‘Wasn't up to scratch': Roosters on notice as Storm looks to bounce back from costly loss in star's milestone match
Coates suffered his first loss at AAMI Park since 2022 when the Storm were upset by Manly thanks to a late penalty goal despite him scoring three tries.
It sets up a cracking contest with Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who is level with him on 13 tries and has already wrapped up try of the year after Coates won it last year.
Scoring tries isn't the Storm star's main focus after his side completed just 71 per cent of their sets and conceded two costly penalties to drop to third spot ahead of a tricky trip to Sydney.
'We've had some really tough conversations over the last few days in the review of the game, and our discipline wasn't up to scratch,' he said.
'We weren't completing like we usually do, and it was an off game for all of us boys, but we're looking to bounce back on Thursday and we know we're coming up against another quality opposition in the Roosters, so we've got to be on our 'A' game.
'Our performance wasn't up to scratch on Saturday night and it's not the style of footy that we want to play.
'We're fixing it up during this training week and making sure we're nailing basics first and foremost and not trying to play flashy footy.'
Dolphins flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is the only player who has scored more tries than the aerial acrobat this season, but a win is all he wants after a mixed night against Manly.
It's a bird... It's a plane... It's Xavier Coates! 🦸�♂� pic.twitter.com/o1XYa1kutT
— NRL (@NRL) July 19, 2025
'All that stuff is nice and all, but there are a lot of things that I want to fix up in my game,' he said.
'There were a lot of things that I feel I didn't do well on Saturday night, so I know this week I want to fix them up, and hopefully I come out on Thursday and fix that all up.'
Coates has taken a lot of confidence out of Queensland's State of Origin win and is feeling good after dealing with hamstring issues in the past.
He's playing his most consistent footy in his fourth season at the club after he made his debut with the Broncos, with Coates scoring 72 tries heading into his 100th appearance.
'It's a bit of a weird feeling. It's gone pretty quickly and I still feel like an 18-year-old,' he said.
'I'm 24 now and will have 100 games under my belt, so it's a surreal feeling. It's a massive achievement to do it here at the Melbourne Storm which is such a great club that have done so much for me.
'My teacher and mentor back on the Gold Coast for junior footy was Matty Geyer, who played here at the Melbourne Storm and is a club legend.
'He's done so much for the game and so much for the club. He used to speak about how great of a club it is, and I always thought what it would be like to play there.
'Now that I'm in the position I'm in, it's a surreal feeling and I'm really excited to go out on Thursday and do my job to hopefully get the win.'
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The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Pride restored: The Wallabies' magnificent win proves they're back
The fact that this proved to be, without doubt, the driest and calmest 40 minutes of the entire night, made the decision appear absurd. Yes, storms with lightning can be serious, but surely this showpiece match being beamed around the world would only be stopped for that long when lightning had already taken out the three adjoining suburbs and was heading our way? The NRL match between the Roosters and the Manly Sea-Eagles over Brookvale way didn't blink, despite being under the same weather pattern, so why was this match? And it wasn't just that stoppage that caused frustration. Time and again in the second half there were so many injury stoppages and referee consultations with assistant referees and the bunker that – again – it was nothing less than absurd. Sure, the officials have to make the right decision, we get that. But that need has to be balanced against the need to keep the match moving. We'll live with the odd mistake — see the final decision of the second Test (don't get the fans started) — but rugby at this level cannot continue to have so many stoppages. And another frustration, seeing as you ask – beyond the wonder of the superb tries by Dylan Pietch, Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott – were the tries gone begging that were left out there. A cricket score to the goodies was possible, but just didn't happen. Just after the resumption of play, after superb lead-up work by Nic White and Tom Hooper – who had a great game – Will Skelton slipped a singularly slick pass to the hugely talented but slightly erratic prop Taniela Tupou who hit the accelerator in a manner entirely unbecoming for a man who would give you little change from 140 kgs. He was through the defence and going faster still! Oh how we roared in Row P on the southern end of the ground as Tupou roared towards us like 'Pavarotti on a skateboard', to borrow Denis Commeti's felicitous phrase. The line was wide open and a try for the ages was just 15 metres away. Quite what happened next was not clear – a pass gone awry, or a simple drop? But the ball slipped through his fingers and went to ground. Bugger! Twenty minutes later, just after Len Ikitau nearly burrowed through the Lions' forward pack to go over, the ball came out to our superb fullback Tom Wright on the fly, who just spilled the pill with the line again wide-open and Jorgensen all but unmarked on the wing. Just a couple of minutes later again, it was Jorgensen himself who raged towards the stripe with his fellow winger Dylan Pietsch just outside him. Jorgensen took the tackle and released the ball superbly, only for Pietsch to just bobble it. Against such quibbles however, the Wallabies really were magnificent for their richly deserved 22-12 win and the lessons out of this match surely obvious to all. First and foremost it was concrete confirmation of what your ever less humble correspondent wrote last week: two years out from a home World Cup, this side has the makings of magnificence in it. Ways must be found to keep them together. The heart of the pack must be Will Skelton. He is way too important to Australian rugby to be plying his wares in club rugby for La Rochelle in the French Championnat. Instead of having him as a fly-in fly-out Wallaby lock for three or four Tests a year, get him back here for the full season. It is not just his heft in the pack and his ability to make metres with five men on his back. It is his presence, his terrifying insouciance no matter what the opposition are throwing at him – his ability to lift the team around him. We now understand what we didn't when Eddie Jones unexpectedly named him Wallabies captain