NRL 2025 LIVE: Raiders host Bulldogs in top of the table clash
Hello and welcome to Super Saturday which kicks off with a belter of a contest between the league-leading Bulldogs up against the second-placed Raiders.
Canberra and Canterbury go head-to-head at GIO Stadium from 3pm, with each side a little weaker in the forwards. Queensland Origin prop Corey Horsburgh is out for the Green Machine with concussion while the Bulldogs have lost star second-rower Jacob Preston to a four-match suspension.
Ricky Stuart's men have won five games on the trot while the Dogs have lost just once so far this season.
Later today the Dragons face the Warriors and North Queensland host Penrith in Townsville. Should be a cracking afternoon of footy.
Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney. Credit: Getty Images
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
He got Kikau off at the judiciary. Now he wants NRL to overhaul the system
The lawyer who successfully challenged Viliame Kikau's dangerous contact charge at the judiciary on Tuesday night has called for an overhaul of the system to provide discounts to representative players or those participating in the finals series. Kikau was facing an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea for his challenge on Parramatta kicker Mitchell Moses, but the Bulldogs elected to contest the charge despite Kikau not being in danger of missing a match through suspension. The club feared the prospect of the guilty plea going on his record, increasing the likelihood that a future misdemeanour could result in the Kikau missing a big end-of-season game. The decision to contest the charge proved a masterstroke, with Kikau's lawyer Paul McGirr earning a rare victory in just his second appearance at the judiciary. McGirr was able to convince the panel that Kikau didn't put Moses into a dangerous position, and that the Eels star was playing for a penalty. 'Players are very wily and will try to gain any edge,' McGirr said on Wednesday. 'Is it gamesmanship? Possibly. But the judiciary and match officials need to be turned on to that and not fall for the trap. It's a fine line.' McGirr felt the bigger issue was the practice of players not contesting charges of which they believed they were innocent, for fear of copping a greater sanction at Rugby League Central. He said that pleading guilty to minor matters 'can come back and haunt you' if subsequent offences resulted in time on the sidelines. 'At the time, you think, 'It's only a fine, we'll pay for you, who cares?'' McGirr explained. 'But it goes on your record and then when you need your good record, you think about how sad that could be going into the finals. 'That would be Kikau's second strike. Not that he's planning on offending, but it could prove the difference between playing in a grand final or not. Ironically, you get done on a double points weekend and you think 'Why did I plead to that when I wasn't even guilty?'
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
He got Kikau off at the judiciary. Now he wants NRL to overhaul the system
The lawyer who successfully challenged Viliame Kikau's dangerous contact charge at the judiciary on Tuesday night has called for an overhaul of the system to provide discounts to representative players or those participating in the finals series. Kikau was facing an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea for his challenge on Parramatta kicker Mitchell Moses, but the Bulldogs elected to contest the charge despite Kikau not being in danger of missing a match through suspension. The club feared the prospect of the guilty plea going on his record, increasing the likelihood that a future misdemeanour could result in the Kikau missing a big end-of-season game. The decision to contest the charge proved a masterstroke, with Kikau's lawyer Paul McGirr earning a rare victory in just his second appearance at the judiciary. McGirr was able to convince the panel that Kikau didn't put Moses into a dangerous position, and that the Eels star was playing for a penalty. 'Players are very wily and will try to gain any edge,' McGirr said on Wednesday. 'Is it gamesmanship? Possibly. But the judiciary and match officials need to be turned on to that and not fall for the trap. It's a fine line.' McGirr felt the bigger issue was the practice of players not contesting charges of which they believed they were innocent, for fear of copping a greater sanction at Rugby League Central. He said that pleading guilty to minor matters 'can come back and haunt you' if subsequent offences resulted in time on the sidelines. 'At the time, you think, 'It's only a fine, we'll pay for you, who cares?'' McGirr explained. 'But it goes on your record and then when you need your good record, you think about how sad that could be going into the finals. 'That would be Kikau's second strike. Not that he's planning on offending, but it could prove the difference between playing in a grand final or not. Ironically, you get done on a double points weekend and you think 'Why did I plead to that when I wasn't even guilty?'
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Beveridge finds new tricks to preserve old Dog
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season. Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves. A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn. Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart. "You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said. "When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time. "So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom. "We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year." Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up. It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli. "You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said. "His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there. "My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well." The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye. Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack. Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season. Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves. A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn. Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart. "You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said. "When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time. "So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom. "We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year." Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up. It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli. "You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said. "His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there. "My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well." The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye. Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack. Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season. Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves. A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn. Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart. "You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said. "When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time. "So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom. "We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year." Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up. It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli. "You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said. "His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there. "My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well." The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye. Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack.
