Latest news with #BillySlater
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Billy Slater delivers truth bomb for Broncos fans after backlash around Reece Walsh
Maroons coach Billy Slater has hit back at criticism of Reece Walsh after insisting the Broncos would have been thumped by the Eels if not for their star fullback. NRL great Cooper Cronk described Walsh's display as 'rocks or diamonds' in last week's shock 22-20 defeat to the lowly Eels, with the Brisbane No.1 having a second half to forget as his side missed the chance to close in on the top-four. Walsh was at fault for Parramatta's opening try to Sean Russell when he failed to diffuse a towering bomb from Mitchell Moses. And his sloppy pass gifted Parramatta crucial field position that led to Zac Lomax's second try. The 23-year-old also took several poor options in attack that included a forward pass and an attempted 40/20 kick that went out on the full. But it was Walsh's piece of individual brilliance to step through Parramatta's defensive line and set up a try for Billy Walters that saw Brisbane reclaim the lead, before Josh Addo-Carr scored to put the Eels back in front. With time almost up, Walsh was then denied a match-winning try for being offside on a kick from Gehamat Shibasaki, prompting Broncos fans to chastise him for another erratic display. However, Queensland coach Slater - who has worked closely with Walsh at Origin level and rates him highly - insists the backlash against the Brisbane No.1 is unwarranted. Speaking on Nine's Sunday Footy Show, Slater admitted there were parts of Walsh's game he needed to work on but claimed the Broncos would have suffered a much heavier defeat if it wasn't for him. "Well if Reece didn't play on the weekend, they get beat (sic) by 20," the Queensland coach said. "Sure, there's parts of his game he needs to work on - but he nearly won the game for them twice. There were a lot of errors around Reece on the weekend, but all the good stuff was around Reece as well. If he doesn't play, they don't even get close." RELATED: Tributes flow as NRL premiership-winner announces retirement Bulldogs rocked by potentially season-ending blow for star player Damning stat about Latrell amid calls for 'investigation' at Souths Billy Slater says Brisbane still haven't figured out ideal style Slater said Brisbane's loss was more symptomatic of their failure to successfully adapt their game plan when behind on the scoreboard. "I don't think the Broncos understand who they are and what they're trying to do. They are trying to play a really consistent and structured type of game, but when they get behind, they feel like they've got to play," he added. "When you're trying to play catch-up, that's when errors happen." The Maroons mentor says the 'high-percentage style of game' that Brisbane coach Michael Maguire has tried to introduce is evident. He believes the Broncos are still trying to figure out what works best for them though but believes with six games still to play before the finals series begins, there's still time for Brisbane to find their rhythm. "I just don't think the Broncos have worked out the balance to their game yet," he said on Nine's Billy Slater Podcast. "You can see they are trying to play a high-percentage style of game and trying to work really hard to get that fluency... I just don't know if it suits all of their players. "Kotoni Staggs didn't see much ball, he wasn't injected into the game. They need to work out how to extract the best out of their footy team and work to their strengths. Once they find that, they are one of the best teams in the competition. Consistency has been a real issue for them this year and it was an issue even within the game. There's still a bit of work to do, but they've got six weeks to work it out.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy great launches blistering attack on former teammate who called him a coward and got VERY personal: 'Don't ever mention my son's name again'
Former NSW Blues star Aaron Woods has savaged former Origin teammate Ryan Hoffman after the backrower infamously labelled him a 'coward' ahead of game two of the series in Perth. At the time, a fired-up Hoffman defended his close friend - Queensland coach Billy Slater - after Woods labelled the decorated fullback a 'grub ' on Triple M radio. Ex-Melbourne Storm forward Hoffman claimed Woods asked Slater to take a photo with his son Buster earlier this year in Brisbane during Magic Round - before suggesting the prop turned media identity then slammed the Origin coach on air to create an aggressive narrative. Speaking on the Kenty podcast recently, Woods offered his version of events. 'Ryan Hoffman came out and called me a coward, and then he backflipped and said he didn't,' Woods said. 