Latest news with #OriginIII
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Souths lose their most in-form player; Brian To'o to play on with knee injury
In a complete contrast to Souths, Penrith could be at full strength next weekend. While Ivan Cleary can dare to dream about a fifth straight title, Bennett will be relieved to get through a game – or training session – without a player going down. Souths lost strike weapon Latrell Mitchell to a quad injury at Thursday's captain's run. He will miss a month. Bennett did not need reminding he was already without Cody Walker (hamstring), Cameron Murray (achilles), Campbell Graham (back), Brandon Smith (knee), Davvy Moale (wrist), Bud Sullivan (leg) and Jye Gray. How many rival NRL teams would be seriously in the premiership hunt if they were missing a similar number of players? Jack Wighton was also placed on report for a high shot on Edwards, which will result in an $1800 fine if hit with a grade-one careless high tackle charge by the match review committee on Saturday morning – but a two-match ban if deemed a grade-two offence. Who knows what is behind the shocking number of injuries that have rocked the Bunnies. Some fans are convinced it has something to do with the move away from their spiritual base at Redfern to Heffron Park in recent years. The club reviewed their training programs earlier this year and were none the wiser. Good luck trying to work out who will be fit to take the field against Cronulla next Saturday. The Bunnies are busted. The best thing about them will be whether Alex Johnston can close in on Ken Irvine's long-standing try-scoring record. Johnston's try just before full-time moved him to 207 career tries – five short of Irvine's 212. Johnston was Souths' main attacking threat in the first half. In the next three weeks, Penrith meet the Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans and Newcastle – all winnable games on paper – before a Thursday-night bell-ringer against old foes Melbourne. The only knock is their lousy crowds at their makeshift Parramatta home. There were 11,836 fans on Friday night, allegedly. But who cares? At least most of the Panthers' players are fit. Brian To'o confident latest injury no concern Brian To'o, arguably the game's best winger, suffered a fresh cork to his left knee, but vowed to keep playing for Penrith, and declared: 'You'll always be busted and bruised, but never broken.' The premiers made it six wins on the trot when they defeated South Sydney 30-10 on Friday night, with the sight of To'o coming from the field with 20 minutes remaining the only concern. To'o injured his left hamstring earlier this season, then suffered a grade-two lateral ligament tear in his left knee against the Bulldogs, which limited his preparation heading into Origin III for NSW. Panthers medical staff were confident To'o the latest scare would not require scans, and he was likely to play against the Wests Tigers next Saturday. Penrith are one of the few NRL teams that have no players in the casualty ward, with Liam Martin (wrist) and Izack Tago (suspension) to return next weekend, while Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary were given the weekend off. Cleary trained at Penrith on Friday morning while being joined by Matildas' partner Mary Fowler. As for To'o and concerns about his knee, he said late Friday: 'It was a bit of a stir-up. It's the same injury, there was just a bit of a knee clash. 'It was a bit of a touchy feeling; it was definitely on the right spot. 'I'll always back myself to keep going. 'It's part of the job [to keep going]. You'll always be busted and bruised, but never broken.' Coach Ivan Cleary said of To'o: ''Biz' can't seem to get through a game without some sort of trauma, but he should be OK.'
Sydney Morning Herald
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I had to understand why I failed': How Nathan Cleary processed Origin shocker
'I think it sort of sums up the rugby league world, to be honest – it's just a rollercoaster a lot of the time,' Cleary said. 'You've got to ride those highs and lows, and obviously, there was a massive low last Wednesday night. 'I've been processing that and understanding it a bit more, just trying to learn from it and get better. I honestly think it will make me better as a player, as a person. And then lucky enough to get a win on Sunday [over the Eels] and now this [endorsement deal], so, again, it's part of the ride, and I'm enjoying it.' Cleary is a man who thinks deeply about rugby league, sometimes to his detriment. After the Origin III debacle it was a case of finding the balance between introspection and flushing it all together. 'In the past I've come out of Origins where I haven't performed well and I've just sort of tried to act like it didn't happen and squash it straight away,' he said. 'Whereas this one I sort of want to sit with it a little bit more and understand why it happened. 'If I get the opportunity in the future in Origin, how I can be better. I think that was important, but probably made it linger a little bit longer than what I would have liked. But I had to sit through that, and I had to face it and understand why I failed on that stage. 'Now that I have processed it, it's about moving on and putting those lessons into play. 'Obviously a big part of the season is coming up for us at Penrith leading into the finals and I want to be playing my best footy. I think it can help me to do that and help me in the future, too.' Asked what answers he found after a week of soul-searching, Cleary said: 'There's lots of answers. 'I probably won't go into too much detail with it, but sort of just for my own things moving forward there were a few things that maybe looking back I overlooked or didn't do well enough in the preparation. 