Depth test for Cowboys, Dolphins with key losses
The depth of North Queensland and the Dolphins will be tested, with suspension, injury and State of Origin cutting a swathe through the ranks of both teams.
The Cowboys welcome back inspirational forward Jason Taumalolo and Queensland winger Murray Taulagi for their home clash with the Dolphins on Saturday night.
The Cowboys have lost Reece Robson, Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai to Origin, while John Bateman and Viliame Vailea are suspended.
The Dolphins have been smashed by long-term injuries to key forwards Tom Gilbert, Max Plath and Daniel Saifiti, but have still found a way to ninth place on the ladder, just one point behind the Cowboys.
They will also be without Maroons outside back Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten has given a debut to 19-year-old front-rower Kaiden Lahrs, son of former Test and Origin prop Tom Learoyd-Lahrs. Cowboys prop Jordan McLean played alongside Tom at Melbourne and will now line up with his son in a rare double.
"Kaiden has been around the game since he was a kid. He has worked really hard off the back of a couple of shoulder reconstructions," Payten said.
"I have a high opinion of him and he has come a long way. He has a short stint in him of fire and brimstone. Just run hard and tackle hard, keep moving and enjoy the occasion."
The return of Taumalolo and Taulagi has lifted the Cowboys.
"There is energy amongst the group and everyone is super-keen to give it our best shot, and it is good to have those two back and certainly some experience," Payten said.
"We have missed Jase's go-forward and punch through the middle and Muz with his talk and connection on the edge."
Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said lock Plath would see a specialist about a suspected ruptured ACL in last week's win over St George Illawarra.
"Even though Max hasn't seen a specialist we are prepared for the worst," Woolf said.
"If there is something that's better that'd be great, but I don't think it'll be the case.
"It gives other guys opportunities.
"(Forwards) like Kurt Donoghoe, Oryn Keeley and Connelly (Lemuelu) are getting to play more of a role and growing in their roles.
"We don't want to lose good players, but I love the way the other guys are taking their opportunities with both hands."
Versatile Donoghoe did a great job at lock last week and will again be given the chance to wear the No.13 jersey.
"He's a guy that I trust enormously," Woolf said.
"We know the effort he'll put in every week. He can play multiple positions.
"He will play nine and 13 for us going forward and is a guy that keeps delivering."
Keeley is another young gun to start making his mark in the back row.
"Last year he was playing Queensland Cup and playing in a successful Norths team. He looked a bit too good for that competition," Woolf said.
"He looked ready to play NRL but had a disrupted pre-season with a broken foot.
"He's a lot more prepared now and has some tough games under his belt.
"I love the enthusiasm and the way he's gone about his opportunity."
The depth of North Queensland and the Dolphins will be tested, with suspension, injury and State of Origin cutting a swathe through the ranks of both teams.
The Cowboys welcome back inspirational forward Jason Taumalolo and Queensland winger Murray Taulagi for their home clash with the Dolphins on Saturday night.
The Cowboys have lost Reece Robson, Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai to Origin, while John Bateman and Viliame Vailea are suspended.
The Dolphins have been smashed by long-term injuries to key forwards Tom Gilbert, Max Plath and Daniel Saifiti, but have still found a way to ninth place on the ladder, just one point behind the Cowboys.
They will also be without Maroons outside back Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten has given a debut to 19-year-old front-rower Kaiden Lahrs, son of former Test and Origin prop Tom Learoyd-Lahrs. Cowboys prop Jordan McLean played alongside Tom at Melbourne and will now line up with his son in a rare double.
"Kaiden has been around the game since he was a kid. He has worked really hard off the back of a couple of shoulder reconstructions," Payten said.
"I have a high opinion of him and he has come a long way. He has a short stint in him of fire and brimstone. Just run hard and tackle hard, keep moving and enjoy the occasion."
The return of Taumalolo and Taulagi has lifted the Cowboys.