'We had a conversation. I said, "Look, you can call me whatever you want, just don't ever mention my son's name again with things that didn't happen", because Buster didn't get a photo with Billy.' Hoffman and Woods played together in the 2014 series (pictured) which NSW won to end eight years of heartache against Queensland Woods then recalled what actually unfolded with Slater. 'We were up at the top boxes of Suncorp Stadium (during Magic Round), I was going to take my little fella downstairs, Buster, because he was going to be a ball boy for the three o'clock game on the Saturday arvo, which was Newcastle versus Souths,' he added. 'As I was going down the lift, we were right at the back, everyone jumped in, then we get down to I think level 3, that's where the Channel 9 and Fox (Sports) boxes are. 'Billy Slater rocks in with his producer from Channel 9. We go downstairs, everyone gets out, Billy's there at the front, I literally walk out, I walk past, I shake his hand, 'hey Bill', I say to Buster to shake his hand. 'Once he shakes his hand we walk away, Buster goes 'who's that Dad?' 'I go 'mate, he's one of the best fullbacks to ever play the game'. My young bloke is only five. And that is all that happened. 'So from that, there's only three people that would've said something to Gordy (Tallis) about that. So someone's dropped the lip and had a little complaint, wasn't too happy.' It followed NRL 360 panel member Gorden Tallis also taking aim at Woods for labelling Slater a grub ahead of game two at Optus Stadium. An emotional Slater responded by suggesting Woods was perhaps unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, before referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE. Slater later retracted his comments and rang Green's wife Amanda to apologise.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Don't mention my son's name again': Aaron Woods fires shots after being labelled a ‘coward'
Former NSW Blues forward Aaron Woods has fired back at his Origin critics, weeks after his comments on Billy Slater sparked one of the most iconic State of Origin feuds. The Triple M host was the latest guest on Paul Kent's podcast Kenty Primetime where he revealed he later spoke to Slater's former teammate Ryan Hoffman. Hoffman labelled Woods a 'coward' on the ABC for calling Queensland coach Slater a 'grub' before Game 2 of the series this year. 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. 'Ryan Hoffman came out and called me a coward, and then he back flipped and said he didn't,' Wood's explained. 'We had a conversation. I said, 'look you can call me whatever you want, just don't ever mention my son's name again with things that didn't happen', because Buster didn't get a photo with Billy.' Hoffman's comments were centred on claims Woods had asked Slater to take a photo with his son Buster earlier in the season before he later slammed the Origin coach to create an Origin narrative. The claim originally came from former Origin forward and NRL360 host Gorden Tallis who took aim at Woods labelling Slater a grub ahead of Game 2. But Woods has now clarified the situation with the alleged photo, which occurred at Magic Round while commentating for Triple M. 'We're up at the top boxes of Suncorp Stadium, I was going to take my little fella downstairs, Buster, because he was going to be a ball boy for the 3 o'clock game on the Saturday arvo which was Newcastle v Souths,' Woods said. 'As I was going down the lift, we were right at the back, everyone jumped in, then we get down to I think level 3, that's where the Channel 9 and Fox boxes are. 'Billy Slater rocks in with his producer from Channel 9. We go downstairs, everyone gets out, Billy's there at the front, I literally walk out, I walk past, I shake his hand, 'hey Bill', I say to Buster to shake his hand. 'Once he shakes his hand we walk away, Buster goes 'who's that Dad?' 'I go 'mate, he's one of the best fullbacks to ever play the game'. My young bloke is only five. And that is all that happened. 'So from that, there's only three people that would've said something to Gordy about that. So someone's dropped the lip and had a little complaint, wasn't too happy.' The entire ordeal looked to become a major talking point among league fans as Queensland rallied after the saga to come back and win the next two games and take the series shield back from NSW. The story blew up particularly with Slater's response in which he suggested Woods was unaware of the mental health concerns his words could have on people, controversially referencing late Maroons coach Paul Green, who suffered from CTE. It left Woods admitting he felt partially responsible for the whole situation. 'A little bit. I was so confident because Game 1 I don't even think NSW played well,' he said. 'To win up at Suncorp, to be up there in enemy territory and the way they played, I would've thought we'd go to Perth quite excited. 'You go over there and then the performance in that first half, I was just like 'oh my God, far out, what have I done here?' Just really stirred the pot.'
