Latest news with #AndrewJohns
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Consider everyone': Billy Slater could bring Queensland player out of retirement
Andrew Johns has suggested Billy Slater should give Josh Papali'i a call and ask him to come out of rep retirement to play in State of Origin 2 for Queensland. And the Maroons coach has promised to "consider everyone" when picking his team for the second game of the series. For the third game in a row, the Queensland forward pack were badly beaten by their NSW counterparts. The likes of Mo Fotuaika, Jeremiah Nanai, Reuben Cotter and Trent Loiero had little impact, while Tino Fa'asuamaleaui also struggled to assert his dominance. Slater is being urged to pick Corey Horsburgh for Game 2 to try and add some steel and firepower to his forward pack. But Johns reckons Horsburgh's Canberra teammate Papali'i might also come into calculations. The 33-year-old Papali'i retired from representative footy in 2023, but Slater might be able to convince him to change his mind. On Sunday night against the Roosters he was immense, running for 112 metres from 13 carries in 41 minutes off the bench. He also had 17 tackles for just one miss, and made 58 post-contact metres with ball in hand. Johns floated Papalii's name when discussing what Slater might do for Game 2 on the Sunday Footy Show. "Everyone's in consideration. You've got to consider everyone available," Slater responded. "But when you're throwing names up ... you've got to take people out, too. You've got to be thinking, 'Who are you going to replace them with and do they deserve that? Are they the best person for the position?'. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to. "When you're in the position of trying to select Queensland's best footy team, you think about all different scenarios and you're trying to assemble the best-possible team that you can put together for Queensland to go out and perform. So that's what we'll be doing." Reece Walsh, Murray Taulagi and Ben Hunt are all likely to come into calculations after missing Game 1 due to injuries. Dane Gagai also had a good game for Newcastle on Friday night against the Dragons, while Selwyn Cobbo was quiet for the Broncos in their loss to Manly. Slater's biggest selection headache revolves around Daly Cherry-Evans. Many have called for the Maroons skipper to be axed, and Tom Dearden did himself plenty of favours with a starring performance for the Cowboys against the Tigers on Saturday night. But Cherry-Evans was also sensational against Brisbane, whereas Cameron Munster failed to fire for Melbourne against the Gold Coast. Munster missed 10 tackles and produced one of the worst Origin performances of his career in Game 1. It remains a possibility that Slater could overlook the Storm five-eighth and pick DCE and Dearden. RELATED: Andrew Johns responds amid Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler rumour Brisbane Broncos coach spotted in eye-opening move in dressing rooms Cameron Smith, who was previously an assistant to Slater, said the Maroons needed to beef up their back five. "I think when you look at NSW, they've got an aggressive back five, and I spoke in the lead-up to Game 1 that that was the part of the opposition team that I was most threatened by - their back five," he said. "Most of their [the Blues'] carries are coming in the backfield, where you need those hard, tough carries. When your two wingers are carrying like that, it saves these blokes energy [the middle forwards]."
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Wasting your time': NRL legend responds amid Nathan Cleary and Mary Fowler rumour
😃 The good: NRL greats don't think Nathan Cleary will move 😔 The bad: Benji Marshall and Wests Tigers spiralling again 😡 The ugly: Ezra Mam's on-field act during Broncos loss You're wasting your time. That's the message from four of rugby league's biggest names in response to rumours Nathan Cleary might be eyeing a switch to rugby union. Former Wallaby Tim Horan fired up the juicy bit of gossip last week, suggesting the Panthers superstar was "quite keen" to leave the NRL for the 15-man game. Another ex-Wallaby, Morgan Turinui, was happy to run with the story, adding "there is interest on both sides". If you believe the narrative, the rumours have Cleary moving to a UK/European rugby club to be closer to partner Mary Fowler. It all sounds good in theory but is it actually a chance of happening? Not according to those in the know. "What's today, June 1 - it's not April 1. I'm saying a big fat no. That won't happen," Immortal Andrew Johns told the Sunday Footy Show. Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater was another to cast doubt on the move. He said: "It would be a pull-off for the Wallabies if they could get Nathan Cleary, but I don't think that would happen. I'd be surprised if Nathan challenged himself with that." Cameron Smith and Brad Fittler also wrote off the possibility. But we learned a long time ago to never outrightly dismiss any scenario when it comes to rugby league. Watch this space. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NRL on Nine (@nrlonnine) Benji Marshall insists the Tigers have left the Lachlan Galvin drama behind them and are sick of talking about the departed five-eighth. That may be the case, but the club's results since Galvin announced he wanted out shows a worrying trend. Going back to the Easter Monday clash against Parramatta – which Galvin missed after being axed in the wake of his decision not to accept a contract extension – the Tigers have won just two games in six. From occupying a position in the top eight, Marshall's men have now slipped to 13th ahead of a testing run of games. Alarmingly, they have conceded 146 points in their past four games, which included the nightmare 64-0 defeat to Melbourne. The Tigers showed plenty of ticker to fight back against the Cowboys on Saturday night, but the fact remains they trailed 32-6 at one stage. The recent drop off cannot all be put down to Galvin's exit but there's no doubt the ongoing circus has been a major distraction. High profile recruit Jarome Luai is doing his best to keep his side in the contest but is clearly frustrated