'Then during the game it's just about capitalising on moments and, ultimately, I didn't do that, we didn't do that as a team, and Queensland did.' In the moments after the game, Cleary was consoled by eight Immortal and former NSW halfback Andrew Johns. 'He just said not to be too hard on myself and just offered some support,' Cleary said. 'I'm very appreciative of that. Obviously it's a bloody low feeling straight after the game, but having him come up to me – he's the GOAT [greatest of all time] in my eyes – so to have him there and offer some advice was great to have. I'm very appreciative of that.' Based on Origin form, Cleary is no certainty to wear the Australian No.7 jersey for the season-ending Ashes tour of England. Such was Tom Dearden's dominance of the series, after replacing captain Daly Cherry-Evans as starting halfback for the second game, that he was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal. 'I've got nothing but good things to say about Tom Dearden,' Cleary said. 'He's a freak of a player, and he showed that on Wednesday night; he was by far the best player on the field ... 'I haven't been able to represent the Kangaroos since 2022, so I would absolutely love the opportunity to do that. But obviously you've got to play well at the back end of the year. 'I think being a part of that and making that team will be a byproduct of this next period and playing well for the Panthers.' Loading Cleary and Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo have been rested for the Rabbitohs clash, but will return for next week's match against Wests Tigers. Cleary will do so more motivated than ever. 'Absolutely, the fire in the belly is definitely there,' he said. 'Last Wednesday night has only ignited it more. I just want to do well by my teammates and put my best foot forward for them and elevate us to positions to win games to be there at the end of the season.'
The Age
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘I had to understand why I failed': How Nathan Cleary processed Origin shocker
'I think it sort of sums up the rugby league world, to be honest – it's just a rollercoaster a lot of the time,' Cleary said. 'You've got to ride those highs and lows, and obviously, there was a massive low last Wednesday night. 'I've been processing that and understanding it a bit more, just trying to learn from it and get better. I honestly think it will make me better as a player, as a person. And then lucky enough to get a win on Sunday [over the Eels] and now this [endorsement deal], so, again, it's part of the ride, and I'm enjoying it.' Cleary is a man who thinks deeply about rugby league, sometimes to his detriment. After the Origin III debacle it was a case of finding the balance between introspection and flushing it all together. 'In the past I've come out of Origins where I haven't performed well and I've just sort of tried to act like it didn't happen and squash it straight away,' he said. 'Whereas this one I sort of want to sit with it a little bit more and understand why it happened. 'If I get the opportunity in the future in Origin, how I can be better. I think that was important, but probably made it linger a little bit longer than what I would have liked. But I had to sit through that, and I had to face it and understand why I failed on that stage. 'Now that I have processed it, it's about moving on and putting those lessons into play. 'Obviously a big part of the season is coming up for us at Penrith leading into the finals and I want to be playing my best footy. I think it can help me to do that and help me in the future, too.' Asked what answers he found after a week of soul-searching, Cleary said: 'There's lots of answers. 'I probably won't go into too much detail with it, but sort of just for my own things moving forward there were a few things that maybe looking back I overlooked or didn't do well enough in the preparation. 'Then during the game it's just about capitalising on moments and, ultimately, I didn't do that, we didn't do that as a team, and Queensland did.' In the moments after the game, Cleary was consoled by eight Immortal and former NSW halfback Andrew Johns. 'He just said not to be too hard on myself and just offered some support,' Cleary said. 'I'm very appreciative of that. Obviously it's a bloody low feeling straight after the game, but having him come up to me – he's the GOAT [greatest of all time] in my eyes – so to have him there and offer some advice was great to have. I'm very appreciative of that.' Based on Origin form, Cleary is no certainty to wear the Australian No.7 jersey for the season-ending Ashes tour of England. Such was Tom Dearden's dominance of the series, after replacing captain Daly Cherry-Evans as starting halfback for the second game, that he was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal. 'I've got nothing but good things to say about Tom Dearden,' Cleary said. 'He's a freak of a player, and he showed that on Wednesday night; he was by far the best player on the field ... 'I haven't been able to represent the Kangaroos since 2022, so I would absolutely love the opportunity to do that. But obviously you've got to play well at the back end of the year. 'I think being a part of that and making that team will be a byproduct of this next period and playing well for the Panthers.' Loading Cleary and Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo have been rested for the Rabbitohs clash, but will return for next week's match against Wests Tigers. Cleary will do so more motivated than ever. 'Absolutely, the fire in the belly is definitely there,' he said. 'Last Wednesday night has only ignited it more. I just want to do well by my teammates and put my best foot forward for them and elevate us to positions to win games to be there at the end of the season.'
