Billy Slater cops heat over odd Hammer move for Queensland
Billy Slater, who is in a battle to retain his place in charge of Queensland, has had one of his key moves questioned by an NRL coach.
After a comprehensive 18-6 NSW victory in Game 1 in Brisbane, the Maroons need a win in Perth on Wednesday to keep the State of Origin series alive.
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Coming off last year's 2-1 defeat, when Slater's Queensland outfit lost the deciding game at Suncorp Stadium, the 41-year-old would be unlikely to survive a second successive failure against their arch enemy.
The former fullback has reacted by making a number of changes to his side for Game 2, including dumping captain Daly Cherry-Evans, recalling Kurt Capewell and naming Patrick Carrigan and Jeremiah Nanai on the bench.
But his positional switch for tryscoring beast Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has been questioned by his coach at the Dolphins, Kristian Woolf.
Tabuai-Fidow plays fullback for the NRL club, but has enjoyed great success in the centres for the Maroons, scoring nine tries across his eight appearances, including a hat-trick in last year's opening 38-10 win.
So Slater's decision to move the 'Hammer' to the wing, an apparent bid to combat NSW gun Zac Lomax, caught Woolf by surprise.
'It's certainly not a position we'll look at playing him here,' Woolf told reporters.
'I think he's a fullback and that's his best position, I think he's done a great job in the rep arena as a centre.
'Look I'm not in those camps so I'm not going to talk about selections and things like that. 'But he's a talented footy player, we all know that, and playing for Queensland means a lot so I'm sure he'll make that sacrifice.'
Meanwhile, Cherry-Evans broke his silence on his Queensland axing after the Sea Eagles lost to the Titans on Friday night.
Cherry-Evans put in a poor display in Manly's horror 28-8 defeat, capping a disappointing week for the Sea Eagles skipper after being dumped by Slater.
'The start of the week was tough, Sunday got the news, Monday had to go to training and face the boys,' Cherry-Evans said after the game.
'After that it honestly started to feel normal. This is not the first time that I've been dropped from the Queensland side.
'So I guess I've had experience to take it on board and like I said pre-game, you can't just worry about the things you can't control and the initial news was tough but yeah I moved on and thought we were going to come here tonight and play some really good footy.
'Based on our preparation, it looked like all the signs were there and unfortunately the most important part of the week is showing up on game day and we didn't do that.'
Cherry-Evans was pressed on whether he saw his Origin axing coming but dodged the question.
'No, I just got the call on Sunday and then just, yeah, moved on from there,' Cherry-Evans said.
'I think I got the call on Sunday which was tough and processed it pretty quickly during the week and moved on and yeah as I said the focus has been on Manly all this week so it's again disappointing to lose back-to-back games.'
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News.com.au
41 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Weston stars as Vixens make big step towards Super Netball glory
Melbourne Vixens coach Simone McKinnis hailed a thrilling win over the NSW Swifts as a 'significant step' for her team after holding off the ladder leaders to claim their first top-four scalp of the season in a boost to their finals ambitions. Storming to their fourth consecutive win, the Vixens defied a flurry of late super shots from Swifts goal attack Helen Housby to inflict the second loss of the season on the table-topping team with their 70-68 victory at John Cain Arena on Sunday. The win put the Vixens back in fourth spot on the ladder ahead of the Thunderbirds, who they are battling for a finals berth. Last season's runners-up to Adelaide, the Vixens have found their groove after a shaky start to their campaign when they struggled to find consistency and even had McKinnis suggest a trip to the pub was needed to inject life into their 'flat' game. The Vixens led throughout the match – and by as much as 11 goals in the third quarter – but the Swifts stormed home and threatened to steal the game off the back of some superb super shot shooting from Housby and a lift in defensive intensity. Vixens goal defence Jo Weston was named player of the match as the back-court stalwart finished with three deflections and two long-range goal assists from midcourt. Weston worked overtime with goal keeper Rudi Ellis to restrict the impact of Swifts' star import Grace Nweke (40 from 43) and Housby (11/13). At the other end, goalers Sophie Garbin (47/49) and Kiera Austin (20/23, including three of four two-pointers) also starred with their connection in the circle back to its best. The victory was the Vixens' first win of the season against a team in the top four after earlier losses to the Thunderbirds, West Coast Fever, Swifts and Lightning, who they face again next round on the road. McKinnis, in her last season as Vixens' coach, said the win against a top-four opponent was an important breakthrough, but the team could not yet afford to look any further ahead than its next battle. 