Mann ready to join Beetson as oldest Maroons debutants
Canterbury lock Kurt Mann believes he is ready to become Queensland's oldest State of Origin debutant since Arthur Beetson, after waiting more than a decade for his chance.
Mann will run out onto Suncorp Stadium on Sunday against Gold Coast knowing he is inching closer to a Maroons debut at the same ground in Origin I come May 28.
One of the NRL's ultimate journeymen, the 32-year-old last month received the backing of Maroons coach Billy Slater who said Mann had Origin "traits".
A centre when he debuted in the NRL with Melbourne in May 2014, Mann has become one of the key cogs of Canterbury's rebuild for the past two seasons at lock.
He was given a brief taste of Origin environment when he entered Maroons camp in 2021, but the Winton junior from rural Queensland is firming as a bench option this year.
If Mann was to play, he would be the third oldest Origin debutant of all time behind Beetson in the inaugural Origin game in 1980 and NSW prop Tony Butterfield in 1998.
Other than Beetson, who had to wait until his final season when aged 35 for Origin to be introduced, no other Maroon has debuted after their 32nd birthday.
"I'm not getting any younger, so if I was ever going to be ready, I'm ready now," Mann said.
"Regardless of when (a debut comes), you're always going to be excited. I'm not there yet, it's just a mention.
"I've still got to be playing good footy, but I'd definitely be excited and if I was given the opportunity, I'd grab it with both hands."
Slater knows Mann as well as any coach, as they spent two years as teammates at Melbourne at the start of Mann's career.
A halves utility for some time after that, Mann has benefited from mobile middle forwards becoming more valuable with the increased speed of the game.
The Maroons opted to have both Kalyn Ponga and Ben Hunt on their bench in last year's series-deciding loss, and are expected to go with an extra forward this year.
Mann said he had not gone searching for Slater's comments backing him, but several friends had passed them on.
"I've had people mention stuff to me about it … but we've still got a lot of work to do here," Mann said.
"If we take care of our job here at the Bulldogs, the rest will take care of itself.
"It's obviously a credit to Ciro (Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo) and the program they run here for me to be at this age and probably playing my best footy.
Mann also insisted there had been no change in mood at Canterbury ahead of Magic Round, after their first loss of the season to Brisbane.
"We had a minor hiccup on the weekend where we let the game get away from us," Mann said.
"The result was about the only thing that was different. Everyone bounced in (to training) with the same energy."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Eels star facing ban after knocking over NRL referee
Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown is facing a one-match ban after being accused of knocking over referee Gerard Sutton in the Eels' loss to Canterbury. In a dramatic postscript to the 30-12 defeat, Brown was on Sunday night hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge for contact with Sutton. Replays show the Eels five-eighth came into contact with Sutton while running through on a kick chase in the first half. The NRL's match review committee had the option to fine Brown, but decided on a grade-two charge. That brings with it a one-match ban if Brown enters an early guilty plea, or the Kiwi representative would risk a second game on the sideline if he fights it and loses. Brown's charge comes after Melbourne star Harry Grant and Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy were also banned when accused of pushing referees last year. Parramatta have the bye next week, meaning they should have Mitch Moses back from NSW State of Origin duties by the time Brown serves his ban against Gold Coast in round 16. Moses himself avoided any charge for his high tackle on Kurt Mann in the loss, meaning he has no judiciary issue hanging over his head for Origin II. Bulldogs second-rower Viliame Kikau is facing a fine for dangerous contact on Moses' legs when kicking, for which he was sin-binned by Sutton. Canterbury can also breathe a sigh of relief with prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita able to accept a fine for a first-half shoulder charge on Jack Williams. Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown is facing a one-match ban after being accused of knocking over referee Gerard Sutton in the Eels' loss to Canterbury. In a dramatic postscript to the 30-12 defeat, Brown was on Sunday night hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge for contact with Sutton. Replays show the Eels five-eighth came into contact with Sutton while running through on a kick chase in the first half. The NRL's match review committee had the option to fine Brown, but decided on a grade-two charge. That brings with it a one-match ban if Brown enters an early guilty plea, or the Kiwi representative would risk a second game on the sideline if he fights it and loses. Brown's charge comes after Melbourne star Harry Grant and Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy were also banned when accused of pushing referees last year. Parramatta have the bye next week, meaning they should have Mitch Moses back from NSW State of Origin duties by the time Brown serves his ban against Gold Coast in round 16. Moses himself avoided any charge for his high tackle on Kurt Mann in the loss, meaning he has no judiciary issue hanging over his head for Origin II. Bulldogs second-rower Viliame Kikau is facing a fine for dangerous contact on Moses' legs when kicking, for which he was sin-binned by Sutton. Canterbury can also breathe a sigh of relief with prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita able to accept a fine for a first-half shoulder charge on Jack Williams. Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown is facing a one-match ban after being accused of knocking over referee Gerard Sutton in the Eels' loss to Canterbury. In a dramatic postscript to the 30-12 defeat, Brown was on Sunday night hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge for contact with Sutton. Replays show the Eels five-eighth came into contact with Sutton while running through on a kick chase in the first half. The NRL's match review committee had the option to fine Brown, but decided on a grade-two charge. That brings with it a one-match ban if Brown enters an early guilty plea, or the Kiwi representative would risk a second game on the sideline if he fights it and loses. Brown's charge comes after Melbourne star Harry Grant and Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy were also banned when accused of pushing referees last year. Parramatta have the bye next week, meaning they should have Mitch Moses back from NSW State of Origin duties by the time Brown serves his ban against Gold Coast in round 16. Moses himself avoided any charge for his high tackle on Kurt Mann in the loss, meaning he has no judiciary issue hanging over his head for Origin II. Bulldogs second-rower Viliame Kikau is facing a fine for dangerous contact on Moses' legs when kicking, for which he was sin-binned by Sutton. Canterbury can also breathe a sigh of relief with prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita able to accept a fine for a first-half shoulder charge on Jack Williams.
