Latest news with #DamienCook
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
NRL: NZ Warriors v St George-Illawarra Dragons - what you need to know
Wayde Egan and Damien Cook will go head to head in Warriors v Dragons. Photo: Photosport/RNZ NZ Warriors v St George-Illawarra Dragons 8pm Friday, 15 August Go Media Stadium, Auckland Live blog updates on RNZ Sport Somewhat surprisingly, the Warriors have just a 34.2 percent (13/38) winning record against the Dragons and just 6-6 at Mt Smart. Only Melbourne Storm (30.1 percent) and Manlly Sea Eagles (32.6 percent) have proved more difficult to knock off. They have won three of the last five, but lost three straight before that during Covid-19. The Dragons' biggest win was 54-0 at Wollongong in 2000, when winger Nathan Blacklock had three tries and centre Mark Gasnier two. Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had four tries, as his team steamrolled the Dragons 48-18 at Wollongong in 2023 for their biggest win. They needed a late field goal from Luke Metcalf and some dogged defence to secure their 15-14 in the last encounter at Wollongong in May. The Warriors are reeling from three straight losses and five in their last seven outings. Faced with what seemed like a gentle run into the playoffs, they were unable to handle bottom-of-the-table Gold Coast Titans, lost on the last play against the Dolphins and had no answer to Canterbury Bulldogs last week. Their depth has been eroded by injury, which has robbed them of co-captain Mitch Barnett and star halfback Metcalf (both knees) for the season, plagued their midfield to the point that fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is filling in there, and will see them without utility Te Maire Martin and second-rower Kurt Capewell this week. They have slipped out of the top four, sitting fifth, but just two points ahead of Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks, and four points ahead of the eight-placed Dolphins and ninth-placed Sydney Roosters. The Dragons seemed to be drifting to post-season oblivion, but have come right in recent weeks, toppling league leaders Canberra Raiders and then accounting for playoff-bound Sharks. "They've been in just about every contest," Warriors coach Andrew Webster observed. "They've been the giantkillers of the competition - they're probably the best team that aren't in the eight at knocking off top-four teams." They are still only a long shot to make the top eight, but they are quite capable of playing spoilers to out-of-form opponents. Warriors: 1. Taine Tuaupiki, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Adam Pompey, 4. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Leka Halasima, 12. Marata Niukore, 13. Erin Clark Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 16. Demetric Vaimauga, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith Reserves: 18. Freddy Lussick, 20. Ed Kosi, 21. Tom Ale, 22. Kayliss Fatialofa, 25. Bunty Afoa With Te Maire Martin under concussion protocols, Webster has turned back to halfback Tanah Boyd , who was a late drop against the Bulldogs. Second-rower Kurt Capewell is also sideline with a head knock, so teen sensation Leka Halasima is promoted from the bench, with rookie Eddie Ieremia-Toeava in line for his second game of first-grade footy. Hooker Wayde Egan returns from a shoulder niggle, but Webster has retained back-up Sam Healey on a bench that has no obvious back cover. Dragons: 1. Clint Gutherson, 2. Tyrell Sloan, 3. Hayden Buchanan, 4. Mat Feagai, 5. Corey Allan, 6. Lyhkan King-Tongia, 7. Kyle Flanagan, 8. Emre Guler, 9. Damien Cook, 10. David Klemmer, 11. Luciano Leilua, 12. Hamish Stewart, 13. Jack de Belin Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle, 15. Michael Molo, 16. Hame Sele, 17. Loko Pasifiki Tonga Reserves: 18. Ben Murdoch-Masila, 19. Lachlan Ilias, 20. Jacob Halangahu, 21. Nathan Lawson, 22. Christian Tuipulotu Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has Hastings-born centre Mat Feagai back from injury, just in time to replace Moses Suli in the midfield. Michael Molo also returns to the interchange, along with Auckland-born youngster Loko Pasifiki Tonga. Being the coach's son is never easy and halfback Kyle Flanagan is certainly finding that out. Many pundits have circled him as an Achilles heel in the Dragons line-up, but dad keeps putting him out there and that's paid recent dividends. He may be the last player named to this squad, but the Dragons love Auckland-born, Tonga winger Christian Tuipulotu - they just can't seem to keep him on the field. He's scored 29 tries in 51 NRL appearances, but seven in just six this season, plagued by recurring hamstring strains. He played reserve grade last week and seems on the verge of another attempted comeback. Who knows what to expect from the Warriors at this point? They need to find some form quickly, but the Dragons are on a run. A win would sure be handy right now, but would you put money on it? Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘He insists it's a gee-up': Dragons come clean on burger celebration
The Dragons were forced to investigate and later clarify post-try celebrations by their players after a report claimed there were concerns it was being made in relation to Kyle Flanagan. Flanagan's place in the team has been a constant source of debate, to the extent that rival coach Ricky Stuart even leapt to his defence in the aftermath of the Raiders' win over the Dragons. 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. Now, The Sydney Morning Herald's Danny Weidler reported on Sunday that an on-field gesture had led to allegations of a player-led bullying campaign at the club. Weidler reported that sources close to the playing group told him that the 'burger' sign which some players made after scoring tries was meant to insinuate that someone is a 'Derrick'. CEO Tim Watsford, however, denied that was the case in an interview with the Herald and said as much to The Daily Telegraph's Brent Read, explaining it is a 'term of endearment' and more of an inside joke that only the players themselves would understand. Phil 'Buzz' Rothfield, meanwhile, said on NRL 360 that he spoke with Damien Cook's agent, who then asked the Dragons hooker for more of an explanation. 