Innholdsfortegnelse for 2019 - Round 22 i Big League Weekly Edition

THE draw may not be finalised, but preparations are well and truly underway for the upcoming NRLW season, with all four sides returning to the training paddock this week. The Broncos were the inaugural premiers following a comprehensive win over the Roosters on grand final day, but it’s the Dragons who’ll head into the new season as favourites thanks to a number of astute purchases, including reigning women’s Dally M Player of the Year Brittany Breayley. “I don’t know if we’re the favourites. A lot depends on how everyone gels,” Dragons utility Keeley Davis told Big League. “I don’t think that tag worries us too much because we’re just looking forward to getting into camp and doing our job. Hopefully it pays off.” The Red V managed just one victory…

SOCIAL media can be a powerful tool for athletes, fans and anyone looking to make a difference in the world, but sadly last weekend showed why it can also be one of the most toxic problems in society. People are entitled to their opinions, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to hurl horrific abuse at others, especially those they have never met and would never say those things to in person. I don’t think there’s any way you can stop this problem because there are always going to be people with social media who think they know best – so if you let them down in some way, they’re going to attack you. I’ve had a bit of trouble since coming down to Sydney, so I’m completely off social…

Sea Eagles v Wests Tigers Titans v Eels Broncos v Panthers Knights v Cowboys Storm v Raiders Rabbitohs v Bulldogs Roosters v Warriors Sharks v Dragons David Middleton League Historian Sea Eagles Eels Panthers Knights Storm Rabbitohs Roosters Sharks Maria Tsialis Big League Sea Eagles Eels Panthers Knights Storm Rabbitohs Roosters Sharks Michael Carayannis The Sunday Telegraph Sea Eagles Eels Panthers Knights Storm Rabbitohs Roosters Sharks Michael Chammas NRL.com Sea Eagles Eels Panthers Knights Storm Rabbitohs Roosters Sharks Rebekka Wake Reader Tipster Sea Eagles Eels Panthers Knights Raiders Bulldogs Roosters Sharks Footyhead Little League Wests Tigers Eels Panthers Knights Raiders Bulldogs Roosters Sharks…

THE Gold Coast Titans have plumbed new depths in 2019, axing coach Garth Brennan mid-season and winning just four games so far. The embattled club is virtually assured of its second wooden spoon, and their campaign adds to a tortured three-decade tale of professional rugby league franchises based on the holiday strip. Some of the former Gold Coast incarnations’ mistakes have been repeated by the Titans – but hope remains that a successful club can be based in the rich heartland. GIANT AMBITIONS The Gold Coast-Tweed Giants were admitted to the NSWRL in 1988 alongside Brisbane and Newcastle. After missing out on the Brisbane license, the ‘Internationals Syndicate’ consortium – which included former Test players John Sattler, Peter Gallagher and Bob Hagan – set up the Giants. Legendary second-rower Bob…

You grew up in the country, right I grew up on a farm near Temora, four-and-a-half hours west in the Riverina, with four older siblings. One was six years older and 50 kilos heavier, and would squash me in backyard footy! I understand the big attraction in Temora is a museum… The airport museum! There are old WW2 aeroplanes and stuff. They do an event called ‘Warbirds’, when 10,000 people come to town. We’d be in the canteens helping with the leagues club. Does the family get to see you play often? Yeah, they’re mostly in Sydney now and come to home games and around Sydney. Mum gets to most games from Temora. What about your NRL debut – was everyone there? I was lucky, it was out at Bathurst,…

Form: It has been the grimmest winter in the Titans’ short history and they hit a new low last Saturday when they slumped to a record seventh consecutive loss. The decision to dump coach Garth Brennan midway through July has failed to produce any semblance of ‘bounce’ from the team, and if anything, performances since his departure have deteriorated. In the four games since Brennan was shown the door, the Titans have conceded 42.5 points per game. By contrast, the Eels are riding high and are all but assured of a top eight finish. Brad Arthur’s outfit has won six of its past seven games and last Saturday accounted for the Knights at Bankwest Stadium. History: If there is any shred of optimism left among the Titans they can take…