Sydney Morning Herald
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I never wanted to leave Parra, but that changed after talking with Ivan'
'Blaize was a good kid; he was always in the same age group as Matthew. They'd play against each other at club level, together in the same rep teams – but Blaize was the one who always made a difference to his team,' Arthur recalls. 'I'd watch Blaize as much as my own kids. He always had that level of class, especially physically. We were down on troops last year when his opportunity to make his NRL debut came along. He was definitely physically ready, but in terms of his footy smarts and education, he had a bit of work to do. But he was only going to learn that by getting out on the field and playing. 'I still watch Blaize play now. He's getting better, and he's got a good educating half there in Nathan [Cleary]. Blaize's best footy is still a long way down the track – but his ceiling is pretty high. 'He's tough, humble, from a great family – he's the kind of player every club would love to have.' As five of his Penrith teammates were preparing for Origin III on Wednesday, Talagi sat down with this masthead outside the Panthers Academy to shed a little light on his upbringing, and the meeting with Cleary that sealed the deal on his move west. He grew up in Georges Fair, a newish suburb in south-west Sydney near Moorebank. Dad Byron is Samoan and grew up playing league before getting kicked out of the game, whereupon he took up rugby. Talagi jnr is unsure exactly why his father was banned from the 13-man code, but points out the father of Eels playmaker Joash Papalii, Pele, was his dad's rugby coach. Younger brother Ryda and sister Hayloh are both talented league players who are still signed with the Eels. Talagi played in an all-star Westfields Sports High team that featured Canterbury's Lachie Galvin, new Eel Tallyn Da Silva and Wests Tigers playmaker Latu Fainu. A talented No.10 and No.15 in rugby with West Harbour as a teenager, The King's School offered Talagi a scholarship in the hope he would quit Westfields and league. They were never in the hunt. Talagi's talents are not limited to the rugby league field – he has a wonderful singing voice, too. His Panthers teammates love it any time he breaks into a Bruno Mars song. And his girlfriend, Ashley Triana, is a rising tennis star. Forever grateful to Arthur for giving him his start in first grade, Talagi was desperate to stay at Parramatta. He met with Cleary and Panthers football manager Shane Elford at Cleary's house last winter out of politeness more than a genuine desire to switch clubs. 'A few stories got out at the time about how my brother, Ryda, had been spotted leaving Ivan's house, and I thought to myself, people must think I'm massive, because Ryda is heaps bigger than me,' Talagi says. 'There were a couple of clubs interested in me at the time, but I only met with the Dragons and Penrith. 'I remember going to Ivan's house, which was on the river, and speaking to him and 'Spud' [Elford] in the backyard, and Ivan asking me about what I thought of my game, what my favourite position was, and while they'd love me to come to the club, there were no promises about positions. 'I never wanted to leave Parra, but that changed after talking with Ivan. I changed my mind so many times. In the end, I felt like I'd become a better player and better person by moving to Penrith. There have certainly been no regrets.' One of the first things Penrith told Talagi was that if he did end up in the halves, they were not expecting him to replace four-time premiership winner Luai. 'The club taught me to only focus on myself, not the outside talk, and that helped a lot early,' he says. The departure of Luai and the arrival of the much quieter Talagi has presented new challenges for some of the Panthers players, including hooker Mitch Kenny. Kenny said he found himself automatically passing the ball to Cleary, and almost avoiding Talagi, because of the yawning gap in experience. 'It's been a learning curve for me; it's so easy when you play alongside a guy like Nath to want to put the ball in his hands all the time,' Kenny says. 'But Blaize is here for a reason, and I've got to trust him to do his job. Each week he plays he gets better at that. 'It's a balancing act with him knowing when to call the ball off Nath, and me knowing when to give him the ball, and not just leaning on the best player in the competition. Blaize isn't Romy, he's Blaize, and we just want him to be the best version of Blaize.' Panthers legend Greg Alexander, one of the club's greatest playmakers, said Talagi's past six weeks of football had given fans a glimpse of what's possible. 'He will hit a hole where there isn't much space,' Alexander said. 'He's a very good runner of the footy – he's got a great ability to beat a defender with speed and footwork. 'His passing game and peripheral vision will develop the more he plays at five-eighth, and the more he realises what's going on around him. Loading 'When Jarome left, naturally you think, how do you fill that hole? Blaize is a different player to Jarome, but he's certainly making his own mark.' After a sloppy start, and having their season written off more than once, the Panthers are back. Their win over the Bulldogs before the bye showed there might just be a fifth straight title in them yet. There may still be more episodes in the Penrith dynasty story. Tune in on Sunday to find out what happens next. Talagi's old coach will be.