'I'm really pleased, super happy. I thought they did an amazing job taking the game on from the start,' McKinnis said. 'I thought it was important for us to be able to get that win, we haven't had one over a team that's in the (top) four. I thought it was a significant step for us, but super proud of the girls. 'We have got Sunshine Coast Lightning next week and we had a poor game against them earlier in the year, so we want to put out a good game next week. 'It is just that shift now to Lightning … what's going to give us the best opportunity to have the best result that we can get next Saturday night? 'Things are in our hands, but we just have to keep that focus on the here and now.' Swifts' goal shooter Sophie Fawns, who replaced Nweke in the power play periods, missed her final two-point attempt with just over 30 seconds left to play in the match, which would have drawn the scores. The Swifts retain top spot on the ladder by percentage only over the Fever, but Swifts coach Briony Akle was pragmatic after the loss. 'I thought when we had that shot at the end, maybe we should have gone for a one-pointer, but it is what it is,' Akle said. 'If we got the goal, it would have been great, but we didn't and that's sport. 'I never like to lose, but I feel like Vixens are a top side and I thought they were amazing tonight in their attack. 'I expected a really hard game and they just came out and we didn't have answers. Disappointed but moving forward.' WESTON WIND-UP McKinnis was able to have a laugh about the trademark Weston wind-up after her pair of goal assists from centre court, but praised the 'outstanding' defensive leadership of the Diamonds' defender. 'You can see it coming because you watch her and you go, 'Oh, here we go',' McKinnis said. 'But I thought Jo was outstanding today. Just the workrate and the leadership for those around her has just been so good. So I'll let her have a couple of goal assists. 'The discipline is something that we have spoken about, we have been highly penalised and that decision-making and staying in play. 'Jo is so competitive, she would be one of the most competitive people I know. But for her to be able manage that, the decision-making and keep the pressure on … and just the support she shows to Rudi as well. 'The whole attack end of Swifts is a tough attack end, it's just that mindset which Jo has to keep persevering and just keep at it.' CONSECUTIVE LOSSES The Swifts stormed into premiership favouritism after a blistering start to the season when they won their opening eight matches. With their blockbuster off-season signing, Silver Ferns star Nweke dominating under the post, many had considered the Swifts an early lock for this year's crown. But consecutive losses in the past two rounds have shown they are not bulletproof. The Fever flexed their flag credentials last round with an 11-goal win over the Swifts in Sydney before the Vixens handed them their first loss on the road. 'It's just reality checks around accountability and working as a unit,' Akle said. 'As any coach would, we will go back and have a look at the footage and delve deeply into that and what that means for us moving forward, but I haven't lost any faith.' The Swifts face the Giants in a Sydney derby next round. SUPER SHOT STAR Housby did her best to almost single-handedly drag the Swifts over the line in the final quarter with an almost flawless performance from two-point range. The English international nailed eight of nine two-point attempts for the match, including four in the final power play period. 'It is not easy shooting those super shots under pressure when you are 10 down and the whole team relying on you,' Akle said. 'I thought Sophie (four from seven two-pointers) came on and supported her beautifully in that role tonight. She hasn't had a lot of court time obviously, but the minutes she had I thought she was extremely valuable and helped Helen out and just released that pressure valve for her as well.'
