-10 loss to the Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium, and Arthur says his team has no one to blame but themselves. “The effort was great, the attitude in our performance was really positive, but some big moments in the game let us down. It proved costly in the end. “There are a couple of moments at the end when we got the ball and were attacking the tryline, we needed to be prepared to try and build some pressure and get another set. “You’ve got to be prepared to build…

COOPER Cronk’s retirement at season’s end will free up close to $1 million in salary cap space for the defending premiers, but coach Trent Robinson says those sorts of discussions are unwarranted and don’t do justice to what the champion halfback brought to the club. Replacing someone of Cronk’s ilk is impossible, although his departure will allow the club to upgrade the contracts of some of their biggest names. “You don’t fill a void like Cooper Cronk,” Robinson said. “You take the lessons from Cooper and you put it into the squad, not just the team but the squad. That’s what we do. “He’s the greatest team player I’ve ever seen.”…

EVERY now and then a team dominates a contest but leaves the ground without the two competition points. For the second time this year, the Tigers fell victim to this unwanted cliché. Michael Maguire’s men were in control against the Storm for 70 minutes, but left empty-handed after Will Chambers crossed late to steal the competition points. The frustrating defeat wasn’t without its silver linings, and the Tigers will have to back those up against the ladder-leading Rabbitohs this weekend. “There are a lot of positives out of that game for my boys and the team itself,” Maguire said. “We played some real good footy and scored 22 points. We’ll take a lot of great things out of this game, [next time] we have got to make sure we nail…

AFTER notching back-to-back wins for the first time in 2019, Brisbane’s Joe Ofahengaue says his side must move on from their gritty victory over the Roosters as they prepare for another tough challenge across the ditch. “It was a good win, but we have to dump it now and move on,” Ofahengaue said. “It was a gutsy win – I thought the boys dug deep. We’re a young team to be in a dog fight with a really good team like that, and it was good to hold them out from scoring for so many sets. “It is what we have been working on at training, and now we have to keep building from there.”…

Jaemon Salmon is one of the young, exciting stars bringing energy and zip to the Eels What are your early memories of footy in the Shire? I started playing footy when I was four until I was 18. I was playing with my mates from school and having fun – that’s the best part! Were you all Sharks supporters? Yeah, mainly Sharks. We all went to the same school, and would all go to the home games. We all went through the Sharks junior system. You started the game against the Sharks in Round 4 and beat them! I played with a lot of the young guys in that team. It was good to see them – and get the win! Speaking of youngsters, there are a few here at…

Form: The Eels will be excited to be playing three of their next four games at Bankwest Stadium, where they’ve quickly adopted a winning habit. Comprehensive wins over the Wests Tigers and Dragons at the showpiece venue will guarantee that the Eels take the field brimming with confidence. Opponents Penrith are experiencing a world of pain, slumping to six-straight defeats, which represents the club’s worst run since 2001. The Panthers’ defence has fallen away alarmingly and in each of their past three games they have conceded 30 points. History: These western Sydney clubs have established a strong rivalry in a half-century of head-to-head battles and their 1997 encounters includes finals matches in 1985 (the Panthers’ maiden finals appearance) and in 2000. Both games were won by the Eels. The Panthers…

Form: The Raiders may have lost ground on the leading teams after dropping three of their past four games, however their determination to stay in the contest against the Roosters and Rabbitohs almost led to last-ditch victories. Injuries have proved costly, with strike weapons Jordan Rapana, Joey Leilua and John Bateman spending time on the sideline, but the team remains upbeat. Opponents North Queensland have shown signs of life after a disappointing start to the season by claiming three wins from their past five games, but they’re yet to string together two positive results. History: The Raiders were dominant in the early years of this fixture but the Thurston era went a long way towards balancing the ledger. The Raiders have pulled away again with three consecutive wins over the…

Form: Kieran Foran’s successful comeback from injury has added a wealth of experience and quality to the Bulldogs’ attack and his combination with Jack Cogger was a huge factor in a stirring win over the Titans last Saturday. The result lifted the Dogs off the bottom of the competition ladder and while there is still a long march back to respectability, it was an impressive first step. The Storm were challenged by Wests Tigers last Thursday but despite failing to produce one of their best performances, they were able to eke out their eighth win of the season. History: Two periods of extended dominance by the Bulldogs has left Canterbury as the only current club to boast a winning record against Melbourne. The Bulldogs defeated the Storm in nine consecutive…

