Monday, June 20, 2011
Interview: Mark Riddell
Retiring Sydney Roosters hooker Mark Riddell told Grandstand's Sunday League program that he is happy with his decision to call time on his 11-year rugby league career.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaRex Mossop passes away
Marshall injured as Storm go top
Marshall suffered the injury in the 59th minute of Sunday's 12-4 loss to Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval.
The New Zealand captain attempted to play on after hurting his left knee in a tackle by Storm centre Justin O'Neill but left the field moments later.
"It's a medial strain, it's only going to be a low grading," Tigers assistant coach Peter Gentle said.
"He may miss a week, he may not.
"We'll get scans done tomorrow."
Tigers captain Robbie Farah conceded the loss of Marshall was a big factor as the home side attempted to come back from a 12-4 half-time deficit in a scoreless second half, willed on by a sell-out crowd of 20,486.
"We just seem to be panicking when we get down attacking the opposition tryline," he said.
"Instead of sticking to our structure we're just playing a bit too much ad lib.
"Against a team like Melbourne, they just eat that up.
"Losing Benji didn't help but he might not be there next week so that's something we've got to work on."
The Storm leapfrogged defending premier St George Illawarra to the top of the table, scoring tries through Ryan Hinchcliffe and Kevin Proctor, both laid on by man-of-the-match Cooper Cronk.
Matt Duffie and Queensland hooker Cameron Smith, who started from the bench after Wednesday night's Origin II, booted goals.
The Tigers could only respond through a four-pointer from winger Beau Ryan after a brilliant Marshall cut-out pass as their attack failed to fire, twice being held-up over the line.
The Storm, who also had full-back Billy Slater and Cronk backing up from Origin, have now won four straight but will lose top spot if the more-favoured Manly beats Parramatta by more than 12 points on Monday night.
Marshall's injury was not the only drama at Leichhardt, with Storm enforcer Sika Manu placed on report for a nasty looking "crusher" tackle on Tigers full-back Wade McKinnon.
That tackle was just one Storm tactic that infuriated Farah.
"(Manu) dropped his knee into (Gareth) Ellis' calf," the Tigers captain said of another incident.
"I've seen him do that a thousand times. I hope they have a good look at it.
"(Melbourne is) all over the play-the-ball and get away with it.
"I think refs hate giving me a penalty for markers being not square, I can't get one any more."
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy paid tribute to his Origin contingent, with only centre Dane Nielsen unable to back up.
"I was really proud of their effort," he said.
"We put ourselves under a lot of pressure in the second half but I thought the guys did a really good job.
"It's hard backing up."
Storm: 12 (R Hinchcliffe, K Proctor tries; M Duffie, C Smith goals)
Tigers: 4 (B Ryan try)
-AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia, nsw, balmain-2041, campbelltown-2560, leichhardt-2040, vic, melbourne-3000 First posted June 19, 2011 17:03:00Queensland Cup Round 13 Highlights
ABC TV Game of the Week - Wynnum Manly v Northern Pride
Wynnum Manly Seagulls 30 def. Northern Pride 28
Wynnum Manly - Tries: Jake Granville, Shea Moylan, Jason Moon, John Te Reo, Kurtis Lingwoodock
Conversions: Josh Jerome 5
Northern Pride - Tries: Hezron Murgha, Mick Wilson, Ryan Ghietti, Lancen Joudo, Mark Cantoni
Conversions: Chey Bird 4
Other Games
Easts Tigers 8 def. by Redcliffe Dolphins 14
Central Comets 10 def. by Souths Logan Magpies 12
Ipswich Jets 40 def. Burleigh Bears 4
Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles 22 def. by Mackay Cutters 24
Tags: sport, rugby-league, queensland-cup, australia, qld, brisbane-4000Interview: Robbie Farah
Tigers skipper Robbie Farah told Grandstand's Steve Mascord that an injury to Benji Marshall was not a huge factor overall in his side's loss to Melbourne Storm at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Kurt Gidley
Knights skipper Kurt Gidley told Grandstand's Josh Callinan that he had a few kicks he was disappointed with but it was still nice to back up from State of Origin with a win over Penrith at Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaDragons feel the pain of Origin time
The Dragons were beaten 21-14 by Brisbane at Lang Park with the home side benefiting from a mixture of evergreen Darren Lockyer's brilliance and young centre Jack Reed's raw-boned enthusiasm.
Cracks are beginning to appear in the joint venture club with the Broncos loss coming after the Dragons were kept to a draw against Parramatta.
Dragons' skipper Ben Hornby was the latest to join the growing casualty ward, suffering a knock early in his return game from an ankle injury and forced to sit with his foot in a bucket of ice for the entire second half.
Bennett is hopeful of getting the playmaker back for next week's blockbuster against Manly, but conceded time - and luck - might not be on their sides.
"There's nothing major with it but there's a fair bit of pain involved. Maybe a week, two weeks," he said.
"He's a pretty important bloke, but we lost him. We'll just have to get on with it."
The loss of Hornby could not have come at a worse time, with Origin forwards Beau Scott (medial ligament, perforated ear drum) and Ben Creagh (ankle) still at least two weeks away from returning to action.
Flying winger Brett Morris is still struggling to overcome a hamstring injury that has kept him out for three weeks and veteran Dean Young's ongoing knee problems continue to cause the club angst.
"It's a bit of everything, it's just running against us right now," Bennett said. "It'll turn, it'll turn."
Utility Nathan Fien, who deputised for Hornby at both half-back and captain, said there were no excuses despite the injury toll and that it was up to the replacements to stand up.
"It's not an issue for us, we've got great depth at the club," he said.
"Any number of us can step in there. We're not the only ones with players backing up and we don't really have any excuses."
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, nsw, wollongong-2500, brisbane-4000 First posted June 18, 2011 10:02:00Interview: Cooper Cronk
Storm utility Cooper Cronk told Grandstand's Steve Mascord that his two 40-20s in the opening few minutes against the Tigers were more luck than game-plan in Melbourne's win at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaSubmit Website To 100 Directories
Get High Quality Backlinks To Your Site From 100 Directories Submit Today Only $29.00 One-Time Payment. Display Within 24 Hours Guarantee!
Check it out!