"There is energy amongst the group and everyone is super-keen to give it our best shot, and it is good to have those two back and certainly some experience," Payten said.
"We have missed Jase's go-forward and punch through the middle and Muz with his talk and connection on the edge."
Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said lock Plath would see a specialist about a suspected ruptured ACL in last week's win over St George Illawarra.
"Even though Max hasn't seen a specialist we are prepared for the worst," Woolf said.
"If there is something that's better that'd be great, but I don't think it'll be the case.
"It gives other guys opportunities.
"(Forwards) like Kurt Donoghoe, Oryn Keeley and Connelly (Lemuelu) are getting to play more of a role and growing in their roles.
"We don't want to lose good players, but I love the way the other guys are taking their opportunities with both hands."
Versatile Donoghoe did a great job at lock last week and will again be given the chance to wear the No.13 jersey.
"He's a guy that I trust enormously," Woolf said.
"We know the effort he'll put in every week. He can play multiple positions.
"He will play nine and 13 for us going forward and is a guy that keeps delivering."
Keeley is another young gun to start making his mark in the back row.
"Last year he was playing Queensland Cup and playing in a successful Norths team. He looked a bit too good for that competition," Woolf said.
"He looked ready to play NRL but had a disrupted pre-season with a broken foot.
"He's a lot more prepared now and has some tough games under his belt.
"I love the enthusiasm and the way he's gone about his opportunity."
The depth of North Queensland and the Dolphins will be tested, with suspension, injury and State of Origin cutting a swathe through the ranks of both teams.
The Cowboys welcome back inspirational forward Jason Taumalolo and Queensland winger Murray Taulagi for their home clash with the Dolphins on Saturday night.
The Cowboys have lost Reece Robson, Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai to Origin, while John Bateman and Viliame Vailea are suspended.
The Dolphins have been smashed by long-term injuries to key forwards Tom Gilbert, Max Plath and Daniel Saifiti, but have still found a way to ninth place on the ladder, just one point behind the Cowboys.
They will also be without Maroons outside back Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten has given a debut to 19-year-old front-rower Kaiden Lahrs, son of former Test and Origin prop Tom Learoyd-Lahrs. Cowboys prop Jordan McLean played alongside Tom at Melbourne and will now line up with his son in a rare double.
"Kaiden has been around the game since he was a kid. He has worked really hard off the back of a couple of shoulder reconstructions," Payten said.
"I have a high opinion of him and he has come a long way. He has a short stint in him of fire and brimstone. Just run hard and tackle hard, keep moving and enjoy the occasion."
The return of Taumalolo and Taulagi has lifted the Cowboys.
"There is energy amongst the group and everyone is super-keen to give it our best shot, and it is good to have those two back and certainly some experience," Payten said.
"We have missed Jase's go-forward and punch through the middle and Muz with his talk and connection on the edge."
Meanwhile, Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said lock Plath would see a specialist about a suspected ruptured ACL in last week's win over St George Illawarra.
"Even though Max hasn't seen a specialist we are prepared for the worst," Woolf said.
"If there is something that's better that'd be great, but I don't think it'll be the case.
"It gives other guys opportunities.
"(Forwards) like Kurt Donoghoe, Oryn Keeley and Connelly (Lemuelu) are getting to play more of a role and growing in their roles.
"We don't want to lose good players, but I love the way the other guys are taking their opportunities with both hands."
Versatile Donoghoe did a great job at lock last week and will again be given the chance to wear the No.13 jersey.
"He's a guy that I trust enormously," Woolf said.
"We know the effort he'll put in every week. He can play multiple positions.
"He will play nine and 13 for us going forward and is a guy that keeps delivering."
Keeley is another young gun to start making his mark in the back row.
"Last year he was playing Queensland Cup and playing in a successful Norths team. He looked a bit too good for that competition," Woolf said.
"He looked ready to play NRL but had a disrupted pre-season with a broken foot.
"He's a lot more prepared now and has some tough games under his belt.