for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. How different that campaign, too, might have been had Skelton not been injured early to miss all but the first and last matches. But Skelton is the man. We all saw it tonight. With him, Nick Frost was a revelation in the lineouts, constantly securing the ball for us, and pinching theirs. Taniela Tupou, as mentioned, is like no prop we've ever seen before and like Hooper and Skelton is about to head off to European club rugby. Kiss' challenge will be to bring these crucial bits of the jigsaw puzzle back to Oz and turn them into the World Cup winning team they really could be, while Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight – and maybe even James Slipper for another year? – keep the home fires burning. Meantime it must be time to move Tate McDermott from the reserves bench to make him starting half-back every time. Yes, Nic White had a great game, and the standing ovation he received when he went off with twenty minutes to go was both for his Wallaby career now concluded, and how well he had played on the night. But McDermott is obviously the future, and it may as well start now. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii gets better with every match and – good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise – should be a mainstay of the Wallaby backline for years to come. Max Jorgensen on the wing was dangerous every time he touched the ball as was Dylan Pietsch. Tom Lynagh went off with concussion 33 minutes in, but there is now no more doubt about either his courage or his skill. This match proves it. The Wallabies are back. We just need to back them, keep them together and watch them continue to grow. For now, be proud. Tonight, they killed it. A word for the Lions, though? Yes. Congratulations. Led by your magnificent captain Maro Itoje, you were worthy winners and by and large played a great kind of rugby. Bravo. Your supporters were great, and displayed the spirit that makes rugby such a wonderful international game.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Pride restored: The Wallabies' magnificent win proves they're back
The fact that this proved to be, without doubt, the driest and calmest 40 minutes of the entire night, made the decision appear absurd. Yes, storms with lightning can be serious, but surely this showpiece match being beamed around the world would only be stopped for that long when lightning had already taken out the three adjoining suburbs and was heading our way? The NRL match between the Roosters and the Manly Sea-Eagles over Brookvale way didn't blink, despite being under the same weather pattern, so why was this match? And it wasn't just that stoppage that caused frustration. Time and again in the second half there were so many injury stoppages and referee consultations with assistant referees and the bunker that – again – it was nothing less than absurd. Sure, the officials have to make the right decision, we get that. But that need has to be balanced against the need to keep the match moving. We'll live with the odd mistake — see the final decision of the second Test (don't get the fans started) — but rugby at this level cannot continue to have so many stoppages. And another frustration, seeing as you ask – beyond the wonder of the superb tries by Dylan Pietch, Max Jorgensen and Tate McDermott – were the tries gone begging that were left out there. A cricket score to the goodies was possible, but just didn't happen. Just after the resumption of play, after superb lead-up work by Nic White and Tom Hooper – who had a great game – Will Skelton slipped a singularly slick pass to the hugely talented but slightly erratic prop Taniela Tupou who hit the accelerator in a manner entirely unbecoming for a man who would give you little change from 140 kgs. He was through the defence and going faster still! Oh how we roared in Row P on the southern end of the ground as Tupou roared towards us like 'Pavarotti on a skateboard', to borrow Denis Commeti's felicitous phrase. The line was wide open and a try for the ages was just 15 metres away. Quite what happened next was not clear – a pass gone awry, or a simple drop? But the ball slipped through his fingers and went to ground. Bugger! Twenty minutes later, just after Len Ikitau nearly burrowed through the Lions' forward pack to go over, the ball came out to our superb fullback Tom Wright on the fly, who just spilled the pill with the line again wide-open and Jorgensen all but unmarked on the wing. Just a couple of minutes later again, it was Jorgensen himself who raged towards the stripe with his fellow winger Dylan Pietsch just outside him. Jorgensen took the tackle and released the ball superbly, only for Pietsch to just bobble it. Against such quibbles however, the Wallabies really were magnificent for their richly deserved 22-12 win and the lessons out of this match surely obvious to all. First and foremost it was concrete confirmation of what your ever less humble correspondent wrote last week: two years out from a home World Cup, this side has the makings of magnificence in it. Ways must be found to keep them together. The heart of the pack must be Will Skelton. He is way too important to Australian rugby to be plying his wares in club rugby for La Rochelle in the French Championnat. Instead of having him as a fly-in fly-out Wallaby lock for three or four Tests a year, get him back here for the full season. It is not just his heft in the pack and his ability to make metres with five men on his back. It is his presence, his terrifying insouciance no matter what the opposition are throwing at him – his ability to lift the team around him. We now understand what we didn't when Eddie Jones unexpectedly named him Wallabies captain for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. How different that campaign, too, might have been had Skelton not been injured early to miss all but the first and last matches. But Skelton is the man. We all saw it tonight. With him, Nick Frost was a revelation in the lineouts, constantly securing the ball for us, and pinching theirs. Taniela Tupou, as mentioned, is like no prop we've ever seen before and like Hooper and Skelton is about to head off to European club rugby. Kiss' challenge will be to bring these crucial bits of the jigsaw puzzle back to Oz and turn them into the World Cup winning team they really could be, while Harry Wilson, Fraser McReight – and maybe even James Slipper for another year? – keep the home fires burning. Meantime it must be time to move Tate McDermott from the reserves bench to make him starting half-back every time. 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Your supporters were great, and displayed the spirit that makes rugby such a wonderful international game.
