Latest news with #BillyMoore
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside the wholesome new State of Origin bonding sessions as stars replace kegs of beer with soft drinks, lollies and talk about their childhoods
The days of footy players heading out on boozy bonding sessions are long gone. Even Queensland great Billy Moore once shed light on how wild the team meet-up sessions were back in the 90s, stating that players stayed up all night drinking beer for the first four nights of one camp during one series. But, in the age of sports science and premium performance, bonding sessions for NRL players in the modern era look drastically different, as New South Wales have shown this week. The Daily Telegraph revealed on Thursday how Laurie Daly's squad are getting to know each other better, in order to win this year's State of Origin Series. The Blues suffered an agonising defeat in their second Origin clash against Queensland, meaning bragging rights for 2025 will all come down to next Wednesday's final clash at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. While they outscored the Maroons for tries, they were unable to kick their conversions, meaning they missed out on retaining the shield by just three points. But as they re-group and re-gather to go again next week, the team have also been focusing on their camaraderie in order to best Billy Slater's side. Every week while they are in camp, the Blues all come together on a Thursday for what's known as 'Sirro's Happy Hour'. Organised by Paul Sironen, an Origin legend, and now the Blues 'moral officer', players gather at the Two Doctors Whiskey Tavern, at their residence, the Fairmont Resort. Here the players spend several hours competing in groups against each other, taking part in quizzes, joke telling, singing contests, interviews and also speaking about each other's childhood. As for the refreshments, the team drink fizzy drinks and tuck into a pack of lollies during the evening. 'Sirro's Happy hour has become a big part of camp,' New South Wales star Connor Watson said. 'It's about connecting with everyone. We have had trivia, interviews, a bit of music and it has also allowed us to learn more about the players and staff. He then opened up on why the meetings were so critical to the team. 'That's really important when you're building proper connections by digging a little bit deeper, not just surface-level stuff. It bonds us.' Sironen, who made 14 appearances for the Blues during his distinguished footy career, knows all about just how important camaraderie and team bonding is. The 60-year-old former Balmain Tigers second-row, who won three back-to-back Origin series, said that the team were learning new things about each other. 'It's a good laugh but is also great for our camaraderie. It's a crack-up but we're also learning stuff we didn't know – people's life stories,' Sironen said. 'It's a lighthearted hour. It's become part of camp and is another layer of connection. We do trivia, music trivia and interview players about when and where they grew up. 'We dig down and find some personal things about our staff and players, their quirky habits and anecdotes. We might have a singing contest.' However, he revealed the challenges and games that the players will undertake don't stay the same from camp to camp. 'Last camp, players had to guess songs,' he said. 'Other players had headphones on with music being played and they had to try and sing the song while the rest of the team had to guess what song it was. It was quite entertaining – there are some very ordinary singers in the team. 'I do a little bit of research to find out some bits and pieces. It's good fun. 'It adds to the camp. I love it. We did last year as well and we're finetuning it. It's a good idea. We bring out some lollies and they have soft drinks.' For Sironen, this will be the 30th anniversary of New South Wales' victory in 1994, when they completed the three-peat. That was his last-ever appearance in a Blues jersey, however, the footy great says he is loving still being involved in the side. 'It's been 30 years since I last played Origin so it's great to still be involved, particularly at this level.'
