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News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
A smiling Cameron Munster back at Queensland training after his father's death leaves Blues fans in fear before State of Origin Game 3
Be afraid NSW. Be very afraid. This is the sight of a man with a point to prove and a purpose greater than most to play for. Queensland captain Cameron Munster returned to the Maroons squad during Tuesday's captain's run, just days after the sad passing of his father Steven and only 24 hours before the Origin decider. He ran drills, threw the footy and embraced his teammates ready to take his place in tomorrow's all-important State of Origin decider, all while dealing with the tragic loss. And he did it with a smile. 'Can I say, as a NSW fan, those images of him at the captain's run smiling like that, scares the sh*t out of me,' The Australian 's Andrew Webster said on NRL 360 on Tuesday night. 'He played one of the games of his life and career in Game 2. I'm expecting even more tomorrow night.' The sight of an emotionally charged Munster ready and raring to go has Blues fans very nervous, knowing the star five-eighth has even more to play for in a do or die clash. 'I say this with respect with what Cameron's going through, football is not that important. But he's one of the few people that can deal with it (a tragedy),' Cooper Cronk said on the Matty and Cronk podcast. 'You just know inside of him, I just know he's going to bring something special,' Matty Johns said. The enormity of the moment also has his teammates raring to go, and getting behind their captain could be the recipe for success that makes the seemingly impossible task of winning much more real. Former Canterbury forward James Graham said he could attest to this, creating extra concern for the Blues. 'It's more important than sport and it certainly put things into perspective,' Graham said. 'When I've been in and around situations not too dissimilar to this, the effect of tragedy on an individual and within the group, it can produce a mental approach to a game which is incredibly different and ignite an emotional response. 'It is just a game, but obviously there's triggers that go into elements of a performance and I think this unfortunate situation brings this Queensland team even closer together.' Munster's manager and close friend Braith Anasta said as much as the emotion will drive Munster, the 'horrible' heartbreak can still make performing difficult. 'But it is probably easier said than done. I think the reality is it is going to be a challenge for him,' Anasta said. 'But it has been hard because I wanted to give him time for his family. I can relate to it and I think a lot of us can who have been in a similar situation, so I know what he is going through. 'It has been difficult, but he is a great bloke and he deserves all the best.' While last year saw the Blues travel up to Suncorp stadium in Brisbane for the seemingly impossible task of winning a decider away from home, the roles have been reversed this year. QLD come to Sydney as heavy underdogs in the Game 3 decider at Accor Stadium, especially after Blues powerhouse players Payne Haas and Brian To'o were yesterday cleared from any injury clouds. It means NSW line up with an unchanged 1-17 from Game 2 where they only narrowly lost after a dominating second half performance.
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Broncos pull off ‘great escape' as Bulldogs self-destruct
The Broncos overcame a horror first half to pull off the heist of the season and stun the Bulldogs thanks to three moments of magic from five-eighth Ezra Mam, who was booed every time he touched the ball. The visitors are now well and truly in the hunt for a top-four spot after leaving Accor Stadium with a 22-18 victory when it looked at one stage like they would lose by 40. 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 Broncos were dead and buried when Matt Burton slotted a penalty goal to put the hosts up 18-0 early in the second half, but some Mam brilliance turned the game on its head as Brisbane crossed four times in the final 20 minutes to steal the win. 'That's the great escape. These are grand final like celebrations,' Dan Ginnane said on Fox League. 'They've come from the clouds,' Cooper Cronk said. The Bulldogs' collapse left the Fox League panel in shock. 'I'm in disbelief over what just happened,' Greg Alexander said while Mick Ennis added: 'They completely self-destructed the Dogs … it just fell apart'. The Broncos couldn't have played any worse in the first half as Selwyn Cobbo struggled in his return to first grade, but the undermanned Broncos still had Mam who took it upon himself to steal the win. The classy five-eighth got the ball rolling when he found Josiah Karapani with a long ball, with the winger dancing through to score a stunner from near halfway. Mam then played short to set up journeyman Delouise Hoeter for a try five minutes later, before Billy Walters burrowed over from close range to bring them within two. A Kotoni Staggs break should have resulted in a Broncos penalty from wide out, but it mattered little as Mam played short to send Brendan Piakura over for the winner with seven minutes to go after he passed an early HIA. An hour before kick off, Lachlan Galvin was promoted to the Dogs' starting side with Matt Burton shifting into the centres. For the first try, Galvin combined with Connor Tracey and Marcelo Montoya down the short side off a scrum to create space, with Montoya diving over in the corner. Burton scored the Bulldogs' second try after an outstanding chip and chase from 30 metres out. 