Sydney Morning Herald
44 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We will become a giant in the NRL': New Bears' boss reveals his blueprint
Chammas: You mentioned Mal. There's a lot of external criticism of him not having had club experience for such a long time. His representative coaching resume speaks for itself, but he hasn't coached in the NRL for a quarter of a century. What homework did you do before his appointment to make sure he's the right man for the job? De Ceglie: Like any sport fan I know a lot about Mal from growing up and watching him play. Even in Perth Mal Meninga can't walk down the street without everyone knowing who he is. Like any ex-journo, I did a lot of research. I think to be fair to Mal, his club record is above 50 per cent. I think people forgot that. Then his time at the Kangaroos and the Maroons - that record speaks for itself. I'm very confident that he is the right person to lead the club and set the culture of the club. I think that's really important. One of Mal's job as the inaugural coach is to set up the value system for the Bears. He sees it as a torch bearer kind of role to then handover. It's that great groundwork around leadership and what we stand for and what we play for that no one could do better than him. Chammas: We're sitting here at North Sydney Oval. What do you know about the North Sydney Bears? How big of a role will North Sydney play in the Perth Bears? De Ceglie: I think there is no doubt that my most important first job is to make sure we respect, pay homage to and take the North Sydney Bears fans and community with us on this journey. It's a foundation club. I've been blown away by how many North Sydney Bears diehards have reached out to me excited, passionate and wanting to take the journey. At the same time, don't forget there is a team of passionate and proud league fans in Perth who have been fighting for decades for the same thing. They've been burning the candle for a long time. On either side of the country, you have these two very passionate supporter groups who just want to be unified. It's a really powerful and unique thing to have. My No.1 role is listening, learning and paying respect to those communities to set up a good marriage. Chammas: So tell me, are we going to see an NRL game at North Sydney Oval in the near future? De Ceglie: I think anything is on the table. North Sydney Oval is such a beautiful, historic, landmark ground. It's perfectly situated in the second CBD of Sydney right next to a brand new Metro station. Something will happen here. It'll definitely be part of the future and part of the history of us paying homage to the North Sydney Bears. I'd love an upgrade of it. I think if the state and federal governments come together to do a proper upgrade, I think the entire sporting community of NSW would welcome it and benefit from that. I think it's a no-brainer. I can't believe the Albanese government and the Minns government aren't already talking about it, especially when there's a brand new Metro down the road. Chammas: Do you think the people of Perth will embrace this team when there is a feeling that it's a Sydney team being relocated to Perth. How will the locals take that? De Ceglie: I think the most important thing to remember is that the Perth fans and North Sydney fans are pretty similar because they've both been treated pretty ruthlessly. They were in the league then out of the league. What I've found so far listening to both sides of the country is that they're parochial, they have a chip on their shoulder and they want to get back into the NRL and prove something. I think there are a lot of similarities we can work on so that they feel collegiate. Chammas: It doesn't look like they're going to roll out the welcome mat for you or the Bears. There's been a lot of criticism of you from West Australian media. You come from a media background having worked at News Corp and Seven. And, whether you like it or not, it is an AFL town. We've seen already that there is this view that 'you're coming into our territory'. How do you handle that because it looks like it's going to get heated. De Ceglie: It's ironic if I was to get upset by criticism. I've been the editor of a tabloid newspaper and been in the media game for a long time. I learnt a long time ago to ignore the noise. You can't let external voices impact your own internal measure of success. My No.1 philosophy is to ignore the noise. And I'm never going to make public the criticism of others. They've got every right to say what they want. All I know is that I've been absolutely blown away by the interest I've had from people in Perth who can't wait to get involved in this. That's everything from corporate sponsors to fans, to people wanting jobs. I reckon every hour I get a job application from someone in Perth wanting to be involved in the Perth Bears. We've got sponsors who want to pay us in 2026 so they can get in first for 2027. I'm very, very optimistic and confident. I'm very confident that we will very quickly become a commercial giant in the NRL. There's a lot of talk about Perth being an AFL town, but really what Perth is, is a