"I love the enthusiasm and the way he's gone about his opportunity."
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie swimmers try to surface from post-Olympic blues
An unsettled Kaylee McKeown went from a "dark place" mentally to no place of her own. She's living in holiday rentals. Fellow golden girl Mollie O'Callaghan was in a "hole". She's still trying to dig herself out. Struggling Shayna Jack went to the jungle "to find myself". She got home, lost her beloved dog, and isn't over the mental toll. Zac Stubblety-Cook went from Paris and more Olympic glory to questioning if he wanted to keep swimming. "The post-Olympic blues is always something to be mindful of," Stubblety-Cook said in Adelaide at Australia's swim trials for next month's world titles. "I think people underestimate what it is. "We had such a successful Games, especially our female team. "To come off the back of that, of course you're going to feel a bit alone. I think that's just normal." Stubblety-Cook, an Olympic gold and silver medallist, is among a chorus of swimmers in Adelaide detailing the mental lows that followed their highs. And the Dolphins' leadership group member said there was a positive among the negatives. "Everyone is a human and it's nice to see a bit of the human side of the sport," he said. Dolphins teammate Lani Pallister said the human factor was often overlooked, compounding post-Olympic problems. "This is going to sound really brutal but I think sometimes people forget athletes are also people," Pallister said. "There's so much expectation put on Australian swimmers ... we're expected to win multiple gold medals. "And sometimes if you don't race at your best, it's almost the public that bring you down." Even those that race at their best were impacted. McKeown, the only Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals, took four months off after Paris. "I was in a really dark place mentally," she 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." After her break, and with her coach Michael Bohl retired, she changed swim clubs and moved to Queensland's Gold Coast from the Sunshine Coast. "I spent four months in a group where I wasn't finding myself really happy," McKeown said. "I made the quick decision a week before nationals (in April) and moved back to Sunny Coast. "I still haven't got a house to live. I'm in Airbnb's. "It has been a really hard transition; just the things that people don't really see when you come and race." O'Callaghan was the nation's most successful athlete in Paris, collecting three golds plus a silver and bronze. Post-Olympics, she took five months, trying to find her identity outside of the pool. The 21-year-old admitted she was still searching but was pragmatic about her problems. "You have to always step in that dark place to get the best out of yourself," O'Callaghan said. "That's what sport is about. It's putting yourself in that hole to see how mentally strong you are - and I've definitely done that this season." Her teammate Jack won two golds in Paris at her first Olympics - she missed the Tokyo Games, having just served a two-year doping ban. Jack, who was cleared of intentional doping, had a European Great Dane named Hugo - he was the sole reason she got out of bed many days while suspended. After Paris, Jack went on the television show I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here. Soon after returning home, she lost Hugo to cancer. "I went to the jungle to try and find myself ... but when I got home and finding out that I was losing my dog, it was a huge mental toll," she said. "He got me through everything to come back in the first place. "I had two weeks with him; there was regret just around whether or not I did everything for him. "I felt a lot of that guilt. Did I do right by him, by choosing my swimming a lot of the time, and choosing my career over my dog?" Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An unsettled Kaylee McKeown went from a "dark place" mentally to no place of her own. She's living in holiday rentals. Fellow golden girl Mollie O'Callaghan was in a "hole". She's still trying to dig herself out. Struggling Shayna Jack went to the jungle "to find myself". She got home, lost her beloved dog, and isn't over the mental toll. Zac Stubblety-Cook went from Paris and more Olympic glory to questioning if he wanted to keep swimming. "The post-Olympic blues is always something to be mindful of," Stubblety-Cook said in Adelaide at Australia's swim trials for next month's world titles. "I think people underestimate what it is. "We had such a successful Games, especially our female team. "To come off the back of that, of course you're going to feel a bit alone. I think that's just normal." Stubblety-Cook, an Olympic gold and silver medallist, is among a chorus of swimmers in Adelaide detailing