Category Archives: NRL

Brad Fittler hits out at ‘ridiculous’ Matt Burton sin-bin after State of Origin brawl

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  • Burton and Dane Gagai trade punches in series decider
  • Both players binned at Suncorp Stadium but escape suspension

Coach Brad Fittler thinks Matt Burton’s sin-binning in the State of Origin decider was a “tad ridiculous” as NSW lick their wounds after the Maroons’ comeback win. Blues centre Burton and Queensland opposite Dane Gagai were both sin-binned as the Origin series decider descended into a throwback, fists flying in a second-half brawl.

The pair were given a spell by referee Ashley Klein in the 42nd minute after the Maroons made a snap break at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night. As Queensland burst upfield, Burton collided with Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga after he had passed and was trying to catch up with the play.

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Nathan Cleary stars as NSW rout Queensland to level State of Origin series

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Outfoxed by a rookie coach, widely criticised for his team selection and ultimately ambushed and humiliated in front of a record crowd at home, Brad Fittler had both feet in the furnace. But the Blues coach held his nerve all week and now has his mojo back as NSW dominated their old foes to level the State of Origin series with a thumping 44-12 Game 2 victory.

In Sydney Billy Slater pulled a card from the Cameron Smith playbook and slowed the ruck. The Blue cogs got sticky, sending Cleary off his kicking game. Without their talisman – and a Plan B by Fittler – it all unravelled. Fittler swung the axe, picked a running side with a majority-Penrith spine and put starch back in the defensive line.

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State of Origin 2022 Game 2: NSW Blues 44-12 Queensland Maroons – as it happened

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  • NSW level series at 1-1 with comprehensive win in Perth
  • Nathan Cleary sets up two tries and scores two of his own

While you’re waiting for the action to get underway, enjoy lifelong Bears tragic Sam Perry keeping the dream alive.

Speaking earlier of the NSW changes to the ruck, Billy Slater reckons they’ve made the Blues a more dangerous proposition, telling Nine: “I see a huge strength in their dummy half position. Firstly with Apisai Koroisau starting the game, he’s got a great craft around dummy half area and then we’re anticipating Damien Cook to come on somewhere late in that first half. So when he gets there, he’s an explosive runner. So that’s what we’ve worked hard on this week. It will be a big strength of their game.”

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Trent Barrett quits Bulldogs after coach’s poor NRL record continues

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  • Barrett leaves Belmore having won just five of 34 matches
  • Quits before emergency board meeting on Monday

Trent Barrett has quit as Canterbury coach after the Bulldogs’ poor start to the season which has them bottom of the NRL ladder. A 16-6 loss to Newcastle on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium in the Magic Round opener proved the final straw for Bulldogs officials, who spent the weekend discussing Barrett’s future.

Barrett took the decision out of the board’s hands, stepping down from the role effective immediately on Monday morning. A three paragraph statement from the Bulldogs confirmed the news but gave no indication of the club’s future plans.

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New investigation into allegations of plagiarism against concussion expert Paul McCrory

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British Journal of Sports Medicine says it is investigating a body of work published by McCrory, its former editor-in-chief

The British Journal of Sports Medicine says it is investigating a body of work published by its former editor-in-chief, neurologist Dr Paul McCrory, in light of “additional allegations of plagiarism” against the world-renowned concussion expert.

The peer-reviewed journal will also review the past four consensus statements published by the global Concussion in Sport Group (CISG), of which McCrory was the lead author, along with a sample of other papers on which he is the first or senior author.

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Dragons hold on to stun Roosters in NRL Anzac Day upset

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  • St George Illawara win 14-12 at SCG
  • Ben Hunt wins Ashton Collier Spirit of Anzac medal

A battered and bruised St George Illawarra pulled off an Anzac Day boilover, with a courageous Ben Hunt helping them stun the Sydney Roosters 14-12.

On a brutal afternoon at the SCG, the Dragons lost Jack Bird to suspected broken arm and Jaydn Su’A due to a leg injury after the second-rower had been among their best.

