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Courier-Mail
14 minutes ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Queensland Maroons win 18-14 over NSW Blues in Women's State of Origin game 3
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRLW. Followed categories will be added to My News. Sarah Togatuki wore the pride of her family on Thursday night, taking the State of Origin field in Newcastle less than a week after the tragic death of her older sister, Jean. The inspirational NSW forward has been privately dealing with the sudden death of her sister, who was admitted to hospital before NSW claimed the series in Origin II in Sydney a fortnight ago, before passing away suddenly on Saturday. In a show of her immense strength and love for her family, Togatuki came off the bench for the Blues in Thursday night's 18-14 loss to Queensland at McDonald Jones Stadium. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer > One of the most popular players in the NRLW, the 27-year-old Tigers star was supported by her Blues teammates and coach John Strange. 'I don't know if I could have done that (after) losing a sister on Saturday,' he said after the game. 'I had a chat to her about spending time with her family, but it was also really important to her and her family that she came out and represented them. 'So to show the strength of character to do that, is a real testament to who she is as a person and the love she has for her family and the game that she plays. 'She's certainly not underestimated by any of us for what she does. Outstanding player and even better person.' Skipper Isabelle Kelly, who has played alongside Togatuki in the NRLW for years, said the team rallied around her over the past few weeks. Sarah Togatuki embraces her family. Picture: NRL Photos 'When you know Sala, she's an infectious type of person. She wasn't in camp with us for a bit and we missed her, we missed her presence,' Kelly said. 'She puts everyone before herself and she's just really inspiring. 'A lot of us were saying we wouldn't have been able to do what she has done this week. 'She was a huge inspiration for us leading into this game and I know she would have done her family so proud, even though she came off, she's done all of us proud with the strength that she has. 'I feel really honoured and lucky to be able to pull on a jersey alongside her.' Togatuki's night ended early after taking a head knock after just 13 minutes on the field. There were emotional scenes at full-time as she embraced her family. There were emotional scenes in the stands. Picture: NRL Photos Jean was known to be the loudest and proudest supporter in the stands. 'In the blink of an eye, our family's world changed,' she wrote on Instagram. 'My beautiful big sister gained her wings and has gone to be with our brother JNR. 'It still doesn't feel real. She was only admitted to hospital two weeks ago, and now she's gone. The pain is overwhelming, especially for her four beautiful babies.' Meanwhile, Queensland skipper Ali Brigginshaw has defiantly declared she wants to keep playing representative football after enduring a horror few weeks of online abuse including death threats and calls for her to retire. Fresh off an 18-14 victory over NSW in Thursday night's State of Origin dead rubber in Newcastle, the Maroons captain said she will not pander to social media bullies and wants to keep playing as long as she's earning a jersey. 'I do want to keep playing on, I think people just look at your age and think that's enough, there was still comments out there tonight about when I'm going to retire and I still love my footy and if I get picked I get picked, but I'm not saying people should pick me just because I've been here before,' the 35-year-old said after putting Chelsea Lenarduzzi over from behind the ruck to score the matchwinning try in the dying minutes of game three. The Maroons celebrate after winning Women's State of Origin game three. Picture: Getty Images 'I want to prove I can play in this jersey. Hopefully I did that tonight. 'I'll do whatever it takes for this jersey. I'm really proud to represent Queensland and that's what hurts, surely people see how proud I am to do that. 'I do anything I'm asked, I play any position, I don't carry on. And to see how upset my family are to see the things said about it, that's what hurt the most.' Maroons coach Tahnee Norris backed her call, saying Brigginshaw has earned enough credit throughout her 17-year rugby league career, which started back in 2009. 'It's her decision, it's not mine. Ali is a true Origin player and a leader of this team, and I feel for her, she's had a tough couple of weeks, it's just wrong,' Norris said. 'I've got so much respect for her and what she brings to this team, what she's done for women's rugby league and how she's led this group of Maroons players, people don't understand, they don't see that. 'She plays herself into teams and we pick her, it's as simple as that, so it's up to her when she makes that call. 'Utmost respect for how she's handled herself the past few weeks, it's been really hard on her.'
West Australian
an hour ago
- Sport
- West Australian
‘Better start writing': Premiers place tourism ad bet on State of Origin series
The Queensland Premier could soon be filmed in budgie smugglers on Bondi Beach after NSW dominated game one of State of Origin. The Queensland and NSW Premiers have drawn up a wager on the annual men's best-of-three rugby league showdown. 'The losing premier will have to record a new tourism ad for the winning state,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said on social media on Friday morning. 'I'm already one up – but the stakes are certainly high. 'Better start writing,' Mr Minns' said, tagging the Queensland Premier's account. Despite missing four conversion kicks and taking their foot off the gas, NSW comfortably handled the Maroons in Brisbane on Wednesday night. The Blues are relatively short odds to claim the series in Perth on June 18. NSW's win in Brisbane marks the first time the Blues have won consecutive games at Suncorp Stadium. Blues fans are hoping the momentum will roll into a series victory. With his thick Queensland accent, the sight and sound of David Crisafulli in a NSW tourism ad would tickle pink many onlookers. A campaign featuring the photogenic Mr Minns would surely attract some tourism dollars to the Sunshine State. Mr Minns would have been able to embarrass his colleague had he placed a bet on the women's State of Origin. The NSW women took their series 2-1 despite Queensland fighting back hard for a consolation win on Thursday night.