Form: The Storm juggernaut has shown little sign of being run off-course this season and despite a sizable injury toll leading into last Sunday’s clash with South Sydney, it was business as usual for Craig Bellamy’s men. The win restored their six-point lead at the top of the competition ladder and barring a major mishap, has all but guaranteed that they will carry off the JJ Giltinan Shield again in 2019. The Raiders have been one of the form teams of the competition throughout the season but were unable to extend their winning record against an injury-hit Sydney Roosters last Sunday. Despite fielding a near full-strength line-up and a dominant share of possession, the Raiders went down by four points. History: The Storm boast an imposing 73 per cent winning…

Form: Once the Sharks ‘got the band back together’ it seemed a matter of time before they would embark on a run to the finals. There had been comment for weeks that Cronulla would shape as a dark horse for the premiership when their full complement of players returned, but that has proved anything but reality. In their past eight games, the Sharks have managed two wins and despite a relatively cosy run to the finals there is no guarantee that their star-studded line-up will be included. Their loss to the Panthers last Friday tipped them back outside the eight with four games to play. The Dragons finally ended a five-game losing streak when they outran the Titans last Saturday in a match in which defence became a secondary consideration.…

THERE are few topics I’m an absolute expert in (not that that’s ever stopped me from debating someone before) but women in league is right up my alley as I am, as you can hopefully tell, a woman in league. I remember writing yarns when Women in League Round first arrived on the scene more than 10 years ago, and I’m happy to say things have evolved from the stories I pumped out in those days that still focused very much on male players and the women in their orbit. Not that they don’t deserve acknowledgement too – there are countless mums and partners who sacrifice immensely to support people around them – but there’s a whole new untapped market of women at every level of the game who have…

IT shapes as one of the most important clashes of the round as teams continue to jostle for finals spots, but the Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers head into their Thursday night match minus some big stars. The Tigers have suffered a double blow with leaders Robbie Farah (fractured tibia) and Moses Mbye (hip flexor) both ruled out, with neither guaranteed to return in 2019. Given the nature of Farah’s injury, the Wests Tigers would likely need to finish in the top eight for him to get the farewell game he deserves. Jacob Liddle replaces him in the starting side this week, and while he lacks Farah’s experience, his speed and guile around the ruck will trouble Manly’s big forwards. “[Farah] is a key part of our team but the…

You’ve been in and out of the squad in the past, but you seem to have found your groove in 2019. How good does it feel to have the support of the players and coaching staff? It’s a hard team to get into. You look at the squad we have and there’s so much talent and skill among the players. I’ve always thought we’ve had the best forward pack in the comp for a number of years thanks to the coaching of ‘Robbo’ [coach Trent Robinson], so it’s been tough to get a crack. I’ve been happy with the opportunities that I’ve got, and I feel that in every game I have played, I’ve grown more confident and have started to express myself more in attack, which is something the…

IT is unquestionable that the modern player has more influence on rugby league decision-making than ever before, through their union, the RLPA, and impact on the coaching staff. However the game’s first players’ strike just over a century ago was their first great collective flexing of muscle. It is referred to as the ‘Laddo Davies affair’. Back in 1917, the game was governed with an iron fist under NSWRL president James Joynton-Smith, who was a high-powered Sydney hotelier and racehorse owner. Part of the strict laws that bound an eight-team competition was the ‘residential rule’. It implied that players had to live within the allocated geographic boundaries of their club – be it Balmain, Norths, Souths, Easts, Wests, Glebe, Annandale or Newtown. The suburbs of Annandale and Glebe were just…

WITH four weeks of the regular season remaining and Cronulla’s season on the line, star playmaker Shaun Johnson has been tasked with showing his true worth. The former Warrior was recruited to the club at the start of the year to bring that sparkling x-factor he’s shown throughout his career. Following a mixed start to his tenure at the Shire, hampered by injury and below-par form, Johnson is finding his feet and has been one of the Sharks’ best players over the past month. His new club may have fallen agonisingly short of Penrith last Friday, but Johnson once again showed what he’s capable of, and he still has the opportunity to lead the Sharks into the finals over the next month. They sit ninth on the ladder, just one…