Gidley wrapped up by Civoniceva
Kurt Gidley of the Knights is tackled by Petero Civoniceva of the Panthers during the round 15 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the Penrith Panthers at Ausgrid Stadium on June 18, 2011 in Newcastle.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia, nsw, newcastle-2300, penrith-2750Interview: Rick Stone
Knights coach Rick Stone told Grandstand's Craig Hamilton that whenever his side defends with the resolve it displayed in Newcastle's win over Penrith at home, it will give itself a strong chance to win.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaMaroon dynasty coming to a halt
In the Prison of His Days (Rugby League Classics)
Price:
Knights prevail in scrappy encounter
In a game certain not to make its way onto a classic matches DVD, the Knights - who were marginally less woeful than the Panthers - chalked up their sixth win of the season and second in three games.
Blues stars Kurt Gidley and Akuila Uate backed up successfully from State of Origin, with Queensland's Petero Civoniceva doing likewise for the Panthers.
Newcastle coach Rick Stone hailed the performance of debutant five-eighth Ryan Stig, whose strong showing was the only bright spot in a woeful encounter.
The 21-year-old - who spent an unhappy spell in North Queensland last season after coming through the ranks at the Knights, before returning this year - was handed his opportunity due to an injury to Tyrone Roberts and the departure of Beau Henry to the Gold Coast.
"Stig was terrific. As a club, we copped a bit of flak about the Beau Henry thing last week and we knew we had a couple of young blokes in Ryan and Tyrone Roberts who could cover Jarrod Mullen and Kurt (Gidley) when he is away," Stone said.
"Today he showed real composure, showed real aggression taking on the line. He probably didn't get as many kicks as he would have liked but, hopefully, that side of his game will come on in the next few weeks."
Knights skipper Gidley, whose two penalties proved to be the difference between the sides, was also impressed by Stig and said he had heeded his advice to keep things uncomplicated.
"He was good for his first game, took the line on well with his strength and confidence, and he was dominant and it was great to see," Gidley said.
"I told him before to keep it simple and he did. He passed early and communicated well."
Panthers coach Matt Elliott bemoaned his side's inability to keep hold of the ball and said he felt, emotionally, his players were down going into the game without the injured Luke Lewis, Michael Jennings, Michael Gordon and key forward Nigel Plum.
"The headline from this one should read 'strange old game'," Elliott said.
"We invented new ways to give up possession and, ultimately, it cost us.
"When you have a line-up as disrupted as we have had this week, you don't expect your greatest continuity, but the unforced errors, losing scrum feeds, players getting the ball pinched off them on play one ... that hurt us.
"I thought our emotional state wasn't as great as it has been. We didn't play with the same aggression in defence and there was probably a bit of volume out of the sting in our carry.
"It would be nice to give a simple answer as to why, but there are a number of factors. We have four international players out and that dilutes the talent we have.
"But we will all sit round and hold hands in a circle, look into each others' eyes and work out why we were just not at our best."
Neville Costigan broke the deadlock for the Knights with a try in the 17th minute - his second in as many games - burrowing his way over after the Panthers were penalised for holding in the tackle deep in their own half.
Penrith's approach play showed plenty of promise, but its inability to keep possession when in good position curtailed at least three scoring opportunities, with one wayward pass flying over the head of David Simmons and into the stands particularly memorable for the wrong reasons.
Young Knights winger Peter Mata'utia, playing in place of the injured James McManus, provided some rare excitement when he was placed on report midway through the first half after catching Lachlan Coote high around the neck in a bone-shuddering hit on the diminutive full-back.
Gidley's penalty in front of the posts extended the Knights' lead to 8-0 just before half-time to round off an opening period which failed to warm up the crowd of 16,652.
The Panthers started the second stanza in perfect fashion when Masada Iosefa held onto a Luke Walsh pass, which looked suspiciously forward, to dart over the line, with Travis Burns adding the extras.
However, any hope of an improvement ended there, with both sides contributing to a crazy five-minute spell which would not have looked out of place in Shakespeare's play A Comedy of Errors.
The madness started when Wes Naiqama's fine 65th-minute run was halted by a David Simmons tackle which saw him cough up the ball.
The resulting scrum for the Panthers was then won against the feed by Richie Fa'aoso to hand the Knights possession once again.
However, Fa'aoso then turned from hero to villain.
Standing almost on top of the Panthers' tryline, Fa'aoso appeared to forget to play the ball, allowing the wily Civoniceva to simply push him over and steal possession.
Uate added some rare quality to proceedings with a fine try just after the hour mark following some good work from Gidley and Keith Lulia.
Coote had no way of stopping the Fijian-flyer as the Knights extended their lead to 14-6.
Iosefa added his second to make it 14-12 and set up a nervy finish for the home side seven minutes from time, but the Knights held on to seal the points.
Knights: 16 (N Costigan, A Uate tries; K Gidley 4 goals)
Panthers: 12 (M Iosefa 2 tries; T Burns 2 goals)
-ABC/AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, nsw, newcastle-2300, penrith-2750 First posted June 18, 2011 19:25:00Interview: Ben Jones
Cowboys back Ben Jones told Grandstand's Zane Bojack that he realised he had to take his opportunity in first grade with both hands in North Queensland's win over the Warriors on Saturday night.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaBellamy continues Storm surge
Interview: Kevin Moore
Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore told Grandstand's Richard Svenson that his side could not execute when the game against the Sharks was in the balance at the Olympic stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaBenji benched in Tigers loss
Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall sits on the bench after injuring his knee during his side's round 15 loss to the Melbourne Storm at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday June 19, 2011.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia, nsw, leichhardt-2040Ah Mau takes on the Warriors defence
Leeson Ah Mau of the Cowboys is tackled by Feleti Mateo and Jacob Lillyman of the Warriors during the round 15 NRL match at Dairy Farmers Stadium on June 18, 2011.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrlInterview: Shane Flanagan
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan told Grandstand's Richard Svenson that his side controlled the game well in a strong all-around win over the struggling Bulldogs at the Olympic stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaLeague legend Mossop dies, aged 83
Mossop, who played rugby league and rugby union for Australia, died on Friday night - rugby league officials confirmed on Saturday.
The former Manly-Warringah star forward, who was known to suffer from Alzheimer's disease, was admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital earlier this year and his condition is understood to have deteriorated in the past week.
He was surrounded by family and friends when he died.
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club said Mossop would be sadly missed.
"He was an icon of our club, he was out first dual international player and he was larger than life," said Manly media manager and former player Peter Peters.
"He will be sadly missed."
Peters said the sport had "lost a real character".
The club would do everything it could do assist the family, he added.
Mossop played rugby union for the Manly club and played eight tests for the Wallabies from 1948 to 1951.
