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25,000 run metres and 200 litres of cola: The crazy numbers behind Brian To'o

25,000 run metres and 200 litres of cola: The crazy numbers behind Brian To'o

With all the grace of a bowling ball hurled down an alley using both hands, To'o has now run for the best part of 25,000 metres with ball in hand at NRL level.
The overwhelming majority of that has been straight into defenders, defenders who line up with anywhere between a 10-20 centimetre height advantage over the NSW and Penrith flyer.
Almost 8000 of those metres have been the toughest of any in the game – post-contact. After absorbing whatever 200-300 kilos of multiple defenders will throw his way, To'o is without peer when it comes to shoving, shunting and shifting his way to his hands and knees for a quick play-the-ball.
And rugby league logic falls a tad short explaining exactly how he does it.
To'o is quick, but not abnormally so. At 97kg, he hits the average weight of an NRL winger in 2025.
The 182cm he is listed as standing on the NRL website is a noticeable jump from the 174cm he was profiled at in 2019. Short of a healthy mid-20s growth spurt, no-one is willing to explain why.
Meantime, plenty of players boast power-packed backsides and glute muscles. Granted, To'o's tree stump legs (tree trunks would be a stretch) are less commonly found.
'But it's not like he puts up big numbers in the gym with them,' NSW and Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards says.
'And he doesn't blow you away in fitness drills or during pre-season testing,' skipper Isaah Yeo muses.
'But then there's not many blokes that can have 25 carries a game and do what he does. I feel like a lot of teams are trying to bring in wingers now that have really good yardage carries like Bizza.
'But I just don't know if anyone can do it as consistently as what he does. And the bigger the occasion, Origin or grand finals, he does it better and better, and has been doing it for five or six years now.'
To'o offers a shrug, a grin and a 'shout out to all my short kings, my short brothers out there' when asked the well-worn question.
How exactly do you not only survive, but thrive, in a modern-day game of giants and controlled violence?
'It's a weird one, but I swear, I used to be really skinny and fast,' he says. 'I didn't really have much strength or leg drive until I was 18 or 19.'
So you locked yourself in the gym and tied yourself to the leg press?
'No, I think I was just eating. And even when I got stronger, I didn't kick on with it until I worked out how to use it, either.
'Making contact, changing direction and using my [leg] drive… I used to always have that mindset of just running at the biggest player and then whatever happens, happens.
'Thank God I never ended up in hospital, I'm still here living and I always kind of love that challenge too, that little disadvantage that other players have being taller than me.'
Teenage years spent flipping back and forth on the family trampoline – 'best Christmas present ever' – played their part in To'o's spring-loaded diving tries and attempts to match aerial specialists like Queensland's Xavier Coates.
Every Origin since To'o's 2021 debut has been preceded by concern the Blues winger will be targeted under the high ball. Coates's game one flight at Suncorp Stadium – which saw To'o controversially sinbinned for tackling him in the air – was one of the few occasions it has actually happened.
All up, To'o has run for close to 3000 metres in 14 straight Origin appearances, with 1053 of those coming after contact. Both tallies are the most of any NSW player in that time.
His tally of 10 tries is already closing fast on the all-time Blues record of 11 held by Josh Addo-Carr (15 games), Michael O'Connor (19 games) and Jarryd Hayne (23 games).
To'o has barely trained leading into Wednesday's decider after suffering a grade 2 lateral ligament tear in his knee against Canterbury almost two weeks ago.
Given he was the Blues best player in Origin II having been similarly restricted by a hamstring injury, To'o and NSW players and staff have insisted all week that he will be right to play.
To'o's wife has also insisted his hamstring issues this year have been caused by his dancing – flips, splits and all.
'So now I'm pretty much banned until the off-season.'
And when it comes to pulling off things he really shouldn't be able to, To'o and his teammates regularly circle back the rugby league intangibles that can't be measured in kilos and centimetres, G-force or post-contact metres.
Penrith players can trace To'o's ability to play busted back to famed tales of him walking to training on a broken leg without realising it when he was 17, and hospitalising himself for four days after collapsing during pre-season sandhill runs.
'He's so powerful and he's such a character,' Yeo says. 'I mean, his diet is just awful. But more than most, I think he just wants to perform for his teammates. He doesn't want to let anyone down and he just seems to be able to push through pain.'
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Luai adds: 'He's the smallest dude with the biggest heart,' Luai says.
'Yeah, he's got the legs but I think the power he has comes from the love for his teammates and his competitiveness. No matter who he's up against, no matter how much bigger a defender or an attacker is than him, he just puts himself in the right position to win.'
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‘Difficult to take': Tigers CEO slams ‘crap' reports, praises Benji for taking on ‘unenviable task'
‘Difficult to take': Tigers CEO slams ‘crap' reports, praises Benji for taking on ‘unenviable task'