It’s that time of year again – Fantasy finals are upon us! That’s right, for all of us chasing glory in our head-to-head leagues (under the default settings at least), Round 21 was the final round of the regular Fantasy season, with league finals to start in Round 22. Congratulations to everyone who made the top eight in their leagues. To everyone who missed out: there are still prizes for round top scores and bragging rights for finishing higher up the overall points tally. If you made the top four in your league, try and do what you need to do this week to win and earn a valuable week off. If you are in the bottom half of your league’s finals contenders every week is now sudden death, with…

Form: The Broncos regained their place in the top eight with victory over the Cowboys last Thursday but there was nothing convincing about their performance and a berth in the finals is a long way from being guaranteed. Although they play their next three games at home and face 15th-placed Canterbury in the final round, they need to improve dramatically if they are to feature in the end-of-season games. The Panthers resumed winning form after a two-game lull when they held off Cronulla in an entertaining contest at Panthers Stadium last Friday. Giving away an average of five years per player and a total of 1,400 games in NRL experience, the Panther ‘cubs’ achieved a famous victory. History: The Broncos have had the better of this contest for almost its…

Form: The Rabbitohs are yet to recapture the form that had them riding high at the top of the ladder earlier in the season and injury concerns continue to hinder their ambitions. Skipper Sam Burgess has been a notable absentee in recent weeks and the team has missed the attacking qualities of fullback Alex Johnston over the second half of the season. Now Adam Reynolds’ back injury has flared, threatening to further destabilise the team a month out from the finals. Canterbury fans have been heartened by the commitment displayed by their outfit over the past six weeks and back-to-back wins over the Panthers and the Wests Tigers have effectively staved off the wooden spoon. History: Outside of their neighbourhood battles with the Roosters, this is South Sydney’s longest-held rivalry…

NEWTOWN threw a spanner in the works of Penrith’s finals ambitions. The Jets surged to an early lead thanks to tries to Billy Magoulias and Jayson Bukuya, and though Penrith grabbed three tries after the break, they couldn’t close the gap. The Warriors went close to another upset in their recent resurgence, falling just short against the ladder-leading Rabbitohs. The Dragons jumped into second place with a win over North Sydney, led by tries to Matt Dufty and Jacob Host, while the Bulldogs missed a chance to close the gap on the Rabbitohs after slipping against Mounties. At the other end of the ladder, both Blacktown and Newcastle secured valuable points with their respective wins over Western Suburbs and Wentworthville. NEWTOWN 28 (B Magoulias, J Bukuya, W Kennedy, B Trindall…

REDCLIFFE’S resurgence has continued following their hammering of Easts Tigers. The Dolphins have beaten the top three teams on their recent run and are now well within the finals equation. Meanwhile each of the top four sides claimed valuable wins. Sunshine Coast made light work of Mackay, taking the foot off the pedal after surging to a 24-point half-time lead; Wynnum bounced back from an early defensive lapse to secure a comprehensive win over Souths Logan, while a late double to Troy Leo put the result beyond doubt for Burleigh against the Hunters in PNG. The Devils cruised to a resounding win over the Pride, with four tries and nine goals to recent Broncos debutant Herbie Farnworth for 36 points. Tweed also ensured their finals hopes remain in their control,…

THE Melbourne Storm sit six points clear at the top and are fresh from a commanding win over premiership rivals the Rabbitohs, and their incredible form has punters wondering if Craig Bellamy’s side has reached their peak a month out from the finals. The Storm finished Round 21 with the best attack and defence in the league and are on track for the minor premiership. Some have questioned whether they have another gear, but prop Jesse Bromwich says the outside noise is just that. “It doesn’t bother us what people say. I know that we can go even higher,” he told Big League. “If you look at the South Sydney game, who knows what we could have done if we didn’t have those nine penalties against us? We’re putting ourselves…