'He insists, and he did one too, it's an in-house gee-up thing,' Rothfield said. If true, it would only add another layer to the Flanagan drama at the club, but NRL 360 co-host Braith Anasta said he found the claim 'very hard to believe'. 'Unless you've got solid evidence of that, because this is personal because it's his teammates and suggesting he's being visibly called a burger by his teammates on the field while they're standing next to him and you've got no real evidence of that apart from hearsay,' Anasta said. 'We talk about being critical of players, and Kyle is no exception to that in terms of his performance, but this is different. This is personal. This is probably what Ricky Stuart was referring to. You're going beyond criticism of performance.' 'It's a horrific insinuation that teammates would do this sort of thing,' added Read.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NRL club accused of 'conning' fans as player set for immediate switch to Parramatta
😃 The good: Damien Cook's defence of Kyle and Shane Flanagan 😔 The bad: Have the Wests Tigers conned their loyal fans? 😡 The ugly: Pressure mounts on Wayne Bennett and South Sydney You could totally understand Ricky Stuart's initial hesitancy in picking son Jed in first grade despite everything pointing to him being of NRL standard. The Raiders coach never doubted his lad's ability but knew that wasn't going to be the major issue. In this age of toxic social media platforms, no longer is a player's game just dissected over the Monday morning smoko at work or at the pub with mates. If he has a stinker – in the eyes of the keyboard warriors – the venom starts flowing before the teams have hit the sheds. Doubly so if you're the son of the coach or have some sort of family connection. For every Nathan Cleary, there's a Jake Arthur or Billy Walters. Kyle Flanagan is another. He has copped it more than most ever since father Shane gave him his start – reluctantly at the time due to the pressure – at Cronulla in 2018. The No.7 has been a lightning rod for criticism at the Roosters, Bulldogs and Dragons but keeps chipping away at his craft despite the outside noise. He may not be the NRL's most gifted play-maker, but he's certainly up there for resilience and mental fortitude. Good on Dragons hooker Damien Cook for calling out the abuse as he sat next to Shane in the post-match presser following St George Illawarra's win over Parramatta. "I'm going to jump in here. Fans can all have their opinion, there's nothing wrong with that," Cook said. "But to bash someone online and non-stop going at it … online bullying is a different thing. That's something we can't have and we're not going to support it." Wests Tigers fans must feel like they've been conned – again. Despite the promise of better days ahead and a new era under Benji Marshall, it's a familiar tale of woe at Concord. The Tigers' loss to a fairly average Manly side on Friday night was their sixth defeat in a row, leaving them in 14th and just two points off the competition basement. If the Titans weren't such flops, the Tigers could well be alongside them at the bottom and staring at a fourth-straight wooden spoon. They still might. Where's this massive improvement they've been talking about? They may have been competitive at different stages this year but consistently putting it together for a full 80 minutes remains beyond them. At the same time last year, the Tigers had a 4-11 record and were 17th. Twelve months on and they are one win and three positions better off. With games against the Roosters, Warriors, Panthers and Bulldogs looming over the next month – three of them away from home – it's hard to see that position improving. Despite showing plenty of fight in most games, the joint venture club is set to miss the finals for a 14th straight year. Young gun Lachlan Galvin has departed and boom rookie Tallyn Da Silva has the Uber booked to Parramatta. Off field, Wests Tigers are ranked last for corporate support and have an ongoing court battle with former player Jordan Miller over an unfair dismissal case as well as separate legal action at board level. There's never a dull moment in Tiger Town. The return of Wayne Bennett to South Sydney hasn't exactly been the sweet homecoming both parties expected. The Rabbitohs have slumped to 16th after conceding 50 points in the loss to the Dolphins on Saturday night. That made it five losses in a row. You can now kiss a late run to the finals goodbye. While injuries could be used as an excuse in some of those defeats, the Bunnies were close enough to full strength against the Phins and hardly fired a shot. Cody Walker's return from injury promised much and he did deliver two try assists before again going down hurt. Latrell Mitchell was largely ineffective, NSW hopeful Keaon Koloamatangi had a forgettable night and young halfback Jamie Humphreys looked a little lost. Souths' performance was in stark contrast to the previous week's gutsy display against favourites Melbourne, where they pushed the competition favourites to golden point. Rabbitohs bosses clearly believe there's still magic left in Bennett's wand and his second coming will ultimately prove successful. They want him to coach beyond his current deal when he will be well into his late 70s. "If Wayne wants to continue coaching, we hope it's with us at Souths," CEO Blake Solly said last week. "Wayne has got another two years at the end of this season, so we'll sit down at the end of this year and see what he wants to do. We'd love to keep him." Souths' loyal but demanding fans don't care what's happening in 2028. They want to see a few more wins on the board this year. Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.