sports town. I don't think it's a mutually exclusive opportunity. It's not like if you're an AFL fan you can't be an NRL fan. You can be both. Chammas: What about this narrative that A, you know nothing about rugby league and B, you don't have the connections that maybe the NRL think you do in WA? De Ceglie: At the end of the day, the beautiful thing about sport is that every weekend you get a public report card. We'll just have to let our performance tell its own story. In terms of myself, as you would know as a journalist, you're going to accumulate some people along the way who aren't always happy with you. I think that's just part and parcel of the job. Chammas: What about your lack of rugby league knowledge? Do you hide away from the fact you aren't a rugby league guru or do you own that? De Ceglie: I'm a passionate NRL advocate. I fell in love with the game when I was at The Daily Telegraph as deputy editor. I think in those roles you become really good across a whole lot of things but not being an expert in any one thing because of how much juggling of topics and issues is involved. I'm not going to pretend that I can write the almanac of the NRL. But I know I will work hard, listen, study, do my research and maybe one day I can. I may not be an absolute guru of the NRL but I'm very passionate about the code. Chammas: You're five months away from being able to sign a player. Who can those marquee signings be? What are Mal's primary targets come November 1? De Ceglie:I'm not going to pre-empt what Mal is thinking or looking at. That's not my role. I will have a part to play in all of that and work alongside Mal, but I'm not getting into the specifics, sorry. Chammas: Payne Haas? Tino Fa'asuamaleaui? Someone? De Ceglie: Look we're going to need some marquees. We're a start-up franchise so we need marquee heroes to sell to the public. But just as importantly we need a good spine and a good group of young people to build the club around. Loading Chammas: What about the view that this is the NRL's club? That the NRL will own and run the club on the eastern seaboard and you'll take care of organisational matters. Whether that's the reality or not, there will be a perception that this is the NRL's team. What is the truth of it? De Ceglie: Anyone who is in clubland will tell you it's impossible for the NRL to be running a club. There are so many tasks at hand that the NRL wouldn't have the capacity to run it. Pretty soon we'll be over in Perth which can feel like foreign territory. Distance will mean that idea is a complete fallacy. We'll stand on our own two feet.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
‘We will become a giant in the NRL': New Bears' boss reveals his blueprint
Chammas: You mentioned Mal. There's a lot of external criticism of him not having had club experience for such a long time. His representative coaching resume speaks for itself, but he hasn't coached in the NRL for a quarter of a century. What homework did you do before his appointment to make sure he's the right man for the job? De Ceglie: Like any sport fan I know a lot about Mal from growing up and watching him play. Even in Perth Mal Meninga can't walk down the street without everyone knowing who he is. Like any ex-journo, I did a lot of research. I think to be fair to Mal, his club record is above 50 per cent. I think people forgot that. Then his time at the Kangaroos and the Maroons - that record speaks for itself. I'm very confident that he is the right person to lead the club and set the culture of the club. I think that's really important. One of Mal's job as the inaugural coach is to set up the value system for the Bears. He sees it as a torch bearer kind of role to then handover. It's that great groundwork around leadership and what we stand for and what we play for that no one could do better than him. Chammas: We're sitting here at North Sydney Oval. What do you know about the North Sydney Bears? How big of a role will North Sydney play in the Perth Bears? De Ceglie: I think there is no doubt that my most important first job is to make sure we respect, pay homage to and take the North Sydney Bears fans and community with us on this journey. It's a foundation club. I've been blown away by how many North Sydney Bears diehards have reached out to me excited, passionate and wanting to take the journey. At the same time, don't forget there is a team of passionate and proud league fans in Perth who have been fighting for decades for the same thing. They've been burning the candle for a long time. On either side of the country, you have these two very passionate supporter groups who just want to be unified. It's a really powerful and unique thing to have. My No.1 role is listening, learning and paying respect to those communities to set up a good marriage. Chammas: So tell me, are we going to see an NRL game at North Sydney Oval in the near future? De Ceglie: I think anything is on the table. North Sydney Oval is such a beautiful, historic, landmark ground. It's perfectly situated in the second CBD of Sydney right next to a brand new Metro station. Something will happen here. It'll definitely be part of the