Latest news with #BattleofBrisbane
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Riki, Gilbert facing bans after 'Battle of Brisbane'
Brisbane and the Dolphins are counting the cost of a fiery derby after Jordan Riki and Tom Gilbert were both charged by the match review committee. Broncos back-rower Riki was slapped with a grade-two careless high tackle after his shoulder collected the head of Dolphins winger Jack Bostock in the 39th minute of the Battle of Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. Gilbert received the same grading for a similar offence for a shot on Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs in the 54th minute. The Dolphins were on Saturday still mulling over whether to fight the charge after losing 20-12 to a gritty Broncos outfit. Riki was fortunate to stay on the field after Bostock went off for an HIA, which he passed, while Staggs was able to continue after Gilbert's hit. The Broncos will likely not risk a three-week suspension by fighting Riki's charge. His place in the team for next Saturday night's home clash with Wests Tigers will likely be taken by bench back-rower Brendan Piakura. New Zealand international Riki had his best game of the season against the Dolphins where he ran for 150m, made a line break and five tackle busts, along with 33 tackles. The Broncos have been able to select the same starting pack for the opening four rounds but will now be forced into an adjustment if they elect not to fight the charge. Piakura has been playing off the bench in the opening four rounds and has had limited minutes. He did put a cracking shot on Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth in the closing minutes of the derby to remind his former teammate of his wares. The winless Dolphins can ill-afford to lose Gilbert who despite running out in the 13 jersey also spent time in the back-row. That allowed Max Plath to play in his preferred middle forward position where he will likely move to for next Saturday afternoon's away clash with Gold Coast.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shibasaki stars as Broncos send Dolphins to 0-4 start
Brisbane's centre Gehamat Shibasaki fired in a man of the match display to consign the Dolphins to a dreaded 0-4 start to the year in a 20-12 win at Suncorp Stadium. Shibasaki's career was in limbo before the start of the season when he was put on a development contract at the Broncos. The NRL journeyman, who has had four clubs and a stint in Japanese rugby, scored two tries in another sensational display to give the Broncos a 3-1 start to the season in front of a sold-out crowd in the "Battle of Brisbane". He was also the winner of the "Battle Medal". Fellow centre Kotoni Staggs, famous for his match-winning try in the inaugural Battle of Brisbane in 2023, scored a crucial individual try on the cusp of half-time in a typically blockbusting display. The Dolphins had a crucial call go against them in the first half when half Isaiya Katoa appeared to secure a 40/20 when the Broncos led 10-6. Broncos winger Selwyn Cobbo was clearly over the sideline when he tapped the ball back in-field. The Broncos scored up the other end minutes later through Staggs. Broncos back-rower Jordan Riki was put on report for a shoulder to the head of Dolphins winger Jack Bostock, who left the field for an HIA on the cusp of half-time. Riki was fortunate not to be sent to the sin bin. Those moments aside, the Broncos were the better side and deserved their win on a rainy Brisbane night. The Dolphins failed to take their chances and were far too slow while in possession despite the best efforts of centre Herbie Farnworth, who was his side's best. No side in premiership history apart from Newtown in 1933 has won a title after losing the opening four games of a season. The hosts played their most up-tempo football of the year in the first 12 minutes but couldn't crack the Broncos' defence Brisbane duo Reece Walsh and Staggs held up centre Farnworth with desperation. The Broncos absorbed the pressure and with one chance put the knife in. Five-eighth Ben Hunt delayed a pass perfectly to send second-rower Jack Gosiewski through a hole and Shibasaki finished it off. Hooker Cory Paix took advantage of dreadful marker defence to make it 10-0 after 15 minutes. Katoa conjured a response by straightening up the attack and forward Max Plath dived over under the sticks. Staggs, returning from a hip-flexor injury, did it all himself with a blockbusting run. He pointed at the turf with both hands to signal that Suncorp Stadium belonged to the Broncos. Brisbane's 16-6 lead at halftime was extended after the break when Walsh put Shibasaki over for his second. Dolphins centre Jake Averillo scored a 90m try after a quiet night to keep the scores close.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins face historic curse bigger than Wayne Bennett
