logo
‘Ain't going to say it': Bellamy silent as Cronk calls out ugly act

‘Ain't going to say it': Bellamy silent as Cronk calls out ugly act

Courier-Mail4 days ago
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona could consider himself lucky to have stayed on the field after an elbow from the Storm prop saw a Melbourne try rubbed off the board and Manly hooker Jake Simpkin ruled out of Saturday's game.
The Storm looked to have hit back after Manly scored three consecutive tries to take a 16-6 lead, with Harry Grant taking on the line off a quick play-the-ball and slicing through.
But replays later showed Asofa-Solomona elbowing Simpkin in the head as he fought to play the ball and the Bunker subsequently intervened, with the try taken off the board.
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 >
It ended up also being a costly moment for Manly as Simpkin was later ruled to be displaying Category 1 concussion symptoms and was subsequently ruled out for the game.
Asofa-Solomona may have been lucky to not spend time in the sin bin for his actions and could come under scrutiny from the NRL's match review committee.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was questioned on the incident in his post-game press conference but was keeping his mouth shut.
'I've got an opinion but I ain't going to say it,' he said.
Former Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, however, was more than happy to give his take.
'The game needs to sort out that Simpkin goes off but Nelson continues to stay on the field and plays a role in that team,' Cronk said
X
Learn More
SUBSCRIBER ONLY
'The game needs to sort that out big time. I think there are a couple of options the game really needs to sit down and think about because Manly cannot be disadvantaged in that situation and Melbourne get a one-up. I think he's in some trouble.'
Meanwhile, Fox League's Eloise Sohier later reported that the Sea Eagles and coach Anthony Seibold were 'blowing up' over that ruling, believing that it should have been a Category 2 and that Simpkin was fine to play on.
X
Learn More
SUBSCRIBER ONLY
Seibold confirmed that Manly's testing deemed Simpkin was showing Category 2 symptoms and that they may consider challenging the ruling.
'It was disappointing, but we lost Jake for the game, so it was category one from the bunker but from our testing it was category two,' Seibold said.
'Jake does have a mark on his face and Nelson is a big man so he copped a fair elbow from Nelson, so he stayed down because of that bit he wasn't concussed. We don't believe it was category one but we lost him for the night so we were down to three players on the interchange bench.
X
Learn More
SUBSCRIBER ONLY
'We will lose him for 11 days but we might challenge that because our doctor considers it a category two, so if that is the case tomorrow with the follow-up protocols then we might put a case that it was category two.'
Originally published as 'Ain't going to say it': Bellamy silent as Cronk calls out ugly act
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

NRL news, updates: Kevin Walters' Kangaroos appointment torn to shreds as contract detail says it all, Cameron Smith, Wayne Bennett, Brad Fittler
NRL news, updates: Kevin Walters' Kangaroos appointment torn to shreds as contract detail says it all, Cameron Smith, Wayne Bennett, Brad Fittler

Courier-Mail

time2 hours ago

  • Courier-Mail

NRL news, updates: Kevin Walters' Kangaroos appointment torn to shreds as contract detail says it all, Cameron Smith, Wayne Bennett, Brad Fittler

Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. After being unveiled as the new Kangaroos coach, Kevin Walters has a big task ahead of him; first to convince a trio of stars to stay loyal and then potentially an even tougher battle in keeping his job. Earlier this week, Walters was appointed by the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) to replace Mal Meninga as Australia's next coach on a short term deal. The three-game contract that covers the upcoming Ashes series against England at the end of this year suggests even the ARLC aren't confident he is the right man for the job. 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? Join now and get your first month for just $1. But first cab off the rank is to try and hold onto several Aussie stars. On Wednesday, six-time Kangaroo representative Greg Alexander raised genuine concerns over whether Walters is the man to convince the likes of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to stay loyal to the green and gold instead of switching to Toa Samoa for the Pacific Championships. 'What if he can't get them on the plane?' Alexander asked Corey Parker on SEN. 'Just think about how many (Australian) players didn't play in the Pacific Championships last year, how many went 'I need a little bit of surgery' instead? 'The squad might be scattered with some of the best players, but Kev might be taking two or three down the list to fill other spots.' Kevin Walters has been named the next coach of the Kangaroos but faces a tough task ahead of him. Image: Getty Parker agreed. 'I know there are more than capable props, but if you pull Payne Haas and big Tino out of the front row, they're two of the leading props in the entire game,' Parker said. 'We also know Mitch Barnett is gone for the rest of the season with an ACL, Val Holmes is gone, and Latrell Mitchell is leaning against it (selection) given his injury situation. 'There's going to be a lot of players unavailable, which makes the task even more challenging for Kevvie.' Walters is understood not to have been the first choice for the Australian job either, with Brad Fittler turning the role down. He also wasn't the second choice with Wayne Bennett reportedly preferred to Walters, but the current coaching rules didn't allow it. Brad Fittler turned down the chance to become Kangaroos coach. (Photo by) Because Wayne Bennett is an active NRL coach he was ineligible to lead the Kangaroos. (Photo by) And veteran journalist Andrew Webster suggested on the Off The Record Podcast that the appointment of Walters on a three-game deal again adds to the notion that the Australian team is no longer the superpower they once were, and therefore it is no surprise that several stars are considering defecting. 'Kevin Walters is basically the last man standing. The fact they have only given him three games shows their lack of faith,' Webster said. 'It could be a very tough tour (with stars such as Hammer, Payne and Tino potentially not there). That's why I wish they made a better decision with the coach.' 'Hammer, Payne and Tino. … The Kangaroos used to be like the Harlem Globetrotters. But it's a different time now, and they are no longer the superpower that they were, and that's something Kevvie will have to deal with.' The ARLC handed Walters only a three-game deal, which will just cover the upcoming UK Tour. But the short-term deal suggests not even they are confident the Queenslander is the right man for the job. Cameron Smith is reportedly seen as the long-term Kangaroos coach. Picture: Jonathan Ng And Nine journalist Michael Chammas revealed talks with Melbourne Storm legend Cameron Smith about a possible transition into the Kangaroos head coach role are already underway. Smith's link to the Kangaroos' top job would further explain Walters' short term appointment. 'My understanding is Peter V'landys spoke to Cameron Smith a few days ago and told him we're going to go with Kevvie,' Chammas said on The Journos podcast. 'When Peter V'landys spoke to Cameron Smith, he brought up the assistant coach's role and said he would like to transition him into the head coach down the track as early as the 2027 World Cup. 'The three-match contract tells me that they're not completely sold that Kevvie is the right man, and in the end, there weren't many people that fit his criteria.' The Kangaroos are scheduled to leave for the UK just two weeks after the NRL grand final on October 5. Originally published as Kevin Walters' Kangaroos appointment torn to shreds as contract detail says it all

