Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 18 i Big League Weekly Edition

NEWCASTLE enforcer David Klemmer says he’ll play through pain for the rest of the season following a broken wrist suffered in Origin I. The Blues prop declined the chance to undergo surgery in a bid to be fit for the Origin decider, and he’ll now push through for the remainder of the season. “There will be lingering pain for the rest of the year,” Klemmer told Big League. “But it doesn’t bother me because I love playing footy. I’ve just got to manage it with the physios and look after it. “I’ll probably have to needle it before games, but I’ll be right to play for the rest of the year.” Following the Blues’ Origin victory, Klemmer hopes he can continue that success at Newcastle this season. The Knights currently…

Earlier this season you celebrated your 200th NRL game against Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium – that must have been a special moment for you... It was exciting to get to the 200-game mark. It’s been a long road for me. I had that little stint in rugby union and I’ve had some injuries along the way, but to finally bring up that milestone was a great achievement. It’s definitely something I’ll treasure with my family and look back on in the future. Growing up, all I wanted to do was play first grade and I never imagined I’d get the chance to play 200 games. It was a very special moment for me. Hopefully I’ve still got quite a few more games to come. Looking back at your three-year stint…

THIS is the tale of Steve Ella, the Zip Zip Man, who had an illustrious career that included 153 games and 84 tries for the Eels, four grand final victories, four Tests, eight Origin appearances for NSW and a Kangaroo tour. Yet what is greatly overlooked is that Ella was told he would never run at pace again, let alone play rugby league, after his knee collapsed just four games into his first-grade career – robbing him of almost two years of football. Ella was just 18 when, on April 29, 1979, he was stretchered off Brookvale Oval after being tackled from behind by much larger opponent Steve Knight. He required one of the first of what we now call a ‘full knee reconstruction’. At the time players battled to…

ROUND 18 Jul 18-21 Broncos v Bulldogs Thu, 7.50pm, SuncorpWarriors v Sharks Fri, 6pm, Westpac, WellingtonPanthers v Dragons Fri, 7.55pm, PanthersRoosters v Knights Sat, 3pm, SCGRaiders v Wests Tigers Sat, 5.30pm, GIOCowboys v Rabbitohs Sat, 7.35pm, 1300SMILESTitans v Storm Sun, 2pm, Cbus SuperSea Eagles v Eels Sun, 4.05pm, Lottoland ROUND 19 Jul 25-28 Sharks v Cowboys Thu, 7.50pm, PointsBetKnights v Wests Tigers Fri, 6pm, McDonald JonesRabbitohs v Dragons Fri, 7.55pm, ANZEels v Warriors Sat, 3pm, BankwestTitans v Broncos Sat, 5.30pm, Cbus SuperStorm v Sea Eagles Sat, 7.35pm, AAMIBulldogs v Roosters Sun, 2pm, ANZPanthers v Raiders Sun, 4.05pm, Panthers ROUND 20 Aug 1-4 Wests Tigers v Cowboys Thu, 7.50pm, LeichhardtWarriors v Raiders Fri, 6pm, Mt SmartBroncos v Storm Fri, 7.55pm, SuncorpSea Eagles v Knights Sat, 3pm, LottolandBulldogs v Panthers Sat, 5.30pm,…

OVER the past decade the Raiders have gained a reputation for being the competition’s entertainers in attack, with the ability to score points at will. They’ve been fun to watch and have gained plenty of admirers along the way, however success hasn’t followed as defensive fragility has seen them qualify for the finals just once in six years. However this season coach Ricky Stuart has a taken on a new philosophy – and it seems to be working. They haven’t ditched the fancy attacking plays, but they’ve put a giant emphasis on defence. They’re scoring fewer points than last season but have also conceded eight fewer points per game in 2019 – and it’s making a clear difference on the ladder. This time last season they were struggling to keep…

PREMIERSHIP celebrations in any sport can last weeks, with players barely sighted during daylight hours unless they’re forced to don sunglasses and a clean shirt during the tickertape parade. But State of Origin is a different beast, with players expected to run out for their respective clubs just days after lifting the shield. For veterans of the game, backing up isn’t an issue. But for rookies, the physical and emotional toll can be tough to handle. South Sydney lock Cameron Murray was part of the victorious Blues side last Wednesday and then churned through 51 minutes on Saturday as the Bunnies snapped a four-game losing streak to pip the Sea Eagles. “It wasn’t easy, but I’ve learnt a lot over the past couple of weeks coming back from Origin and…