7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Lachlan Galvin shocks new teammate Toby Sexton after coming on in Canterbury debut
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo has given the strongest indication yet he sees Lachlan Galvin as a long-term half, after the teen celebrated his Bulldogs arrival by scoring a try in a 30-12 NRL win over Parramatta. After a fortnight of speculation around his playing position at the Bulldogs, Galvin was forced to wait 57 minutes before entering the field against the Eels on Monday. But when the teenage recruit entered with the Bulldogs leading 14-12, he did so at half, with off-contract No.7 Toby Sexton shifting to hooker. Galvin responded by being heavily involved in Canterbury's attack, linking with five-eighth Matt Burton in the lead up to a Viliame Kikau try. And, after Harry Hayes crossed to make it 24-12, Galvin sealed the win by putting Connor Tracey into space on the right edge and staying alive in the play to score. 'He plays in the halves, that's his preferred position,' Ciraldo said. 'When we looked at bringing him in immediately we probably thought he could fill a number of positions and he might be able to do that. 'But he is predominantly a half and I thought he did a great job tonight. 'The learning is not over, he has been here a week. He still has a lot to learn. But today has been a great start for him, we're really proud of him and he has fitted in great.' Speaking to Fox Sports after the game, Sexton said he was unaware of the coach's plan for Galvin, which meant he was caught by surprise when it happened in real time. 'He (Galvin) came on and said 'play hooker' and I thought he was joking for a second and he goes, 'Nah, you're actually playing hooker', and I thought, 'Oh, righto — this will be good',' Sexton said. 'Whatever is my role in the team, the coach is going to decide that and I just have to play to the best of my ability. We've got lots of strike in the team and they're good headaches for the coach to have.' Galvin said he was just following the coach's direction. 'I thought I was coming on at lock or centre, I didn't know and then Ciro told me go into the halves so whatever Ciro wants and the boys need, I'll do it,' Galvin said on Fox Sports. 'If we keep winning like that I'll do anything.' Galvin had been one of the most divisive figures in rugby league for the past two months, such was the nature of his highly-publicised exit from Wests Tigers. But there was nothing but love from Bulldogs fans, with a crowd of 59,878 in Accor Stadium on Monday watching Canterbury stay top of the ladder. The 19-year-old's name was chanted before he even entered the field, while he earned a standing ovation as he ran on, and again with each of his first touches. The roar was enormous when he crossed late in the match, 10 days after officially putting pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year deal with the Bulldogs. Ciraldo admitted afterwards he had not initially planned on playing Galvin earlier in the week. 'I thought he would play NSW Cup,' Ciraldo said. 'But every training session he did he got better, he understood our systems better. 'And by the end of the week it was clear we needed to have him in the team and he could help us win the game.' Notable too was how impressive Sexton's kicking game was for Canterbury before moving to hooker. Sexton is seemingly unlikely to be re-signed, but showed he could spend more time at dummy-half on Monday. 'We had a little crack at it at training and it's something we thought we needed to win the game at the back end there,' Ciraldo said. 'I thought our attack functioned really well with him at hooker and that allowed Lachy to play his natural role. 'We talk a lot about putting the team before yourself, and Toby did that tonight as he does all the time.' Canterbury's starting hooker Reed Mahoney cut a dejected figure in the sheds afterwards, and did not speak to media as he left the stadium. It came after a game where Canterbury dominated field position for the majority of the match, only for Parramatta's resolute defence to keep them in the contest. Burton picked off a Ryley Smith pass from a scrum to go 60 metres and score the Bulldogs' first in the seventh minute. The Eels quickly responded in kind when Zac Lomax intercepted one of Burton's and Mitch Moses completed a 90-metre effort. The teams were then again level at 12-12, before Parramatta's 10 second-half errors told and the blue-and-gold wall eventually broke to leave them 16th on the ladder. 'We're our own worst enemy at the moment,' Moses said. 'The last few weeks we have beaten ourselves a bit and not nailed opportunities.'
7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Parramatta playmaker Dylan facing ban after accusation of knocking over referee Gerard Sutton
Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown is facing a one-match ban after being accused of knocking over referee Gerard Sutton in the Eels' loss to Canterbury. In a dramatic postscript to the 30-12 defeat, Brown was on Sunday night hit with a grade-two contrary conduct charge for contact with Sutton. Replays show the Eels five-eighth came into contact with Sutton while running through on a kick chase in the first half. The NRL's match review committee had the option to fine Brown, but decided on a grade-two charge. That brings with it a one-match ban if Brown enters an early guilty plea, or the Kiwi representative would risk a second game on the sideline if he fights it and loses. Brown's charge comes after Melbourne star Harry Grant and Cronulla fullback Will Kennedy were also banned when accused of pushing referees last year. Parramatta have the bye next week, meaning they should have Mitch Moses back from NSW State of Origin duties by the time Brown serves his ban against Gold Coast in round 16. Moses himself avoided any charge for his high tackle on Kurt Mann in the loss, meaning he has no judiciary issue hanging over his head for Origin II. Bulldogs second-rower Viliame Kikau is facing a fine for dangerous contact on Moses' legs when kicking, for which he was sin-binned by Sutton. Canterbury can also breathe a sigh of relief with prop Daniel Suluka-Fifita able to accept a fine for a first-half shoulder charge on Jack Williams.
