‘The big fella had a few tears': Injuries inspire unsung Broncos' debutant
Ben Talty arrived from the North Sydney Bears midseason on a train-and-trial deal through to the end of 2026, having amassed 85 games in the New South Wales Cup.
Named at 19th man for Friday night, he will replace Corey Jensen, out with a calf injury.
Talty's call-up continues coach Michael Maguire's habit of forging careers.
'We've got some good stories. Ben Talty came in here about a month ago, he's put his head down and is going to be on the bench,' Maguire said.
'He reminded me about how special rugby league is.
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'I was able to sit with him yesterday and talk about how he was going to debut. The big fella had a few tears and gave me a big squeeze, and it actually gave me a real sense of what it really means to play.
'He's been trying, he's 26 now, so it just goes to show how special it is what our game brings. He's a great fella, he's a middle forward and done a bit of time down at the Storm.
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The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Haas ready to face different Shibasaki in Origin arena
Payne Haas could see the difference in Queensland State of Origin bolter Gehamat Shibasaki from the moment he arrived at Brisbane this pre-season on a weekly $1000 train-and-trial deal. Once teenage teammates at the Broncos, Shibasaki and Haas will play on opposing teams in a senior match for just the second time in next week's series decider. But their path from Brisbane's under-20s team in 2017 to Accor Stadium next Wednesday night couldn't be any more different. While Haas has been the NRL's best front-rower for the past five years at Brisbane, Shibisaki has been on a rollercoaster ride to crack it in first grade. Like Haas, the centre debuted at the Broncos in 2018, but then found himself out the door to Newcastle where he also struggled for game time. A move to Japanese rugby with the Green Rockets Tokatsu followed in 2022, before he took up a train-and-trial deal with the North Queensland Cowboys. The 26-year-old then spent last year playing Queensland Cup in Townsville and had a week-to-week contract arrangement with South Sydney during their injury crisis. Another train-and-trial deal came at Brisbane this year, where Shibasaki was reunited with Haas who noticed a big difference. "He's way more dialled in," Haas said. "He took his training more seriously, the way he was eating, the way he was preparing for training, it was cool to see. "I knew he was serious about it. I knew he knew this was his last shot. He took it with both hands and he's never looked back." The difference is telling. Shibasaki's selection for Queensland is about as left field as it gets, but it comes in a year where he has scored 12 tries in 15 games for the Broncos. The centre has become the first player in history to be picked to play Origin while on a development deal, after being upgraded to one from his train-and-trial agreement. AAP understands the Bronco's current contract sits at just $85,000, but he will be upgraded to become a full-time member of Brisbane's NRL squad next year. "When I sat down with him on his first training session, I wasn't quite sure where he was going to get to," Broncos coach Michael Maguire said. "I can't tell you how hard he worked in the pre-season to give himself the opportunity." Haas insisted Shibasaki's talent had always been there, even if it had taken until seven years after his NRL debut for him to become a top-grade regular. "He's always been gifted, he was one of the best players growing up when we were kids," Haas said. "He lost his way a bit the last few years. But he's found his way back and I'm super proud of him. "He worked so hard, this was his last shot and he's taken it with both hands. "I just hate that he's a Queenslander." Payne Haas could see the difference in Queensland State of Origin bolter Gehamat Shibasaki from the moment he arrived at Brisbane this pre-season on a weekly $1000 train-and-trial deal. Once teenage teammates at the Broncos, Shibasaki and Haas will play on opposing teams in a senior match for just the second time in next week's series decider. But their path from Brisbane's under-20s team in 2017 to Accor Stadium next Wednesday night couldn't be any more different. While Haas has been the NRL's best front-rower for the past five years at Brisbane, Shibisaki has been on a rollercoaster ride to crack it in first grade. Like Haas, the centre debuted at the Broncos in 2018, but then found himself out the door to Newcastle where he also struggled for game time. A move to Japanese rugby with the Green Rockets Tokatsu followed in 2022, before he took up a train-and-trial deal with the North Queensland Cowboys. The 26-year-old then spent last year playing Queensland Cup in Townsville and had a week-to-week contract arrangement with South Sydney during their injury crisis. Another train-and-trial deal came at Brisbane this year, where Shibasaki was reunited with Haas who noticed a big difference. "He's way more dialled in," Haas said. "He took his training more seriously, the way he was eating, the way he was preparing for training, it was cool to see. "I knew he was serious about it. I knew he knew this was his last shot. He took it with both hands and he's never looked back." The difference is telling. Shibasaki's selection for Queensland is about as left field as it gets, but it comes in a year where he has scored 12 tries in 15 games for the Broncos. The centre has become the first player in history to be picked to play Origin while on a development deal, after being upgraded to one from his train-and-trial agreement. 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Payne Haas could see the difference in Queensland State of Origin bolter Gehamat Shibasaki from the moment he arrived at Brisbane this pre-season on a weekly $1000 train-and-trial deal. Once teenage teammates at the Broncos, Shibasaki and Haas will play on opposing teams in a senior match for just the second time in next week's series decider. But their path from Brisbane's under-20s team in 2017 to Accor Stadium next Wednesday night couldn't be any more different. While Haas has been the NRL's best front-rower for the past five years at Brisbane, Shibisaki has been on a rollercoaster ride to crack it in first grade. Like Haas, the centre debuted at the Broncos in 2018, but then found himself out the door to Newcastle where he also struggled for game time. A move to Japanese rugby with the Green Rockets Tokatsu followed in 2022, before he took up a train-and-trial deal with the North Queensland Cowboys. 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The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'I replied with an F-bomb': Papalii to rock for Maroons