WE’RE on to the home stretch now, Fantasy coaches. Origin, the major bye rounds and hopefully most of the post-Origin rests are behind us. The cavalry is returning, with the likes of James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic and Kalyn Ponga all available this week in a huge boost for coaches. Storm coach Craig Bellamy has opted to rest most of his Origin contingent, with Cameron Munster the big out in Fantasy terms – but he is easier to cover than the cohort of missing fullbacks was last week. There was plenty of good news around in Round 17 despite the players unavailable, with a host of popular guns hitting 70-plus scores, propelling many teams to 1,000-plus scores. The extra 10 minutes on offer in the 90-minute draw between the Broncos and…

Form: The Panthers may not have set the world on fire in their run of six-straight wins, catching some opponents below strength through representative duty and others out of form, but there’s no underestimating the confidence generated by such a run. The momentum could make all the difference against a Dragons side down on its luck after losing eight of its past 10 games. The Panthers have won five games by three points or less this season and with Nathan Cleary returning alongside James Maloney, they have proven match-winners in clutch situations. History: The Dragons may have won four of the past five encounters, however the Panthers produced arguably their most emphatic performance of the 2018 season when they swamped the Dragons 28-2 at home in Round 12. The overall…

Form: With their season on the line, the Cowboys displayed character to claim a hard-fought win over the Roosters last Sunday but they’ll need a lot more of the same quality if they are to make a finals charge. They remain well in the mix on 16 competition points (two points out of the eight) but they’re likely to need six or seven wins from their final nine games to figure in the finals. The Rabbitohs stopped the rot after four successive defeats when they shaded Manly last Saturday and despite their lean run they managed to leapfrog the Roosters into second place on the ladder. The field has congested considerably over the past month and there are several teams snapping at their heels. History: The historical ledger is all…

CANTERBURY sit just one competition point from top spot after a late try from Fa’amanu Brown handed them a narrow win over Newcastle in a game that featured just 20 points at McDonald Jones Stadium. Last-placed Blacktown claimed just their third win of the season as they upset South Sydney by eight points in a thriller at ANZ Stadium. North Sydney centre Billy Smith bagged a hat-trick in the Bears’ 22-8 triumph against Newtown, while Wentworthville consolidated their place inside the top eight with a six-point victory against Western Suburbs at Bankwest Stadium. Wenty tility Rhys Davies scored a try and kicked two goals. St George Illawarra jumped to third on the ladder following their six-point win against Mounties. CANTERBURY 12 (J Marschke, F Brown tries; Brown 2 goals) D.…

WESTERN Suburbs secured two valuable points in the finals race with a thrilling win over Mounties. A late try to Jett Karam looked to have set up an enthralling finish, but a missed conversion handed the Magpies a three-point win and puts them within one win of the Top Four. Wentworthville gave their points differential a handy boost with a crushing win over the lacklustre Wolves, with nine players getting over the line and Beau Henry enjoying a near-perfect day with the boot. St Marys are keeping the pressure on in second place with a win in the local derby against Brothers. The away side staged a second-half fightback after a slow start, but two tries in the final 10 minutes helped the Saints put the result beyond doubt. Blacktown…

IT truly feels like the year of the fullback. Back in Round 14, Tom Trbojevic blasted out of the gates on his return from injury for the Sea Eagles and ran for an astonishing 341 metres – a new NRL record. But he only got to enjoy it for three weeks because, not to be outdone, Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ran for a ridiculous 367 metres against the Broncos last weekend. After Origin III, many were asking whether Roosters fullback James Tedesco is the best player in the world at the moment. It’s hard to argue against. You’ve also got the up-and-coming brilliance of Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga. Beyond the ones who are always in the headlines, the revelation of Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad for the Raiders has been a great storyline,…