ABC News
08-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Hard work to begin for Perth Bears NRL club, as clock starts ticking before 2027 debut
For rugby league fans in Western Australia and North Sydney, the announcement of the Bears' reintroduction to the National Rugby League is cause for celebration. It ends WA's near 30-year absence from top-flight league, following the axing of the Western Reds in 1997, and sees the North Sydney Bears colours and legacy continue on the west coast. But a 2027 entry into the NRL Premiership is a short runway for a professional club to get off the ground, with the primary concern that the club is competitive from the outset. That requires access to top playing talent, as well as the establishment of an administration to oversee the new club. "Everyone thought the (Redcliffe) Dolphins wouldn't be competitive, and they nearly made the top eight both years, and they're still competitive," Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'Landys said. Peter V'Landys flew to Perth to announce the new side. ( AAP Image: Richard Wainwright ) "I'm very confident the Bears will be competitive in the very first year. " We're going to make sure that we're going to have the right infrastructure in place. " A head start and bizarre proposal One of the major advantages the Bears have over a true start-up is the access to the existing North Sydney supporter pool. "The NRL sees the opportunity to revive the Bears, with the structure being old and new, marrying up the North Sydney franchise and moving it to Perth for multiple reasons," former Bears player Billy Moore said. A large media contingent was on hand for the announcement. ( ABC News: Tom Wildie ) "The North Sydney Bears were evicted from the NRL in 1999. The club itself still existed, still had all the teams in the Junior League. "The Bears are fully functioning, but without being at that top level." Moore said the Bears will enjoy strong support when playing in New South Wales, which will effectively give the club a home away from home. Bears fans gathered at Norths Cammeray to celebrate their team's return. ( Supplied ) The Bears infrastructure of junior sides and talent pathways will also be a long-term benefit for the club. It means the competition for young talent will increase, which other NRL clubs are already considering. "The reality is we're a big region, a big rugby league heartland, and there's only so many (kids) that you can keep," Newcaslte Knights coach Adam O'Brien said. Photo shows A group of rugby league fans celebrate The Bears' return to the NRL is a just reward for the diehard fans who kept the red and black colours alive during a period in the wilderness. "We need to make sure we keep all the right ones. "If we want to be the National Rugby League, then getting over to Perth is a good step." V'Landys also proposed one of the stranger possibilities heard in professional sport — a player sharing agreement between the Western Force rugby union club and the Bears in the NRL. "We've had talks with with Twiggy [Andrew] Forrest in regards to the Western Force, and there's an opportunity here that may never have been done anywhere in the world," he said. "The two teams could be combined to a certain degree, and can use each other's players in specific matches. So we're going to look at that." It's hard to see that ever panning out, or Mr Forrest agreeing to it, considering the two codes are direct competitors, and players are their greatest assets. "We look at the things outside the square, and that's outside the square, and we'll look at it," V'Landys reiterated when asked about the suggestion. No other concessions V'Landys ruled out any salary cap flexibility for the Bears, which will be able to approach players from November for the 2027 season. Instead, the NRL is confident the investment from the WA government will be enough to fast-track local player development so the club can source the majority of its players from Perth within several seasons. The club now has to appoint a chief executive, which is expected in coming weeks, while the search for a coach has begun. The Western Force will share training facilities with the new team ( AAP Image: Richard Wainwright ) The Bears will play the vast majority of home games at Perth Oval, which is also shared by the Perth Glory and Western Force. V'Landys said he would like to see improvements to the venue, which was recently renovated for the FIFA Women's World Cup. WA Premier Roger Cook said there was no agreement for further work on the ground, though the government will build a $20 million high performance training centre, for league and union, in northern suburb of Malaga. The foundation for the new side has been laid. Now the clock is ticking on building it into a side that can compete on the national stage. The ABC of SPORT Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe Loading
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Everybody welcome as NRL Magic Round gets off to triumphant start