SUNSHINE Coast beat Townsville away from home to remain on top of the Intrust Super Cup ladder, leading by four points. Trailing in second is Burleigh, who stunned a Northern Pride side featuring Jake Clifford and Javid Bowen 43-0. Wynnum Manly bounced back from a slow start to make it four-in-a-row against PNG, who are languishing in second-last. Tweed Heads jumped up to sixth spot by upsetting Easts Tigers at Langlands Park, who subsequently dropped to fifth. Hat-trick hero Herbie Farnsworth singlehandedly racked up 22 points as Norths Devils entered the top four in a big win over Mackay, while the last-placed Capras remain winless since Round 1 after Redcliffe piled 52 points on them at home. Despite boasting more than 400 games of NRL experience, Souths Logan slumped to…

SEA Eagles back-rower Joel Thompson has defended the PointsBet faithful who booed team-mate Dylan Walker in his first game back after being found not guilty of domestic violence charges. Booing players has become an issue in other sports like the AFL in recent years, and Walker was the subject of verbal barrages every time he touched the ball against the Sharks, with the fans particularly vocal in the first half when he stayed down injured. Walker wasn’t the only player booed in Round 10, with Penrith fans voicing their displeasure at the end of each half as the Panthers slumped to a sixth-straight loss. While he’ll be cheered at home this week when the Sea Eagles host the Titans, Thompson knows Walker will likely hear it from opposition fans whenever…

FORMER team-mates, coaches and opponents are in mourning following news that respected league icon Quentin Pongia had lost his battle with bowel cancer, aged 48. Pongia played 137 first grade games for Canberra, Auckland, Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra from 1993-2003, before finishing his career at Wigan. He also played 35 Test matches for the Kiwis. He passed away peacefully on Saturday, surrounded by friends and family in his hometown of Greymouth. The outpouring of tributes has underscored the high regard the enforcer is held in – as a player and a person. “A legend in rugby league,” close friend Sir Peter Leitch told New Zealand’s Newshub. “He played the game full-on all the time, gave no quarter, and the same with his cancer, he fought it until the…

8 Gareth Widdop (2015) Dragons linchpin Widdop landed one of the finest goals in finals history in a 2015 elimination showdown with Canterbury. With time up and the Dragons trailing 10-8, the Englishman steered a penalty goal attempt from the 30-metre line and 10 metres in from touch through to temporarily save his team. But in a cruel twist of fate, Widdop kicked a 40/20 attempt out on the full in golden point, providing the Bulldogs with the field position for Josh Reynolds’ match-winning field goal. 7 Issac Luke (2016) Luke has spent much of his goal-kicking career behind Adam Reynolds and Shaun Johnson, but he has regularly proven an excellent back-up with 180 NRL goals at 71 percent. The Warriors trailed the Raiders 22-4 in Canberra, but three late…

PLAYING against your former club is always a thrill – and that will be the case for Kane Elgey when Manly host the Gold Coast this Friday. The former Titan finds himself on the northern beaches after departing the Titans at the end of last season, following 46 games over four injury-affected years for the club. “At the start of the year, I looked at this game and circled it in the calendar,” Elgey tells Big League. “I’m pretty stoked to play against them. I have a lot of close friends in that team and it will be good to get one over them.” Elgey is expecting a little bit of niggle when he collides with his former team-mates and he’s prepared for a big hit or two. “It should…

WINNING hasn’t been a problem for Melbourne in 2019, with last year’s grand finalists currently second after 10 rounds. However, the nature of those victories is slightly concerning given the Storm have had to overturn early deficits in most of their games to run down their opponents. “We’ve done that several times this year; it’s killing a lot of people, killing ourselves really. That’s what we need to change,” skipper Cameron Smith said. “We’ve only had three games this year where we’ve gone out and executed the things we wanted to do, got a lead and kept the other team at bay. “We have to look at a few things on how we can make that a more consistent trend for us.”…