FIGHTING to save their season, the Warriors head to Wellington this week to take on Cronulla also aiming to rectify one of the NRL’s most bewildering hoodoos. The club has played 30 games at New Zealand venues other than their Mt Smart Stadium since 1995 – for the shockingly poor record of seven wins, one draw and 22 losses. The Warriors boast just two wins and a draw from nine games at Westpac Stadium in the nation’s capital. Meanwhile, a 46-12 loss to Manly in Christchurch was arguably their worst performance of 2019. Former captain Monty Betham – who featured in the inaugural Wellington-hosted game, an unforgettable 24-all draw against the Bulldogs in 2001 after the Warriors scored three tries in the last six minutes – is at a loss…

8. The cover that never was (1998) Super League premiers Brisbane and ARL champs Newcastle finished in the top two spots at the end of the 1998 NRL competition, but both lost their first-up finals matches. The following week’s cover was designed to illustrate their plight as they geared up for sudden-death assignments – including the image of Broncos fullback Darren Lockyer being tackled around the neck by Parramatta’s John Simon. The issue went to print, but the NRL – fearful of a negative reaction to the photo – demanded all copies be recalled and pulped. A new cover was hastily arranged on one of the more stressful days in the magazine’s history. 7. Norm Provan portrait (1976) Action images were standard page one fare during the 1970s, which made…

Back to the future Thanks to league historian David Middleton for blessing us with this amazing stat - Adam Blair’s try against the Broncos on Saturday was his first try in 46 NRL games at Suncorp Stadium and his first at the ground since the 2008 World Cup! What a way to break a drought. Beast goes into hibernation Former Warriors try-scoring machine Manu Vatuvei has announced he is officially retiring from rugby league after a couple of years dealing with serious injury. The ‘Beast’ had been dabbling in a boxing career as well as winning the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars. He played with Salford in 2017 before being released from his contract last year following an Achilles injury. “I wasn’t ready to or accept that…

CAMERON Smith may be widely-regarded as the greatest of all time, but there’s no denying Roosters fullback James Tedesco is the best player in the world right now. Team-mate Latrell Mitchell experienced the wrath of the fickle ratings system earlier in the year when trigger-happy critics dubbed him the number one player in rugby league following his freakish performance against the Wests Tigers. But when it comes to Tedesco, greatness is a weekly occurrence, with his best efforts only marginally better than his ‘off days’ regardless of whether he’s playing for the Roosters, Blues or Kangaroos. Many felt he deserved to be Player of the Series during last year’s State of Origin campaign, only for Billy Slater to pip him at the post, but justice prevailed in 2019 with the…

PANTHERS THE best is yet to come – that’s the opinion of Penrith coach Ivan Cleary following his side’s sixth-straight win. Having started the season with a 2-8 record, the Panthers have recovered to have as many wins as losses and now find themselves in the top eight for the first time this season. They’ve improved dramatically over the past two months and Cleary thinks the best is yet to come. “We’ve got our best footy in front of us whereas a lot of teams are scratching their way through the year,” Cleary said after Penrith’s 24-2 victory against Gold Coast. The coach admits the start of the season was hard to swallow but it’s made his team stronger. “It just goes to show when you go through those tough…

Form: Faced with deteriorating hopes of reaching the finals, the Broncos have responded with renewed energy over the past fortnight, battling for an upset win against the Sharks before fighting back from a half-time deficit of 10 points in their 18-all draw with the Warriors last Saturday. On both occasions they have fielded inexperienced line-ups. The Bulldogs have also rallied after the prospect of landing the wooden spoon began to loom large; recording quality wins over the Sharks and the Knights on either side of their bye. History: The Broncos hold a decisive lead in their encounters with the Bulldogs since 1988 (winning 30-23) but results over the past three seasons have favoured the home team. In two clashes last season the Broncos won 22-20 at Suncorp while the Bulldogs…

Form: Both of these teams have been in the doldrums in recent times, the Roosters winning just two of their past seven games, while the Knights have won one of their past four. Representative disruptions, suspensions and injuries have impacted both clubs, but with clear air through to the play-offs both will have the opportunity to play their best football. The Roosters have impressed at the SCG this season, winning their past four games at the iconic venue, while the Knights will make their first appearance at the ground. History: These clubs developed a highly competitive rivalry during the Fittler and Johns eras and from 1998 to 2003 were opposed five times in finals matches. The Roosters have dominated results for much of the past decade, winning 10 of the…