THIS season is James Maloney’s last in the NRL before heading to Catalans in 2020 and he’s desperate to play finals one last time. The 33-year-old has only missed one finals series in a career that has spanned 11 seasons. “100 per cent I want to play finals,” Maloney told Big League. “I’ve only missed the finals once in my career and there’s no way I want to finish like that this year. We’ve got a few big games first before we can play finals.” Friday night’s clash between Brisbane and Penrith shapes as one of the most crucial games of the season. The Panthers sit seventh on the ladder with 22 competition points, while the Broncos round out the top half with 21. Both sides can control their own…

8. Dale Shearer ‘Rowdy’ Shearer holds the distinction of scoring tries in the most consecutive State of Origin matches, crossing in six straight outings for Queensland. A permanent fixture on the wing for the Maroons, Shearer scored in the last two encounters in 1986 and all three matches of the ’87 series, plus the California-hosted exhibition Origin clash. Shearer’s Origin record of 12 tries stood until 2012. Valentine Holmes boasts the unique distinction of scoring at least one try in all five of his Origin appearances for Queensland before his NFL switch. 7. Frank Burge The most potent try-scoring forward in rugby league history, Burge set a host of records in a first-grade career that garnered 148 tries in just 153 games for Glebe and St George from 1911-27. He…

Prodigal son returns Big League spotted Bulldogs legend Steve Price in the sheds following the club’s win over Penrith a couple of weeks ago, and it was soon revealed that he had been signed on as General Manager of Football. His long relationship with the club as a player and board member are linked to the new job as the Bulldogs continue to work themselves out of the cellar. Price, who played 222 games for the club and captained them in their last grand final year in 2004, will be across coaching staff, high performance, recruitment and pathways. Inside great minds Every wonder what makes Johnathan Thurston tick? Author Tristan K’Nell delves into some of the great sporting minds of our generation in the book Talking with Champions. K’Nell has…

ROUND 22 Aug 15-18 Sea Eagles v Wests Tigers Thu, 7.50pm, Lottoland Titans v Eels Fri, 6pm, Cbus Super Broncos v Panthers Fri, 7.55pm, Suncorp Knights v Cowboys Sat, 3pm, McDonald Jones Storm v Raiders Sat, 5.30pm, AAMI Rabbitohs v Bulldogs Sat, 7.35pm, ANZ Roosters v Warriors Sun, 2pm, SCG Sharks v Dragons Sun, 4.05pm, PointsBet ROUND 23 Aug 22-25 Eels v Bulldogs Thu, 7.50pm, Bankwest Cowboys v Panthers Fri, 6pm, 1300SMILES Broncos v Rabbitohs Fri, 7.55pm, Suncorp Sharks v Warriors Sat, 3pm, PointsBet Wests Tigers v Knights Sat, 5.30pm, Campbelltown Dragons v Roosters Sat, 7.35pm, Netstrata Storm v Titans Sun, 2pm, AAMI Raiders v Sea Eagles Sun, 4.05pm, GIO ROUND 24 Aug 29-Sep 1 Cowboys v Bulldogs Thu, 7.50pm, 1300SMILES Warriors v Rabbitohs Fri, 6pm, Mt Smart Broncos v…

WHILE the NRL doesn’t need just one week to celebrate the amazing contributions women have made, Women in League Round is the perfect opportunity to share stories from on and off the field about some of the people who have helped shape the greatest game of all. STAR ON THE RISE Most people are solely focused on the NRL run to the finals, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, they’re neglecting the rapid rise of the women’s game. In the next few months the second season of the NRLW will kick off, while the Australian women’s side feature in the Nines World Cup, a Prime Minister’s XIII clash as well as a Test against the Kiwi Ferns in Wollongong. This time last year, Corrimal Cougars junior Keeley Davis (pictured,…

WESTS TIGERS TRY-SCORING utility Michael Chee Kam remains confident his side can play finals footy in 2019 in spite of their shock loss to the Bulldogs last week. Injuries to Moses Mbye and Robbie Farah in the first half put the Tigers on the back foot, and while they headed to the sheds with a half-time lead, they soon found themselves chasing their tails after the determined Dogs piled on the points after the break. They now sit in 10th spot with four rounds remaining and face a crucial clash against the Sea Eagles at Lottoland. A win would put them back in the mix for a top-eight finish, but another defeat would put their season on life support. “It’s a tough run for every team in the run to…