IT was the embarrassing loss that summed up their 2018 campaign, but Joel Thompson is confident his side has the tools necessary to ensure they can reverse the result when Manly host the Titans on Friday. In the midst of their struggles last year, the Sea Eagles blew an early lead to go down 42-34 at home, in spite of the Trbojevic brothers combining for five tries. Now, they’re one of the best defensive units in the NRL and heavy favourites to stay in touch with the top four against a side that is reeling following a poor loss to the Bulldogs. “We had a lot of disappointing games like that last year, but we’re trying to focus on what we can control and what type of team we have…

HE’S played the bulk of his NRL career on the left wing, but Nick Cotric’s switch to right centre could be just what he needs to earn a State of Origin debut. The youngster (above) has had a quiet start to the season but returned to his damaging best with some classy touches in Canberra’s narrow loss to the Rabbitohs, including a barnstorming run and offload that led to a try to Sam Williams. “It took him a bit to get a few combinations going, so I think he’ll be a hell of a lot better for the run,” Williams said. “He’s such a powerful and skilful young player, there’s so much upside. We’re starting to see what he can do.”…

ALTHOUGH Titans halfback Ash Taylor (above) is out of form, coach Garth Brennan has defended his playmaker and refused to play the blame game. Brennan would like to see Taylor’s influence rise, but said he’s not the only struggling player in the squad. “It’s not a blame exercise for us at the moment. We’re all in this together,” Brennan said. “I don’t think it sits solely on Ash. Tyrone [Roberts] put his hand up in the sheds and thought he could have been better in certain areas and there are a lot of players in there who know they can be better. “Ash is trying hard but his confidence is probably a work in progress at the moment.”…

Form: Given their salary cap squeeze and a perceived lack of depth, most pundits tipped the Sea Eagles to miss the eight in 2019 – but after 10 rounds they’re soaring in fifth position. The fact they have continued to win without Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans speaks volumes for their resolve and the ability of coach Des Hasler to extract every ounce of talent from his men. By contrast, 2019 has been a season of woe for the Titans. A club which promised plenty has delivered just two wins; the worst start after drubbing at Lottoland in one of the highest-scoring games of 2018. Danger sign: Manly have players across their roster who can trouble the Titans. The visitors will need to play at their best to counter the…

Form: The Warriors’ season looked to be spiralling downward a fortnight ago, but consecutive away wins over the Dragons and Panthers has renewed hope that they have what it takes to play finals football for a second straight season. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been in scintillating touch while Kodi Nikorima has provided the zip around the rucks that has been missing since Shaun Johnson’s departure. The Broncos have also found form over the past two weeks and winning results against the Sea Eagles and Roosters have begun to restore the faith of supporters. History: These two have played many memorable games over the past 25 seasons but few can compare with the first back in 1995, when over 29,000 fans crammed into Mt Smart for the Warriors’ maiden ‘voyage’. The teams…

Form: The Dragons have disappeared down a sizable hole over the past month, dropping four-straight games including a 33-point loss to the Knights last Sunday. With confidence levels bottoming out, a recovery doesn’t appear imminent. Their defensive performances have nosedived and over the past month they’ve conceded 123 points. Cronulla look headed in the opposite direction after weathering the worst of an injury crisis and they’re expecting a steady flow of players back in coming weeks. A home defeat to Manly cost them their place in the eight but they’ll be determined to grab it back this week. History: There has never been a shortage of sibling rivalry when these clubs have clashed. The Dragons were always viewed as the big brother and the Sharks the brash youngster attempting to…

BURLEIGH leap-frogged Northern Pride into first position after winning the top-of-the-table clash 32-10. The result sees the Pride, who were undefeated until last week, tumble to third on the ladder. Climbing into second spot is Wynnum Manly, who put Western Mustangs to the sword for their third-consecutive win. Brendan White kicked Mackay to an upset win over Norths Devils, his late penalty goal the difference in a 20-19 comeback victory. The Falcons edged Townsville 22-18 to draw level with them on competition points. Tweed Heads forfeited seventh place to Easts after the Tigers repelled them at Langlands Park. Redcliffe remain winless after being thumped by the Capras, while Souths Logan bounced back from last week’s heavy loss by trumping the Ipswich Jets in a 12-try affair at Davies Park. EASTS…