future and part of the history of us paying homage to the North Sydney Bears. I'd love an upgrade of it. I think if the state and federal governments come together to do a proper upgrade, I think the entire sporting community of NSW would welcome it and benefit from that. I think it's a no-brainer. I can't believe the Albanese government and the Minns government aren't already talking about it, especially when there's a brand new Metro down the road. Chammas: Do you think the people of Perth will embrace this team when there is a feeling that it's a Sydney team being relocated to Perth. How will the locals take that? De Ceglie: I think the most important thing to remember is that the Perth fans and North Sydney fans are pretty similar because they've both been treated pretty ruthlessly. They were in the league then out of the league. What I've found so far listening to both sides of the country is that they're parochial, they have a chip on their shoulder and they want to get back into the NRL and prove something. I think there are a lot of similarities we can work on so that they feel collegiate. Chammas: It doesn't look like they're going to roll out the welcome mat for you or the Bears. There's been a lot of criticism of you from West Australian media. You come from a media background having worked at News Corp and Seven. And, whether you like it or not, it is an AFL town. We've seen already that there is this view that 'you're coming into our territory'. How do you handle that because it looks like it's going to get heated. De Ceglie: It's ironic if I was to get upset by criticism. I've been the editor of a tabloid newspaper and been in the media game for a long time. I learnt a long time ago to ignore the noise. You can't let external voices impact your own internal measure of success. My No.1 philosophy is to ignore the noise. And I'm never going to make public the criticism of others. They've got every right to say what they want. All I know is that I've been absolutely blown away by the interest I've had from people in Perth who can't wait to get involved in this. That's everything from corporate sponsors to fans, to people wanting jobs. I reckon every hour I get a job application from someone in Perth wanting to be involved in the Perth Bears. We've got sponsors who want to pay us in 2026 so they can get in first for 2027. I'm very, very optimistic and confident. I'm very confident that we will very quickly become a commercial giant in the NRL. There's a lot of talk about Perth being an AFL town, but really what Perth is, is a sports town. I don't think it's a mutually exclusive opportunity. It's not like if you're an AFL fan you can't be an NRL fan. You can be both. Chammas: What about this narrative that A, you know nothing about rugby league and B, you don't have the connections that maybe the NRL think you do in WA? De Ceglie: At the end of the day, the beautiful thing about sport is that every weekend you get a public report card. We'll just have to let our performance tell its own story. In terms of myself, as you would know as a journalist, you're going to accumulate some people along the way who aren't always happy with you. I think that's just part and parcel of the job. Chammas: What about your lack of rugby league knowledge? Do you hide away from the fact you aren't a rugby league guru or do you own that? De Ceglie: I'm a passionate NRL advocate. I fell in love with the game when I was at The Daily Telegraph as deputy editor. I think in those roles you become really good across a whole lot of things but not being an expert in any one thing because of how much juggling of topics and issues is involved. I'm not going to pretend that I can write the almanac of the NRL. But I know I will work hard, listen, study, do my research and maybe one day I can. I may not be an absolute guru of the NRL but I'm very passionate about the code. Chammas: You're five months away from being able to sign a player. Who can those marquee signings be? What are Mal's primary targets come November 1? De Ceglie:I'm not going to pre-empt what Mal is thinking or looking at. That's not my role. I will have a part to play in all of that and work alongside Mal, but I'm not getting into the specifics, sorry. Chammas: Payne Haas? Tino Fa'asuamaleaui? Someone? De Ceglie: Look we're going to need some marquees. We're a start-up franchise so we need marquee heroes to sell to the public. But just as importantly we need a good spine and a good group of young people to build the club around. Loading Chammas: What about the view that this is the NRL's club? That the NRL will own and run the club on the eastern seaboard and you'll take care of organisational matters. Whether that's the reality or not, there will be a perception that this is the NRL's team. What is the truth of it? De Ceglie: Anyone who is in clubland will tell you it's impossible for the NRL to be running a club. There are so many tasks at hand that the NRL wouldn't have the capacity to run it. Pretty soon we'll be over in Perth which can feel like foreign territory. Distance will mean that idea is a complete fallacy. We'll stand on our own two feet.