Form: No club faces a greater uphill battle for the rest of this season than the Titans. Having cut ties with coach Garth Brennan last weekend, the Titans are left to fight their way off the bottom of the ladder and at the same time stage a desperate battle to restore credibility off the field. Their task against the high-rolling Storm appears monumental as the competition leaders eye off a ninth consecutive win. The Titans can only hope that the Storm are lethargic after last week’s Cam 400 celebrations but expecting a poorly-prepared Melbourne line-up is inviting disappointment. History: Upset wins by the Titans over the Storm have been rare but they aren’t unknown. The Gold Coast last triumphed over Melbourne in 2017 when they claimed a 38-36 victory in…

THE Jersey Flegg competition returns after the mid-season break, with teams keen to maintain their lofty standards, while others are desperate to fight their win into the top eight. The round kicks off with a crucial clash across the ditch between the ladder-leading Sharks and the Warriors, who are three points outside the eight and must win to keep their finals hopes alive. There’s another important battle at the foot of the mountains between the fourth-placed Panthers and the third-placed Knights, with the winner set to temporarily jump into the top two. At the other end of the table, the winless Bears take on fierce rivals Manly who are one spot above them on the ladder. ROUND 13 RESULTS PENRITH 24 (R Nanovo 2, S Harris, J Jones, J Quinn…

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana has scored 10 tries from seven games against Wests Tigers. The Broncos will play their 800th game since joining the premiership in 1988. The Eels have scored 90 points in three consecutive victories. The Sharks have won their past four games against the Warriors. The Bulldogs are aiming for three-straight wins for the first time under coach Dean Pay. Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall has won all 10 games he’s played at GIO Stadium. Rooster Daniel Tupou will make his 150th NRL appearance. Manly have won four of their past five home games.…

MAROONS hooker Ben Hunt says he’d love Queensland coach Kevin Walters to remain at the helm for next year, but also backed him if he wanted to go for the vacant Titans role. News of Garth Brennan’s recent sacking led many to believe Walters would get the gig, but the man himself declared he didn’t want the role because he was focused on the Maroons and his commentary duties with Fox League. However, there is a widespread theory that Walters is still interested in the job, but that he doesn’t want to get involved in a drawn-out interview process which could lead to heartbreak as it did with the Broncos role at the end of 2018. Should he withdraw from the race, several candidates such as Roosters assistants Craig Fitzgibbon…

FORMER wrecking ball Tony Williams is keen to sign a contract for next season and beyond after reviving his career with the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles in the Canterbury Cup. The 170-game veteran was limited to just six games in 2017 and 2018 following consecutive season-ending knee injuries, but has quickly found form in reserve grade with four matches under his belt. The winger-turned-back-rower says the crippling injuries should allow him to play on for a few years, with Williams keen to chat with Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler in the coming weeks about a possible NRL contract given their history together. “It’s hard to talk to him because he’s too busy and he’s got other stuff to do. We’ll probably sit down and have a chat soon. I’ve known…

ONE of the biggest issues for fans right now is finding the perfect solution to decide games that are level at the end of 80 minutes. You hear arguments from every angle, and while they all have merit, I’m a fan of the current golden point model. I’m a fierce competitor, so I want a result at the end of a game. I don’t like finishing a game as a draw because I really want to get the win and I think golden point is the best option we have at the moment in achieving that. I know it can sometimes turn into a field goal-a-thon where teams don’t go for tries, but I think it’s a different element of the game that you don’t see in regulation time that…

Broncos v BulldogsWarriors v SharksPanthers v DragonsRoosters v KnightsRaiders v Wests TigersCowboys v RabbitohsTitans v StormSea Eagles v Eels David Middleton League Historian BroncosSharksPanthersRoostersRaidersRabbitohsStormSea Eagles Michael Carayannis The Sunday Telegraph BroncosWarriorsPanthersRoostersRaidersRabbitohsStormEels Maria Tsialis Big League BroncosWarriorsPanthersKnightsRaidersRabbitohsStormSea Eagles Michael Chammas NRL.com BroncosWarriorsPanthersKnightsRaidersRabbitohsStormSea Eagles Rebekka Wake Reader Tipster BulldogsSharksPanthersRoostersRaidersRabbitohsStormEels Footyhead Little League BulldogsWarriorsPanthersKnightsRaidersRabbitohsStormEels…