News.com.au

timean hour ago

  • News.com.au

‘Difficult to take': Tigers CEO slams ‘crap' reports, praises Benji for taking on ‘unenviable task'

Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson believes the team's upset win over the Roosters was a 'statement' by the players in response to 'crap' reports about their coach Benji Marshall. Richardson also admitted that the exit of Lachlan Galvin 'hurt' both him and Marshall, and he explained the reasons behind letting young gun Tallyn Da Silva leave early. The Tigers ended a six-game losing streak on Sunday without three of their most important players in Jarome Luai, Api Koroisau and Jahream Bula. The 30-28 win came after another week of headlines surrounding the Tigers, including a story that alleged Adam Doueihi got into a fiery exchange with Marshall at training. There were also claims that Richardson wanted to bring in former Dragons coach Paul McGregor as an assistant, but Marshall didn't allow it. Marshall hit back at the reports in his post-game press conference and on Monday night Richardson backed his coach up while appearing on NRL 360. 'I just think the players stood up and said to the world that this crap about Benji is crap. You don't play like that with all the players we had out yesterday without having a real commitment to the coach,' he said. 'The articles written earlier in the week, I understand journalism, clickbait and all the rest of it but agenda-driven journalism is not true. 'The lies that were written in that article were very difficult for Benji to take. 'The players particularly knew it wasn't true, Adam Doueihi knew it wasn't true. I've never even met Paul McGregor so how I was even going to get him as a coach I don't know. 'At the end of the day, it was a statement by the players and how they feel about Benji.' The Tigers have claimed three-straight wooden spoons — two of which have been under Marshall — but Richardson believes the 2005 premiership-winner is trading in the right direction. He also praised Marshall for showing the courage to take on the 'unenviable task' of turning the Tigers around. 'Everybody in the press was bagging the Tigers for the last three or four years (saying) 'how terrible they were' and 'they weren't getting any better',' Richardson said. 'He's taken on the job that not many people would've ever taken on. He's taken it on without coaching before and he took it on because in a lot of ways they gave him the blaze of it because he tried to give them some face in the marketplace. 'Then all of a sudden the Tim Sheens stuff happened and he inherited the side. He inherited a tough roster, which I believe there was only 22 of the 36 players could play NRL. So he had no depth work with, we ran last in reserve grade. 'He's taken on that challenge and worked forward. This year we've gone in with the changes we can make and he's got better and better. 'He will be the first to say he was stunned when he went in there but he learns every day. You can't learn if you don't want to learn, you can't learn if you're not intelligent. 'He's intelligent and he's there for one reason and one reason only. I can assure it's not about the money, it's about the want to make Wests Tigers successful again. 'He's taken on an unenviable task and I think he's done a great job.' The Tigers' roster management has been criticised of late following the exits of Galvin and most recently Tallyn Da Silva. Galvin was a week-in, week-out starter but wanted out of the Tigers and made the move to the Bulldogs around a month ago. Da Silva hasn't been able to nail down his role in the 17 and agitated once the club indicated they were going to re-sign co-captain and star hooker Api Koroisau. That's why Richardson said their situations were 'very different.' 'Lachie just didn't want to be there,' he explained. 'He told us up front that he didn't want to be there and didn't want to be involved with Benji as a coach and he wanted to move on. 'He had to make a decision and then we had to make a decision after that. 'It hurt Benji and it hurt me too because I never want to lose a junior and I watched the tapes before I went there and I could see what a player he was and that we could build the club around him. 'And we did, we named him straight away at five-eighth in the first grade side — no one had ever heard of him. 'He's got a way of looking at things... I hope he's successful and I think he will be successful, he's a good player. We had to make a call on what was best for the club and the squad... we had to move on. 'The other one was different. It was a young kid who had made it clear to us that he wanted to be there. I went and saw his parents two weeks before this happened and they said 'if Api signs we want him to be able to move on'.' 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Papalii the bridge to Maroons last super Sydney decider
Papalii the bridge to Maroons last super Sydney decider