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The Maroons are looking for extra punch in the middle for the Origin decider in Sydney and Papalii was the obvious choice for one last hurrah. "It's definitely my last. I'm obviously just looking forward to it and soaking in the week," he said. "I'm still buzzing just being back in maroon. I just need to work hard and turn up next week and hopefully perform. "I was happily retired. I was happy to just slug away down in Canberra. We're going pretty well down in the capital as well. "When I saw the first couple of missed calls (from Slater), I just didn't know what to expect. And obviously I spoke to Bill and it's very nice to be back." Papalii is an enforcer who has led the Maroons pack previously. His role is simple. "I think just turning up and doing my job. I feel like I don't have to come in and do anything special," he said. 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The 33-year-old was in hospital with wife Mesepa and baby son Jeremiah when Maroons coach Billy Slater called to ask if he had a 24th and final Origin game in him. "I missed the first couple of calls because my little fella and my wife were still in hospital at the time and there were a few complications with my little one," Papalii said. "I spoke to Bill when I had that little break and he asked me one question, if I had one more game in me and I replied with an 'F Bomb' and said 'yes, I had one more left.' "Hopefully I can go out there next week and put on a good performance." Papalii last played for the Maroons in 2022 and had retired from representative football. He is playing his final season in Canberra this year and has been in career-best form. The Maroons are looking for extra punch in the middle for the Origin decider in Sydney and Papalii was the obvious choice for one last hurrah. "It's definitely my last. I'm obviously just looking forward to it and soaking in the week," he said. "I'm still buzzing just being back in maroon. I just need to work hard and turn up next week and hopefully perform. "I was happily retired. I was happy to just slug away down in Canberra. We're going pretty well down in the capital as well. "When I saw the first couple of missed calls (from Slater), I just didn't know what to expect. And obviously I spoke to Bill and it's very nice to be back." Papalii is an enforcer who has led the Maroons pack previously. His role is simple. "I think just turning up and doing my job. I feel like I don't have to come in and do anything special," he said. "You don't really get many special things out of front-rowers these days anyway, so I just need to come and do my job and hopefully that can contribute to a win next Wednesday." Papalii arrived in camp on Wednesday safe in the knowledge Jeremiah and his wife are in great shape. "They're good now. They are out (of hospital), hence why I come in a little bit later," he said. "I was never coming to camp unless my family were okay and now they're all good. We're locked in for next Wednesday." In camp on the Sunshine Coast with the team, Papalii was as refreshed on Thursday as he's been in recent times. "It's the best sleep I've had in a few weeks," he grinned. "Last night was good. I had one of the boys come and wake me up." He's just become a father for the fourth time but there was no way veteran prop Josh Papalii was going to turn down an opportunity for one final State of Origin conflict with Queensland. The 33-year-old was in hospital with wife Mesepa and baby son Jeremiah when Maroons coach Billy Slater called to ask if he had a 24th and final Origin game in him. "I missed the first couple of calls because my little fella and my wife were still in hospital at the time and there were a few complications with my little one," Papalii said. "I spoke to Bill when I had that little break and he asked me one question, if I had one more game in me and I replied with an 'F Bomb' and said 'yes, I had one more left.' "Hopefully I can go out there next week and put on a good performance." Papalii last played for the Maroons in 2022 and had retired from representative football. He is playing his final season in Canberra this year and has been in career-best form. The Maroons are looking for extra punch in the middle for the Origin decider in Sydney and Papalii was the obvious choice for one last hurrah. "It's definitely my last. I'm obviously just looking forward to it and soaking in the week," he said. "I'm still buzzing just being back in maroon. I just need to work hard and turn up next week and hopefully perform. "I was happily retired. I was happy to just slug away down in Canberra. We're going pretty well down in the capital as well. "When I saw the first couple of missed calls (from Slater), I just didn't know what to expect. And obviously I spoke to Bill and it's very nice to be back." Papalii is an enforcer who has led the Maroons pack previously. His role is simple. "I think just turning up and doing my job. I feel like I don't have to come in and do anything special," he said. "You don't really get many special things out of front-rowers these days anyway, so I just need to come and do my job and hopefully that can contribute to a win next Wednesday." Papalii arrived in camp on Wednesday safe in the knowledge Jeremiah and his wife are in great shape. "They're good now. They are out (of hospital), hence why I come in a little bit later," he said. "I was never coming to camp unless my family were okay and now they're all good. We're locked in for next Wednesday." In camp on the Sunshine Coast with the team, Papalii was as refreshed on Thursday as he's been in recent times. "It's the best sleep I've had in a few weeks," he grinned. "Last night was good. I had one of the boys come and wake me up."