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Swan stakes All-Australian claim in win over Bombers
Sydney have handed Essendon a ninth consecutive loss, defeating the Bombers by 14 points in a scrappy contest in slippery conditions at the superstar Errol Gulden kicked the first goal of the game in his 100th AFL match, and the hosts were never headed thereafter, cruising to a 9.14 (68) to 7.12 (54) win on Saturday. Ruckman Brodie Grundy continued his excellent form, giving Sydney's midfielders first use around stoppages while winning 13 clearances and 39 disposals, including 16 in the final 31-year-old has polled coaches' votes in his last seven games and is making a late run as a contender for the All-Australian ruck mantle. "Not only his ability to cover the ground, but his intensity around the ball has been a big highlight for a long period of time," Sydney coach Dean Cox said post-match. "He's had a very, very impressive season." 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The Swans had 115 more uncontested disposals, and were able to change angles and string together chains of handballs, while the Bombers were impotent with the ball in 16 players unavailable due to injury, Essendon looked undermanned and often uninspired, regularly kicking the ball long down the line for little reward on the scoreboard."We fought hard but there are just a lot of things we've got to improve on," Bombers coach Brad Scott said. "I don't think our supporters would've watched that and thought there was a lack of effort from our players - maybe a lack of class and experience, but we'll keep working on that." Essendon managed just four goals to three-quarter time, but mounted a late challenge in the final term through goals from Mason Redman, Isaac Kako and Lachie Blakiston. But with the margin trimmed to 13 points, Sydney settled and took control, slowing down play and chipping the ball around to wind down the clock for the final 10 minutes. Sam Durham battled manfully for the Bombers, while Rising Star contender Archie Roberts showed great composure in the back half. In an unusual sight, play was stopped for a short period in the first quarter while a grounds-keeper took to the field to fill a hole in the ground with sand. It's not the first issue the SCG has had with its surface this year, with the ground called into question after Sydney's round 16 loss to the Western Bulldogs, in which players continually slipped over. Finals is out of the equation for Sydney, but the Swans are desperate to head into 2026 with confidence and momentum. "I didn't find it tough to get motivated," Cox said. "As a footy club we have to finish the year off as well as we possibly can." Sydney have handed Essendon a ninth consecutive loss, defeating the Bombers by 14 points in a scrappy contest in slippery conditions at the superstar Errol Gulden kicked the first goal of the game in his 100th AFL match, and the hosts were never headed thereafter, cruising to a 9.14 (68) to 7.12 (54) win on Saturday. Ruckman Brodie Grundy continued his excellent form, giving Sydney's midfielders first use around stoppages while winning 13 clearances and 39 disposals, including 16 in the final 31-year-old has polled coaches' votes in his last seven games and is making a late run as a contender for the All-Australian ruck mantle. "Not only his ability to cover the ground, but his intensity around the ball has been a big highlight for a long period of time," Sydney coach Dean Cox said post-match. "He's had a very, very impressive season." With Nick Blakey (28 disposals, 678m gained) controlling play from the back half, and Gulden (30 disposals, 575m gained) and Isaac Heeney (28 disposals, 14 contested) dominant through the middle, the Swans never looked like losing. Sydney lacked an obvious focal point in attack, with Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean on the sidelines, but found goals through Braeden Campbell and Justin McInerney, who kicked two each. Jack Buller's classy drop punt goal from a set shot on the boundary was a rare highlight on a scrappy day where the two sides combined for 26 behinds and only 16 goals. Livewire Tom Papley managed just one goal and was well-held by first-gamer Jayden Nguyen, Essendon's 14th debutant for 2025. Essendon battled hard around the contest throughout, finishing with just eight fewer contested possessions, six more tackles and four more clearances than the Swans. But the gap in class was clear when it came to ball use. The Swans had 115 more uncontested disposals, and were able to change angles and string together chains of handballs, while the Bombers were impotent with the ball in 16 players unavailable due to injury, Essendon looked undermanned and often uninspired, regularly kicking the ball long down the line for little reward on the scoreboard."We