Latest news with #2024Origin


The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Have you watched him? Maroons defend Mam's selection
Billy Slater has defended picking Ezra Mam for State of Origin just three games after his return from a drug-driving ban, adamant the Brisbane star will add to Queensland's squad. Mam is expected to be rolled out as 18th man for next Wednesday's must-win clash at Optus Stadium in Perth, after being named in Slater's 20-man squad. The uncapped Maroon will undergo scans on his knee before entering camp on Monday, after copping a knock in the Broncos' win over Gold Coast on Saturday night. Queensland are confident he will be fit to line up, with Slater describing the injury as a "bump" when he unveiled his squad on Monday morning. It was always going to be contentious, with Slater dropping captain Daly Cherry-Evans and picking Tom Dearden to wear the No.7 jersey. But Mam's selection has added to the headlines. The Brisbane five-eighth copped a nine-match ban for crashing a car while driving unlicensed and with drugs in his system last October. Three occupants of the Uber he collided with were injured, including a woman and her young daughter. Mam was fined $120,000 by the NRL and subsequently attended a rehabilitation facility and worked on a job site before returning to pre-season training in January. Slater said he had not had a chance to sense how remorseful Mam was, having only spoken to the 22-year-old on Sunday night to inform him of his selection. "He's the right person for that position right now," Slater said. "I am sure people will have their speculation around all the people selected. That is OK, everyone is entitled to their opinion. "He has been doing a great job since he returned. We feel the squad will benefit from him being here." Mam has played three NRL games since his return to the playing arena and was booed repeatedly by the Brookvale Oval crowd in the recent 34-6 loss to Manly. But Slater said there was no question over whether the Indigenous star had done enough to prove his worth to the Maroons squad. "Have you watched the couple of games back? He has been pretty good, I don't think he has skipped a beat," Slater said. "By all reports he has been doing a lot of training through the first half of the year while he was sitting out. "He has been in this position before and been part of this squad before. I am sure he will take his opportunity if presented." On one level Mam's inclusion should come as no surprise. After his three-try display in the 2023 grand final he was brought into his first pre-season Maroons camp in February of 2024. Slater then invited him into camp ahead of game one of the 2024 Origin series as a player identified as a potential long-term in Queensland player. Billy Slater has defended picking Ezra Mam for State of Origin just three games after his return from a drug-driving ban, adamant the Brisbane star will add to Queensland's squad. Mam is expected to be rolled out as 18th man for next Wednesday's must-win clash at Optus Stadium in Perth, after being named in Slater's 20-man squad. The uncapped Maroon will undergo scans on his knee before entering camp on Monday, after copping a knock in the Broncos' win over Gold Coast on Saturday night. Queensland are confident he will be fit to line up, with Slater describing the injury as a "bump" when he unveiled his squad on Monday morning. It was always going to be contentious, with Slater dropping captain Daly Cherry-Evans and picking Tom Dearden to wear the No.7 jersey. But Mam's selection has added to the headlines. The Brisbane five-eighth copped a nine-match ban for crashing a car while driving unlicensed and with drugs in his system last October. Three occupants of the Uber he collided with were injured, including a woman and her young daughter. Mam was fined $120,000 by the NRL and subsequently attended a rehabilitation facility and worked on a job site before returning to pre-season training in January. Slater said he had not had a chance to sense how remorseful Mam was, having only spoken to the 22-year-old on Sunday night to inform him of his selection. "He's the right person for that position right now," Slater said. "I am sure people will have their speculation around all the people selected. That is OK, everyone is entitled to their opinion. "He has been doing a great job since he returned. We feel the squad will benefit from him being here." Mam has played three NRL games since his return to the playing arena and was booed repeatedly by the Brookvale Oval crowd in the recent 34-6 