He joined the Manly Sea Eagles and becoming the cornerstone of their forward pack in the late 1950s, retiring in 1963 at the age of 35.
He was rugby league's premier television commentator on Channels 7 and 10 from the 1970s through to 1990.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, rugby-union, nsw, qldLeague legend Rex Mossop dies
Former Australian rugby league player and sports commentator Rex Mossop has died at age 83.
Tags: people, television, rugby-league, rugby-union, sydney-2000Interview: Kurtley Beale
New South Wales full-back Kurtley Beale told Grandstand's John Morrison that the Waratahs bench made a game-winning impact in their Super Rugby win over the Brumbies at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Saturday night.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaRyan wipes sweat way
Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan wipes away sweat after a Sharks try during the round 15 NRL match at Sydney's Olympic stadium on June 19, 2011. The Sharks won 26-10.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrlInterview: Adam Blair
Storm second rower Adam Blair told Grandstand's Steve Mascord that perseverance and tough defence got Melbourne over the line past Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Joel Riethmuller
Cowboys interchange forward Joel Riethmuller told Grandstand's Zane Bojack that he is trying to inject some enthusiasm into his side off the bench during North Queensland's win over the Warriors in just his second first-grade appearance.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: David Gallop
NRL chief executive David Gallop told Grandstand's Simone Thurtell that the league is happy with the way Penrith is handling an off-field issue involving controversial Panther Arana Taumata.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Neil Henry
Cowboys coach Neil Henry told Grandstand's Zane Bojack that his side's victory over the Warriors at Dairy Farmers Stadium was a gutsy win after the club was crippled by injuries in the build-up.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: David Gallop
NRL chief executive David Gallop told Grandstand's Simone Thurtell that the league is happy with the way Penrith is handling an off-field issue involving controversial Panther Arana Taumata.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Joel Edwards
Knights lock Joel Edwards told Grandstand's Josh Callinan that he hopes Newcastle can manage to build on what was a grinding 16-12 win over Penrith at home on Saturday evening.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Matthew Elliott
Panthers coach Matthew Elliott told Grandstand's Craig Hamilton that a plethora of unforced errors was the major factor in Penrith's loss to the Knights at Newcastle on Saturday evening.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Neil Henry
Cowboys coach Neil Henry told Grandstand's Zane Bojack that his side's victory over the Warriors at Dairy Farmers Stadium was a gutsy win after the club was crippled by injuries in the build-up.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaProctor takes down Galloway
Melbourne's Kevin Proctor tackles the Tigers' Keith Galloway during the round 15 NRL match at Leichhardt Oval on June 19, 2011. The Storm won 12-4.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrlSunday, June 19, 2011
Lang Park set for emotional decider
Ricky Stuart's desperate Blues delivered in front of almost 82,000 fans at the Olympic stadium but they will have to overcome a ferocious Brisbane sell-out crowd on July 6 in champion five-eighth Darren Lockyer's 36th and final Origin to decide the series.
Inglis was stunned by a late and high tackle by Blues captain Paul Gallen while Parker was left dazed on the ground after also copping a high shot from Blues hooker Michael Ennis in the 19th minute.
"That's Origin footy, it's to be expected, it was a tough game," said Thaiday, who had several run-ins with Ennis.
"They had to play 100 miles an hour and play for 80 minutes to beat us.
"I'm looking forward to going back to Queensland and winning the series up there."
Thaiday, however, says Ennis was lucky to have Gallen dragging him out of the confrontations.
"I think he was very lucky out there to have Paul Gallen pulling his head in," he said.
"He's good at doing it and I got to laugh back in his face a few times.
"That's Mickey Ennis and that's how he plays."
Meninga was not as forgiving, referring Gallen's "nasty" tackle on Inglis to the judiciary, which also looked at a lifting tackle by Lockyer on Blues forward Anthony Watmough late in the second half, without laying any charges.
"We've sent it (Gallen's tackle) to the judiciary and also the hit on Corey (Parker)," said Meninga after the loss.
Inglis was always willing to let Gallen's tackle slide.
"It is Origin," Inglis said, still a little groggy from the head shot.
"He didn't miss me at all but you've just got to get on with the game, it's the way it goes."
Like all his team-mates, Inglis was looking forward to going back to Brisbane to be part of something "very special".
"We are all saying don't do it for Lockyer, do it for ourselves, but the next game will definitely be emotional up there in Brisbane," Inglis said.
Meninga was asked if he would look at taking a leaf out of coach Ricky Stuart's book and make changes for the decider.
"I have to be honest, that's a silly question," he said.
"I've got faith in my team and they'll be playing Game III in Brisbane."
Brisbane centre Justin Hodges, who is expecting to return from a hamstring injury against St George Illawarra on Friday night, is the only expected change to Meninga's third game line-up.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, qld, brisbane-4000 First posted June 16, 2011 12:24:00Taylor gets an off-load away
David Taylor of the Rabbitohs off-loads during the round 15 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Gold Coast Titans at ANZ Stadium on June 17, 2011 in Sydney
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, sydney-south-2000, qld, robina-4226Hodges to miss Dragons clash
Hodges had been hoping to return to playing duties after missing five weeks with a torn hamstring.
Broncos coach Anthony Griffin says Hodges has not fully recovered.
"This week was always going to be a bonus if he got there and he did get very close early in the week, which is why we named him," he said.
"We thought that he was probably going to play, but he just got a little bit sore and a little bit leg weary late in the week from the rehabilitation and running that he's been doing.
"So next week's his week to come back."
Lock Corey Parker will also miss the encounter with the Dragons, having pulled up sore after Wednesday's State of Origin II.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, brisbane-4000Interview: Sam Thaiday
Broncos second-rower Sam Thaiday told Grandstand's Alister Nicholson that after backing up from Queensland's loss in Origin II on Wednesday night, Brisbane's victory over St George Illawarra on Friday evening has left him sore and ready for a good night's rest.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaStuart asks Blues to skip club games
Stuart is livid at a scheduling glitch which will see seven players from St George Illawarra and Manly play a NRL clash a day after he names his side for the series finale on July 6.
He called on his players to walk away from their clubs for round 16 matches to ensure the Blues' preparation was at its optimum as they looked to end Queensland's five-year winning streak.
"It's unfair for us in Game III. I've got St George (Illawarra)-Manly playing on the Monday night and I've got about eight players involved in that game - therefore I'm missing two to three sessions," Stuart said in a stunning post-game admission.
