‘You attack one, you attack all of us'
RLG: The night after an upset win over New South Wales in Game II, the Maroons have continued to express their motivation behind the victory saying they wanted to do it for under pressure coach Billy Slater.
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Daily Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
AFL Optus Stadium's huge test for Fremantle vs Essendon after State of Origin slugfest
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Perth's $1.6 billion Optus Stadium was under intense pressure as it backed up for an AFL game on Thursday night less than 24 hours after a brutal State of Origin contest on the ground. After a tight battle early on, the Dockers pulled away for a comfortable 16.8 (104) to 9.9 (63) win that moves them to sixth place early in round 15. The surface at the stadium, which was officially opened in 2018, has come in for criticism in recent years, leading to extensive renovations at the start of 2025. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Back in 2023, footage emerged of stadium staff relaying grass on sections around the ground, while the following year the slippery surface was criticised by former West Coast coach Adam Simpson and ex-Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt following a Fremantle clash with the Suns. It is facing its sternest test since then after hosting three AFL games over the last six days, along with Wednesday's typically physical Origin clash held in driving rain. Watch the ground transformation in the video player above The Dockers were hosting Essendon at Optus Stadium. (Photo by) Less than 24 hours after a State of Origin match at the ground. (Photo by) The Dockers beat North Melbourne at the venue on June 14, a day before the Blues took care of West Coast, while Fremantle is hosting Essendon on Thursday night. Thirty ground staff worked on the pitch since the rugby league game finished and Optus Stadium chief executive Mike McKenna was extremely confident it would 'look like it's a new ground' by the time the AFL fixture had its opening bounce. 'When the (State of Origin) game finishes tonight, there'll be obvious signs that it's been played on, but by the time we get to tomorrow evening, it'll look like it's a new ground,' McKenna told 'I think we'll come out of this game into tomorrow and it won't be very noticeable, so I think we'll see a really strong result and we're really confident that it will play really well right through the season.' Optus Stadium set up for rugby league on Wednesday night. (Photo by) And during the AFL game on Thursday. Photo: Fox Sports State of Origin matches in the NRL are renowned as among the most bruising in Australian sport, with the players often causing significant damage to playing surfaces. Regular NRL grounds including Sydney's Accor Stadium and Allianz Stadium often come in for criticism for its turf quality. The surface was a hot topic prior to the Dockers' home game as they chased a fifth straight win. 'How nervous are the AFL going to be tonight given just how much wear and tear it's had lately?' Fox Footy's Jon Ralph was asked pre-match. 'No doubt. The Optus Stadium boss, Mike McKenna, says the ground will look brand spanking new, but Fremantle certainly has concerns,' Ralph reported. 'So the NRL State of Origin was played last night in drenching rain. 'The Dockers and Essendon get the official report from the AFL a couple of hours beforehand, but as (Fremantle) footy boss Joe Brierty says, it's clearly too late to make any changes at that stage. 'The third AFL game in six days, the Optus Stadium turf did undergo a renovation over summer, the drainage is so much better. 'Essendon will liaise with their players about the long stops in boots. The players don't love wearing them, they do pull up really sore. 'The 30 workers who worked around the clock to try to get this in good nick, and it certainly looks OK, it just depends how it plays.' West Coast and Carlton played on the ground last Sunday. (Photo by) The ground had major issues back in 2023. Photo: X Sarah Jones added: 'We'll have a close eye on that. It might be a headline waiting to happen.' Reporting from ground level, Kath Loughnan said the ground looked 'pretty good' and the ground staff had done a 'pretty good job' before the game commenced. It also helped that solid rain in Perth this week had eased by Thursday night, but fans watching on weren't impressed by what they were seeing. An X account called Gazzalinga tweeted: 'I'm sorry, the Optus Stadium looks horrible right now. The ground was labelled too slippery when the Dockers played Gold Coast last season. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images) 'I know they said people have worked tirelessly to get it ready for the game but who in their right mind would actively play on that ground in current condition? Surely someone is going to be pulling up.' Daniel Hikisz quipped: 'Seen enough, the surface isn't up to AFL standard. Call off the game now, we take the 4 points and move on.' With the Perth Bears set to join the NRL competition in 2027, Scott King wrote: 'When North Sydney Bears start playing in Perth, they CANNOT play at Optus Stadium. The centre of the ground looks terrible. Go find a rugby ground.' Despite obvious signs around the ground the NRL match had been played the night before the turf was holding up reasonably well as the Dockers took a 16-point lead into halftime. Showing some strong defence, Fremantle pulled away in the second half in another encouraging step for Justin Longmuir's side. Originally published as Optus Stadium's huge test AFL after State of Origin slugfest
Daily Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
State of Origin Premier Chris Minns swipes Aaron Woods' bet plan after NSW Blues loss to Queensland Maroons