IT was a departure that surprised many and generated much speculation. After four rollercoaster years, where he almost led Canberra to a grand final and was nearly picked for NSW, Blake Austin left the Green Machine and the nation’s capital. The rangy five-eighth had always been a player of real talent, blessed with many natural gifts, and he seemed to finally find his feet at the Raiders. But at the end of 2018 he was gone, off to the Warrington Wolves on a three-year deal. Heading into his prime, Austin made the huge call to leave home and head for the Super League. There were reports that he had knocked back a new deal with Canberra, that the club’s offer had been retracted and even talk that he’d fallen out…

Storm speedster Rya Papenhuzen is burning rivals for pace, and Footyhead knows why. Hi Ryan, I’m Footyhead from Big League... I know who you are, mum always used to buy Big League for me! I’m a bit of a tragic. Great! I hope you learned a thing or two about your favourite players from my interviews. I just love how it gives a different perspective seeing others turned into cartoons. I hope you like being in a cartoon with your dog. Why’d you get a greyhound? We got it as a family to go out and watch it together. It seemed a good idea, it’s a bit cheaper than a horse! Every time he races, we have a little catch-up. Do you get to walk him? He’s in the hands…

Form: The Warriors have endured wretched fortune in recent weeks, pipped in golden point by the Panthers and held to a draw by the Broncos. With a favourable bounce here or a more accurate boot there, Stephen Kearney’s team might have been celebrating three-straight wins and a place in the top eight for the first time since the opening rounds. As it stands, the Warriors are stuck in the logjam of teams battling for a top eight position and face a tough challenge to fight their way to the play-offs. Cronulla’s position is only slightly less precarious. Spoken about as dark horses for the premiership only a month ago, the Sharks have slumped to four-straight losses and their injury situation has taken a turn for the worse. History: The Sharks…

Form: Apart from an aberrant performance against the Eels in Darwin, the Raiders have made a powerful charge through the representative rounds to climb to second on the competition ladder. They proved far too powerful for St George Illawarra last Sunday and not even the dismissal of winger Nick Cotric could halt their momentum. They’ve won four of their past five games and will be determined to consolidate their place in the top four in the remaining rounds. Wests Tigers matched Parramatta for tries last Sunday but a combination of moderate goal-kicking and ill-discipline left them well in arrears on the scoreboard. History: Wests Tigers lead the overall win-loss ledger against the Raiders 19-16, but there is no disputing Canberra’s superiority in recent years. Since 2014 they have won seven…

Form: Both teams bring impressive credentials into this clash, with fifth-placed Manly having won three of their past four games and sixth-placed Parramatta stringing together four wins from their past five. The Sea Eagles went down by a point to South Sydney last Saturday but were missing the strikepower of Origin star Tom Trbojevic. The Eels, meanwhile, downed the Wests Tigers 30-18 at Bankwest last Sunday and have scored 138 points from their past five games. History: The Sea Eagles and Eels joined the premiership side-by-side in 1947 but after both clubs struggled to find their feet it was Manly who were first to make their mark. They dominated contests with the Eels and apart from a brief run of victories in the mid-1960s, it took another decade for Parramatta…

TOWNSVILLE consolidated their place in the top four with a 60-6 thrashing of Northern Pride as four players bagged doubles. Jeremy Hawkins scored two tries to help Redcliffe defeat Wynnum Manly by two converted tries. Mackay claimed their sixth win of the season with a four-point victory against the last-placed Capras in a 52-point thriller. Burleigh remain in second on the ladder following their 42-6 win against Tweed Seagulls. Ladder leaders Sunshine Coast continued their impressive season with a 60-6 win over PNG Hunters as Jonathon Reuben bagged a hat-trick, while Ipswich sit three games outside the top eight despite their 10-point win over Easts Tigers. It’s Country Week in the Queensland Cup, with regional venues hosting games across the state. TOWNSVILLE 60 (K Faifai Loa 2, M Bell 2,…