‘I won't leave because of DCE': Rising Roosters half commits future
'No, definitely none of that,' he said. 'It's an awesome club, I'm lucky to be there for a couple more years. I'll take all the time I need.'
Rodwell and his father aren't the only talented footballers in the family. Older brother Tom, who turns 24 in September, has been a standout for the Roosters' NSW Cup side. The winger has scored a league-best 15 tries and is second for line breaks (13) and third for post-contact metres (669).
The pair have long harboured an ambition to play together in the NRL.
'Definitely, playing with your brother or against him, it's pretty cool,' Rodwell said.
'But to be together, even just playing a couple of [NSW] Cup games with him, it's been awesome. We definitely debrief after the game when we're eating dinner.'
Rodwell won't be the only talented playmaker on show on Thursday night. His halves partner, Mitch Woods, has been touted as the long-term Canterbury No.7 long before Lachlan Galvin arrived at the club.
NSW under-19s coach Josh Jackson, who was also Woods' coach when the Bulldogs won the Jersey Flegg competition last year, believes he has a promising future.
'He's a great, hard-working kid,' Jackson said. 'No ego, humble, very keen to learn. Very impressive.
Loading
'He's a great communicator, one of the strengths of his game is getting a team around the park. He's got a great running game as well, he's definitely a run threat.'
Asked what his progression to first grade looks like given the club also has Galvin, Matt Burton, Toby Sexton and fellow young gun Cassius Tia on its books, Jackson said: 'That's above my pay grade.
'I'm sure the club won't want to rush Mitch, they will let him develop and get ready for that. I'm sure the ones above me will look after that.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
31 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Matty Johns reveals hard truth for New South Wales following controversial State of Origin Game II
Matty Johns has revealed the harsh reality he believes New South Wales fans should acknowledge following a controversial State of Origin II defeat to Queensland. In the aftermath of Wednesday night's Origin match in Perth there have been calls for referee Ashley Klein to be demoted for Game 3 following a lopsided penalty count, favouring Queensland 10-2. On the Backstage with Cooper and Matty Johns podcast, Johns declared the hard truth was that the penalty count was nothing but the fault of the Blues' poor discipline. 'Us New South Welshman, most people will point to that and go look at that, but I tell you what, we were f***ing undisciplined,' he said. 'That's it. Don't blame the referee. We were undisciplined.' At half-time Queensland had eight penalties while NSW were not awarded any inside the first 40 minutes. Queensland made the most of the penalty count, establishing a 26-6 lead at the break before holding off a late Blues comeback in the second half. After winning 26-24, Queensland will now battle it out in a series decider at Sydney's Accor Stadium on July 9. Many rugby league greats and punters did not mince their words following the controversial nail-biter. Former NSW superstar Jarryd Hayne took to X in the first half, posting: 'This is why Origin is the greatest game in this country!!! Regardless of the pressure teams face, it is the team spirit that truly matters. 'Ps 7-0 pen count. Did some individuals attempt to influence the referees to force a decider?' While another former Blues representative Jamie Soward said: 'That will do me. Ash doing his best to get in the way here'. Former Penrith Panther Greg Alexander said on SEN1170, 'god knows what's going to happen in Game 3' following the officiating in the match. 'We have a decider. Boy didn't we really want one of those and not too subtle way to do it. Let's just make the penalty count 8-0 at half time. Eight-nil,' Alexander fumed. 'I don't think I have ever written a referee's name as many times on a piece of paper as I did last night, through that first half. 'My god I know some of the penalties blown against us were warranted, but if Queensland weren't offside a thousand times last night, especially on their line in that little period where NSW were attacking the line. I am going well 'what is he looking at. Is he looking at the line'." NSW had to wait 45 minutes to be awarded their first penalty of the game, shortly scoring soon after. A few punters responded to Alexander's fiery words with one saying, 'NSW supporters are sookie'. 'Doesn't help when a team is elbowing or eye gouging. Seriously, take a look at the ill-discipline before blaming the referees,' another added. Five-eighth Jarome Luai escaped a suspension after initially being accused of eye gouging in a tackle on Maroons forward Reuben Cotter, while winger Zac Lomax got off a charge after a blatant elbow to the head of Trent Loiero.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Nathan Cleary reveals ‘frustrating' truth of last-minute State of Origin injury dramas