loss to Manly. But Slater said there was no question over whether the Indigenous star had done enough to prove his worth to the Maroons squad. "Have you watched the couple of games back? He has been pretty good, I don't think he has skipped a beat," Slater said. "By all reports he has been doing a lot of training through the first half of the year while he was sitting out. "He has been in this position before and been part of this squad before. I am sure he will take his opportunity if presented." On one level Mam's inclusion should come as no surprise. After his three-try display in the 2023 grand final he was brought into his first pre-season Maroons camp in February of 2024. Slater then invited him into camp ahead of game one of the 2024 Origin series as a player identified as a potential long-term in Queensland player. Billy Slater has defended picking Ezra Mam for State of Origin just three games after his return from a drug-driving ban, adamant the Brisbane star will add to Queensland's squad. Mam is expected to be rolled out as 18th man for next Wednesday's must-win clash at Optus Stadium in Perth, after being named in Slater's 20-man squad. The uncapped Maroon will undergo scans on his knee before entering camp on Monday, after copping a knock in the Broncos' win over Gold Coast on Saturday night. Queensland are confident he will be fit to line up, with Slater describing the injury as a "bump" when he unveiled his squad on Monday morning. It was always going to be contentious, with Slater dropping captain Daly Cherry-Evans and picking Tom Dearden to wear the No.7 jersey. But Mam's selection has added to the headlines. The Brisbane five-eighth copped a nine-match ban for crashing a car while driving unlicensed and with drugs in his system last October. Three occupants of the Uber he collided with were injured, including a woman and her young daughter. Mam was fined $120,000 by the NRL and subsequently attended a rehabilitation facility and worked on a job site before returning to pre-season training in January. Slater said he had not had a chance to sense how remorseful Mam was, having only spoken to the 22-year-old on Sunday night to inform him of his selection. "He's the right person for that position right now," Slater said. "I am sure people will have their speculation around all the people selected. That is OK, everyone is entitled to their opinion. "He has been doing a great job since he returned. We feel the squad will benefit from him being here." Mam has played three NRL games since his return to the playing arena and was booed repeatedly by the Brookvale Oval crowd in the recent 34-6 loss to Manly. But Slater said there was no question over whether the Indigenous star had done enough to prove his worth to the Maroons squad. "Have you watched the couple of games back? He has been pretty good, I don't think he has skipped a beat," Slater said. "By all reports he has been doing a lot of training through the first half of the year while he was sitting out. "He has been in this position before and been part of this squad before. I am sure he will take his opportunity if presented." On one level Mam's inclusion should come as no surprise. After his three-try display in the 2023 grand final he was brought into his first pre-season Maroons camp in February of 2024. Slater then invited him into camp ahead of game one of the 2024 Origin series as a player identified as a potential long-term in Queensland player.


7NEWS
20-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Nathan Cleary makes ‘sad' admission on Mary Fowler injury situation
Nathan Cleary is back with the Blues ahead of next week's State of Origin opener but admits his heart and mind are torn by superstar partner Mary Fowler's plight in the UK. Fowler suffered a nightmare ACL tear while playing for Manchester City last month, cruelling her hopes of leading the Matildas at the Asian Cup on home soil next March. It also immediately changed her plans for the off-season. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nathan Cleary makes 'sad' admission on Mary Fowler situation. Fowler has had to remain in England to continue rehabilitating her knee after surgery and will not be able to attend Origin I in Brisbane. 'She's over in England sort of going through her rehab at the moment,' Cleary told 7NEWS Sydney. 'It's a tough time for her but I'm also super proud of her, just the way she's attacked it so far.' Fowler has been in good spirits since going down injured, regularly sharing updates on her life and recovery. But there is a part of Cleary still wishing he was not tied down by his NRL commitments. 