the mental lows that followed their highs. And the Dolphins' leadership group member said there was a positive among the negatives. "Everyone is a human and it's nice to see a bit of the human side of the sport," he said. Dolphins teammate Lani Pallister said the human factor was often overlooked, compounding post-Olympic problems. "This is going to sound really brutal but I think sometimes people forget athletes are also people," Pallister said. "There's so much expectation put on Australian swimmers ... we're expected to win multiple gold medals. "And sometimes if you don't race at your best, it's almost the public that bring you down." Even those that race at their best were impacted. McKeown, the only Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals, took four months off after Paris. "I was in a really dark place mentally," she 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." After her break, and with her coach Michael Bohl retired, she changed swim clubs and moved to Queensland's Gold Coast from the Sunshine Coast. "I spent four months in a group where I wasn't finding myself really happy," McKeown said. "I made the quick decision a week before nationals (in April) and moved back to Sunny Coast. "I still haven't got a house to live. I'm in Airbnb's. "It has been a really hard transition; just the things that people don't really see when you come and race." O'Callaghan was the nation's most successful athlete in Paris, collecting three golds plus a silver and bronze. Post-Olympics, she took five months, trying to find her identity outside of the pool. The 21-year-old admitted she was still searching but was pragmatic about her problems. "You have to always step in that dark place to get the best out of yourself," O'Callaghan said. "That's what sport is about. It's putting yourself in that hole to see how mentally strong you are - and I've definitely done that this season." Her teammate Jack won two golds in Paris at her first Olympics - she missed the Tokyo Games, having just served a two-year doping ban. Jack, who was cleared of intentional doping, had a European Great Dane named Hugo - he was the sole reason she got out of bed many days while suspended. After Paris, Jack went on the television show I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here. Soon after returning home, she lost Hugo to cancer. "I went to the jungle to try and find myself ... but when I got home and finding out that I was losing my dog, it was a huge mental toll," she said. "He got me through everything to come back in the first place. "I had two weeks with him; there was regret just around whether or not I did everything for him. "I felt a lot of that guilt. Did I do right by him, by choosing my swimming a lot of the time, and choosing my career over my dog?" Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 An unsettled Kaylee McKeown went from a "dark place" mentally to no place of her own. She's living in holiday rentals. Fellow golden girl Mollie O'Callaghan was in a "hole". She's still trying to dig herself out. Struggling Shayna Jack went to the jungle "to find myself". She got home, lost her beloved dog, and isn't over the mental toll. Zac Stubblety-Cook went from Paris and more Olympic glory to questioning if he wanted to keep swimming. "The post-Olympic blues is always something to be mindful of," Stubblety-Cook said in Adelaide at Australia's swim trials for next month's world titles. "I think people underestimate what it is. "We had such a successful Games, especially our female team. "To come off the back of that, of course you're going to feel a bit alone. I think that's just normal." Stubblety-Cook, an Olympic gold and silver medallist, is among a chorus of swimmers in Adelaide detailing the mental lows that followed their highs. And the Dolphins' leadership group member said there was a positive among the negatives. "Everyone is a human and it's nice to see a bit of the human side of the sport," he said. Dolphins teammate Lani Pallister said the human factor was often overlooked, compounding post-Olympic problems. "This is going to sound really brutal but I think sometimes people forget athletes are also people," Pallister said. "There's so much expectation put on Australian swimmers ... we're expected to win multiple gold medals. "And sometimes if you don't race at your best, it's almost the public that bring you down." Even those that race at their best were impacted. McKeown, the only Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals, took four months off after Paris. "I was in a really dark place mentally," she 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." After her break, and with her coach Michael Bohl retired, she changed swim clubs and moved to Queensland's Gold Coast from the Sunshine Coast. "I spent four months in a group