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News.com.au
9 hours ago
- General
- News.com.au
Graham launches plea for SFS home games
NRL: Rabbitohs star has shared his thoughts over the Rabbitohs plea to move their home games to Allianz Stadium.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joey Manu's appearance at Roosters game explained amid huge rumour around club great
Joey Manu's appearance at the Roosters' home game against Canberra on Sunday evening certainly raised eyebrows, but it doesn't appear that Trent Robinson's side will be making a sensational play to bring the club legend back this season. There has been speculation that Manu was considering a backflip on his decision to play French rugby, and the sight of the two-time NRL premiership winner at Allianz Stadium on Sunday night left many Roosters fans hoping for the best. Manu was seen signing autographs and posing for photos with fans before the Roosters' nail-biting 24-26 defeat to the Raiders in round 13. Cameras also captured the 28-year-old sitting amongst the Roosters section during the game as well, with many fans convinced it was a sign he could be on the verge of handing the Tri Colours a huge boost by rejoining the club this season. However, it appears those hopes have been dashed after it emerged that Manu had been invited back to train and use the club's gym facilities in preparation for his stint in French rugby. Manu left the Roosters at the end of last season to make a switch to the 15-a-side code, where he's been playing for Japanese side, Toyota Verblitz this year. But the former Golden Boot winner is set to link up with French rugby club Racing 92 from July, ahead of the domestic rugby season in France which kicks off in August. Reports earlier this year suggested Manu has had a change of heart and was understood to be angling for an NRL return on compassionate grounds. RELATED: NSW urged to backflip on Origin call amid injury fears for Blues star Madge in telling dressing room moment amid fresh Broncos disaster Kalyn Ponga farce adds to calls for NRL comp to be suspended However, Roosters coach Trent Robinson poured cold water on Manu's potential return in April after saying he'd been given no indication Manu was considering a backflip on his French rugby move. "I had no idea about it at all, so that's the first thing," Robinson said at the time. The Roosters coach has always maintained that Manu would be welcome back at the club but has distanced himself from speculation the 28-year-old was set to return. But the Roosters fuelled the latest fan frenzy around the club legend after posting a video of Manu at the game to their Instagram account, sparking a flood of messages from hopeful supporters. "Welcome back Manu, hope to see you back on the field... we love u," one commented. Another wrote: "OMG it's happening", while a third added: "Can someone please re-sign this man, amen." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sydney Roosters (@sydneyroosters) Thought it would b something like that. I just thought he was visiting the club, once a rooster, always a rooster — Glen Williams (@GlenWillia48787) June 1, 2025 I don't think any roosters fans would justify a spot for him if he came back, Smith & Toai are very capable in the centres. — RaMarcus Jussell (@JussellRamarcus) June 1, 2025 While Robinson has shot down suggestions of a return this season, he did leave the door open for Manu to potentially return in 2026 when speaking about the situation in April. "Joey, this is his home, it always has been. But I'm sure he's got a plan," the Roosters coach said at the time. "If he's asked for a release, then he'd have a plan on what he wants to do, and that's not going to be (with) us... "Naturally you would (welcome him back), but that's not our choice. Joey gets to make his choice. He doesn't owe us anything. We've spent a lot of time together. There's obviously a professional relationship with the Roosters and also a lot of care for his family. I don't know if it's true, I've heard it reported. But until Joey tells me, then I won't be interested in why he doesn't want to go to France."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Youthful Raiders overpower Roosters in NRL win
Canberra's generation next have stood tall in a come-from-behind 26-24 win over the Sydney Roosters that has further strengthened the Raiders' claims as genuine premiership contenders. Without first-choice hooker Tom Starling (suspension) and Manly-bound halfback Jamal Fogarty (groin), the Raiders' youthful spine showed calmness and composure to run the Roosters down at Allianz Stadium on Sunday. Debutant halfback Ethan Sanders didn't look out of place in his first game for the Raiders, while Owen Pattie kicked a 40/20 and set up a try with a clever grubber kick in what was arguably his finest NRL game to date. Fullback Kaeo Weekes, who was the most senior member of the Raiders spine with just 42 NRL games to his name, then set up lively five-eighth Ethan Strange for the match-winning try with a bust from inside Canberra's half. WHAT A TRY 🤯#NRLRoostersRaiders — NRL (@NRL) June 1, 2025 The win leaves the Raiders second with an 10-3 record while the Roosters, who led by 10 points with 25 minutes left, were made to rue a game where they failed to turn the screw. Trent Robinson's side looked set to pick up from where they left off last week when Sandon Smith found winger Mark Nawaqanitawase with a bomb after just four minutes. There was some concern as to whether Nawaqanitawase cleanly grounded the ball but bunker official Chris Butler stuck with the on-field awarding of a try. Without Fogarty, Canberra's attack was cumbersome for much