The Advertiser

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  • The Advertiser

Papalii the bridge to Maroons last super Sydney decider

Josh Papalii's recall has given Queensland firepower up front but also an intimate understanding of what it takes to win a State of Origin decider in Sydney. The 33-year-old prop is the only member of the current playing squad to have achieved the rare feat. When playing in just his second Origin match back in 2013, Papalii was among the side that beat NSW 12-10 at Homebush. That was the last time the Maroons have prevailed in a Sydney decider and was the fourth time they had won the Origin shield in the NSW capital. They also won deciders on enemy territory in 1998 and 2008, while an 18-all draw in 2002 was enough to retain bragging rights. Papalii's very presence has been a comfort to the Maroons ahead of his 24th and final Origin showdown. "Papa is a real calming influence on the group," Maroons hooker Harry Grant said. "He's got so much experience and willpower to have a real dig in the Maroons jersey. "I'm really excited for him to have this final opportunity. He's been playing some awesome footy for Canberra." The Maroons, who clung on to win game two 26-24 in Perth, must pull off a 45-year Origin first in Sydney. They have never won two games away from Brisbane to clinch the series after losing the first match. It's an opportunity coach Billy Slater said his side would embrace, rather than be daunted by that history. "We'd never won in Perth either before game two," Slater said. "No Queensland team has lost at home and had to go on the road for game two and three and won the series. What an opportunity it is for this group of men. "That's a real challenge. We're not naive to (not) know where we're going and how good the footy team is that we're playing against, and the individuals in the footy team. It's a task for sure, but what an opportunity it is." Grant said on Monday that Cameron Munster's brave decision to play after the death of his father Steven had motivated the players to give a strong performance to make their skipper's family proud. Grant grew up in Rockhampton, as did Munster. The Maroons skipper was man of the match in the win in game two in Perth. Munster's story, from loveable larrikin to Maroons captain, continues to inspire and Grant himself has been moved by it. "I've been lucky enough to grow up in the same region as him and watch his journey to the Storm and now captain of the Maroons," Grant said. "It's been a very inspiring journey and he gives a lot of people hope that you can do it. "You don't always have to be the best kid growing up. You can have a bit of cheek and do things your way too. "He's captain of the Maroons and we love him as a teammate and bloke. You saw what he did in game two." Josh Papalii's recall has given Queensland firepower up front but also an intimate understanding of what it takes to win a State of Origin decider in Sydney. The 33-year-old prop is the only member of the current playing squad to have achieved the rare feat. When playing in just his second Origin match back in 2013, Papalii was among the side that beat NSW 12-10 at Homebush. That was the last time the Maroons have prevailed in a Sydney decider and was the fourth time they had won the Origin shield in the NSW capital. They also won deciders on enemy territory in 1998 and 2008, while an 18-all draw in 2002 was enough to retain bragging rights. Papalii's very presence has been a comfort to the Maroons ahead of his 24th and final Origin showdown. "Papa is a real calming influence on the group," Maroons hooker Harry Grant said. "He's got so much experience and willpower to have a real dig in the Maroons jersey. "I'm really excited for him to have this final opportunity. He's been playing some awesome footy for Canberra." The Maroons, who clung on to win game two 26-24 in Perth, must pull off a 45-year Origin first in Sydney. They have never won two games away from Brisbane to clinch the series after losing the first match. It's an opportunity coach Billy Slater said his side would embrace, rather than be daunted by that