'It's sometimes sad that I can't be there with her, just looking after her. But I'm very proud of her,' he said. Fowler was on hand to support Cleary last year when he suffered a shoulder injury late in the season. All he wants now is to return the favour. 'She doesn't need advice from me, she's got it all sorted out,' Cleary said. 'It's about me just being there to support her and help her on the journey.' Cleary missed NSW's 2024 Origin success with a hamstring injury and Penrith have struggled so far this season, though his form has largely held up. So much has changed that the 27-year-old wondered whether he would be recalled by new Blues coach Laurie Daley. 'You definitely think that at times, particularly with the players you're up against,' he said. But Cleary has been backed in as the lead halfback in his new partnership with last year's winning No.7 Mitchell Moses. 'At the end of the day you want to put your best foot forward for the team, egos won't get in the way of that,' Cleary said. Moses will don the No.6 jersey for the first time since 2017 and is ready to cede to Cleary. 'He is the No.7 — that excites me a fair bit,' Moses said. 'I've never been able to play that (five-eighth) role, well I actually have at the Tigers when I was playing five-eighth in my early days. 'But I haven't been able to in a while, that excites me for him to be the dominant halfback and I can pick my opportunities. 'Any time you can play with a player of his calibre it's massive.' Where the balance of power lies will be particularly noticeable when NSW end their sets. As Daley noted, the duo's kicking game will be able to rescue a bad set. Cleary lags just behind Moses, who leads the competition for average kick metres in the NRL this season. The pair also have a variety of floaters, grubbers and crossfield kicks that could cause plenty of problems for the Maroons. 'It's crucial (to have two great kickers) and it's a hard thing to stop,' Moses said. 'But we have to work out what is best for us and what works best for us. We'll go to work with that and get it sorted.' Moses's presence should ease the pressure on Cleary. Only Mitchell Pearce and Andrew Johns have worn the Blues No.7 jersey more times than the Penrith co-captain, but the knock on Cleary remains that he has yet to dominate an Origin series. 'I'm looking forward to the partnership ... it's about us working out how we want to get the ball and in which situations, and obviously the kicking game helps on both sides of the ruck,' Cleary said. 'It's about complementing each other's game and making sure we bring the best out of each other.'

News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
No judiciary charge from alleged eye gouge in opening game of women's State of Origin series
NSW hooker Keeley Davis refused to proceed with her on-field eye-gouging complaint made during the opening game of the women's State of Origin series. No players were charged by the NRL judiciary despite the allegation made against an unnamed player by NSW Skipper Isabelle Kelly on behalf of her teammate. The incident was put on report by referee Belinda Sharpe, but there was a lack of conclusive evidence in footage viewed in the aftermath of NSW's 32-12 win at Suncorp Stadium and the complaint wasn't followed through. That was despite Davis being adamant that she had been gouged. 'I've never felt it in a game. I felt an eye gouge,' she said. 'It's the Origin arena, things happen. There's a difference when it's incidental than on purpose. I hope it doesn't happen.' Corey Parker on Origin Eye Gouge "If you are going to make an accusation about an eye gouge, you'd want to have some hard evidence to suggest there was an eye gouged" — SENQ Breakfast (@CozHealsSEN) May 1, 2025 Kelly said she had no reason to doubt her teammate. 'If you know Keeley, you know that's not going to rattle her,' she said. 'I told any of the girls to come to me with anything if they need to and that's exactly what I did, put my players first.' Blues coach John Strange revealed Davis had played on after an alleged biting incident in the 2024 Origin series. 'She told us she got bit last year,' Strange said. Davis said she was able to move on from the incident midgame because the best players needed to be 'goldfish' and have a short memory. 'It's like an error, you've got to be a goldfish and all the best players are goldfish about things that they don't want to remember,' she said. 'And even good things, you just have to keep your focus on the next job.'