'Not too many players can do that,' Cooper Cronk said in commentary. Montoya's pass in the lead up was also a highlight. The Bulldogs winger kept the play alive on tackle five after collecting an errant pass and when he was tackled, kept it alive again with a miraculous flick pass over his head. BIG HITS HALF MEASURES Friday's shock result cost the Bulldogs any chance of finishing the round in first spot, with their second-half fadeout set to leave coach Cameron Ciraldo furious given his side should have been able to defend the lead. Next year's halves situation may be looking a lot clearer with confirmation Toby Sexton is off to the Super League, but the playmaker conundrum for the rest of 2025 remains a mystery after the Bulldogs pulled a late switch on Friday night. Ciraldo declared on Thursday that his plans for Lachlan Galvin wouldn't be influenced by the same people who questioned his side's recruitment strategy, but the mid-season recruit did end up starting on the same day that Sexton's move to join Catalans in 2026 was confirmed. While the halfback won't be there next year, he still remains a key figure this season, with the only question who will partner him in the halves. Matt Burton was named at five-eighth after finally not being the NSW 18th man, but he started at left centre thanks to a late reshuffle that saw Galvin start in the halves. Both men had their moments – Burton scored and Galvin had some joy with his kicking game – but they didn't combine well in attack on a night that didn't provide Ciraldo with the answers he would have wanted. OH NO COBBO Cobbo's first game since round 13 couldn't have gone any worse with the Broncos fullback at fault for two tries on a night that justified Michael Maguire's decision to drop him to reserve grade. The former Maroons star had been out for a month but got his chance with Reece Walsh and Gehamat Shibasaki away on Origin duty, but it was a night to forget for the young man who is off to the Dolphins in 2026. Cobbo and Deine Mariner failed to clean up a kick which allowed Burton to score, while he didn't catch a Galvin bomb which ended up with Viliame Kikau crashing over. He also sent a kick-off sailing out on the full and fumbled a ball when the Broncos had a rare attacking opportunity which could see him sent straight back to reserve grade. He wasn't the only one who struggled with skipper Adam Reynolds kicking out on the full twice, sending a grubber dead and having another one charged down before he nailed some clutch goals to seal the win.
News.com.au
01-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘There'll be another change': Qld legend predicts late Maroons switch for Origin decider
Cooper Cronk is expecting Queensland coach Billy Slater to make a late change to his starting side for next week's State of Origin decider. Slater confirmed his Game 3 squad on Monday, naming Broncos centre Gehamat Shibasaki to make his Origin debut and recalling Josh Papalii two years after the veteran prop retired from rep footy. 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. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was named at fullback and Reece Walsh was named as 18th man, with Slater insisting the battle for the No. 1 jersey came down to form, not Walsh's ongoing knee injury. But Slater might not be done making changes. Speaking on Fox League's Matty & Cronk show, Queensland great Cronk believes Slater will bring Pat Carrigan into the starting line-up on game day. Carrigan was dropped to the bench for Game 2 for Storm forward Trent Loiero and Slater stuck with the same option on his team sheet for Game 3. But Cronk is expecting the Broncos star to be given the No. 13 jersey as Slater looks to add grunt to his forward pack. 'I suggest there'll be another change to the starting team because of the influence of 'Papa',' Slater said. 'I like it (Papalii's selection). I really do, him and Tino up front. 'If I'm Billy, I'd make a late change and start Carrigan. Reason being, you look at the starting middle rotation for NSW. It will be (Max) King, (Payne) Haas and Isaah Yeo. 'Haas is hard to handle. But Carrigan, Tino and Papa I think could physically outmuscle King when he runs the footy, and Yeo when he runs the footy. 'I would say the presence of Papa is going to ignite something in the Queensland forward pack and I'd run all-out to start the game. Carrigan in the front row and go 'take 'em on'.' 