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Better start writing': Premiers' juicy Origin bet
The Queensland Premier could soon be filmed in budgie smugglers on Bondi Beach after NSW dominated game one of State of Origin. The Queensland and NSW Premiers have drawn up a wager on the annual men's best-of-three rugby league showdown. 'The losing premier will have to record a new tourism ad for the winning state,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said on social media on Friday morning. Queenslanders are nervous about the next State of Origin match after Wednesday's result. Dan Peled / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia 'I'm already one up – but the stakes are certainly high. 'Better start writing,' Mr Minns' said, tagging the Queensland Premier's account. Despite missing four conversion kicks and taking their foot off the gas, NSW comfortably handled the Maroons in Brisbane on Wednesday night. The Blues are relatively short odds to claim the series in Perth on June 18. NSW's win in Brisbane marks the first time the Blues have won consecutive games at Suncorp Stadium. Blues fans are hoping the momentum will roll into a series victory. With his thick Queensland accent, the sight and sound of David Crisafulli in a NSW tourism ad would tickle pink many onlookers. A campaign featuring the photogenic Mr Minns would surely attract some tourism dollars to the Sunshine State. Mr Minns would have been able to embarrass his colleague had he placed a bet on the women's State of Origin. The NSW women took their series 2-1 despite Queensland fighting back hard for a consolation win on Thursday night.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Chelsea issue ultimatum to Jadon Sancho over £25m transfer from Man Utd
Chelsea are ready to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent transfer from Manchester United but only if he takes a significant pay-cut. The Blues have been weighing up whether or not to sign Sancho permanently following his mixed loan spell at Stamford Bridge. Sancho struggled for consistency following his arrival from Old Trafford but did help Chelsea qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa Conference League. When Chelsea signed Sancho on loan, they agreed to make the deal permanent at the end of the season for between £20-25m. However, it emerged earlier in the season that Chelsea were able to get out of the deal by paying Manchester United £5m in compensation. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Sky Sports say Chelsea have opened talks with Sancho's representatives and hope to keep him at the club. With a return to Manchester United seemingly off the table, Sancho is keen to sign a permanent deal with Chelsea, the club he supported growing up. But talkSPORT say Chelsea have informed Sancho he will need to take a pay-cut if he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge and agree a deal which fits in with the wage structure at the club. Sancho is believed to be on around £300,000-a-week and a compromise will need to be reached as Chelsea's policy has been to sign players on long, incentivised contracts with lower base wages. Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca gave little away when asked about Sancho's future following the Conference League victory over Real Betis. 'We are going to sit with the club and decide what happens for next year,' Maresca said. 'If we finish fourth it is also because of Jadon, if we win tonight it is also because of Jadon. It is normal in a season to go a little bit up and down.' As has often been the case this season, Sancho started on Chelsea's bench against Betis but made a telling contribution following his introduction, curling home his side's third goal in a 4-1 win. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Speaking after Chelsea won the Conference League, Blues hero Joe Cole urged his former club to keep Sancho and tipped him to go to another level next season. 'I think Jadon is a really great player and I think he's done well,' Cole said. 'He's been rotated in and out a bit but I want to see Jadon playing. You want a player like that in your squad. It will come down to a financial decision I imagine but I really like him.' More Trending Asked whether he thought Sancho had done enough to earn a permanent move to Chelsea, Cole added: 'Yes I do. 'This is a kid who went to Dortmund and was a superstar as a kid. It wasn't working at Man United but he's done well, he's got his career back on track at Chelsea. 'I think there's more to come from him as well.' Sancho scored 12 goals in 83 appearances for Manchester United following a big-money move from Borussia Dortmund in 2021. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Amad Diallo urges Ruben Amorim to reconsider Manchester United transfer decision MORE: Liverpool star could block Marcus Rashford's 'dream' transfer move from Manchester United MORE: Erik ten Hag targets two Manchester United stars as first Bayer Leverkusen signing
7NEWS
4 hours ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
NSW State of Origin prop Sarah Togatuki surrounded by loved ones after pre-game family tragedy
NSW coach John Strange doubts any other player could have matched Sarah Togatuki's strength in playing State of Origin only days after her sister died. The famously energetic Blues prop took the field for Origin III on Thursday night after losing her sister Jean on Saturday following a short stay in hospital. Togatuki ran 42 metres in a 14-minute cameo cut short by a head knock as the Blues fell 18-14 to Queensland. At full-time, Tokatuki was visibly emotional, spending time with loved ones who had attended the match in Newcastle. Strange paid tribute to the strength of character shown by the Wests Tigers prop in taking the field for the Blues, who won the Origin series 2-1. 'I don't know if anyone else could've done that. I don't know if I could've,' the coach said. 'She's had a really tough couple of weeks, 'Sala', for personal reasons. It was just great to get her out there and represent her sister and her family. We're all really proud of her for doing what she did today.' Togatuki has become a popular member of the NSW set-up across 11 games since her debut in 2020. 'She's just an infectious type of person,' said captain Isabelle Kelly. 'A lot of us were saying we wouldn't have been able to do what she's done this week. She was a huge inspiration for us leading into this game. I just know she would've done her family so proud. 'I feel honoured and lucky to be able to pull on a jersey alongside her.' Togatuki left the field for a head injury assessment in the final 10 minutes following a head clash with Queensland's Tavarna Papalii. The prop was visibly dazed on field but Strange said she appeared to be recovering well. 'She seemed okay. She's all right now,' Strange said.
