NRLW 2025 LIVE updates: Sharks and Eels go head-to-head in season opener
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Eels trio out for season opener
By Billie Eder
Parammatta are missing three crucial players for their match against the Sharks tonight, including skipper Mahalia Murphy. Murphy is out with a hamstring injury, and was fighting to be back for round one, but coach Steve Georgallis has erred on the side of caution, keeping his captain on the sideline in the hope of a round two return against the Warriors in Auckland.
Kennedy Cherrington is another big loss for the squad as she deals with a knee injury carried over from Origin earlier this year.
She's hoping for a mid-season return, along with Boss Kapua as she comes back from a fibula injury.
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Hello, sports fans
Welcome to the opening night of the NRL season.
With another truncated week of NRL action due to next Wednesday's State of Origin decider in Sydney, the Eels-Sharks showdown takes centre stage.

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Brandon Smith injured again as commentator tears hip-drop to shreds
Brandon Smith's rotten run of luck has continued, injured on his South Sydney debut as coach Wayne Bennett cursed the club's recent fortune. The 29-year-old had spent the last 10 months on the sideline recovering from a horror knee injury sustained for the Roosters in round 26 last season. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The New Zealander joined the Rabbitohs in May and continued his rehabilitation, finally making his first run out for the club against Manly on Sunday. But after a 40-minute performance over two stints on the field, Smith was left limping up the tunnel with a suspected medial ligament injury following a tackle from Sea Eagles prop Matt Lodge that many viewed as a dreaded hip-drop. Watch the tackle in the video player above Smith started the match and got through an opening 20-minute run and then returned in the 58th minute. With just over five minutes remaining in a game the Bunnies lost 30-12 at 4 Pines Park, Smith made a run for the tryline a few metres out when he was tackled by Lodge. He reached for his leg right after the tackle and the Fox League commentary team were immediately fearing the worst. 'He's clutching at his leg. You don't want to see that, first game back from an ACL reconstruction,' Warren Smith said. 'He couldn't stay on his feet playing the ball and he's still on the ground here. Oh no. 'Let's hope, if anything's been tweaked there, it's a medial ligament potentially. You couldn't believe first game back he'd be in this situation.' After watching a replay, Smith and Steve 'Blocker' Roach immediately labelled it a hip-drop from Lodge. Smith said: 'That's a hip drop tackle.' Roach added: 'That's a hip drop for sure, 100 per cent.' Smith then launched a stinging tirade on the technique, calling for significant punishments in an effort to stamp it out of the game. 'He had contact with him, came from one side of the tackle to use the hip or the body on the other side to make contact with Brandon Smith,' he said. 'It's a play we haven't rubbed out of the game and the suspensions need to be six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks to get rid of it. 'That technique didn't need to happen right there to effect the tackle. Who knows how serious the consequences might be for Brandon Smith?' The hooker injured both his anterior cruciate and medial ligaments against the Raiders last year, forcing him to have that long break from the game. A frustrated Bennett was asked about Smith in his post-match press conference and said it's likely he's done a medial this time around. 'He's done a medial ligament. He'll be 6-8 weeks from that tackle,' he said. 'That's up to them to make a decision on that (tackle) now, but we're not playing with a lot of luck and we didn't get any there with that decision either.' The tackle wasn't penalised on the field or by the Bunker during the game. Fans were left feeling for Smith, who goes by the nickname 'Cheese', while some were furious about Lodge's tackle. Roosters fan Gemma Rogers tweeted: 'Bunker cleared that tackle. Will be interesting to see what the MRC does.' Another fan wrote on X: 'Ahhh and again. Blatant hip drop. Not penalised … not even on report.' A third declared: 'That's a filthy hip drop.' Rogers also wrote: 'Oh no. Not cheese.' Dragons fan Alexis said: 'My heart breaks for cheese.' Another wrote simply: 'Poor cheese.' A downcast Bunnies fan wrote: 'He looked pretty good for us too, I pray it's just a niggle, I really do.' It was a tough day for Souths, who trailed 14-0 at halftime and ultimately conceded six tries to three. While the Sea Eagles climbed back into the top eight on points difference, the injury-hit Rabbitohs are stuck in 16th.