AFL stars question rules after Steven May's three-game suspension
AFL stars question rules after Steven May's three-game suspension

Courier-Mail

time5 hours ago

  • Courier-Mail

AFL stars question rules after Steven May's three-game suspension

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. AFL players have already begun to 'hesitate slightly', knowing the 'margins' between a fair contest and a lengthy ban are slim as the impact of a three-match suspension handed to Melbourne defender Steven May reverberates through the game. May was suspended despite the AFL tribunal conceding his collision with Carlton's Francis Evans last Saturday night was not a bump. In the final minutes of his defence, May's legal counsel Adrian Anderson declared 'there was not much more he could do', but after more than 90 minutes of deliberation, the three-man tribunal panel determined he should have slowed down or changed his path to avoid Evans. Debate has raged since the incident, with some pundits adamant the game could no longer allow players to charge headlong towards opponents, whether the ball was in play or not. Steven May v Francis Evans. Picture: Fox Footy Evans, who lost a tooth and was left bloodied and bruised, conceded to the tribunal that he didn't think he was going to get to the ball before May, adding to the confusion over the ban. Essendon vice-captain Andy McGrath conceded the incident was a 'tricky' one for the tribunal but said over the course of his career his on-field attitude had changed, and he now asked himself questions despite the 'split second' nature of making calls. 'They are split-second decisions, there are so many in game, and the longer I play – this is my ninth season – those split-second contests have changed a lot,' he said. 'If you are second to the ball, you have a big responsibility to not make contact with your opponent's head. Evans came off second best. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images 'It definitely comes through your mind, whether that causes us to hesitate slightly, I am questioning that more and more in the game to protect the opposition player's head.' Carlton captain and Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps said he wasn't sure what May could have done and McGrath agreed. 'It didn't look great but it's really hard to pull out of that contest at the last second,' he told SEN. 'As players, it's pretty tricky to know what penalty lies based on the act and we know that's margins between a fair play and a pretty significant sanction.' Melbourne has the opportunity to appeal the verdict, with Demons great Garry Lyon believing the club will take up that option. Lyon did not agree with the AFL tribunal's argument that May 'had sufficient time with an unimpeded view of what was before him to determine what he could and should do in the likely event that he did not reach the ball either first or at the same time'. 'That's nonsense, which is why I've lost a bit of faith in this and why I think they'll appeal,' Lyon told SEN Breakfast. 'No-one could reasonably think that they weren't going to get to that football. (Evans) thought Steven May was going to get there first.' Originally published as Confused players starting to hesitate in games knowing they could be banned for accidents

Who is the greatest Aussie cricketer of the 21st century?
Who is the greatest Aussie cricketer of the 21st century?

Courier-Mail

time5 hours ago

  • Courier-Mail

Who is the greatest Aussie cricketer of the 21st century?

Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia has no shortage of cricketing legends, with the country consistently producing an array of stars. But as the 21st century continues to unfold, almost weekly through the Aussie summer, fans and pundits debate who is the greatest cricketer of the modern era. To celebrate the launch of the new app, we're celebrating the people, places and events we'll never forget from the first quarter of the 21st century by asking for Australia's view. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. From the pace and leadership of current Australian Test captain Pat Cummins to the unparalleled batting prowess of Ricky Ponting, to the spin king himself Shane Warne, each player has a serious claim to GOAT (greatest of all time) status. But after delved into the debate, it can be settled once and for all as former cricket greats and those closest to the players themselves unanimously declared without missing a beat that one man in particular stands above the rest. After almost 10,000 votes, Shane Keith Warne was a clear-cut choice, ahead of Ponting and Steve Smith. Who is the best Aussie cricketer of the 21st century? Adam Gilchrist Shane Warne Glenn McGrath Ricky Ponting Ellyse Perry Meg Lanning Nathan Lyon Steve Smith Michael Clarke Pat Cummins Cast your vote Which Aussies can stake a claim as the 21st century cricket GOAT? We only included cricket played from 2000 onwards. So for this reason Steve Waugh, who retired from Test cricket in January 2004, was a tough omission. In 1999 he was appointed Test captain and led an Australian team that in the years ahead scored a record 16 successive straight victories, truly incredible. And while his crowning year was 2001 when he won the Allan Border medal, Tugga and his lucky red handkerchief didn't quite squeeze into our top 10. Who is the greatest Australian male cricketer of the 21st century? Australia has been blessed with some incredible cricketers in the past few decades but there can only be one GOAT. Ponting completely transformed what it meant to be a No.3. With an average of 51.85 and a highest score of 257, he lays claim to the third most Test hundreds in the history of the game. Ponting was also the definition of a true leader, someone who when he opens his mouth, you stop whatever you are doing to listen. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY Then there are the likes of Smith and Michael Clarke, whose batting statistics hold them among the greats not just in Australian cricket but world cricket. While with the ball Cummins and McGrath both revolutionised fast bowling in their own way. Cummins has also won everything possible as captain of Australia, and McGrath is seen by many still as Australia's greatest-ever fast bowler. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY Then there's Lyon, the only spinner since Warne to be a regular in the Australian Test side, undroppable throughout his Test career and a bowler who thrives on any pitch condition. The tweaker sits third on the list of most wickets in Australian Test cricket history with 556, just one behind McGrath, and by the time he retires will almost certainly be second behind only Warne. While Gilchrist revolutionised what it means to be a wicketkeeper. Before 'Gilly' you could be just a quality keeper who could barely bat but his range of free-flowing strokes and quick game-changing runs has changed the requirements of modern wicketkeepers. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY But when asking who is the best player of this century, there was one name we kept hearing, Shane Warne. Aussie cricket legend Adam Gilchrist didn't even hesitate. 'There is more to it (the GOAT debate) than just statistics,' Gilchrist told earlier this year. 'Shane Warne is the greatest ever. 'Away from his wickets, Warnie was also an incredible batsman. He just left way too many runs out there when he played. I don't even think he knew his own batting talent. 'When it comes down to pure batting and bowling talent, catching and just all-round brilliant cricket brain, Warnie is No.1. 'For Warnie to achieve what he did and especially living the way he did and still managed to achieve it all, it shows he is a true champion.' Sports presenter Mark Howard echoed a similar sentiment. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY 'Without a doubt number one I would say Warnie because he changed the game. We hadn't seen a leg spinner like Shane before Shane and we haven't seen a spinner like Shane since,' Howard said. 'So if you compare him to all other leg spinners he's that far in front statistically and then you can get to the bums on seats factor. 'Any time Warnie was bowling you couldn't get out of your seat. At the game or watching on telly, which I've got some extremely fond memories of growing up, you are glued to the game. 'He is best clearly even though only half his career was in this century for me. He's not just the best but the most exciting, the most effective, the most captivating, the most controversial and the most extraordinary.' X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY 'Every time I sat next to Shane in a commentary box, which was one of the great experiences of my life, he would say stuff that I would think just think wow,' Howard added. 'You would be blown away every time he talks and think gee he would have made a fantastic captain of Australia.' Warne truly revolutionised the art of leg-spin bowling and had a staggering tally of over 700 Test wickets. His ability to turn matches single-handedly, coupled with his charisma, captivated fans worldwide and left an indelible legacy in Australian cricket, making him the Aussie cricket goat of the 21st century. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY Who is the greatest Aussie female cricketer of the 21st century? The two women up for consideration are Elysse Perry and Meg Lanning. They are unanimously considered the best two women to ever play the game for Australia. The only others who could possibly be in that conversation are Karen Rolton and Belinda Clark. However, Clark retired at the end of 2005 and her body of work in that time isn't enough to lay claim to being the greatest of the 21st century. X Learn More SUBSCRIBER ONLY While Rolton is an Australian cricket icon, it would be a hard case to make that she has a superior resume this century than the aforementioned duo. And when asked Howard who springs to mind, he immediately said it is between Lanning and Perry. 'It's very hard to split Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry. Meg Lanning is the best batter in the female game I've ever seen and just gets runs when required,' Howard told 'Ellyse in the last three or four years she's completely changed her game and been truly exceptional. Perry has been the most dominant female cricketer around the world for the 20th century no doubt. 'And the fact that she's represented her nation in World Cups in two different sports and has scored a goal shows she's just a phenomenon.' Not just a cricket nuffie? Take the rest of our 25@25 polls Originally published as Who is the greatest Aussie cricketer of the 21st century?

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store