'I think Papa's a good move. Tino's going to be inspired playing alongside him. If you start the game with Patrick Carrigan, I think it could be a good thing. Matty Johns said he would have picked Walsh at fullback but understood Slater's decision to go with Tabuai-Fidow. NSW coach Laurie Daley named an unchanged team for Game 3, backing in Bulldogs prop King and Storm forward Stefano Utoikamanu on the bench. Daley said Nathan Cleary was still managing a groin injury he sustained in the lead-up to Game 1 and he wasn't expecting him to do the goalkicking in Game 3. 'We think he'll be 100 per cent fit but I don't think he'll be goalkicking,' Daley told NRL 360 on Monday. 'That'll be up to Nathan and how he's travelling, but I wouldn't expect him to goalkick. I think Zac (Lomax) will do a great job for us. 'It's just unfortunate before Game 1 he twinged his groin. He did a really great job to play in fact, we were unsure if he was going to play or not, but he and the medical staff did a terrific job. 'He was confident he could get through but couldn't do goalkicking or a lot of the long kicking. 'He's more confident than what he was leading into Game 2. I think he'll be close to 100 per cent by Game 3.' Zac Lomax was 2/5 in his conversion attempts in Game 2 and the Blues could have wrapped up the series win had he been more accurate. Official Queensland team for State of Origin Game 3 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Xavier Coates 3. Robert Toia 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Cameron Munster (c) 7. Tom Dearden 8. Josh Papalii 9. Harry Grant 10. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 11. Reuben Cotter 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Trent Loiero 14. Kurt Mann 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Patrick Carrigan 17. Jeremiah Nanai 18. Reece Walsh 19: J'maine Hopgood
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper Cronk calls out Lachie Galvin move that backfired on Bulldogs teammate
Cooper Cronk has highlighted how Lachie Galvin's presence on the field contributed to Nathan Cleary's match-winning try for the Panthers against the Bulldogs in Thursday night's NRL thriller. Galvin started on the bench but replaced Reed Mahoney with 28 minutes remaining. Dogs coach Cameron Ciraldo shuffled Galvin into the halves and moved Toby Sexton to hooker - a move that proved contentious and also backfired. The Bulldogs were leading 6-2 with Galvin on the bench, but the tide turned in the Panthers' favour when he was injected into the game. He let Cleary run straight past him just seconds after getting on the field - a line-break that seemed to swing the momentum towards the Panthers after the Bulldogs held the upper hand all night. In the very next set, Cleary produced a stunning play to charge down a Matt Burton kick before regathering and scoring what turned out to be the match-winning try. Speaking in commentary for Fox League, legendary halfback Cronk pointed out that Galvin being on the field made it easier for Cleary to produce his match-winning play. Because Galvin doesn't have as good a long-kicking game as Sexton, Cleary and the Panthers knew Burton would be kicking on the last. Rather than having to guess which side of the ruck the kick would come from, Cleary was 100 per cent it was going to Burton. "He is one of the smartest players in our game Nathan Cleary," Cronk said. "He realised Matt Burton is the No.1 kicker. Normally he does it with a pass or a kick, but this time he did it with his footy IQ. "The reason why he was able to isolate Matt Burton is when Galvin came onto the field, Burton becomes the main kicker out of their own end. It meant Cleary could get a head-start (on Burton) and pressure him." Speaking after the Panthers held on for an 8-6 win, Matty Johns also questioned why Ciraldo changed his spine in the middle of the game. "It's hard when you change a winning spine," he said. "They'll have to figure out what to do with Galvin moving forward." RELATED: Sam Burgess rejection could see Dolphins sign international star New club emerges to snare premiership-winning Panthers forward Despite the loss, Ciraldo was adamant it was the right call to inject Galvin. The 19-year-old looked likely whenever he touched the ball, but the Dogs weren't as polished as when Sexton was pulling the strings. "I thought it worked pretty well tonight," Ciraldo said in his press conference. "I like how it is working at the moment. Reed rips in, gets his work done, works himself to a standstill. "Toby going in there and shoring up the ruck and providing good service. And then Lachy comes on and can ask really good questions, which he did. I'm very happy with how it's going at the moment, don't see any reason to change it." But fans and pundits were quick to highlight how the game changed when Galvin came on. Daily Telegraph columnist 'The Oracle' wrote on social media: "Mahoney was playing well at dummy half and Sexton controlling things beautifully at 7. Galvin will undoubtedly be an asset in the future, but you can't tell me this isn't an unwanted disruption to a side coming first. They look clunky." Mahoney was playing well at dummy half & Sexton controlling things beautifully at will undoubtedly be an asset in the future , but you can't tell me this isn't an unwanted disruption to a side