News.com.au
8 hours ago
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His form this year has been incredible, it's well-deserved. "He probably wants to challenge himself one more time." Papalii filled a similar role as elder statesman on Samoa's run to a fairytale first World Cup final berth in 2022. It's how NSW's Samoan contingent know his inclusion for Queensland will be bigger than just what he can offer on the paddock. "He's definitely going to add more value to that team," NSW winger Brian To'o told AAP. "I think that's something that really inspires not just the Samoan boys, but everyone. I know all the Samoan boys really look up to him. "He's legendary in our culture. I know that he will definitely showcase that for the Maroons as well." Samoa and NSW playmaker Jarome Luai predicted Papalii's 24th and final Origin game would carry extra significance given a possible move overseas next season. Papalii has already confirmed he will not be at the Raiders next year and has yet to sign elsewhere for 2026, though has been linked with English club St Helens. "It's a bit of a last ride for him," Luai said. "To have an experienced guy like that who's done it all in the game, he's played at a high level for so long, he can speak of his experiences, I think even being around the group, it'll be a lot better. "I'm sure he'll get up for it, the boys will get up for it for him." Even NSW's players can concede that bringing Josh Papalii out of representative retirement for the State of Origin decider has the makings of a Queensland masterstroke. Papalii's mission on July 9 is deceptively simple: turbo-charge both the belief of the inexperienced players and the physicality of the Maroons' pack. But NSW forward and Canberra teammate Hudson Young admits he was a little surprised to see Papalii accept coach Billy Slater's call to arms. The 33-year-old has a new-born baby at home and had retired from the Origin arena ahead of the 2023 series, focusing solely on current NRL ladder leaders the Raiders thereafter. But with the series on the line in Sydney, Papalii's comeback could hardly come at a more crucial time for Queensland. "He's been saying they've been trying to get him for a few years," Young told AAP. "To be honest, I was surprised he took the offer up. He's obviously been a great player for such a long time. His form this year has been incredible, it's well-deserved. "He probably wants to challenge himself one more time." Papalii filled a similar role as elder statesman on Samoa's run to a fairytale first World Cup final berth in 2022. It's how NSW's Samoan contingent know his inclusion for Queensland will be bigger than just what he can offer on the paddock. "He's definitely going to add more value to that team," NSW winger Brian To'o told AAP. "I think that's something that really inspires not just the Samoan boys, but everyone. I know all the Samoan boys really look up to him. "He's legendary in our culture. I know that he will definitely showcase that for the Maroons as well." Samoa and NSW playmaker Jarome Luai predicted Papalii's 24th and final Origin game would carry extra significance given a possible move overseas next season. Papalii has already confirmed he will not be at the Raiders next year and has yet to sign elsewhere for 2026, though has been linked with English club St Helens. "It's a bit of a last ride for him," Luai said. "To have an experienced guy like that who's done it all in the game, he's played at a high level for so long, he can speak of his experiences, I think even being around the group, it'll be a lot better. "I'm sure he'll get up for it, the boys will get up for it for him." Even NSW's players can concede that bringing Josh Papalii out of representative retirement for the State of Origin decider has the makings of a Queensland masterstroke. Papalii's mission on July 9 is deceptively simple: turbo-charge both the belief of the inexperienced players and the physicality of the Maroons' pack. But NSW forward and Canberra teammate Hudson Young admits he was a little surprised to see Papalii accept coach Billy Slater's call to arms. The 33-year-old has a new-born baby at home and had retired from the Origin arena ahead of the 2023 series, focusing solely on current NRL ladder leaders the Raiders thereafter. But with the series on the line in Sydney, Papalii's comeback could hardly come at a more crucial time for Queensland. "He's been saying they've been trying to get him for a few years," Young told AAP. "To be honest, I was surprised he took the offer up. He's obviously been a great player for such a long time. His form this year has been incredible, it's well-deserved. "He probably wants to challenge himself one more time." Papalii filled a similar role as elder statesman on Samoa's run to a fairytale first World Cup final berth in 2022. It's how NSW's Samoan contingent know his inclusion for Queensland will be bigger than just what he can offer on the paddock. "He's definitely going to add more value to that team," NSW winger Brian To'o told AAP. "I think that's something that really inspires not just the Samoan boys, but everyone. I know all the Samoan boys really look up to him. "He's legendary in our culture. I know that he will definitely showcase that for the Maroons as well." Samoa and NSW playmaker Jarome Luai predicted Papalii's 24th and final Origin game would carry extra significance given a possible move overseas next season. Papalii has already confirmed he will not be at the Raiders next year and has yet to sign elsewhere for 2026, though has been linked with English club St Helens. "It's a bit of a last ride for him," Luai said. "To have an experienced guy like that who's done it all in the game, he's played at a high level for so long, he can speak of his experiences, I think even being around the group, it'll be a lot better. "I'm sure he'll get up for it, the boys will get up for it for him."