where I wasn't finding myself really happy," McKeown said. "I made the quick decision a week before nationals (in April) and moved back to Sunny Coast. "I still haven't got a house to live. I'm in Airbnb's. "It has been a really hard transition; just the things that people don't really see when you come and race." O'Callaghan was the nation's most successful athlete in Paris, collecting three golds plus a silver and bronze. Post-Olympics, she took five months, trying to find her identity outside of the pool. The 21-year-old admitted she was still searching but was pragmatic about her problems. "You have to always step in that dark place to get the best out of yourself," O'Callaghan said. "That's what sport is about. It's putting yourself in that hole to see how mentally strong you are - and I've definitely done that this season." Her teammate Jack won two golds in Paris at her first Olympics - she missed the Tokyo Games, having just served a two-year doping ban. Jack, who was cleared of intentional doping, had a European Great Dane named Hugo - he was the sole reason she got out of bed many days while suspended. After Paris, Jack went on the television show I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here. Soon after returning home, she lost Hugo to cancer. "I went to the jungle to try and find myself ... but when I got home and finding out that I was losing my dog, it was a huge mental toll," she said. "He got me through everything to come back in the first place. "I had two weeks with him; there was regret just around whether or not I did everything for him. "I felt a lot of that guilt. Did I do right by him, by choosing my swimming a lot of the time, and choosing my career over my dog?" Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Explosive NRL scenes as fan grabs Daly Cherry-Evans after Manly's shock loss to Gold Coast
A frightening scenario has played out after Gold Coast's upset win over Manly with a fan storming the field and grabbing Daly Cherry-Evans. It was a shock end to a dramatic week for Cherry-Evans who had lost his title as Maroons skipper and was then forced to watch his team choke against former coach Des Hasler and his decimated Titans outfit, 28-8. Making matters worse, Gold Coast captain Kieran Foran outplayed Cherry-Evans (his former Manly halves partner) to inspire one of the best Titans victories of all-time in front of 13,708 at Cbus Super Stadium. Then, after the game as unsuspecting players chatted on the field, there was a worrying flashpoint. A fan, dressed in Manly gear, ran onto the pitch and wrapped his arms around Cherry-Evans before he was set upon several security guards. Security then tackled the fan to the ground before escorting him from the field. The expectation before the match was that the Sea Eagles skipper would respond to his Queensland axing and lead his side to victory, particularly with star fullback Tom Trbojevic back in the side from injury. It didn't pan out that way. Cherry-Evans, apart from one try assist, was underwhelming. He was philosophical rather than bitter about his Origin axing after 26 games and 19 as captain of the Maroons. 'The start of the week was tough,' Cherry-Evans said. 'On Sunday, I got the news and on Monday I had to go to training and face the boys. 'After that it honestly started to feel normal. 'The initial news was tough but I moved on and thought we were going to come here and play some good footy. Based on our preparation, it looked like all the signs were there. 'Unfortunately, the most important part of the week is showing up on game day and we didn't do that.' The 28-8 win at Robina on Friday night was a hammer blow to the Sea Eagles, but even worse was the loss of star back-rower Haumole Olakau'atu with a dislocated right shoulder. Manly choked, as they had done in their previous four away games when favourites against lowly ranked opponents. Gold Coast were seriously undermanned with 11 players unavailable, nine with injury and two in State of Origin camps. 'I needed a big one tonight. I returned from injury and have been a bit quiet,' Foran said. 'I'm just happy we got the win. Personally, I stepped it up a notch. 'I'm extremely proud. We started well and I thought we threw the ball around really nicely in the first half. 