history. "We'd never won in Perth either before game two," Slater said. "No Queensland team has lost at home and had to go on the road for game two and three and won the series. What an opportunity it is for this group of men. "That's a real challenge. We're not naive to (not) know where we're going and how good the footy team is that we're playing against, and the individuals in the footy team. It's a task for sure, but what an opportunity it is." Grant said on Monday that Cameron Munster's brave decision to play after the death of his father Steven had motivated the players to give a strong performance to make their skipper's family proud. Grant grew up in Rockhampton, as did Munster. The Maroons skipper was man of the match in the win in game two in Perth. Munster's story, from loveable larrikin to Maroons captain, continues to inspire and Grant himself has been moved by it. "I've been lucky enough to grow up in the same region as him and watch his journey to the Storm and now captain of the Maroons," Grant said. "It's been a very inspiring journey and he gives a lot of people hope that you can do it. "You don't always have to be the best kid growing up. You can have a bit of cheek and do things your way too. "He's captain of the Maroons and we love him as a teammate and bloke. You saw what he did in game two." Josh Papalii's recall has given Queensland firepower up front but also an intimate understanding of what it takes to win a State of Origin decider in Sydney. The 33-year-old prop is the only member of the current playing squad to have achieved the rare feat. When playing in just his second Origin match back in 2013, Papalii was among the side that beat NSW 12-10 at Homebush. That was the last time the Maroons have prevailed in a Sydney decider and was the fourth time they had won the Origin shield in the NSW capital. They also won deciders on enemy territory in 1998 and 2008, while an 18-all draw in 2002 was enough to retain bragging rights. Papalii's very presence has been a comfort to the Maroons ahead of his 24th and final Origin showdown. "Papa is a real calming influence on the group," Maroons hooker Harry Grant said. "He's got so much experience and willpower to have a real dig in the Maroons jersey. "I'm really excited for him to have this final opportunity. He's been playing some awesome footy for Canberra." The Maroons, who clung on to win game two 26-24 in Perth, must pull off a 45-year Origin first in Sydney. They have never won two games away from Brisbane to clinch the series after losing the first match. It's an opportunity coach Billy Slater said his side would embrace, rather than be daunted by that history. "We'd never won in Perth either before game two," Slater said. "No Queensland team has lost at home and had to go on the road for game two and three and won the series. What an opportunity it is for this group of men. "That's a real challenge. We're not naive to (not) know where we're going and how good the footy team is that we're playing against, and the individuals in the footy team. It's a task for sure, but what an opportunity it is." Grant said on Monday that Cameron Munster's brave decision to play after the death of his father Steven had motivated the players to give a strong performance to make their skipper's family proud. Grant grew up in Rockhampton, as did Munster. The Maroons skipper was man of the match in the win in game two in Perth. Munster's story, from loveable larrikin to Maroons captain, continues to inspire and Grant himself has been moved by it. "I've been lucky enough to grow up in the same region as him and watch his journey to the Storm and now captain of the Maroons," Grant said. "It's been a very inspiring journey and he gives a lot of people hope that you can do it. "You don't always have to be the best kid growing up. You can have a bit of cheek and do things your way too. "He's captain of the Maroons and we love him as a teammate and bloke. You saw what he did in game two."

25,000 run metres and 200 litres of cola: The crazy numbers behind Brian To'o
25,000 run metres and 200 litres of cola: The crazy numbers behind Brian To'o

