NSW Blues
If you picked an Australian side right now, NSW would dominate. Which is just how Qld like it
Picking an Australian merit side right here, right now, shows just how much form the Blues have on their side. But when has that mattered in State of Origin?
Today, 11.45AM
Dan Walsh
Latest
Updated
State of Origin
Daley wants 'Latrell to be Latrell' in Origin
The NSW coach expects the State of Origin environment will bring the best out of Latrell Mitchell.
May 19, 2025
Christian Nicolussi
State of Origin
State of Origin team updates: Haas in doubt; rookie prop called in; Moses set for NSW No.6
Does Tom Trbojevic get a start? A new skipper and options in the middle? Will we have any Origin rookies? All the NSW Origin news and key selections calls at they're made.
May 18, 2025
Michael Chammas, Dan Walsh and Dominic Brock
State of Origin
How Cleary's 2023 grand final masterclass is driving Daley's Origin masterplan
Returning Blues coach Laurie Daley will let Nathan Cleary roam the field in Origin I – as he did when he destroyed Brisbane in that memorable decider.
May 17, 2025
Christian Nicolussi
Opinion
State of Origin
Daley dilemmas: Our experts select their NSW teams for Origin
Loyalty or form? Drop the captain? One halfback or two? Laurie Daley has some huge selection calls as he ponders his best line-up for State of Origin I.
May 16, 2025
Adrian Proszenko
NRL 2025
'I just don't care': Why Nicho Hynes is happy to be brushed by Blues
The rain was blowing in off Woolooware Bay as the Cronulla halfback drove to work on Thursday, but Nicho Hynes' life is all sunshine and lollipops right now.
May 15, 2025
Dan Walsh
Opinion
State of Origin
Why this old-school 20-year-old is already one of my favourite halfbacks
I've had the chance to work with NSW Blues No.7 Jesse Southwell over the years, and I've seen her leave NRL halfbacks in the dust with her playmaking skills.
May 15, 2025
Andrew Johns
State of Origin
Why we're one step closer to the first female NRL coach
There's only one female head coach in the NRLW, but with the current group of players already trying their hand at coaching, that number is set to grow. And the NRL may be next.
May 14, 2025
Billie Eder
State of Origin
'It's got to be a good spectacle': NSW coach calls on NRL to play women's Origin in Vegas
John Strange says a blockbuster women's Origin fixture at Allegiant Stadium could undo some of the damage done by the one-sided Jillaroos-England clash earlier this year.
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The Advertiser
27 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie No.1 falls at first hurdle at revived Queen's
Daria Kasatkina has suffered her worst defeat since switching to represent Australia in late March, beaten 6-1 3-6 6-3 by fast-rising Brit Sonay Kartal at the revived Queen's Club women's tournament. Kasatkina was fresh off a promising run to the last 16 at Roland Garros last week, and her weekend engagement to long-term partner Natalia Zabiiako, a former Olympic skater. But her joy was soured, temporarily at least, as Kartal delighted the home crowd in the first women's tournament at Queen's in more than 50 years. In the last final, in 1973, Evonne Goolagong (now Cawley) lost to Russia's Olga Morozova, who would go on to lose that year's Wimbledon final a few weeks later. That was the fourth successive final featuring an Australian, Margaret Court having won in 1970 and 1971 and Karen Krantzcke losing to Chris Evert in 1972. Any hopes that Kasatkina would maintain the Aussie run 52 years on soon disappeared against Kartal, who has climbed from 271st in the world to 50th in a year. This was the 23-year-old's best win of her career, the world No 16 Kasatkina becoming her second top-20 victim after beating Beatriz Haddad Maia at Indian Wells. Kasatkina briefly hinted at battling back when she rallied from 0-40 at 2-4 in the final set to force deuce, but on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena Kartal held for 5-2, then served out at 5-3, her winning forehand leaving Kasatkina flat-footed. The result left two Australians in the draw, Ajla Tomljanovic and Maddison Inglis. Inglis drew No.6 seed Karolina Muchova and was last on court on Monday evening. She lost the first set on a tie-beak 7-6 (7-5) but battled back to take the second set 6-3. At that point, with darkness falling, play was suspended. The winner will meet German qualifier Tatjana Maria, who beat former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. On Tuesday Tomljanovic plays Alex de Minaur's fiancee Katie Boulter, who earlier teamed up with Emma Raducanu in a doubles pairing that had the British media swooning as they won their first round match. In the day's opening match Haddad Maia came from a set down to beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 2-6 6-4 6-4. Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova, 35, returned from a 17-month maternity break in February but has only won one match since. Last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist and Olympic runner-up Donna Vekic lost 6-3 6-3 to Anastasia Zakharova who set up a clash against American Madison Keys. Daria Kasatkina has suffered her worst defeat since switching to represent Australia in late March, beaten 6-1 3-6 6-3 by fast-rising Brit Sonay Kartal at the revived Queen's Club women's tournament. Kasatkina was fresh off a promising run to the last 16 at Roland Garros last week, and her weekend engagement to long-term partner Natalia Zabiiako, a former Olympic skater. But her joy was soured, temporarily at least, as Kartal delighted the home crowd in the first women's tournament at Queen's in more than 50 years. In the last final, in 1973, Evonne Goolagong (now Cawley) lost to Russia's Olga Morozova, who would go on to lose that year's Wimbledon final a few weeks later. That was the fourth successive final featuring an Australian, Margaret Court having won in 1970 and 1971 and Karen Krantzcke losing to Chris Evert in 1972. Any hopes that Kasatkina would maintain the Aussie run 52 years on soon disappeared against Kartal, who has climbed from 271st in the world to 50th in a year. This was the 23-year-old's best win of her career, the world No 16 Kasatkina becoming her second top-20 victim after beating Beatriz Haddad Maia at Indian Wells. Kasatkina briefly hinted at battling back when she rallied from 0-40 at 2-4 in the final set to force deuce, but on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena Kartal held for 5-2, then served out at 5-3, her winning forehand leaving Kasatkina flat-footed. The result left two Australians in the draw, Ajla Tomljanovic and Maddison Inglis. Inglis drew No.6 seed Karolina Muchova and was last on court on Monday evening. She lost the first set on a tie-beak 7-6 (7-5) but battled back to take the second set 6-3. At that point, with darkness falling, play was suspended. The winner will meet German qualifier Tatjana Maria, who beat former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. On Tuesday Tomljanovic plays Alex de Minaur's fiancee Katie Boulter, who earlier teamed up with Emma Raducanu in a doubles pairing that had the British media swooning as they won their first round match. In the day's opening match Haddad Maia came from a set down to beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 2-6 6-4 6-4. Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova, 35, returned from a 17-month maternity break in February but has only won one match since. Last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist and Olympic runner-up Donna Vekic lost 6-3 6-3 to Anastasia Zakharova who set up a clash against American Madison Keys. Daria Kasatkina has suffered her worst defeat since switching to represent Australia in late March, beaten 6-1 3-6 6-3 by fast-rising Brit Sonay Kartal at the revived Queen's Club women's tournament. Kasatkina was fresh off a promising run to the last 16 at Roland Garros last week, and her weekend engagement to long-term partner Natalia Zabiiako, a former Olympic skater. But her joy was soured, temporarily at least, as Kartal delighted the home crowd in the first women's tournament at Queen's in more than 50 years. In the last final, in 1973, Evonne Goolagong (now Cawley) lost to Russia's Olga Morozova, who would go on to lose that year's Wimbledon final a few weeks later. That was the fourth successive final featuring an Australian, Margaret Court having won in 1970 and 1971 and Karen Krantzcke losing to Chris Evert in 1972. Any hopes that Kasatkina would maintain the Aussie run 52 years on soon disappeared against Kartal, who has climbed from 271st in the world to 50th in a year. This was the 23-year-old's best win of her career, the world No 16 Kasatkina becoming her second top-20 victim after beating Beatriz Haddad Maia at Indian Wells. Kasatkina briefly hinted at battling back when she rallied from 0-40 at 2-4 in the final set to force deuce, but on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena Kartal held for 5-2, then served out at 5-3, her winning forehand leaving Kasatkina flat-footed. The result left two Australians in the draw, Ajla Tomljanovic and Maddison Inglis. Inglis drew No.6 seed Karolina Muchova and was last on court on Monday evening. She lost the first set on a tie-beak 7-6 (7-5) but battled back to take the second set 6-3. At that point, with darkness falling, play was suspended. The winner will meet German qualifier Tatjana Maria, who beat former US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (7-4) 6-2. On Tuesday Tomljanovic plays Alex de Minaur's fiancee Katie Boulter, who earlier teamed up with Emma Raducanu in a doubles pairing that had the British media swooning as they won their first round match. In the day's opening match Haddad Maia came from a set down to beat former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 2-6 6-4 6-4. Two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova, 35, returned from a 17-month maternity break in February but has only won one match since. Last year's Wimbledon semi-finalist and Olympic runner-up Donna Vekic lost 6-3 6-3 to Anastasia Zakharova who set up a clash against American Madison Keys.
The Age
29 minutes ago
- The Age
Martin Flanagan
Martin Flanagan is a journalist and author who writes on sport, Australian culture and the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia.
West Australian
36 minutes ago
- West Australian
We were lost souls after Olympic fish-bowl: swim aces
Kaylee McKeown was in a dark place. And Mollie O'Callaghan suddenly realised she had no friends outside of her sport. They were two lost souls after swimming in the fish-bowl of the Paris Olympics. "Coming off the Olympics, I was in a really dark place mentally," McKeown said. "When you go from such a high, straight back to such a low, and you're left scrambling for ideas on what you're going to do next, it is hard to find your feet once again." In Paris, McKeown became the first Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals. And the first swimmer to successfully defend Olympic 100m and 200m backstroke titles was given the honour of being Australia's joint flag-bearer at the closing ceremony. McKeown, who also won a silver and two bronze in the French capital, was an Olympic legend. All within three weeks of turning 23-years-old. "I don't think people really know ... how much pressure we put on ourselves," McKeown said in Adelaide at Australia's selection trials for the world championships starting late July. "You're just so fixated on wanting to swim for yourself, for your country and for your team. "You have all that amount of pressure to just do it ... and it (winning or not) really just comes down to nail bites." McKeown arrived in Paris with her 100m backstroke world record just broken by American rival Regan Smith. O'Callaghan arrived in Paris with her 200m freestyle world record just broken by fellow Australian Ariarne Titmus. "I'm the exact same as Kaylee," O'Callaghan said. "There's immense pressure to perform at the Olympic Games, it's the pinnacle of our sport. "A lot of it is ourselves that put the pressure on because we know the work that goes behind it. "Not a lot of people get to see the training sessions, the time, the dedication put in, because we don't really have a life outside of swimming - it's just all swimming." O'Callaghan won three gold medals, plus a silver and bronze, to be Australia's most successful athlete at the Paris Games. All within four months of turning 20-years-old. But after the Olympic high, came the low. "I noticed I don't have friends outside of swimming because I have dedicated such a strong amount of time from school to now," O'Callaghan said. McKeown and O'Callaghan soon realised they needed extended breaks from the pool. "It was just letting my hair down, having some fun and realising the hard work that I actually have put in over the years to get what I have," McKeown said. O'Callaghan discovered there was a life out of the water. "That was something after the Olympics I got to learn, was actually having that freedom for five months to be able to go places, do things, without the consequence of swimming or having swimming in the back of my mind," she said. "And it's just a nice refresher to know that there's opportunities and there's other connections outside (swimming) because a lot of the time our bubble is just swimming." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