of the first half and it took the Raiders 35 play-the-balls in the Roosters 20m zone before they found a way over the line. Winger Xavier Savage struck for the Green Machine in the 31st minute and the Raiders looked to have nabbed another just before halftime when Simi Sasagi started and finished a brilliant flowing move. But hooker Pattie was deemed to have been offside in the build-up, allowing the Roosters to go up the other end and finish the first half with a James Tedesco try and a 12-4 halftime lead. Pattie kicked a 40/20 that allowed Sasagi to score early in the second half before Daniel Tupou helped the Roosters re-establish a 10-point buffer with a 55th minute try. But just as it looked as if the game might slip from the Raiders' grasp they pulled two tries out of nowhere in the space of four minutes. First, rookie winger Savelio Tamale tiptoed the sideline and flung a speculative offload back infield for a supporting Hudson Young to crash over. Then Pattie stabbed a grubber kick to the in-goal and captain Joe Tapine pounced on the loose ball. Strange finished Weekes's 73rd minute break to open some breathing space for Canberra before Rob Toia nabbed a consolation try for the Roosters.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Now or never? Inter ready to seize moment in Champions League final
Taking part in a Champions League final is not a thing anyone should take for granted, but some players more than others at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday will recognise that this might be their last chance. Francesco Acerbi, at 37 years and 110 days, would become the third-oldest man to play in and win the competition's showpiece if he can help Inter beat Paris St-Germain. 'I'm calm, but also agitated,' said the centre-back during the Italian club's media open day at the start of this week. 'The closer it gets the more tense I feel. We hope it will be a beautiful final but in the end the important thing is lifting the cup … It's a thing that drives you out of your mind, gives you goosebumps. I would do anything to lift it.' It is thanks to him that Inter even have a chance. Acerbi's improbable 92nd-minute goal against Barcelona – his first-ever goal in a Uefa club competition, scored with his weaker right foot – forced their semi-final to extra-time. A moment that could make you believe this is simply their year. But what if it isn't? The possibility that Inter could end this season without silverware seemed unthinkable six weeks ago, when they sat top of Serie A, with European and domestic semi-finals to come. Then they got thrashed by a mediocre Milan in the Coppa Italia and surrendered the league to Napoli – even blowing a chance to reclaim first place in the penultimate round when they gave away a last-minute penalty to Lazio. Inter played the best football in Italy this season, only to be undone by fatigue and inattentiveness at key moments. Napoli absolutely deserved the scudetto, but theirs was a triumph of efficiency – earned with superior ruthlessness and the advantage of playing 17 fewer games across all competitions. A strong argument can be made for Inter as the most impressive side through this Champions League, if we consider the tournament in its entirety. PSG have been exceptional in this calendar year but were on course to miss the knockout phase entirely at the start of December. As close as Inter came to elimination against Barcelona, they have only been in losing positions for a total of 16 minutes through this entire competition. Even that figure includes the six they spent trailing Bayern Munich in second leg of the quarter-final, when the aggregate score was tied at 2-2. All of which to say Simone Inzaghi's Nerazzurri are a special team: tactically innovative, flexible, packed with exceptional talent. And painfully aware that they risk ending this season with nothing to show for it. 'In a final there is no chance to fix things [if they go wrong],' said the manager this week. 'You need running, aggression and determination.' Inter believe they are ready for this opportunity in ways they were not when they faced Manchester City in the 2023 final. They pushed Pep Guardiola's side close back then but failed to take their chances in front of goal. All through this season's run, we have heard players and coaches talk about how that experience taught them to better navigate the big moments. 'We lost that final, but it allowed us to mature a lot,' said Inter's captain and top scorer Lautaro Martínez this week. 'I think we arrive now perfect in every aspect. It's almost all the same team we had in Istanbul.' As many as nine players who played against City two years ago could feature again at some point on Saturday. That is a double-edged sword. Experience can be invaluable, but Acerbi is not the only one getting up in years. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is 36 now, and Matteo Darmian 35. The goalkeeper they signed to replace André Onana, Yann Sommer, is also 36, albeit ageing like the finest wine. There is a sense of 'now or never' for this group, amplified by reports Inzaghi himself might move on at the end of the campaign. Talk of an approach from Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League led the veteran Sky Sport pundit Paolo Condò to imagine him 'bathing in money like Scrooge McDuck', though the manager rejected any suggestion of a deal already done. 'As happened at Lazio and now at Inter, requests have come in from Italy, abroad, Saudi Arabia,' said Inzaghi. 'Right now, it would be crazy to think about that. I have a great relationship with the directors here and with [club owners] Oaktree [Capital Management]. We will talk the day after the match, as we have always done. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion 'If the conditions are right, we'll move forward in harmony. But to talk about my future today would be crazy.' There are echoes of 2010, when José Mourinho led Inter to a Champions League triumph – in that case completing the treble – then immediately left to join Real Madrid. Inter's president, Beppe Marotta, said he was 'optimistic' things will be different this time and that 'Inzaghi's cycle is not over'. There have been reports the club are willing to provide a substantial transfer budget to persuade the manager to stay. That would be a major shift. In four years since Inzaghi took over, the most expensive signings have been Benjamin Pavard and Davide Frattesi, each for a little more than €30m (£25m). Over the same period, they have frequently sold starters to balance the books, including Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea for more than €110m and Achraf Hakimi (€68m) to this weekend's opponent's PSG. Inter have done extraordinary work recruiting replacements at bargain prices. They signed Denzel Dumfries for a little less than €15m, who this season has contributed 11 goals and six assists from right wing-back. Marcus Thuram arrived as a free agent and has become one of the club's best players. Even his 27 combined goals and assists in 2024-25 do not fully tell the story of how he has developed into a perfect foil for Lautaro up front. Still, it feels revealing that Inter used the smallest squad of any team in Serie A this season. Considering the late collapse and failure to win any domestic silverware, it is tempting to ask whether Inzaghi's aspiration to compete on every front was unrealistic from the start. Or maybe no other trophy matters if they win on Saturday, becoming the first Italian club to lift the Champions League since they did it under Mourinho 15 years ago. 'We have an appointment with history,' said the defender Alessandro Bastoni. 'I'm sure Inter will have a chance to fight for the scudetto again in the next few years. But this match can change our careers.' The voice of a player who, at 26, knows he has more chapters ahead. For Acerbi and his fellow Inter old-timers the outlook is different, and all at once the same. 'If you told me I could lose the Scudetto but play the Champions League final again, I would always choose the Champions League final,' he said. 'I've won a league title before.'
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Former Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase STUNS rugby league greats with try of the year contender
Former Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase lit up Allianz Stadium on Friday night with a moment of magic that has rugby league greats calling it the try of the year - and possibly the try of the decade. With just over 10 minutes left on the clock and the Roosters trailing the Bulldogs 18-14, the former Wallaby stunned fans and commentators alike with a miraculous solo effort that defied logic, balance and belief. Pinned against the sideline by Matt Burton, Nawaqanitawase launched a one-footed chip ahead while hopping along the line, somehow staying in play. He then accelerated, swerved around two defenders, and grounded the ball just millimetres inside the dead ball line. Fox League's Dan Ginnane exclaimed, 'Did he stay in the whole way?' while Greg Alexander was left speechless. 'Oh he can't. Oh my god. How did he do that? That is a miraculous try,' Alexander said. 'That finish is up there with one of the best individual finishes I have ever seen,' former New Zealand star Shaun Johnson said. 'It's actually more special each time you watch it.' Nawaqanitawase's effort gave the Roosters the lead in a pulsating match that delivered drama right to the final siren. 'I was obviously lucky with the bounce,' Nawaqanitawase said after the match. 'Lucky to get the try, but disappointed with the loss.' Earlier, he had also sparked the Roosters' opening try, collecting a loose ball from a Kikau knock-on before flicking it behind to Robert Toia. Toia fended off Marcelo Montoya and dove over to score, though the try was later overturned by the Bunker. That didn't slow the visitors' momentum, with Lindsay Collins crashing over to give the Roosters a 14-0 lead. Billy Slater commented: 'The way they've started this game, they are definitely on their way into the eight.' But the Bulldogs weren't done. Coach Cameron Ciraldo urged his players to 'forget the scoreboard' at half time - and they listened. Viliame Kikau powered through to score, followed by a Toby Sexton try off an Egan Butcher error. Connor Tracey earned a penalty off Victor Radley, and Bronson Xerri capitalised on a Nawaqanitawase knock-on to score. Then came Burton's moment. A grubber on the last, a chase through a scattered defence, and a match-winner that sealed the Bulldogs' 24-20 comeback win. Despite the result, Nawaqanitawase's try remained the highlight. Mat Thompson called it 'the try of the decade.' Andrew Johns simply said, 'No way. That was freakish.' Billy Slater added: 'What a play.' Fans flooded social media, stunned by what they had seen. 'Best try since Brett Mullins,' one wrote. 'Unreal. A dude that size with that much skill and awareness,' said another. Even Kikau paid tribute: 'Man, that try he scored there, I couldn't believe it. He's a freak of a player.' But Roosters coach Trent Robinson was measured, praising the brilliance but pointing out the five errors Nawaqanitawase made, including three dropped bombs. 'He is a really good catcher… but those hurt tonight,' Robinson said. 'I can understand Mark is hurting in there.'