"We're a brand new team and I'm going to miss two to three sessions leading into the most important game of the year.
"So I've asked every one of them to consider standing down from their next (round 16) game."
Asked about the players' reactions, Stuart said: "They want to win Game III".
"It's probably not realistic, but it's a real issue for the game itself. We've got to work this scheduling and programming much better."
NRL boss David Gallop said players would not be standing down from club commitments effectively two rounds before Origin.
"Ricky needs to remember that the players are the clubs' assets primarily, and there's a lot of compromise in seeing them go off and play Origin footy," he said.
"The clubs benefit from players becoming Origin players, but there's a give and take in that situation and we certainly won't be supporting any move to have them out of that round of football."
The post-game drama took away from what was a thrilling NSW resurgence, skipper Paul Gallen leading the way from the first hit-up in a super-human display Stuart rated one of the best Origin had seen - the workaholic forward running for a stunning 204 metres.
Gallen provided the grunt and Anthony Minichiello the finish, the veteran full-back scoring three minutes from time to cap a glorious return to Origin football, while teenage sensation Will Hopoate proved he belonged, with the try which turned the game NSW's way when he scored in the corner in the 49th minute.
The win ensured everything would be on the line before a sell-out crowd in the series finale at Lang Park, a match which was already going to be high on emotion with Maroons legend Darren Lockyer - who set a new mark with his 35th Queensland appearance on Wednesday night - farewelling the Origin arena.
Maroons coach Mal Meninga laughed off claims he would change his side to adapt to Stuart's new gameplan, as he backed his team to bounce back and seal a sixth straight series win.
"We've lost one game. I'm going to have faith in my team and the team that played tonight will be playing in Game III if they're all healthy," Meninga said.
"We won't be changing anything. We're not offering any excuses for the game tonight."
Having conceded just a Johnathan Thurston penalty goal over the opening quarter, the Blues would have been mortified with the ease with which Cameron Smith breached their defence from five metres out with a dart from dummy half.
The 8-0 advantage did not last long as Luke Lewis - with his second touch of the ball - out-jumped Billy Slater to score in the corner.
Having completed 19 sets without an error over the opening 40 minutes, the Maroons came up with two inside the first five minutes of the second stanza.
Slater saved their bacon when he cleaned up a Jamie Soward grubber, but he could nothing to deny Hopoate, who contorted his body, arm and the ball to touch down in the corner, before Soward added his second sideline conversion.
Anyone who knows Origin knows the Blues were far from safe, with Lewis coming from the clouds to stop Cooper Cronk 10 metres out, as the Maroons charged home before Minichiello sparked an early start to the party.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, qld First posted June 16, 2011 06:07:00The Wrap: Round 14
Luke Pentony presents the round 14 edition of The Wrap, Grandstand's look back at the highlights of the NRL matches broadcast on ABC Local Radio.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaThe Drum - Friday 17 June
Steve Cannane hosts a discussion panel program with Inside Football columnist Rhys Muldoon, ABC News 24 reporter Amanda Shalala and SEN Radio presenter Francis Leach.
Tags: sport, australian-football-league, coaching, cricket, rugby-union, sports-organisations, tennis, ice-hockey, unrest-conflict-and-war, state-of-origin, sports-injuries, australiaNRL Preview: Round 15
Grandstand expert commentator Daniel Anderson joins Ned Hall to preview round 15 of the NRL.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaSaturday, June 18, 2011
Interview: Anthony Griffin
Broncos coach Anthony Griffin told Grandstand's Alister Nicholson that in such a tough stretch of football with State of Origin robbing the side of players, Brisbane is happy with the way it is going having picked up a couple of wins.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaEnnis and fans celebrate Blues victory
NSW player Michael Ennis celebrates with fans after winning Origin II between New South Wales and Queensland at Sydney's Olympic stadium on June 15, 2011.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, nsw, sydney-2000, qldHopoate to miss Origin III
The 19-year-old Manly star scored a try on debut but had to leave the field midway through the second half of the Blues' series-levelling 18-8 win at Sydney's Olympic stadium.
Hopoate has been ruled out for up to six weeks with a grade-two tear, which will see him miss the series decider in Brisbane.
"He is having further scans today but he is out of Monday's match against Parramatta and could miss up to six weeks," Manly coach Des Hasler said.
Hopoate's try against the Maroons was a stunning put-down in the corner and Hasler said he had no doubts his charge would handle the rigours of Origin football.
"No one in this organisation had any doubts - he's a footballer and a special one," Hasler said.
"It's a shame he suffered an injury on the big stage but he will be back and show the benefit of his Origin experience."
Hasler will now choose between Michael Robertson and Michael Oldfield to replace Hopoate on Monday night.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000 First posted June 16, 2011 12:20:00Soward finds his Origin feet
His second Origin match, after a rocky start, was something akin to a coming of age.
His Game One reviews spoke of a subdued performance, not living up to his confident performances for the champion Dragons.
Game II's build-up seemed to centre on Soward as the Blues' main kicking hope, when in truth half-back Mitchell Pearce shared just as much responsibility.
But while Blues captain Paul Gallen lapped up the plaudits for his man-of-the-match performance in the front row, Soward enjoyed a remarkable individual turnaround to help New South Wales home.
The five-eighth's performances correlated with the Blues' improvement in Origin II's latter stages, with Soward putting the team's newfound vim down to a simple matter of confidence.
"We were 10-0 down in Origin I and not playing good, and we turned it around in the space of 10 minutes, but we lost it in two minutes," he told Grandstand.
"It was important to play with a bit of confidence tonight, especially when we hit the front.
"It was important for us to hold serve here. You saw tonight, [Queensland] made a break there and Lukey Lewis comes and cleans him (Cooper Cronk) up.
"Whether we would have had that many players in the picture in the past was an issue for us, so we made a conscious effort."
With Soward struggling in the first half, it was Pearce's long bomb that got the Blues on the scoreboard - his high ball putting Billy Slater in two minds as Luke Lewis caught well to score the try.
But throughout the first stanza, Soward looked like the nerves had gotten the better of him in front of his home fans - laying off impulsive grubber kicks, missing a penalty he called for from 37 metres and generally finding full-back Billy Slater on every one of his kicks upfield.
Soward's game was off on completely the wrong foot - 8-0 down courtesy of Cameron Smith's try, the Blues were looking to get some passing moves started when Soward grubbered straight at dangerman Slater.