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. After an intense, controversy-filled week, Aaron Woods might have been saved from a run-in with police by NSW Premier Chris Minns. Former NSW Blues prop Woods and Queensland coach Billy Slater dominated the headlines in the build-up to Wednesday night's Origin Game 2. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. As everyone now knows, Woods kicked it all off when he tried to drum up a muted Origin period by labelling Slater a 'grub'. The former fullback took his time before replying in kind on Game 2 eve, questioning Woods' place in the media and referencing mental health and former Maroons coach Paul Green in an in-depth swipe. He then backtracked and apologised for mentioning Green's name on the morning of the game, which his Maroons would win 26-24. Aaron Woods and NSW Premier Chris Minns. Photos: News Corp Speaking on his Triple M radio show on Wednesday, Woods said he stood by his initial comments and felt Slater 'went over the boundary' with some of his remarks. It has since come to light that Woods made a bet with Channel 9 identity Karl Stefanovic over the result of Game 2. The punishment for the loser? A nude run into the surf at Bondi Beach. Stefanovic had taken issue with Woods' comments on Slater and called his show to throw down the challenge, which the former Wests Tigers and Sharks forward accepted. 'Here's the bet, Woodsy,' Stefanovic said. 'The loser of the Origin game in Perth runs naked into the Bondi surf.' Woods replied: 'We're on, Karlos.' This is where Premier Minns steps in after he was a guest on the Triple M Breakfast show, Beau, Cat and Woodsy, on Thursday. After Woods declared his intention to accept his punishment for the NSW defeat, he then said to the premier: 'Do you want to come do it with me?' Minns swiftly replied: 'No, it's highly illegal.' Billy Slater speaking ahead of Game 2. (Photo by) Some of the Blues players react after the two-point loss. (Photo by) Pushed on that comment Minns said: 'Yes, absolutely. Why is this news to you guys? It's been illegal forever.' Beau Ryan added: 'Woodsy is genuinely shocked. He said 'why is this illegal?' I said you can't be nude in public. 'You could get arrested.' Minns then said: 'We do have nude beaches in Sydney,' perhaps opening the door for a slight change to the bet. Karl Stefanovic was very keen for Woods to go through with the punishment. Picture: Portia Large. Minns himself has a bet going with Queensland premier David Crisafulli over the Origin series. In the past the losing state has had to fly the other state flag over Sydney Harbour or Storey Bridge. But this year it has gone a step further. 'The loser of the series has to do a tourism ad for the winner's state,' Minns said. 'It doesn't have to be good. I can rip Queensland, like 'the best thing about Queensland is it's next to NSW'.' Originally published as 'Highly illegal': Premier Chris Minns swipes Aaron Woods' plan
Daily Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Daily Telegraph
State of Origin: NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley ‘privately furious' over Queensland Maroons penalty count, Ashley Klein
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Blues coach Laurie Daley is said to be 'privately furious' over the lopsided penalty count in Game 2, with one pundit believing referee Ashley Klein was 'refereeing one side' in the first half. The Blues were on the wrong end of an 8-0 first half penalty count, which turned into 9-0 after 45 minutes. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. During that time, the Maroons forged a 26-6 lead, which they almost coughed up in the second half but were able to hold on to force a decider. The Daily Telegraph's Phil Rothfield tweeted '3 votes Klein' during Wednesday night's game, sarcastically implying Klein was the best on ground due to his impact with the whistle. Laurie Daley was tight-lipped after the Game 2 defeat. Picture David Clark Rothfield was on Thursday night's episode of NRL360 where he shared that Daley wasn't happy with the referee's performance. Daley didn't wish to comment on the penalty count during his post-match presser. 'Laurie will look at the video and find out what he wants to talk to the NRL about and then take it to adjudication,' Rothfield said. 'He was furious after the game. Privately furious, but he knows he can't come out and say anything. Not just for the fine, but because it'll look like poor sportsmanship.' Rothfield went onto say that in his mind, the officiating wasn't the reason the Blues were defeated, but the veteran journalist was at a loss as to why New South Wales didn't cop one single penalty in the first 45 minutes. 'I think NSW were ill-disciplined and I don't have too many problems with the nine penalties they conceded,' he said. 'The problem I do have is that anyone can look at a replay of that first half and find 4-5 areas of the game where Queensland could quite easily have been penalised as well. 'In my eyes, he was refereeing one side for the majority of the first half. Referee Ashley Klein was in the spotlight after the lopsided penalty count. (Photo by) 'I know we were ill-disciplined and I'm not blaming it for the loss … but you cannot be perfect in Origin for 45 minutes. Impossible. 'It's outrageous that Queensland can play 45 minutes in State of Origin and that intensity, mistakes are made, high speed, high intensity and not one penalty. That cannot happen.' 'There were a couple I thought were dubious but what I'm trying to say is that all the 50-50 calls went Queensland's way,' NRL360 host Braith Anasta added. 'You're not going to see that again. You're not going to see a 8-0 penalty count again.' Originally published as Blues coach Laurie Daley 'privately furious' over Origin 2 penalty count