'We were able to capitalise with a few tries. I'm even more proud of the second half.' Manly had no Origin representatives for the first time since 2015. Titans second-rower Beau Fermor, also dropped by the Maroons for game two, sent a strong message to coach Billy Slater that he got it all wrong. Fermor had a blinder, saving a try with a last ditched effort to stop Olakau'atu from scoring in a play where he was also injured. Gold Coast stunned the visitors to lead 22-8 at halftime. Manly centre Reuben Garrick crashed over early in his 150th game and added a second during the half, but the opening 40 minutes belonged to Foran. The 34-year-old 2011 premiership winner wound back the clock and sent flying winger Allan Fitzgibbon over with a stellar cutout pass. Foran and former Manly gun Brian Kelly sent speed demon Alofiana Khan-Pereira in for his 50th try in his 52nd match, the equal-quickest to the milestone in the NRL era. Khan-Pereira was in again for his second after beating five Manly defenders. When Titans fullback AJ Brimson carved through the defence to send half Jayden Campbell in under the sticks Manly were looking like a rabble. Brimson has destroyed Manly in the past and he did so again in a brilliant display. Train and trial second-rower Josh Patston made his NRL debut off the bench for the hosts while development list prop Tukimihia Simpkins, formerly with Wests Tigers, was on club debut. Titans back-rower Chris Randall iced the win with a second-half try on the back of a monumental defensive effort.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Aussie swimmers try to surface from post-Olympic blues
An unsettled Kaylee McKeown went from a "dark place" mentally to no place of her own. She's living in holiday rentals. Fellow golden girl Mollie O'Callaghan was in a "hole". She's still trying to dig herself out. Struggling Shayna Jack went to the jungle "to find myself". She got home, lost her beloved dog, and isn't over the mental toll. Zac Stubblety-Cook went from Paris and more Olympic glory to questioning if he wanted to keep swimming. "The post-Olympic blues is always something to be mindful of," Stubblety-Cook said in Adelaide at Australia's swim trials for next month's world titles. "I think people underestimate what it is. "We had such a successful Games, especially our female team. "To come off the back of that, of course you're going to feel a bit alone. I think that's just normal." Stubblety-Cook, an Olympic gold and silver medallist, is among a chorus of swimmers in Adelaide detailing the mental lows that followed their highs. And the Dolphins' leadership group member said there was a positive among the negatives. "Everyone is a human and it's nice to see a bit of the human side of the sport," he said. Dolphins teammate Lani Pallister said the human factor was often overlooked, compounding post-Olympic problems. "This is going to sound really brutal but I think sometimes people forget athletes are also people," Pallister said. "There's so much expectation put on Australian swimmers ... we're expected to win multiple gold medals. "And sometimes if you don't race at your best, it's almost the public that bring you down." Even those that race at their best were impacted. McKeown, the only Australian to win four individual Olympic gold medals, took four months off after Paris. "I was in a really dark place mentally," she 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." After her break, and with her coach Michael Bohl retired, she changed swim clubs and moved to Queensland's Gold Coast from the Sunshine Coast. "I spent four months in a group where I wasn't finding myself really happy," McKeown said. "I made the quick decision a week before nationals (in April) and moved back to Sunny Coast. "I still haven't got a house to live. I'm in Airbnb's. "It has been a really hard transition; just the things that people don't really see when you come and race." O'Callaghan was the nation's most successful athlete in Paris, collecting three golds plus a silver and bronze. Post-Olympics, she took five months, trying to find her identity outside of the pool. The 21-year-old admitted she was still searching but was pragmatic about her problems. "You have to always step in that dark place to get the best out of yourself," O'Callaghan said. "That's what sport is about. It's putting yourself in that hole to see how mentally strong you are - and I've definitely done that this season." Her teammate Jack won two golds in Paris at her first Olympics - she missed the Tokyo Games, having just served a two-year doping ban. Jack, who was cleared of intentional doping, had a European Great Dane named Hugo - he was the sole reason she got out of bed many days while suspended. After Paris, Jack went on the television show I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here. Soon after returning home, she lost Hugo to cancer. "I went to the jungle to try and find myself ... but when I got home and finding out that I was losing my dog, it was a huge mental toll," she said. "He got me through everything to come back in the first place. "I had two weeks with him; there was regret just around whether or not I did everything for him. "I felt a lot of that guilt. Did I do right by him, by choosing my swimming a lot of the time, and choosing my career over my dog?" Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