fought hard but there are just a lot of things we've got to improve on," Bombers coach Brad Scott said. "I don't think our supporters would've watched that and thought there was a lack of effort from our players - maybe a lack of class and experience, but we'll keep working on that." Essendon managed just four goals to three-quarter time, but mounted a late challenge in the final term through goals from Mason Redman, Isaac Kako and Lachie Blakiston. But with the margin trimmed to 13 points, Sydney settled and took control, slowing down play and chipping the ball around to wind down the clock for the final 10 minutes. Sam Durham battled manfully for the Bombers, while Rising Star contender Archie Roberts showed great composure in the back half. In an unusual sight, play was stopped for a short period in the first quarter while a grounds-keeper took to the field to fill a hole in the ground with sand. It's not the first issue the SCG has had with its surface this year, with the ground called into question after Sydney's round 16 loss to the Western Bulldogs, in which players continually slipped over. Finals is out of the equation for Sydney, but the Swans are desperate to head into 2026 with confidence and momentum. "I didn't find it tough to get motivated," Cox said. "As a footy club we have to finish the year off as well as we possibly can." Sydney have handed Essendon a ninth consecutive loss, defeating the Bombers by 14 points in a scrappy contest in slippery conditions at the superstar Errol Gulden kicked the first goal of the game in his 100th AFL match, and the hosts were never headed thereafter, cruising to a 9.14 (68) to 7.12 (54) win on Saturday. Ruckman Brodie Grundy continued his excellent form, giving Sydney's midfielders first use around stoppages while winning 13 clearances and 39 disposals, including 16 in the final 31-year-old has polled coaches' votes in his last seven games and is making a late run as a contender for the All-Australian ruck mantle. "Not only his ability to cover the ground, but his intensity around the ball has been a big highlight for a long period of time," Sydney coach Dean Cox said post-match. "He's had a very, very impressive season." With Nick Blakey (28 disposals, 678m gained) controlling play from the back half, and Gulden (30 disposals, 575m gained) and Isaac Heeney (28 disposals, 14 contested) dominant through the middle, the Swans never looked like losing. Sydney lacked an obvious focal point in attack, with Joel Amartey, Logan McDonald and Hayden McLean on the sidelines, but found goals through Braeden Campbell and Justin McInerney, who kicked two each. Jack Buller's classy drop punt goal from a set shot on the boundary was a rare highlight on a scrappy day where the two sides combined for 26 behinds and only 16 goals. Livewire Tom Papley managed just one goal and was well-held by first-gamer Jayden Nguyen, Essendon's 14th debutant for 2025. Essendon battled hard around the contest throughout, finishing with just eight fewer contested possessions, six more tackles and four more clearances than the Swans. But the gap in class was clear when it came to ball use. The Swans had 115 more uncontested disposals, and were able to change angles and string together chains of handballs, while the Bombers were impotent with the ball in 16 players unavailable due to injury, Essendon looked undermanned and often uninspired, regularly kicking the ball long down the line for little reward on the scoreboard."We fought hard but there are just a lot of things we've got to improve on," Bombers coach Brad Scott said. "I don't think our supporters would've watched that and thought there was a lack of effort from our players - maybe a lack of class and experience, but we'll keep working on that." Essendon managed just four goals to three-quarter time, but mounted a late challenge in the final term through goals from Mason Redman, Isaac Kako and Lachie Blakiston. But with the margin trimmed to 13 points, Sydney settled and took control, slowing down play and chipping the ball around to wind down the clock for the final 10 minutes. Sam Durham battled manfully for the Bombers, while Rising Star contender Archie Roberts showed great composure in the back half. In an unusual sight, play was stopped for a short period in the first quarter while a grounds-keeper took to the field to fill a hole in the ground with sand. It's not the first issue the SCG has had with its surface this year, with the ground called into question after Sydney's round 16 loss to the Western Bulldogs, in which players continually slipped over. Finals is out of the equation for Sydney, but the Swans are desperate to head into 2026 with confidence and momentum. "I didn't find it tough to get motivated," Cox said. "As a footy club we have to finish the year off as well as we possibly can."