7NEWS
01-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Another ugly allegation rocks State of Origin opener as claims Keeley Davis was ‘bitten' in 2024
Keeley Davis has doubled down on her on-field allegation she was eye-gouged in the women's State of Origin opener as NSW claimed the gutsy hooker was also bitten during last year's series but stayed quiet. Blues captain Isabelle Kelly and Davis approached referee Belinda Sharpe to lodge a formal complaint during the first half of Thursday night's 32-12 game-one win over Queensland in Brisbane. Davis was unsure which player had gouged her but first gestured to her eye following a hit from Maroons forwards Keilee Joseph and Romy Teitzel just before Kelly scored the Blues' second try. Sharpe put the incident on report without naming a specific alleged perpetrator, but at full-time Davis was adamant she had been gouged. 'I've never felt it in a game. I felt an eye gouge,' she said. 'It's the Origin arena, things happen. There's a difference when it's incidental than on purpose. I hope it doesn't happen.' The game had still been in the balance with NSW 10-6 ahead when Kelly and Davis approached Sharpe to lodge their complaint. Kelly insisted such an incident would not have distracted her Sydney Roosters teammate from her pivotal role as starting No.9. 'If you know Keeley, you know that's not going to rattle her,' she said. 'I told any of the girls to come to me with anything if they need to and that's exactly what I did, put my players first.' Pointing to evidence of Davis's resilience, Roosters and new Blues coach John Strange revealed the 24-year-old had played on after another alleged incident in the 2024 Origin series. 'She told us she got bit last year,' Strange said. It left Kelly to approach Davis before this year's series and encourage her not to stay quiet if any foul play happened in the second annual three-match series. 'I said, 'If anything happens this time, you make sure you tell me',' Kelly said. 'She's a professional Keeley, she's been great. I thought she was great tonight as well. I knew it wasn't going to affect her.' Davis finished with 12 tackles and 39 run metres from her 41 minutes at hooker and said she was able to quickly move on from the eye-gouging incident mid-game. 'It's like an error, you've got to be a goldfish and all the best players are goldfish about things that they don't want to remember,' she said. 'And even good things, you just have to keep your focus on the next job.'

ABC News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Blues hooker Keeley Davis makes eye-gouging allegation in State of Origin opener against Maroons
NSW hooker Keeley Davis has alleged she was eye-gouged during the Women's State of Origin opener against Queensland on Thursday night. Photo shows Jocelyn Kelleher, Isabelle Kelly, Tiana Penitani, Kezie Apps and Shaylee Bent smile after winning State of Origin I. The Blues have used more than twice as many halves as Queensland in the past decade of Women's State of Origin. Thursday's series opener suggests that carousel is about to stop. The Blues have also claimed Davis was bitten during last year's series. Blues captain Isabelle Kelly and Davis approached referee Belinda Sharpe to lodge a formal complaint Davis was unsure which player had allegedly gouged her but first gestured to her eye following a hit from Maroons forwards Keilee Joseph and Romy Teitzel just before Kelly scored the Blues' second try. Sharpe placed the incident on report without naming a Maroons player, but Davis was adamant she had been gouged. "I felt an eye gouge," Davis said after the match. "It's the Origin arena, things happen. There's a difference when it's incidental than on purpose." The match had still been in the balance with NSW leading 10-6 when Kelly and Davis approached Sharpe to lodge their complaint. Photo shows Composite image of Jesse Southwell, Ali Brigginshaw and Ellie Johnston in Women's State of Origin I. Eye gouges, hair pulls, a classic duel and a glorious night for the new kids on the block. Here are five quick hits from the Women's State of Origin series opener. "She wasn't sure who (did it). There were a couple in the tackle," Blues coach John Strange said. "She told the ref, they put it on report so they'll have a look at it." Kelly insisted such an incident would not have distracted her Sydney Roosters teammate from her pivotal role as hooker. "If you know Keeley, you know that's not going to rattle her," she said. "I told any of the girls to come to me with anything if they need to and that's exactly what I did — put my players first." Pointing to evidence of Davis's resilience, Strange revealed 24-year-old Davis had played on after another alleged incident in the 2024 Origin series. "She told us she got bit last year," said Strange, who also coaches the Roosters. It left Kelly to approach Davis before this year's series and encourage her not to stay quiet if any foul play happened in the second annual three-match series. "I said, 'If anything happens this time, you make sure you tell me'," Kelly said. "She's a professional Keeley, she's been great. I thought she was great tonight as well. I knew it wasn't going to affect her." Do you have a story idea about women in sport? Email us Davis finished with 12 tackles and 39 run metres from her 41 minutes at hooker. She said she was able to quickly move on from the alleged eye-gouging incident. "It's like an error, you've got to be a goldfish, and all the best players are goldfish about things that they don't want to remember," Davis said. "And even good things, you just have to keep your focus on the next job." AAP