Another New South Wales try-scoring opportunity was squandered 10 metres out as Greg Inglis gobbled up another low kick, before Soward hit a string of punts straight at Slater.
Half-time came and went and, with Pearce to share the load, Soward came to the fore when it mattered most for New South Wales.
Captain Gallen and his forward pack came flying out of the traps to put the Maroons under the cosh, allowing protection and more time for Soward to pick his kicks and passes.
Before the kicks came, Soward's feet found some twinkle with some darting runs to push the Blues forward.
With the hosts piling forward the five-eighth then found his range with a perfectly-weighted grubber, leaving Slater no choice but to bat the ball out of play.
Soward was now completely at home, lofting a ball high with his boot to again put Slater under pressure - a total reversal from Soward's first-half woes - with the full-back spilling the ball forward under Anthony Minichiello's attentions.
Another up-and-under was taken well by Queensland's Greg Inglis but the Blues were in their element by now, rushing forwards to force another knock-on.
The Origin pressure cooker had subdued Soward throughout the first half and for much of Game I, but his Origin arrival was well and truly confirmed on 77 minutes with his game-clinching surge forward.
Soward deceived the Maroons' back line with his step and pace before gliding forward to off-load for Minichiello, breaking Queensland's run of four consecutive Origin wins.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000 First posted June 16, 2011 08:37:00Interview: John Cartwright
Titans coach John Cartwright told Grandstand's Richard Svenson that he was disappointed and frustrated with the lack of intensity in his side's loss to South Sydney after having beaten St George Illawarra last round.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaThe Rugby League Game
Price:
Winterstein joins Cowboys casualty ward
Dragons lose Creagh, Scott to injury
Creagh and Scott failed to join their team-mates as they boarded a plane to Brisbane on Thursday, with Creagh suffering an ankle injury and Scott medial ligament damage and a perforated eardrum in New South Wales' series-levelling win at the Olympic stadium on Wednesday night.
The pair are expected to be out for two to three weeks, which leaves them in some doubt for the Origin finale on July 6.
There was no indication who would come into the Dragons side for the pair, though the most likely moves would see Adam Cuthbertson and hooker Nathan Fien elevated to the run-on side, with Dean Young moving from dummy half to join Cuthbertson and Matt Prior in the back row.
Winger Brett Morris, who has missed the last two matches due to a hamstring injury, also failed to prove his fitness with his place to be taken by Peni Tagive.
The remainder of the Dragons' Origin contingent are expected to take on the Broncos, who are set to be without goalkicking lock Corey Parker after he picked up a groin injury while playing for Queensland.
Meanwhile, Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said his representative stars will play in the NRL game against Manly in the lead-up to State of Origin III.
The declaration comes after Blues coach Ricky Stuart called on his players to put club duties aside during round 16 of the competition to prepare for the series decider.
The NRL said it will not consider rescheduling the Monday night game between Manly and the Dragons, which will involve a number of Origin players.
Doust said the Dragons support the ongoing review of the season schedule.
- AAP/ABC
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, kogarah-2217, wollongong-2500 First posted June 16, 2011 14:20:00Interview: John Lang
Rabbitohs coach John Lang told Grandstand's Richard Svenson he thought his side played good football and made good field position but South Sydney was not able to finish Gold Coast off until the final minutes in their win at the Olympic stadium on Friday night.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaGallen revolutionising prop play: Lazarus
Coach Ricky Stuart's gamble to play Gallen in the front row for the first time paid off in inspirational fashion with the skipper becoming the first Blues prop since Lazarus in 1996 to spend all 80 minutes on the park.
And he was mighty for every one of those 80 minutes.
The Cronulla warhorse trucked the ball an amazing 211 metres in 27 carries and effected 31 tackles to lead the Blues to their series-levelling 18-8 triumph at Sydney's Olympic stadium.
According to NRL Stats, his 211m was only one metre short of the combined output from Queensland's vaunted prop trio of Petero Civoniceva (63m), Matt Scott (94m) and Ben Hannant (55m).
"For a front rower to play 80 minutes these days in Origin, with the way it is played at such a frenetic pace, is unheard of," Lazarus said.
"I just think being the captain, leading by example and all that sort of thing, he set a very high standard in the way he played."
Gallen's phenomenal performance was unprecedented in that when Lazarus played the full 80 minutes 15 years ago, coaches had the luxury of unlimited substitutions.
Now coaches must carefully plan their 10 interchanges and having the option of playing ironman Gallen all game allows the other Blues front rowers much-appreciated breathers.
"There wasn't a period there where we even thought 'oh, we better get him off'. He just kept coming and coming," Lazarus marvelled.
"It's an absolute tribute to the man the way he played.
"It's got to be right up there with the best performances ever."
Stuart lauded Gallen as equal in value to the Blues as superstar backs Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston are to the Maroons.
"Everybody laughed at me when I picked him at front row," the fiesty coach said.
"There is only one other player who has played 80 minutes of Origin football in the front row - that was Glenn Lazarus, and he was the best front rower ever to play the game of rugby league.
"Paul Gallen has equalled that. Eighty minutes playing front row, in that intensity, at that high speed and style of football is freakish.
"That is the level of a Slater, a Thurston, a Lockyer, a Cameron Smith."
Lazarus could not disagree.
"It's a performance that fans mightn't have noticed. They notice all the lairy backs, but for a guy to play such a physical game and continually cart that ball up and make tackles is an absolute tribute to the guy," he said.
"He's the consummate professional and I think he's a wonderful choice as captain too."
Gallen modestly deflected the praise.
"I don't have freakish ability. I just think if I work hard, I can do things on the field and that's where my strength lies," he said.
"I know in my head when I get out there, I can push through anything."
The Blues' three-tries-to-one victory set up a series decider at Brisbane's Lang Park on July 6.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000Penrith to probe Taumata drugs claims
The Nine Network reported the pad was reported missing last week and a script with Taumata's name on it was allegedly handed in at the pharmacy.
The club has flown Taumata back from NSW Cup duty in New Zealand to be interviewed about the incident.
The 22-year-old has made just 12 NRL appearances for no fewer than seven clubs and been sacked by four of them.
The Kiwi was shown the door by Brisbane, Sydney Roosters, Canterbury and Melbourne.
He also had brief spells with Wests Tigers and North Queensland last year and is yet to play in the NRL with Penrith.
Taumata was in trouble with Panthers officials earlier this year when he had an altercation with the club's NSW Cup coach after being told he could not bring his dog into the change rooms ahead of a game.