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Why Lachlan Galvin doubts won't faze Bulldogs coach
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Ciraldo insisted the Bulldogs were unified as to their plans to use both Galvin and off-contract Sexton, who has quietly pieced together the best season of his NRL career. "We all on the same page and I've got a number of good people around me whose opinions I trust inside our four walls, and we'll continue to do that," Ciraldo said. The Bulldogs and Broncos will collectively be without eight State of Origin representatives on Friday night when Canterbury fight to redeem themselves for the sides' last clash. Brisbane rode a 34-0 half-time lead to a 42-18 drubbing of the Bulldogs, the first of three losses this year for Ciraldo's men. The round-eight defeat has been revisited in the lead-up to the match at Accor Stadium. "We definitely can't start the way we did and we can't play as individuals," Ciraldo said. "It's not too many times this year that we've gone out and played like individuals but in the first half of that game we certainly did. I really don't want to see that again." Cameron Ciraldo says the people doubting his plans for Lachlan Galvin are likely the same who questioned Canterbury's rebuild and their previous recruitments. Now, the Bulldogs are flying high in second place on the NRL ladder. Prized mid-season signing Galvin has been named on the bench to face Brisbane on Friday, the third time he'll come on from the interchange in four appearances since joining from Wests Tigers. In the previous two, Galvin was substituted in after half-time to play limited minutes next to Matt Burton in the halves, pushing journeyman halfback Toby Sexton to hooker. Ciraldo has previously suggested he has "plan A, plan B and plan C" for using Galvin, whose large frame and speed make him an option for multiple positions. But pundits have questioned whether the Bulldogs are still deliberating how best to incorporate generational talent Galvin into their premiership tilt. Ciraldo says he doesn't care, intimating that history has shown the doubters will be proven wrong. Canterbury and Ciraldo memorably raised eyebrows recruiting a handful of utility players ahead of the 2024 season, rather than prioritising beefing up their lightweight middle forward rotation. But the additions of Kurt Mann, Connor Tracey, Josh Curran and Jaeman Salmon all proved shrewd as the Bulldogs booked their first finals appearance since 2016. "It's probably the same voices who are doubting what we did now who doubted our recruitment strategy, doubted our forward pack and doubted a lot of other things we did along the way," Ciraldo said. "At the end of the day, how we play towards the back-end of the season, everyone will have an opinion on that. "But we're really comfortable with what we're doing now and how our team is evolving." 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Ciraldo says he doesn't care, intimating that history has shown the doubters will be proven wrong. Canterbury and Ciraldo memorably raised eyebrows recruiting a handful of utility players ahead of the 2024 season, rather than prioritising beefing up their lightweight middle forward rotation. But the additions of Kurt Mann, Connor Tracey, Josh Curran and Jaeman Salmon all proved shrewd as the Bulldogs booked their first finals appearance since 2016. "It's probably the same voices who are doubting what we did now who doubted our recruitment strategy, doubted our forward pack and doubted a lot of other things we did along the way," Ciraldo said. "At the end of the day, how we play towards the back-end of the season, everyone will have an opinion on that. "But we're really comfortable with what we're doing now and how our team is evolving." Ciraldo insisted the Bulldogs were unified as to their plans to use both Galvin and off-contract Sexton, who has quietly pieced together the best season of his NRL career. "We all on the same page and I've got a number of good people around me whose opinions I trust inside our four walls, and we'll continue to do that," Ciraldo said. The Bulldogs and Broncos will collectively be without eight State of Origin representatives on Friday night when Canterbury fight to redeem themselves for the sides' last clash. Brisbane rode a 34-0 half-time lead to a 42-18 drubbing of the Bulldogs, the first of three losses this year for Ciraldo's men. The round-eight defeat has been revisited in the lead-up to the match at Accor Stadium. "We definitely can't start the way we did and we can't play as individuals," Ciraldo said. "It's not too many times this year that we've gone out and played like individuals but in the first half of that game we certainly did. I really don't want to see that again."