The Wayne Bennett curse is one thing but avoiding a 0-4 start to the season is the immediate item on the Dolphins' agenda ahead of their NRL derby clash with Brisbane. The Dolphins are winless after three rounds ahead of the "Battle of Brisbane" on Friday night. Only one side in premiership history has started a season with four consecutive losses and won the title. That was the Newtown side of 1933 and none of those players are alive to tell us how they managed it. Rugby league historian and statistician David Middleton has provided AAP with compelling statistics which show why an 0-4 start to the season is so hard to recover from. Only six teams in the NRL era have made the finals after such a dire start - Brisbane (1999), Melbourne (2000), St George-Illawarra (2005), Manly (2009 and and 2021) and Cronulla (2015). It is worth noting that those sides mostly had a recent history of success or were on the cusp of a title. The Broncos won the premiership in 1998 and 2000. The Storm were coming off a maiden title in 1999. The Sea Eagles were champions in 2008 and the Sharks tasted glory in 2016. The Dolphins have no such history and only time will tell if they can challenge for a premiership next year. The Bennett curse has struck all five teams he has left since 2008 with coaches fired after or during the first, second or third seasons. The narrative is persisting under new coach Kristian Woolf. "It's going to persist while we're not winning and it's going to persist while we don't achieve things as a team," Woolf said. "You blokes love writing about it when we're not winning and once we're winning, it'll go away, so it'll take care of itself." There are three key areas the Dolphins must get right to beat the Broncos. Firstly, the forwards must back up prop Daniel Saifiti and take it to Brisbane as Canberra did a fortnight ago. Saifiti was the only Dolphins forward to run for more than 100m last week in the 30-18 loss to Wests Tigers. It is not good enough. "That's a big battle this week," Woolf said. "Their middle forwards are outstanding. (Payne) Haas, (Pat) Carrigan and (Kobe) Hetherington do a really good job. "We know the challenge and will be up for it. "We didn't do a lot of running with the footy in the second half last week. That ties into beating ourselves." Secondly, star fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow must showcase his elite running game, which has so far failed to materialise in 2025. "It's our responsibility as a team and mine as a coach to make sure we're getting him the ball in good positions," Woolf said. "We haven't done a great job at that. We've done it in little bits but not consistently. "He is ready to go and confident like everyone else. He has always got to look for work. We've got to make sure we're creating those opportunities for him." Thirdly, halves Kodi Nikorima and Isaiya Katoa must step up in the big moments and be backed up when they do. "I'm not going to put that all on our halves," Woolf said. "In all the games we've missed opportunities they've created and other blokes haven't quite finished them. "Once we stop beating ourselves and take the opportunities we're creating, we're going to see results."
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins to use Ricky Stuart template and bash Broncos
The Dolphins are looking for an injection of old-fashioned forward bash and barge as they aim to copy Canberra's blueprint and overwhelm derby opponents Brisbane. It will be mate against mate when the former NSW big men in Dolphins prop Daniel Saifiti and Broncos counterpart Payne Haas wrangle. Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf is seeking his first win as head coach and his best forward so far this season has been former Newcastle front-rower Saifiti. Saifiti was the only forward to run for over 100 metres in the disappointing 30-18 loss to Wests Tigers on Saturday. He said the Raiders' 32-22 win over Brisbane in round two, masterminded by coach Ricky Stuart, was a guide on how to get the better of Pat Carrigan, Haas and company. On that night Raiders props Corey Horsburgh and Josh Papalii took the Broncos pack on and the rest of the forwards joined in the feeding frenzy to inflict the Broncos' only loss this season. "Yeah, we did a lot of video on that game, and they're a tough pack Canberra and sort of ambushed them with that herd mentality," Saifiti said. "That's something we can definitely take a lot of points from, but they've got a different pack than us. "We can add our own spin to it and do it together. I think everyone, no matter if it's forwards or backs, we've got to play together and take confidence from that." Saifiti is also ready to take on his old Blues buddy Haas. All will be fair in love and war in a battle for the ages. "It's a good challenge. Payno's a good mate of mine and I always enjoy playing against him," Saifiti said. "It's all love, but for that 80 minutes we'll be trying to lead our teams. We will shake hands and hug after the game." The Broncos are a physical pack with size and athleticism and will take some stopping. "They're one of those teams where if you let them get the jump on you they'll run riot like we saw against the Roosters (in round one)," Saifiti said. "Canberra showed you the blueprint. They're a tough team. We've just got to focus on ourselves." After an 0-3 start to the season, the Dolphins have been written off in some quarters already but Saifiti said it was not all doom and gloom. "If the whole season was a marathon of 42km we're only five or six km into it," he said. "Instead of getting down in the dumps and feeling sorry for ourselves, we've got to attack it. "I think this Battle of Brisbane has come at a perfect time. Our backs are against the wall and we've just got to go after it."