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, penrith-2750Soward offloads in Origin II
Jamie Soward offloads the ball as Darren Lockyer attempts a tackle during Origin II in Sydney on June 15, 2011.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000Maroons remain calm after Origin loss
Queensland coach Mal Meninga says he is in no rush to change his approach to the team after its 18-8 loss to NSW in game two.
Tags: state-of-origin, qld, brisbane-4000Gallen leaves it all on the field
Updated June 16, 2011 00:33:00 Has there been a better performance by a forward in a State of Origin match than Paul Gallen's on Wednesday night?
Check these stats out for size - 27 runs for 211 metres, 31 tackles, three tackle busts, three off-loads. Oh, and he played the whole 80 minutes to boot.
No prop can do that.
But then again, New South Wales coach Ricky Stuart only selected two props.
He was met by howls of derision from the knockers who assured him it wouldn't work.
Origin games are won up front, he was told. Your blokes won't be big enough.
Big blokes like Maroons workhorses Matt Scott and Petero Civoniceva have been killing it for some time, laying the platform for the Test quartet of Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater to dominate.
Throw in attacking talents of the likes of Greg Inglis and it's a recipe for success.
After the Maroons' typical late heroics to clinch Game I, Stuart had to come up with something to tip the scales in a must-win match for his side.
His intentions were as transparent as they were simple - and had the potential to go horribly wrong.
But he'd had all year to think about it and was prepared to lay it all on the line.
Select the likes of ball-playing back rower Luke Lewis, the relentless Anthony Watmough and crafty utility Kurt Gidley, who would all have been there for Game I but for injury. Check.
Use you 'mobile pack' to implement quick-play-the-balls to tire out the likes of workhorses Scott, Civoniceva and co. Check.
Inject the likes of Lewis and Watmough off the bench, with Gidley also on to create havoc around the rucks. Check.
Complete sets (vitally important). Check.
Catch the Maroons on a slightly off-night. Check.
Get an absolute blinder from your skipper, a no-brainer for man of the match. Bonus.
"Everybody laughed at me when I picked him at front row," Stuart said in his post-match press conference.
"There is only one other player who has played 80 minutes of Origin football in the front row - that was Glenn Lazarus, and he was the best front rower ever to play the game of rugby league.
"Paul Gallen has equalled that. 80 minutes playing front row, in that intensity, at that high speed and style of football is freakish.
"That is the level of a Slater, a Thurston, a Lockyer, a Cameron Smith."
Queensland coach Mal Meninga said pre-game that his players were very relaxed about the task at hand - win and clinch a sixth straight series victory.
It's debatable as to whether they were a little too relaxed, because Thurston for one probably had close to his quietest Origin game.
Gallen on the other hand was seemingly in everything.
He was entrusted with being the pointman in Stuart's game plan but took it to the next level, making close to 100m more than the four Blues props managed in total in Game I.
Lewis and Watmough fed off the inspirational display, giving halves Mitchell Pearce and Jamie Soward the time, but more importantly, the ball they were desperately lacking in Brisbane.
Pearce had two try-assists, one of them finishing in a brilliant four-pointer to rookie 19-year-old centre Will Hopoate who played like a veteran on the big stage.
Perhaps he fed off the inspirational Gallen, who was typically modest in his assessment of his performance.
"I don't have freakish ability. I just think if I work hard, I can do things on the field and that is where my strength lies," he said.
"I know in my head when I get out there, I can push through anything.
"I'm just keeping a lid on it ... I want to win the series."
It was hard to see the Blues getting out of this once they surrendered Game I.
Five straight series defeats don't exactly instil confidence.
But few banked on a performance the likes of Gallen's. Except for Stuart.
"He got man of the match and as soon as I picked him in the front row, I knew he would get man of the match," Stuart said.
"It's an amazing feat tonight, what Paul Gallen did.
"I was going to bring him off after 25 or 30 minutes but he had a couple of good sets.
"I said at half-time I would bring him off if he needed it, but he said,'no, I will play 80'. That is tough."
The next-highest Blues metre-gainer was veteran full-back Anthony Minichiello, with 161m. Watmough (136m) was the next-best forward.
Queensland's best was Slater (178m), with the best forward Nate Myles (100m).
Gallen's calibre is widely known.
It was said before the game it wouldn't matter whether he was playing prop or back row - he would play his usual game. And that he did.
But he has set the bar unbelievably high for the decider.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000Stuart's Origin plea unlikely
St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett, a long-time campaigner for stand alone Origin matches, sympathised with Stuart's plight ahead of the series finale on July 6, which the Blues must win to avoid a sixth-straight series loss.
Bennett's Dragons are at the centre of Stuart's dilemma regarding Origin III, with the premiers slated to play Manly on the Monday night nine days before the Blues take on the Maroons at Lang Park.
With seven members of the Blues side that won 18-8 at Sydney's Olympic stadium on Wednesday night in line to play in the round 16 encounter, Stuart called on his players to stand down from club commitments to improve the Blues' chances of ending Queensland's Origin dominance.
"We can't change things mid-stream," Bennett said.
"I can understand where Ricky is coming from and I'm fine with it.
"It (Brisbane Origin) is a huge game. It deserves its players to be prepared properly, not overworked.
"That's what Origin is all about. It can't get any better than one-all in the series."
Asked if he thought his Origin players would ask to be rested from taking on the Sea Eagles, Bennett said: "No, they won't do that. That's the unfair bit.
"You know they'd love to have a break because they know how much better they'd be, but they won't ask.
"They never want to let anybody down, that's the psyche of our players."
While the Dragons' Origin contingent remained silent as they prepared to board a flight for Friday night's clash with Brisbane, club skipper Ben Hornby says he did not expect any of his team-mates to ask for the night off against the Sea Eagles.
"I only heard it this morning and thought it's probably good for New South Wales but it's not good for the Dragons," Hornby said.
"I think if those blokes are fit they'll be playing for us."
Manly coach Des Hasler, who will have to do without Will Hopoate for an extended period after he was ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in his Origin debut, says Stuart's call would sound warning bells to the NRL.
"It's a big call and I don't think it will happen, you've got to consider the networks, ratings and sponsors and owners and the players," Hasler said.
"But I'll tell you what it does highlight, and I think what Rick is really saying is that the current set up, the current system of Origin not being stand-alone, is the real problem."
NRL chief executive David Gallop said in the aftermath of Wednesday night's game that the NRL program could not be altered ahead of Origin III.