The Age

time12 hours ago

  • The Age

25,000 run metres and 200 litres of cola: The crazy numbers behind Brian To'o

With all the grace of a bowling ball hurled down an alley using both hands, To'o has now run for the best part of 25,000 metres with ball in hand at NRL level. The overwhelming majority of that has been straight into defenders, defenders who line up with anywhere between a 10-20 centimetre height advantage over the NSW and Penrith flyer. Almost 8000 of those metres have been the toughest of any in the game – post-contact. After absorbing whatever 200-300 kilos of multiple defenders will throw his way, To'o is without peer when it comes to shoving, shunting and shifting his way to his hands and knees for a quick play-the-ball. And rugby league logic falls a tad short explaining exactly how he does it. To'o is quick, but not abnormally so. At 97kg, he hits the average weight of an NRL winger in 2025. The 182cm he is listed as standing on the NRL website is a noticeable jump from the 174cm he was profiled at in 2019. Short of a healthy mid-20s growth spurt, no-one is willing to explain why. Meantime, plenty of players boast power-packed backsides and glute muscles. Granted, To'o's tree stump legs (tree trunks would be a stretch) are less commonly found. 'But it's not like he puts up big numbers in the gym with them,' NSW and Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards says. 'And he doesn't blow you away in fitness drills or during pre-season testing,' skipper Isaah Yeo muses. 'But then there's not many blokes that can have 25 carries a game and do what he does. I feel like a lot of teams are trying to bring in wingers now that have really good yardage carries like Bizza. 'But I just don't know if anyone can do it as consistently as what he does. And the bigger the occasion, Origin or grand finals, he does it better and better, and has been doing it for five or six years now.' To'o offers a shrug, a grin and a 'shout out to all my short kings, my short brothers out there' when asked the well-worn question. How exactly do you not only survive, but thrive, in a modern-day game of giants and controlled violence? 'It's a weird one, but I swear, I used to be really skinny and fast,' he says. 'I didn't really have much strength or leg drive until I was 18 or 19.' So you locked yourself in the gym and tied yourself to the leg press? 'No, I think I was just eating. And even when I got stronger, I didn't kick on with it until I worked out how to use it, either. 'Making contact, changing direction and using my [leg] drive… I used to always have that mindset of just running at the biggest player and then whatever happens, happens. 'Thank God I never ended up in hospital, I'm still here living and I always kind of love that challenge too, that little disadvantage that other players have being taller than me.' Teenage years spent flipping back and forth on the family trampoline – 'best Christmas present ever' – played their part in To'o's spring-loaded diving tries and attempts to match aerial specialists like Queensland's Xavier Coates. Every Origin since To'o's 2021 debut has been preceded by concern the Blues winger will be targeted under the high ball. Coates's game one flight at Suncorp Stadium – which saw To'o controversially sinbinned for tackling him in the air – was one of the few occasions it has actually happened. All up, To'o has run for close to 3000 metres in 14 straight Origin appearances, with 1053 of those coming after contact. Both tallies are the most of any NSW player in that time. His tally of 10 tries is already closing fast on the all-time Blues record of 11 held by Josh Addo-Carr (15 games), Michael O'Connor (19 games) and Jarryd Hayne (23 games). To'o has barely trained leading into Wednesday's decider after suffering a grade 2 lateral ligament tear in his knee against Canterbury almost two weeks ago. Given he was the Blues best player in Origin II having been similarly restricted by a hamstring injury, To'o and NSW players and staff have insisted all week that he will be right to play. To'o's wife has also insisted his hamstring issues this year have been caused by his dancing – flips, splits and all. 'So now I'm pretty much banned until the off-season.' And when it comes to pulling off things he really shouldn't be able to, To'o and his teammates regularly circle back the rugby league intangibles that can't be measured in kilos and centimetres, G-force or post-contact metres. Penrith players can trace To'o's ability to play busted back to famed tales of him walking to training on a broken leg without realising it when he was 17, and hospitalising himself for four days after collapsing during pre-season sandhill runs. 'He's so powerful and he's such a character,' Yeo says. 'I mean, his diet is just awful. But more than most, I think he just wants to perform for his teammates. He doesn't want to let anyone down and he just seems to be able to push through pain.' Loading Luai adds: 'He's the smallest dude with the biggest heart,' Luai says. 'Yeah, he's got the legs but I think the power he has comes from the love for his teammates and his competitiveness. No matter who he's up against, no matter how much bigger a defender or an attacker is than him, he just puts himself in the right position to win.'

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