and agitated as he prepares to take on his old Panthers teammates this weekend. After three straight wooden spoons, Tigers fans are starting to wonder whether the supposed revival is fast becoming a mirage. The out-of-form Broncos have enough problems without Ezra Mam adding to their dramas. The disgraced five-eighth was hit by a barrage of abuse by Manly fans each time he touched the ball during Brisbane's awful 34-6 loss at 4 Pines Park on Saturday night. It's the first time Mam has played outside of Queensland since returning from a nine-game ban for crashing into car while unlicensed and under the influence of drugs, injuring three people. And while he was given a soft ride back into the NRL in front of his own fans in Round 11, those south of the border clearly aren't willing to forgive and forget. Mam didn't help his cause at Brookvale, jumping to his feet with arms outstretched in a Christ the Redeemer pose after scoring his side's only try. Some saw his actions as lacking humility and class given his off-field troubles, jumping on social media to condemn his actions. Sea Eagles life member and veteran media figure Peter Peters said: "I think the booing of Ezra Mam showed the NRL got it wrong in the suspension for what he did. He's got to be a little more humble. He's not everyone's cup of team at the moment. "To act like he did…to look to the heavens and poke his chest out like he's something special was hard to take. He needs to take a good look at himself."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Daly Cherry-Evans cops Origin dagger as claims emerge around Billy Slater move
NRL reporter Brent Read has claimed Queensland coach Billy Slater could have already made up his mind on the future of Daly Cherry-Evans ahead of State of Origin Game 2. Cherry-Evans is the man most under pressure heading into Game 2 of Origin after Queensland were thoroughly outplayed 18-6 in Game 1 at Suncorp. Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden was already putting pressure on Cherry-Evans heading into Game 1, but Slater opted to select the 36-year-old for his leadership and experience. However, Cherry-Evans offered very little against the Blues and struggled to match the intensity of the game. Cherry-Evans went into the match as the oldest Origin player in history and was well below his best in his 26th match for the Maroons. NSW legend Andrew Johns called for Slater to pull the trigger and make the change for the Maroons who are seeking answers having lost their last three straight matches. While Slater alluded to minimal changes after the match suggesting the personnel were not the issue, reporter Read has claimed the coach has already made up his mind. Speaking on Triple M Radio, Read claimed the mail suggests Cherry-Evans has played his last Origin game The reporter claimed Slater would move on from the 36-year-old in a desperate bid to rescue the series in Perth. "There was a lot of mail on Friday that Daly was fighting an uphill battle to keep that No.7 jersey, that Tom Dearden would come into the team, but my understanding is right now, Daly will not be in the team for Origin 2 and his Origin career is over," Read said on Saturday. Former NSW player Wade Graham claimed that would be a huge call from Slater having felt the coach got his bench wrong. Graham was critical of Reuben Cotter working on the edge and felt the Maroons need three front row forwards coming of the bench. But former NSW forward Nathan Hindmarsh suggested coach Laurie Daley needs to be careful of the Queensland side bouncing back after a number of their players had arguably their worst games wearing the jersey. "I don't think any of these Queenslanders that have had the pressure put on them, Cameron Munster and the Harry Grant's, they won't play that bad again," Hindmarsh said. "I don't think there will be mass changes. Maybe one or two in the forward, but I wouldn't touch their spine." Graham and Hindmarsh suggested the players will be revved up to repay Slater and felt he wouldn't change tinker with the team to drastically. Regardless, Johns felt after the game there needed to be changes. RELATED: Phil Gould in fresh controversy over comment during women's Origin Latrell Mitchell's 4am exit comes to light after State of Origin victory Speaking after NSW dominated Wednesday night, the legendary halfback suggested Slater can't be afraid to make the hard call. And this started with captain Cherry-Evans potentially finishing his career. "Look, no one beats Father Time and DCE is what, (36)? I think they have to pull the trigger and bring Dearden in," Johns said on Channel Nine. "I don't know where the improvement comes with this group. NSW, if they were on tonight, they win by 40 or 50. They left so many tries out there and they'll be better for that. "I don't know if they can go up another level, Queensland. I think there has to be changes with (Canberra prop) Corey Horsburgh, he's one I think can add something. (South Sydney forward) Jai Arrow is an Origin player, but the big one is Dearden and whether they pull the trigger on Dearden with DCE." Despite the swift backlash, Cherry-Evans sat next to Slater in the post-match press conference and asked for another chance for redemption. "When you lose, it's just natural in this game that those questions will be asked," he said. "I just have to go away, look at my own performance and where I can help the team get better. I am certainly not the one to lose self-belief, that's for sure. Because of the role I have for this side, I will definitely take my share of responsibility and look really hard at where I can help the team get better for the next game. It's always difficult after a loss being in the position I'm in. It's not lost on me."
The Age
a day ago
- Sport
- The Age
Slater peppered on Origin selection
Queensland coach Billy Slater is peppered by NSW greats Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler on potential changes for State of Origin II.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Slater peppered on Origin selection
Queensland coach Billy Slater is peppered by NSW greats Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler on potential changes for State of Origin II.