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘The doctor said I'd won the lottery': Appendicitis may have cost Jack Howarth an Origin debut, but the health scare was a blessing in disguise
Storm centre Jack Howarth probably would have made his State of Origin debut this year had it not been for two separate setbacks, but he says everything happens for a reason after doctors told him he'd 'won the lottery'. Howarth was in the mix for the series opener but was ruled out of contention due to a dislocated shoulder that opened the door for Roosters rookie Robert Toia to make his Maroons debut after just 10 NRL appearances. The powerful Storm centre returned and was part of Queensland's extended squad for game two, with Howarth expected to eventually get his shot given he represented his state in the under 18s and under 19s. The door was open for him to get his crack when Kalyn Ponga went down with a foot injury, but it wasn't meant to be for Howarth, who was struck down with appendicitis just days before the game three squad was announced. Broncos bolter Gehamat Shibasaki was picked at left centre and did a fine job for Billy Slater as the Maroons clinched the series in Sydney, but it could have easily been Howarth celebrating in the sheds with his teammates. 'It's hard to tell. There were a few conversations but there was no definite call (from Slater),' Howarth told the NewsWire. 'I was just happy that I was in the picture to be selected. Everything happens for a reason and maybe it wasn't my time to play. I'm just glad they went out and won, and Shibasaki has been playing great footy and he has an unreal story, so he deserved it. 'As much as it sucked at the time, it worked out that I was able to get my issues fixed, so it wasn't a big loss.' Those issues could have become very serious, with Howarth revealing how quickly things turned for the worse after initially feeling unwell on Monday, June 23, before he had his appendix removed the next day and was out of hospital on the Wednesday. 'Mine was instant,' he replied when asked about the pain, with the Maroons side for the decider named a week later. 'I was lying in bed and I thought I had eaten something off and it was just stomach pain. But it started to get a lot sharper, so I drove myself to emergency that night. 'It was too much of a big line, so I thought 'stuff it' and I just went home. 'I went and told the club doctor my symptoms and she decided to get me checked. They did a little ultrasound, saw it and told me I had appendicitis and needed surgery that day. 'It was such a fast process but I just had to wait for the wounds to heal.' While appendicitis is nothing new for footy players, Howarth says there were other concerns that showed up after the initial ultrasound. He only missed two club games, but it could have been a lot worse if he hadn't been checked out. Jack Howarth is out this week after requiring surgery to have his appendix removed. Storm expect him to miss at least a few weeks (+ Origin 3). Return time can vary, but most are in the 3-5 week range. Quickest - Adam Reynolds returned just 2 weeks post appendix removal in 2017. — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 25, 2025 'I missed a bit of footy, which sucked, but they also found a bit of internal damage while I was there, so it was a blessing in disguise that I had my appendix checked,' he said. 'I don't know exactly what the other stuff was, but the doctor said I'd won the lottery and that down the track it could have been a lot worse if they hadn't spotted it. 'Everything happens for a reason and I'm just lucky that they found that problem.'
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why Aussie footy fans should be very worried about rugby star turned Royal Mike Tindall's special guest appearance at one of the NRL's biggest games
Rugby great Mike Tindall's Instagram post featuring him getting special access as he attended one of the biggest NRL games of the year could spell trouble for the code. A packed house was on hand at Accor Stadium in Sydney 's west on July 9 to watch the Queensland Maroons secure a shock series win over the New South Wales Blues in the deciding match of the 2025 State of Origin series. Former England international Tindall, who is now part of the British Royal Family, was at the match as the special guest of Queensland coach Billy Slater. Tindall is married to Zara Tindall - daughter of Princess Anne and granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II - and they have three children together. He also became close friends with Slater after they crossed paths at a polo event in Queensland back in January 2024. Tindall has since posted a series of behind-the-scenes photos and videos from his State of Origin experience, which saw him and his wife given access to the Maroons dressing room. Trindall is also the founder of R360, a rebel rugby union competition that will target some of the NRL's biggest names 'So so so good to be at the 'Decider' of #stateoforigin2025. Incredible atmosphere and fair play to the Maroons after an emotional week, being able to put that emotion on the field in a great team performance,' he posted to Instagram. 'Thanks to @b1slater and [wife] @nicoleroseart for looking after us so well. Was amazing to be in the changing rooms and see everything that makes rugby (both codes) an incredible sport.' While the post and images may seem innocent enough, they should send chills down the spines of the ARL Commission that manages the NRL and every head coach in the game. Tindall is coming for the NRL's best talent, and the post was proof he got handed an access-all-areas pass to window-shop the most elite talent rugby league has to offer. The 46-year-old is a key ambassador for the breakaway rugby union competition R360, which needs to sign 200 players by September and is actively eyeing NRL talent. With the NRL expanding from 17 to 19 teams in the next few years, competition for players is fierce - and Tindall's involvement hints at a looming recruitment war between league and rebel rugby. R360 - short for Rugby 360 - is a proposed global, franchise-based league set to launch in September 2026. Co-founded by Tindall, it's backed by investors from Saudi Arabia, the US, UK, and elite sports franchises like Premier League, F1 and NFL. Penrith Panthers and NSW Blues star Nathan Cleary could be another target, given he has already achieved it all in the NRL and has previously been the subject of speculation about making a switch to union It aims to bring together around 300 top international players in eight men's and four women's teams. The competition would be scheduled across 16 rounds in condensed seasons split between April–June and August–September to avoid clashing with international windows. The concept borrows from the IPL cricket and LIV Golf models, featuring city-based teams, entertainment-packed match days, and seven-figure salaries for stars. Already a host of NRL players have been linked to the rebel competition. Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga could be a major target for R360, especially given his recent openness to exploring options outside rugby league and previous experience playing the 15-a-side game. Ryan Papenhuyzen is reportedly one of their top targets, with the Melbourne Storm fullback said to be weighing a multi-million dollar offer as his current deal ends in 2026. New Zealand Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has also attracted interest, with reports suggesting he could be offered a contract worth around $1.5million per season. speculation around a potential $3million annual offer - figures well beyond what the NRL salary cap can accommodate.