Form: Perhaps lulled into complacency by the Warriors’ dismal effort against the Raiders a fortnight ago, the Sea Eagles missed the jump completely at Mt Smart Stadium last Friday and handed the Warriors a head-start that proved impossible to overcome. The Sea Eagles displayed good fighting qualities to rally from an 18-0 deficit to trail by two points late in the contest, but they had little left in the tank for defence and the game was lost after a late try. Wests Tigers let a crucial win slip through their fingers at ANZ Stadium when they went down to the Bulldogs. They allowed an 8-0 lead to turn into an 18-8 deficit when they conceded three tries in 15 minutes after half-time and despite a late rally they could not…

Form: After playing their way into the top four midway through the season, the Knights have been a rank disappointment in the run to the finals, slumping to six-straight defeats and surrendering almost any chance of figuring in the finals. Although they sit only three points adrift of eighth place, the Knights are running out of opportunities to make up the leeway. The Cowboys sit two points in arrears and have accepted the fact that they’ll miss the finals for the second year running. Paul Green’s outfit has managed a single victory from its past eight games, albeit against premiership favourites the Roosters (in Round 17). History: The ledger is almost square in this fixture. In fact, if the Cowboys can extend their four-game winning streak over the Knights, the…

Form: The Roosters might not have been at their best for 80 minutes against the Raiders last Sunday but to handle the conditions and hold off a confident Canberra without key forwards Boyd Cordner, Siosiua Taukeiaho and Jake Friend and after losing back-up hooker Sam Verrills at half-time says much about the quality of Trent Robinson’s squad. The Warriors displayed rare pluck to defeat Manly at Mt Smart last Friday after a disastrous performance against the Raiders a week earlier. Their finals hopes look to be over but at least coach Stephen Kearney managed to drag a strong response out of his players. History: These clubs have produced several epic contests over the past 25 years and despite the Roosters winning three premierships in that time (including a grand final…

THE two-horse race between the Sharks and Roosters looks set to continue after both emerged with convincing wings. The Sharks scored a crucial defensive win over fourth-placed Penrith, while the Roosters put a big dent in Canberra’s own hopes of a top-four finish, scoring three late tries to secure the competition points. The Rabbitohs jumped into third after hammering the Thunderbolts, with back-rower Tallis Angianga scoring a hat-trick and doubles to Matthew French and Dean Hawkins. The Warriors kept their tentative grip on a finals place alive with a win over Manly, while the Tigers continued their recent form with a win over the Bulldogs. In other results, Parramatta upset Newcastle, while the Dragons beat the Bears. CRONULLA 24 (J Boyling, F Pele, T Caughlan, C Bowen, L Mulitalo tries;…

THE race for the minor premiership took a surprise twist as Townsville drew with the Capras. The Blackhawks’ seven-game winning streak was snapped by the result, which leaves them two points behind Burleigh and Wynnum Manly, who each extended their respective winning streaks. The Falcons took a big step towards a top four finish, edging past the Cutters, who were leapfrogged into fifth position by Norths Devils after they came from behind to beat the Pride. Redcliffe came up with one of the upsets of the season. A late try to Jesse Jennings and Dylan Briggs’ clutch conversion saw the Dolphins snatch their second win of the season, 24-22 over the eighth-placed Tigers. Tweed Heads earned a last-gasp draw against Ipswich, thanks to Callum Boomer’s conversion of a late Ben…

The Rabbitohs have won their past four games against the Bulldogs. Sharks five-eighth Shaun Johnson requires 13 more points to reach 1,000 in the NRL. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary is aiming for his 150th victory at NRL level. North Queensland have won their past four games against Newcastle. The Titans have achieved their best winning record against Parramatta (61.1 per cent). Manly winger Reuben Garrick has scored 10 tries in his past six games at Lottoland. The Broncos have won their past three games against the Panthers. The Bulldogs have won four of their past six games.…