But Stuart did get some support from an unlikely source with Queensland hooker Cameron Smith intimating the predicament was not a new occurrence.
"It's what I've been talking about, what Locky's (Darren Lockyer) been talking about and what (Melbourne coach) Craig Bellamy and Wayne Bennett have been going on about," Smith said.
"It's huge for New South Wales because they haven't won in five years and it's big for us because it's that bloke (Lockyer's) last game."
Lockyer says decisions on player availability are not Stuart's to make.
"It's probably not up to Ricky whether players stand down, it's more a club thing," Lockyer said.
"You can understand Ricky's logic, he's got them playing well and he wants them to put their state before their club.
"But I think the clubs have the right to play them first."
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, qld, brisbane-4000Lockyer says focus off him
The Maroons skipper admitted it would be difficult to avoid the emotion sure to accompany a huge build-up to game three at Lang Park after New South Wales squared the series with an 18-8 victory in Sydney on Wednesday night.
"The stage is set, isn't it?" said Lockyer with a smile on Thursday.
But he plans to do his best to ensure talk of his final Origin - a record 36th game - does not become a distraction to his team as it seeks a sixth straight series crown.
"I know it's going to be unavoidable but my plan will be to get (media commitments) out of the way early and focus on the game we have to win," he said.
Lockyer believed the fact that Blues had reminded everyone what a good side they were by keeping the series alive would ensure the game was the main focus in Brisbane, not him.
"Now that it's a decider, the focus will be more about winning the game than my farewell," Lockyer said.
"We've got a new challenge.
"The game comes first and the priority is for the team to go out and play its best game, to try its best to win the series."
Lockyer warned the Maroons have to guard against the trap of thinking because they are playing back in front of their own crowd that things will be different.
"We can't just think playing at Suncorp and because it's my last game, things are just going to happen for us," he said.
However hooker Cameron Smith made it clear team-mates felt a big responsibility to send Lockyer out on a winning note.
"The boys have known all along it's Darren's last series and so far we've contained it pretty well," Smith said.
"Everyone will know as soon as we get into camp what the game is and how much it means to Locky.
"It's a good thing for us because we won't want to let him down or let our state down.
"Most of all, we won't want to let each other down.
"That's why we've been so successful in the past - we've never let each other down."
Coach Mal Meninga has already said he will maintain faith in his players for the final game, with Brisbane centre Justin Hodges the only possible addition if he plays against St George Illawarra on Friday night in his first game back from a recurring hamstring injury.
-AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, state-of-origin, qld, brisbane-4000Watch highlights from Origin II
Watch highlights from State of Origin game II played at Sydney's Olympic stadium.
Tags: rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, homebush-2140, qldFans revel in Blues revival
NSW has shocked Queensland 18-8 to win game two of the State of Origin series in Sydney.
Tags: state-of-origin, nsw, sydney-2000Hodges desperate to boost Origin hopes
Hodges is desperate to make his comeback from a torn hamstring in the NRL clash with St George Illawarra and put up his hand for a Queensland recall for the July 6 Origin series decider.
But Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin is reluctant to risk the game-breaking centre in a Lang Park blockbuster which has already been hard-hit by Origin injuries.
The Dragons have been robbed of New South Wales second rowers Beau Scott (ankle) and Ben Creagh (knee) while the Broncos have Queensland lock Corey Parker in serious doubt with a groin strain.
But for the first time this season Brisbane is set to allow captain Darren Lockyer and Sam Thaiday to back up, along with fellow Maroons Ben Hannant and Jharal Yow Yeh.
Griffin rated Hodges a 50-50 chance of also lining up against the Dragons, but will wait until Friday morning to assess the injury-plagued star following an upgraded week of training.
Five weeks after tearing his right hamstring a second time, Hodges himself admitted there was a risk of re-injury but was willing to roll the dice.
If he is scratched, the 29-year-old will have next week's trip to Perth to play South Sydney as his only chance to impress before Queensland selectors name their team for Origin III, which is skipper Lockyer's last Origin game before retirement.
"Hopefully I get back to playing either tomorrow or the week after and hopefully play a big game," he said.
"I'd love to be there in game three, it's a massive occasion.
"It's all set up for a nice fairytale hopefully for Locky's sake.
"If I do get selected there's no chance of me letting anyone down."
Melbourne centre Dane Nielsen looms as the fall guy if Hodges works his way back into Queensland contention.
Even with sparse match time, Hodges was adamant he would rise to the challenge.
"Those big games always make you play better and that's something I always love," he said.
"And there's no better place to challenge yourself than Origin, and especially game three at home."
Griffin, though, has his doubts due to the brutal nature of the code's showpiece.
"It's full-on and it's probably a game-and-a-half of NRL - the fatigue factor - and Justin has played five games this year," he said.
"He hasn't played for five weeks and if he doesn't play tomorrow's game he would have played just one game in seven weeks before Origin so it would be a risk."
Lockyer reported he felt fine on Thursday after Queensland's 18-8 loss at the Olympic stadium and was confident of lining up for a second big match in three nights.
"The way I'm feeling, I'm definitely a chance of backing up against the Dragons," he said.
While Scott and Creagh, who also suffered a perforated eardrum as well as a knee strain, will be missing, the Broncos are on guard for the Dragons to produce their best, especially with radar-boot Jamie Soward starring at Origin level.
"He's got a lot of confidence now, he's running the football as well," Griffin said.
"How we defend him and his kicking game will be a real important part of the game for us."
-AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, state-of-origin, qld, brisbane-4000 First posted June 16, 2011 12:17:00Warriors deny Panthers want Cleary
Cleary has been at the helm of the Auckland-based Warriors outfit since 2006, and is close friends with new Penrith general manager Phil Gould, who he played under at Sydney Roosters.
Reports have suggested Gould has Cleary as his prime target to guide the Panthers.
"Ivan has told us he wants to stay here at the club and we have re-affirmed our desire for him to stay as well," Scurrah said.
"He is contracted to us until October 2012 and he has not indicated to us that he wants a release, so as far as we are concerned he will be our coach next season."
Scurrah says the Panthers have made no contact to discuss the possibility of signing Cleary for their vacant coaching position, up for grabs with Matt Elliott leaving the club at the end of this season.
He also revealed Cleary and the Warriors have an agreement in place, which gives the club around six months notice should there be a parting of the ways.
