Keeley Davis moves on from Origin eye-gouge saga
Keeley Davis insists she has moved on from the State of Origin eye-gouge incident, adamant the saga won't make things personal when NSW fight to seal a series victory in game two.
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West Australian
27 minutes ago
- West Australian
Dropped DCE has little to prove, but data says Manly do
Anthony Seibold insists Daly Cherry-Evans has nothing to prove following his State of Origin axing, as Manly try to right a poor run on the road against low-ranked teams. Cherry-Evans will play his first game on Friday night since being dropped as Queensland No.7, leading a near full-strength Sea Eagles side against Gold Coast. The 36-year-old's Origin omission has dominated headlines this week, with Cherry-Evans the first captain dropped mid-series by either state this century. Manly's No.7 has not spoken publicly, but played one of his best games of the year a fortnight ago against Brisbane when talk first emerged around his selection. Seibold did not want to delve into the debate around Queensland's decision to drop Cherry-Evans, but said the halfback had responded well. "He hasn't got anything to prove," the Manly coach said. "He's coming up somewhere around 340 games in the NRL, plus all the representative footy, so he doesn't have a point to prove to anybody. "There's obvious disappointment there, but there's also a great deal of pride. "(He's captained) his state 20 times and he's played 26 games for Queensland, so there's a lot to reflect on and look back and be proud about." Manly will have Tom Trbojevic back from a cork to his thigh, while winger Jason Saab will return from illness and Siua Taukeiaho a calf issue. That means the Sea Eagles enter Friday night as firm favourites, with the Titans in last place and without Origin representatives Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika. Recent history is, however, not kind to Manly in games they have been expected to win. Data from Sportsbet shows the Sea Eagles have lost their past four away games when considered favourites. Since August, Manly have given up 16-0 leads to Wests Tigers and Newcastle away from home, to go with losses to the Warriors and Parramatta. As if to underline their Jekyll-and-Hyde status, Manly have also beaten Canterbury twice away from home and Penrith once in that time after entering as outsiders. Speaking generally after being asked about the Sea Eagles' inconsistencies, Seibold was adamant his ninth-placed team was not alone in a salary cap-based competition. "They (the NRL) want an even competition, so that means there's going to be wins and losses along the way," he said. "I've never seen a competition where the top four or five sides all had losses by 40 points, and that's what we've got this year. "Everyone talks about inconsistency, but the NRL is designed to have an even competition, which means that if you win more than 50 per cent of your games you're going all right. "And if you're losing more than 50 per cent of your games there's always going to be a challenge for you. "I think we're right in that sweet spot. We've got a great opportunity with somewhere near our best squad this week."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Jarome Luai will partner Nathan Cleary in the halves for NSW after injury to playmaker Mitch Moses
NSW coach Laurie Daley is backing Jarome Luai's combination with Nathan Cleary to get the job done next week after the Blues were dealt a massive blow with five-eighth Mitch Moses ruled out with a calf injury six days out from the second State of Origin match. Moses went down at training in the Blue Mountains during an attacking drill down the short side, with the Eels star sent for scans and immediately ruled out after an encouraging performance alongside Cleary in the series-opening win. The Blues could have picked Matt Burton, but the Bulldogs five-eighth will remain 18th man with Daley turning to Luai who got the call after Wests Tigers training and is expected to join his teammates in Leura on Thursday night. 'It's terrible, isn't it,' Daley said of the injury to Moses. 'Mitch played really well in game one and started off looking really good this week, but he injured his calf today. 'We're unsure of how bad it is, but he won't be any good for Wednesday with the short turnaround so we've had to rule him out.' Losing a key member of the spine just days out from a big clash is generally catastrophic for representative teams, but that's not the case when the guy coming in was part of last year's winning squad and has played with Cleary for the past decade. The pair were enemies just last week for the first time at NRL level, but Penrith's premiership duo will reunite and look to deliver like they've done in so many big games before. 'He's won four grand finals and he won the Origin series last year so I think that everyone will have a lot of confidence and faith in him,' Daley said, with Cleary and Luai to start in the halves for NSW for the first time since game one of 2023. 'I don't know Jarome that well, but I think he'd believe in himself as well that he could come in on short notice and do the job. 'There'll only be a couple of training sessions, but the fact that he's played with that left edge last year is an advantage for us. It's not like you're bringing in someone who hasn't played with those players. 'I'm disappointed for Mitch, but I'm excited for Jarome.' Winger Brian To'o is on track to play next Wednesday but will need to get through Saturday's main session in Sydney unscathed before the team flies out to Perth. Injury setbacks can rattle coaches, but Daley looked calm on the outside as he backed his side to move on from the drama. 'It's a funny game, rugby league. With the group of guys that you've got, you've got to make sure that they're prepared really well,' he said. 'We've had setbacks and challenges all the way through the campaign so far, but I'd be disappointed if the fact that we lost a guy six days out and we couldn't cope with that. 'I think the guys are very professional. It's not like we're bringing in a rookie; we're bringing in a guy who has won Origin series before and won four grand finals so he knows what he's doing.'
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
NSW's Mitch Moses ruled out of State of Origin II
NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two. NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two. NSW five-eighth Mitch Moses has been ruled out of the second State of Origin match after suffering a calf strain at training. The injury is a big blow to the Blues' hopes of sealing a series victory in Perth on Wednesday. The Blues will determine the Parramatta five-eighth's replacement later on Thursday afternoon, with Jarome Luai and Matt Burton the leading options. Moses was preferred to Luai for the opening game of the series, while Burton was named replacement player for game two.