If Queensland was a country, there would be no greater trumpet of patriots than Billy Moore. On election eve, high on the western concourse of Suncorp Stadium's level five, without a view of the Sharks's 28-18 victory in the Magic Round opener below, the true voice of the people held court. In a fading but authentic 1990s Bears jersey, Moore was surrounded by seven men in their 50s. They had just asked for a photo, but the former North Sydney lock forward was in good spirits, so he regaled them about that time he screamed 'Queenslander' while running out for a State of Origin match in 1995. 'Best four seconds of my fucking life,' he told the men, to raucous laughter suggesting the moment was the best four seconds of theirs. Advertisement Related: Brisbane is NRL Magic Round's beating heart but risks becoming a victim of its own success | Jack Snape Now in its sixth year, Magic Round has become famous for the interactions between rugby league fans and their idols. Toddy Carney and Trent Barrett were doing meet-and-greets for corporate guests 50m around the corner from Moore. On the other side of the ground, at around the same time, Tigers great and Australian Rugby League Commission member, Wayne Pearce, listened politely as a man in a vintage Parramatta jersey explained his vision of the game. The event has all the ingredients of a rugby league dream. Not the long-term aspiration-style of dream, mind you. Magic Round is falling asleep on the couch with Tina Turner on repeat and a Winfield Red tucked behind the ear. The three and now four days of rugby league at Suncorp Stadium is very much a billowing fantasy for those who swear allegiance to the Steeden. It is also one that draws half the nation's attention. So Peter Dutton's decision to politicise welcome to country ceremonies in the final week of the election campaign, an act dubbed 'pure culture-war stuff' by Malcolm Turnbull, threatened to pop the magic bubble. Advertisement To the NRL's credit, the organisation stuck with their plans to hold two welcomes this week. To the credit of fans, neither was a source of angst or frustration. Instead, First Nations Australians were met on Friday not with boos but cheers. Nicho Hynes, a proud Indigenous man and mental health advocate sent KL Iro over with a masterful short pass to put Cronulla on the scoreboard. The Eels struck back not long later through Josh Addo-Carr, the Indigenous All Stars winger. Wander around Magic Round, and it's clear few want to undermine the harmony that fuels the event. The stands are a rainbow of jerseys from generations of league. Fans relish sharing the memories of others' designs. Of Brett Mullins in Canberra Milk. Craig Gower with Panther black streaked with blue. Or Luke Ricketson in tricolours adorned with Samsung, then an unheralded upstart. Now, just unheralded. One supporter with a Power's-sponsored Broncos jersey, in casual discussion about the momentum for Magic Round (his girlfriend works in travel and says it is without doubt Brisbane's biggest weekend for hotel occupancy) outed his mate in a Bulldogs flannie as a Trumpet of Patriots voter. The Canterbury man, on the subject of welcomes to country, said they were uncontroversial given the contribution of Indigenous rugby league players and the First Nations traditions of clubs like Souths. 'The AFL doesn't have a club synonymous with Indigenous excellence,' he said. Of course, rugby league is not without division and contradiction. 'Weak, woke, sending us broke,' says the attack ad targeting prime minister Anthony Albanese on the Kayo Sports coverage, paid for by conservative group Advance Australia. On the chest of Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles is the logo of James Hardie, the company whose name for many remains synonymous with grief. The avalanche of sports betting promotion promises glory, kudos and riches to young men, and yet the 'chances are you're about to lose' message at the end of each ad jars less than the knowledge the Labor government has largely failed to act on the recommendations of the late MP Peta Murphy. Advertisement But on Friday night the near 50,000 fans inside Suncorp Stadium – like much of Australia, weary after a long campaign – had little thought for the Senate ballot paper. Above the line, the enduring memory was instead left by Cronulla's Ronaldo Mulitalo, who leapt for the ball and came down contorting his body like he was a politician with a work from home policy, fumbling at the last minute. Then, late in the second match ultimately won by the Roosters 36-26, the Dolphins were eyeing a comeback. Ray Stone was almost over the line and appeared certain to score. But when a leaping Billy Smith used his outstretched fingertips to dislodge the ball, it was a reminder nothing is a sure-thing.
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Everybody welcome as NRL Magic Round gets off to triumphant start
If Queensland was a country, there would be no greater trumpet of patriots than Billy Moore. On election eve, high on the western concourse of Suncorp Stadium's level five, without a view of the Sharks's 28-18 victory in the Magic Round opener below, the true voice of the people held court. In a fading but authentic 1990s Bears jersey, Moore was surrounded by seven men in their 50s. They had just asked for a photo, but the former North Sydney lock forward was in good spirits, so he regaled them about that time he screamed 'Queenslander' while running out for a State of Origin match in 1995. 'Best four seconds of my fucking life,' he told the men, to raucous laughter suggesting the moment was the best four seconds of theirs. Now in its sixth year, Magic Round has become famous for the interactions between rugby league fans and their idols. Toddy Carney and Trent Barrett were doing meet-and-greets for corporate guests 50m around the corner from Moore. On the other side of the ground, at around the same time, Tigers great and Australian Rugby League Commission member, Wayne Pearce, listened politely as a man in a vintage Parramatta jersey explained his vision of the game. The event has all the ingredients of a rugby league dream. Not the long-term aspiration-style of dream, mind you. Magic Round is falling asleep on the couch with Tina Turner on repeat and a Winfield Red tucked behind the ear. The three and now four days of rugby league at Suncorp Stadium is very much a billowing fantasy for those who swear allegiance to the Steeden. It is also one that draws half the nation's attention. So Peter Dutton's decision to politicise welcome to country ceremonies in the final week of the election campaign, an act dubbed 'pure culture-war stuff' by