"We've appropriate mechanisms in our contracts for when we start dialogue that gives both parties plenty of notice about re-negotiating a new deal or looking for a new coach should Ivan decide he wants to leave," Scurrah said.
"There is right timeframe for that and Ivan knows that and is comfortable.
"He has told us he wants to stay here and continue to build on the good progress we have made since his arrival and we are happy to have him here."
Under Cleary the Warriors have made the finals in three of the last five years and Scurrah is pleased with the direction the club is heading in.
"The two years we have not made the finals were the years we were docked points for salary cap issues and also the death of Sonny Fai in 2009, which rocked the club to its foundations," Scurrah said.
"We obviously want to win the comp, but that is a very difficult thing to do and you have to be realistic about what you can achieve.
"We won the Toyota Cup last year which was a great boost for the club and although there are a lot of people involved in what goes on here, Ivan is the head coach and has done a great job here and we hope he will continue to do so."
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, penrith-2750, new-zealandInterview: Jharal Yow Yeh
Broncos winger Jharal Yow Yeh told Grandstand's Alister Nicholson that the Broncos prepared well during the week while their stars were on State of Origin duties ahead of Friday night's win over St George Illawarra at Lang Park.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaState of Origin II: Player Ratings
New South Wales
ANTHONY MINICHIELLO - More than justified his return after a four-year absence. Solid in defence, always a threat in attack. Scored a try and will be hard to drop for the decider. 8
JARRYD HAYNE - Unable to produce any miracle plays, but always looking to get involved and was comfortable under the high ball. 6
MARK GASNIER - Not his best Origin display. Coughed the ball up twice but fortunate to get away with it. 6
WILL HOPOATE - Magnificent debut for the 19-year-old. Took one fantastic mark in the opening half to prevent a try and showed magnificent hands to score in the second half. 8
AKUILA UATE - Bulldozed his way through tackles with great abandon, defence suspect at times, but always a threat. 7
JAMIE SOWARD - Struggled badly in the first 30 minutes with his kicking, but recovered well, improved greatly as the game wore on. 7
MITCHELL PEARCE - Outstanding chip-kick for the Blues' opening try, produced two fantastic tackles on Sam Thaiday and defensively was magnificent. 7
TIM MANNAH - Did nothing wrong, broke the line well and showed he is more than comfortable at this level. 7
MICHAEL ENNIS - Caught Corey Parker with a terrible high tackle in the first half and conceded a poor penalty late in the second that almost cost his side a try. 6
PAUL GALLEN - Captain fantastic. Racked up more than 200 metres as he led from the front. Played the full 80 minutes as prop. One of the great Origin performances. 9
BEAU SCOTT - Enormous in defence, rocked the Queensland forwards with some huge tackles. So much more effective in the back row than at centre. 8
BEN CREAGH - A far more accomplished player than 12 months ago. Big performance. 7
GREG BIRD - Missed a tackle for Smith's try in the first half, but more than made up for it with a tireless display. 6
Interchange:
TRENT MERRIN - Badly missed tackle on Smith with Bird for Queensland's try. 6
KURT GIDLEY - Filled in at centre in the second half, gave the team spark when he came off the bench. 7
ANTHONY WATMOUGH - Usual fiery display from the Manly man, almost crossed for a try only to knock on. 6
LUKE LEWIS - Scored a try with his second touch and prevented a certain one from Cronk that would have given the Maroons the lead late in the second half. 8
Queensland
BILLY SLATER - Always a threat in attack, outstanding in defence and under the high ball. Showed why he's undoubtedly the best number one in the world. 8/10
DARIUS BOYD - Never able to impose himself on the game. 6
DANE NIELSEN - Pretty anonymous and never put enough pressure on debutant Hopoate. 5
GREG INGLIS - Played most the second half with an arm injury, never at his best and showed signs of rustiness. One fine run in the first half showed he's always a threat. 6
JHARAL YOW YEH - Saw little of the ball, badly caught out by Soward's kick for Hopoate's try. 5
DARREN LOCKYER - The great man was Queensland's best player, the spark for every one of his side's rare forays in attack. 8
JOHNATHAN THURSTON - Quietest Origin game for some time from the Test half-back. 6
MATT SCOTT - Struggled badly against the marauding New South Wales forwards early. Looked a shadow of the dominating prop in game one. 6
CAMERON SMITH - Showed all his class and cunning to catch the Blues out with a dart from dummy-half to score. 6
PETERO CIVONICEVA - Queensland struggled when he was off the field, still an enormous presence but not able to dominate like he has in past encounters. 7
NATE MYLES - Worked hard, but found himself swamped when he did get the chance to run the ball. 6
SAM THAIDAY - Struggled to impose himself on the swarming, more mobile New South Wales backrowers. Monstered twice by Mitchell Pearce. 6
ASHLEY HARRISON - Failed to make any real impact. 6
Interchange:
COOPER CRONK - Went close to scoring when his side trailed by four points, but forced to defend more than attack when he came off the bench. 6
COREY PARKER - Brisbane tackling machine did nothing wrong, but was always on the back foot. 6
DAVID TAYLOR - The giant South Sydney man made two great breaks when he came on, but was unable to do little else in attack. 6
BEN HANNANT - Overrun by the dominant Blues forwards, will need to rediscover his best form again in game three. 5
- AAP
Tags: sport, rugby-league, state-of-origin, australia, nsw, sydney-2000NRL Ringtones
That is why Grandstand now lets you download the mobile ringtone, message alert or wake-up alarm you have always wanted with a selected highlight from one of the NRL matches broadcast on ABC Local Radio each round.
Rub it into your mates or simply remind yourself of how your team collected the two points as often as you want.
Every mobile is different, so consult your manual to work out how. But essentially you need to download the ringtone that you want below.
Then synchronise your mobile device, either via bluetooth, card reader or cable, and transfer the file.
Then tell your phone whether you want to use the mp3 as an alarm tone, ring tone or message alert.
Click on the links below to download the mp3 file you want:
And for those New South Wales fans keen to celebrate a bit more, here is something for you:
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Wayne Bennett
Dragons coach Wayne Bennett told Grandstand's Alister Nicholson that his side's performance was a mixed bag that cost St George Illawarra the game against Brisbane at Lang Park on Friday night.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australiaInterview: Michael Weyman
Dragons forward Michael Weyman told Grandstand's Alister Nicholson that Brisbane did the little things right and despite a strong effort from St George Illawarra, the Broncos were too good and took the points at Lang Park.
Tags: sport, rugby-league, nrl, australia