coming first. They look clunky. — The Oracle (@BigOtrivia) June 26, 2025 Am I alone in thinking the Dogs look worse with Galvin? — Ron (@ronstradamus1) June 26, 2025 I don't understand who Galvin thought Cleary was passing too 😂 — yeamannnn (@AMaoulaoui) June 26, 2025 Those Galvin "shifts" lost Canterbury the game. I have no idea what Gus or Matthew Johns or others have seen, but Galvin runs out of time so quickly, he plugs in the field and puts others under pressure. Like Burton late when he lost the ball #NRLPanthersBulldogs — Curtis Woodward (@woodward_curtis) June 26, 2025 Dogs have to bite the bullet & do whatever their plan is with Galvin now - not sure changing half your spine mid game every week is sustainable, there was a noticeable disruption to their flow & shape when he came on. #NRLPanthersBulldogs — Nathan (@SeaEagleSpur) June 26, 2025
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
NRL legends rip into footy star for shocking mid-game act: 'He should get a job on Neighbours'
Footy great Andrew Voss has torn into Cronulla star Nicho Hynes after the halfback appeared to flop to the floor during the Sharks' 34-28 defeat by Brisbane. Reece Walsh was the standout as the Broncos charged to an epic second-half comeback, despite conceding four tries in the first half. Cronulla took a firm grip on the match early on, with Siosifa Talakai crossing the try line after four minutes before William Kennedy scored a brace of tries. The Broncos soon found their momentum, with Josiah Karapani finishing off a well-worked move out wide. However, Hynes, stepping up in defence, appeared to throw himself to the floor and appealed to the officials for an obstruction penalty. The referees looked to the Bunker, who decided against awarding Cronulla a penalty and disallowing the try. Voss, meanwhile, fumed at the act, claiming Hynes should get a job working on the TV show Neighbours for his acting. 'We can't let him get away with this,' Andrew Voss said to Fox Sports. 'I know we have seen things similar before but please. If this is given a no-try he gets an acting job with Neighbours. 'Everyone stops and throws their arms up, what have we created here?' After the Bunker ruled that no foul had been committed by the Broncos, Voss expressed his relief in the commentary box. 'I think that's a hallelujah moment for the game on obstruction and I hope that everyone learns a lesson there,' he added. Cooper Cronk agreed with Voss, lumping praise on the referee. 'Nicho Hynes has gone to act as if he's been obstructed,' he said. 'Well done referee, well done bunker. Cronulla Sharks are looking for a shortcut.' The result leaves the Sharks sixth in the NRL ladder, with coach Craig Fitzgibbon hoping that his side can deliver better performances to make the top four. 'We've just got to focus on getting a better performance at the minute,' he told reporters. 'Whatever anyone else says about us we can't control. 'We've been unsettled the whole year, for different reasons. I don't want to sit here and make excuses about it, I want to do something about it.' When Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey darted over from dummy half to secure a 28-12 lead in the 56th minute, the Broncos appeared cooked in front of 39,042 fans at Suncorp Stadium. Instead, the Broncos scored four tries in 18 minutes, with Walsh setting up two, to usurp the Sharks in fifth position. Sharks forward Teig Wilton went to hospital in the first half after suffering blurred vision from an eye injury, before winger Sione Katoa had a brain explosion on the cusp of halftime. He was sin-binned for a ridiculous touch on Ezra Mam when he was lying in the ruck. The Broncos were too daft to make the most of it. Instead, Brailey darted over from close range and the result appeared secured, but the Sharks then fell apart. Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was ruled to have knocked on and Walsh made the Sharks pay with a bullet pass to centre Gehamat Shibasaki. Skipper Adam Reynolds then darted and weaved in traffic and threw a basketball-style pass for Karapani to score his second try double in as many weeks. Reynolds landed it from the sideline for a 30-28 lead. When Walsh carved through Hynes to set up Shibasaki for his second, it was all over. The first half was a bizarre affair, with the Sharks leading 22-12 at the break. Brisbane's kicking game and line speed were poor, with fullback Walsh giving up two seven-tackle sets. The Sharks attacked with freedom, halves Trindall and Hynes both playing leading roles. Trindall laid on the pass for centre Siosifa Talakai to score. He was at it again to put Wilton through a gaping hole, and fullback William Kennedy finished it off for a 10-0 lead. The Sharks opened the scoring through Talakai after Broncos winger Jesse Arthars spilt a bomb. Kennedy scored his second with a classic after Hynes sent second-rower Briton Nikora on his merry way. Trindall did the same for Hynes to stroll through for a 22-6 lead after Broncos hooker Cory Paix darted over from dummy half for the softest try you will ever see. Mam scored on the cusp of halftime to keep the home side in it.