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Cleary deals set Panthers up for long-term success

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With five-year contract extensions to keep them at Penrith until 2027, Nathan and Ivan Cleary can build the dynasty their club has always craved

Penrith’s ultimate successes have, historically, been fleeting. Not this time. The signing of star halfback Nathan Cleary and coach Ivan Cleary to long-term deals has set the Panthers up for sustainable security at the top of the premiership ladder. This may not be Melbourne Storm longevity but it is hard to see Penrith missing out on the top four anytime in the 2020s now the Clearys have locked themselves in as centrepieces.

Amid a great deal of controversy in 2019, Nathan Cleary was reunited with his father Ivan, who left the Wests Tigers in acrimonious circumstances to return to Penrith for his second stint as head coach. It led to Phil Gould’s departure as Penrith’s executive general manager and left a great deal of angst among the Wests Tigers faithful that the driver of the bus had ditched the joint. It did net a remarkable third premiership for the Panthers last year though, the golden generation realising their potential.

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Roosters routed as red hot Knights continue round one upsets

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  • Newcastle 20 – Sydney 6
  • Glamour club upset at home as Knights score four tries to one

The Newcastle Knights have spoiled the return to the SCG party for the Sydney Roosters, handing them a convincing 20-6 defeat and restricting the glamour club to just one try in their NRL season opener on Saturday afternoon.

The Knights scored four tries themselves and if it hadn’t been for a late four-pointer to the Tricolours’ Penrith recruit Paul Momirovski it would have been a complete humiliation for Trent Robinson’s men.

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Queensland Covid update: Premier says she would have ‘no qualms’ calling off NRL grand final – video

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Annastacia Palaszczuk says she would have no qualms calling off Sunday's NRL grand final after the state recorded two new locally acquired cases of Covid-19. Brisbane is set to host the rugby league decider between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Penrith Panthers on Sunday with an already reduced 75% capacity due to Queensland's latest outbreak. Both the premier and chief health officer Jeannette Young say they will not hesitate to call off the game if the outbreak worsens. Townsville in the state's north has been mooted as a possible replacement venue

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Fiji’s Silktails sang from balconies for hotel – and for Australian rugby league | Patrick Skene

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The team whose quarantine serenade went viral are playing the long game to the NRL promised land

Before the Kaiviti Silktails rugby league team finished their Covid-19 quarantine they had become worldwide heroes. Individually singing from 35 Juliet balconies in the Sydney Sofitel Hotel, they serenaded the world with three gospel hymns, going viral with more than million hits and delivering a Fiji-style thank you to the staff and guards who had nursed them to the promised land.

Their joyous gratitude was a refreshing contrast with the complaints and social media moping of other quarantined athletes, and announced the arrival of something unique.

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NSW on ‘extra high alert’ for Covid-19 resurgence as hotel crackdown announced

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Premier Gladys Berejiklian details stricter regime for pubs as cluster linked to the Crossroads Hotel grows to 30 cases

New South Wales is on “extra high alert” for a widespread Covid-19 resurgence and will require so-called hygiene marshals to enforce social distancing at every pub in the state.

The crackdown comes after patrons who visited a Sydney hotel at the centre of the state’s largest outbreak expressed concern over relaxed safety practices and the pub’s manager conceded more could have been done to record visitors’ contact details.

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Australia’s NRL fan cardboard cut-out scheme turns sour after use of Hitler and mass murderer Harold Shipman

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  • League says screening process is being reviewed
  • Fox Sports issues apology for ‘poor taste’ TV sketch

What started out as a fun and inclusive initiative has turned sour after the NRL’s scheme to put cardboard cut-outs of fans in stadiums was hijacked.

Over the weekend a photograph of mass murderer Harold Shipman made an appearance in the stands, then a TV sketch featured an image of Adolf Hitler, prompting furious criticism from Australia’s Jewish community.

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