The Age
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘I never wanted to leave Parra, but that changed after talking with Ivan'
'Blaize was a good kid; he was always in the same age group as Matthew. They'd play against each other at club level, together in the same rep teams – but Blaize was the one who always made a difference to his team,' Arthur recalls. 'I'd watch Blaize as much as my own kids. He always had that level of class, especially physically. We were down on troops last year when his opportunity to make his NRL debut came along. He was definitely physically ready, but in terms of his footy smarts and education, he had a bit of work to do. But he was only going to learn that by getting out on the field and playing. 'I still watch Blaize play now. He's getting better, and he's got a good educating half there in Nathan [Cleary]. Blaize's best footy is still a long way down the track – but his ceiling is pretty high. 'He's tough, humble, from a great family – he's the kind of player every club would love to have.' As five of his Penrith teammates were preparing for Origin III on Wednesday, Talagi sat down with this masthead outside the Panthers Academy to shed a little light on his upbringing, and the meeting with Cleary that sealed the deal on his move west. He grew up in Georges Fair, a newish suburb in south-west Sydney near Moorebank. Dad Byron is Samoan and grew up playing league before getting kicked out of the game, whereupon he took up rugby. Talagi jnr is unsure exactly why his father was banned from the 13-man code, but points out the father of Eels playmaker Joash Papalii, Pele, was his dad's rugby coach. Younger brother Ryda and sister Hayloh are both talented league players who are still signed with the Eels. Talagi played in an all-star Westfields Sports High team that featured Canterbury's Lachie Galvin, new Eel Tallyn Da Silva and Wests Tigers playmaker Latu Fainu. A talented No.10 and No.15 in rugby with West Harbour as a teenager, The King's School offered Talagi a scholarship in the hope he would quit Westfields and league. They were never in the hunt. Talagi's talents are not limited to the rugby league field – he has a wonderful singing voice, too. His Panthers teammates love it any time he breaks into a Bruno Mars song. And his girlfriend, Ashley Triana, is a rising tennis star. Forever grateful to Arthur for giving him his start in first grade, Talagi was desperate to stay at Parramatta. He met with Cleary and Panthers football manager Shane Elford at Cleary's house last winter out of politeness more than a genuine desire to switch clubs. 'A few stories got out at the time about how my brother, Ryda, had been spotted leaving Ivan's house, and I thought to myself, people must think I'm massive, because Ryda is heaps bigger than me,' Talagi says. 'There were a couple of clubs interested in me at the time, but I only met with the Dragons and Penrith. 'I remember going to Ivan's house, which was on the river, and speaking to him and 'Spud' [Elford] in the backyard, and Ivan asking me about what I thought of my game, what my favourite position was, and while they'd love me to come to the club, there were no promises about positions. 'I never wanted to leave Parra, but that changed after talking with Ivan. I changed my mind so many times. In the end, I felt like I'd become a better player and better person by moving to Penrith. There have certainly been no regrets.' One of the first things Penrith told Talagi was that if he did end up in the halves, they were not expecting him to replace four-time premiership winner Luai. 'The club taught me to only focus on myself, not the outside talk, and that helped a lot early,' he says. The departure of Luai and the arrival of the much quieter Talagi has presented new challenges for some of the Panthers players, including hooker Mitch Kenny. Kenny said he found himself automatically passing the ball to Cleary, and almost avoiding Talagi, because of the yawning gap in experience. 'It's been a learning curve for me; it's so easy when you play alongside a guy like Nath to want to put the ball in his hands all the time,' Kenny says. 'But Blaize is here for a reason, and I've got to trust him to do his job. Each week he plays he gets better at that. 'It's a balancing act with him knowing when to call the ball off Nath, and me knowing when to give him the ball, and not just leaning on the best player in the competition. Blaize isn't Romy, he's Blaize, and we just want him to be the best version of Blaize.' Panthers legend Greg Alexander, one of the club's greatest playmakers, said Talagi's past six weeks of football had given fans a glimpse of what's possible. 'He will hit a hole where there isn't much space,' Alexander said. 'He's a very good runner of the footy – he's got a great ability to beat a defender with speed and footwork. 'His passing game and peripheral vision will develop the more he plays at five-eighth, and the more he realises what's going on around him. Loading 'When Jarome left, naturally you think, how do you fill that hole? Blaize is a different player to Jarome, but he's certainly making his own mark.' After a sloppy start, and having their season written off more than once, the Panthers are back. Their win over the Bulldogs before the bye showed there might just be a fifth straight title in them yet. There may still be more episodes in the Penrith dynasty story. Tune in on Sunday to find out what happens next. Talagi's old coach will be.