Penrith and NSW are confident Nathan Cleary's groin problem is not a serious one, after the Panthers superstar played through tightness in the Blues' Perth loss. Cleary's upper right leg emerged as one of the key talking points of State of Origin II, after he did not kick goals and had his thigh bandaged. The issue prevented Cleary from goal-kicking and putting up long kicks in general play during the first half on Wednesday. It proved pivotal with the wayward boot of replacement goal-kicker Zac Lomax ultimately proving the difference between the sides in a 26-24 loss for NSW. On Thursday morning, Cleary revealed he had injured himself while goal-kicking at Tuesday's captain's run but never felt the issue was serious enough to sideline him. 'I always thought it would be fine, it was just sort of the kicking load which was up in the air,' he said. 'I don't actually know the exact thing (injury) but I essentially did it goal-kicking in captain's run. It's a little bit frustrating. 'I can't commend the physios enough, they put a lot of time into me at captain's run and the morning of the game.' Cleary is already set to be rested from Penrith's clash against the Warriors in Auckland due to travel, with the Panthers not backing up any of their five Origin stars. But his fitness after that is crucial with Penrith attempting to revive their season and an Origin decider just three weeks away. NSW have already lost first-choice five-eighth Mitch Moses to a calf injury, with Jarome Luai called in to wear the No.6 jersey on Wednesday night. If Cleary was to be in some doubt, Matt Burton would loom as the most likely option to come into the Blues' side for the July 9 decider at Accor Stadium. AAP has been told Cleary did not require scans in the lead-up to Wednesday's match and had been in close contact with Penrith and his father Ivan. The halfback is not expected to undergo scans when he flies home to Sydney, and not scheduled to return to the Panthers until Monday. 'Obviously he is a massive part of both teams,' Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. 'I am sure he will be fine. He will do everything he can to be sweet and I'm sure he will be.' At full-time, NSW coach Laurie Daley took the blame for the Blues' first-half flop and indicated he'd remain loyal to his players for the series decider in Sydney. The Blues gave away eight penalties in the first half alone, completed at 56 per cent and had their defence pulled apart with 22 missed tackles. NSW scored four unanswered tries in the second half as they threatened to pull off the greatest comeback in Origin history. But Lomax's three missed conversions and the team's horrific first half was left to haunt them. 'I've got to take responsibility, because we started well (with the first try), but the first half wasn't great,' Daley said. 'So I've got to look at what I've done, because something isn't right.' Daley was protective of his players when asked if he was confident in his current squad or would need to make changes for game three. 'Well, I was confident at half-time,' Daley said. 'I know what this group is capable of, and that's the thing you get disappointed with, because they never gave themselves that opportunity. 'You can't play a half of football like that against quality opposition and expect to be close. 'So for us, it's a good lesson. We'll go back to the drawing board. 'It's one-all. That's what Origin is all about, and it creates theatre and it creates headlines. 'I'm sure everyone wants a decider, and they've got it now.'
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
‘It's in the past now': Leniu and Mam put Vegas racism saga to bed in emotional Origin embrace
The 16-month feud between Ezra Mam and Spencer Leniu is over after the pair shared a heartfelt embrace in the middle of Optus Stadium after Wednesday night's State of Origin. Vision captured by this masthead shows Leniu exchanging words with Mam – Queensland's 18th man – after the game and the pair sharing a hug more than a year after the racial slur that hijacked the NRL's landmark season-opener in Las Vegas. Despite the disappointment of an agonising loss to Queensland, Leniu on Wednesday night apologised to Mam for calling him a 'monkey' in the match between the Roosters and Broncos in Las Vegas that launched the 2024 season. 'It's great that me and Spencer got the chance to see each other face to face last night,' Mam said. 'As for the racial vilification issue, that's in the past now. We've moved forward. The story in the media that said I thought I was being booed at Brookvale because of this issue is not true. I understand the situation and why that happened and will continue to work on being a better person and making the right choices.' Broncos and Maroons forward Patrick Carrigan, who was one of the players who confronted Leniu in the team hotel in Las Vegas following the incident last year, watched the embrace in Perth with interest but did not involve himself. Leniu was banned from the game for eight weeks for the slur. Leniu has denied intentionally racially vilifying Mam, and said he thought it was 'one brown man saying something to another brown man'. The fallout from the incident spilled over again this year after Leniu took aim at Channel Nine commentator Johnathan Thurston for comments on a podcast stating his belief that Leniu's slur warranted a harsher punishment.