Malcolm Turnbull, threatened to pop the magic bubble. To the NRL's credit, the organisation stuck with their plans to hold two welcomes this week. To the credit of fans, neither was a source of angst or frustration. Instead, First Nations Australians were met on Friday not with boos but cheers. Nicho Hynes, a proud Indigenous man and mental health advocate sent KL Iro over with a masterful short pass to put Cronulla on the scoreboard. The Eels struck back not long later through Josh Addo-Carr, the Indigenous All Stars winger. Wander around Magic Round, and it's clear few want to undermine the harmony that fuels the event. The stands are a rainbow of jerseys from generations of league. Fans relish sharing the memories of others' designs. Of Brett Mullins in Canberra Milk. Craig Gower with Panther black streaked with blue. Or Luke Ricketson in tricolours adorned with Samsung, then an unheralded upstart. Now, just unheralded. One supporter with a Power's-sponsored Broncos jersey, in casual discussion about the momentum for Magic Round (his girlfriend works in travel and says it is without doubt Brisbane's biggest weekend for hotel occupancy) outed his mate in a Bulldogs flannie as a Trumpet of Patriots voter. The Canterbury man, on the subject of welcomes to country, said they were uncontroversial given the contribution of Indigenous rugby league players and the First Nations traditions of clubs like Souths. 'The AFL doesn't have a club synonymous with Indigenous excellence,' he said. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Of course, rugby league is not without division and contradiction. 'Weak, woke, sending us broke,' says the attack ad targeting prime minister Anthony Albanese on the Kayo Sports coverage, paid for by conservative group Advance Australia. On the chest of Parramatta Eels coach Jason Ryles is the logo of James Hardie, the company whose name for many remains synonymous with grief. The avalanche of sports betting promotion promises glory, kudos and riches to young men, and yet the 'chances are you're about to lose' message at the end of each ad jars less than the knowledge the Labor government has largely failed to act on the recommendations of the late MP Peta Murphy. But on Friday night the near 50,000 fans inside Suncorp Stadium – like much of Australia, weary after a long campaign – had little thought for the Senate ballot paper. Above the line, the enduring memory was instead left by Cronulla's Ronaldo Mulitalo, who leapt for the ball and came down contorting his body like he was a politician with a work from home policy, fumbling at the last minute. Then, late in the second match ultimately won by the Roosters 36-26, the Dolphins were eyeing a comeback. Ray Stone was almost over the line and appeared certain to score. But when a leaping Billy Smith used his outstretched fingertips to dislodge the ball, it was a reminder nothing is a sure-thing.
ABC News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
NRL live updates: Brisbane Broncos vs Canterbury Bulldogs — blog, scores and stats
Former State of Origin great Billy Moore has said a potential Western Australia NRL team, linked with the North Sydney Bears, would be a "juggernaut club". Tonight, the undefeated Canterbury Bulldogs are on top of the NRL, but face a Brisbane team desperate to snap a two-game losing streak and prove their credentials in 2025. Follow the live blog below, keep up to date with all Key Events 12m ago 12 minutes ago Thu 24 Apr 2025 at 7:46am 13m ago 13 minutes ago Thu 24 Apr 2025 at 7:45am Submit a comment or question Log in to comment Live updates Latest Oldest Key Event 12m ago Thu 24 Apr 2025 at 7:46am A WA-based Bears would be a 'juggernaut club' M By Michael Doyle Could the Bears' name finally be back in the NRL? It is reportedly getting closer. (Getty Images) Media reports, initially by the Sydney Morning Herald, have said there is an in-principle agreement between the Australian Rugby League Commission and the Western Australia government for a Perth-based team to be launched. That Perth team would be linked with the North Sydney Bears, who have not featured in the NRL since 1999. No official deal has been announced at this stage. North Sydney Bears legend, currently board member, and ABC Sport caller Billy Moore told the ABC Sport Daily Podcast that he believed a Perth-based Bears team would be a "juggernaut" in the league. "I think all parties realise this is a great opportunity for all involved in rugby league," Moore said on the podcast. "To have a team based in WA, with the heritage and history of the North Sydney Bears … combine to form what I think will be a juggernaut club in the NRL very quickly." Moore pointed to the success of the AFL in keeping historical teams alive in new locations. Last year's AFL grand final pitted the Brisbane Lions, a combination of the old Fitzroy Lions and Brisbane Bears, and the Sydney Swans, who were once South Melbourne. "That is what the inception of this WA team will do," Moore said. It will marry up the North Sydney Bears' history, with a very powerful growth opportunity in Western Australia, where they love their sport." React React Key Event 13m ago Thu 24 Apr 2025 at 7:45am Welcome to the ABC Sport NRL live blog M By Michael Doyle Good evening, footy fan. Welcome back to ABC Sport's live digital coverage of the NRL. Round eight of the season begins tonight at Lang Park with a mouthwatering clash between the Brisbane Broncos and Canterbury Bulldogs. The Broncos are coming off back-to-back losses, while the Bulldogs are undefeated through six matches this season. This game has the potential to be a belter. You can join the conversation and be part of the blog. Let us know your thoughts on all things footy in the comment section. React React The ABC of SPORT Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