News.com.au
28-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Injury-hit Dragons hold on as Eels comeback is thwarted by late Zac Lomax blunder
St George Illawarra's second-half collapses almost took on a whole new meaning after they threatened to surrender a 22-point lead against a resurgent Eels in Wollongong on Saturday evening. On a night of high drama in front of one of the biggest ever crowds for a Dragons game at WIN Stadium, Shane Flanagan's embattled side limped to the finish with not a single fit player on the bench for the last 15 minutes. On top of losing winger Christian Tuipulotu in the warm-up, the Dragons had veteran hooker Damien Cook struggle in the closing minutes, and they will be counting the cost of a desperately-needed 34-20 victory in coming days. Forwards Luciano Leilua (quad), Hamish Stewart (concussion), Toby Couchman (shoulder) and Viliami Fifita (knee) all failed to finish the game, heaping the pressure on the Red V before a torrid month in which they're due to play the ladder-leading Raiders, Roosters and Bulldogs. If Dragons fans hadn't suffered enough by already losing three games this season when leading by 12 points after half-time – against the Rabbitohs, Eels and Sharks – their stress levels were off the charts as they somehow kept their top eight fight alive. Parramatta threatened to erase a massive 26-4 half-time deficit through quick tries to Dragons old boy Zac Lomax, Dean Hawkins and Kelma Tuilagi, and it almost looked inevitable they would chalk up one of the most remarkable wins in their recent history against a busted hosts. But Lomax tried an audacious offload with less than five minutes left after a Tuilagi line break, the ball falling to Valentine Holmes, who sprinted 60 metres to ice the Dragons' sixth win of the season. Kyle Flanagan kicked a last-minute penalty goal to seal the result. The Dragons could finish the weekend on the same number of points as eighth spot if the Sharks don't upset the Storm in Melbourne on Sunday. Shane Flanagan was breathing fire even before kick-off, telling Fox League in a pre-game interview some of the criticism of his halves, son Kyle and rookie Lyhkan King-Togia, was 'ridiculous'. In a sparkling first-half in which the Dragons ran riot, King-Togia in particular was outstanding, and Kyle Flanagan produced his own statement with a neat try to extend St George Illawarra's lead. But the match turned on its head after half-time, with Leilua failing to return to the field, Stewart knocked out after a kick-off carry from Matt Doorey and Couchman in significant pain with a shoulder complaint. LOMAX JEERED ON WOLLONGONG RETURN Lomax wrote his own headlines in his first match against his old club earlier this year, sensationally kicking a golden point field goal before missing the next six weeks with a foot injury. But he had no control over the fans at WIN Stadium. And he couldn't muster the result he wanted. There were a smattering of boos every time he went near the ball, and they were loudest when he lined up his only first-half conversion attempt which cannoned into the post. LAWSON'S ON If you'd told Nathan Lawson 15 minutes before kick-off he'd have his first NRL try just a couple of sets after the kick-off, he would have laughed at you because he wasn't even supposed to be playing. But Tuipulotu was injured in the warm-up, prompting a frantic chaotic last-minute change and Lawson scored at the end of the Dragons' first set with the ball. By half-time, Lawson had a double and St George Illawarra's opposite winger Corey Allan had left the field for a concussion test, passed it and returned to score his own four-pointer as the Dragons steamed the Eels through the middle and took advantage on the edges. But the second half couldn't have been a greater contrast with the Eels' 2026 signing Jack de Belin typifying the Dragons' struggles, forced to play on an edge as his side desperately hung on.
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Needed competitors'
NRL: Dragons coach Shane Flanagan and Damien Cook were thrilled to hold off a surging Broncos outfit, causing a huge upset in round eleven.
