Latest news with #DarylHalligan
The Advertiser
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
NRL great keeps Southwell's career kicking along nicely
The great North Sydney Bears and Canterbury Bulldogs goal-kicker Daryl Halligan retired five years before Jesse Southwell was born, but the young Newcastle Knights NRLW star is reaping the benefits of his knowledge right now. The 20-year-old Southwell is on a season streak of 21 goals straight from six matches - a 100 per cent kicking record. Even in the wind and wet of the NRLW Magic Round at her home ground McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday, she landed all three conversions in the 18-0 win over the Raiders. "I did feel pressure because it's been spoken about a bit," Southwell told AAP in the Knights' sheds. "It was the ones in front I was stressed most about, (thinking) 'don't miss these Jesse'. But the girls have been scoring near the posts for me, so that's been brilliant." And her brains trust off-field is the man who still sits in the top 10 (No.8) for the NRL's greatest points-scorers with 2034 from 855 goals and 80 tries in 230 games (1991-2000), even though he retired 25 years ago. Halligan is a kicking consultant with the Knights. "I'm doing heaps of stuff with him when he's in town," Southwell said. "He wants me to make sure my processes are the same in training as in games. "He also helps with the pressure moments, and I'm actually enjoying my kicking - just trying to make sure I keep hitting it in the right spot." It's not just Southwell's goal-kicking skills that have impressed her skipper and NSW Origin teammate Yasmin Clydsdale and helped the Knights to third spot on the NRLW ladder off the back of four straight wins. Southwell has five try assists, five line-break assists and eight forced drop-outs, and averages 305 kicking metres a game. "She's only 20 and has so much composure on the field. We're extremely lucky to have a player like her in our team," Clydsdale said. Coach Ben Jeffries echoed that sentiment. "Really proud of Jess - she's kicking really well at the moment, and her decision-making and patience for a young player is remarkable," he said. The great North Sydney Bears and Canterbury Bulldogs goal-kicker Daryl Halligan retired five years before Jesse Southwell was born, but the young Newcastle Knights NRLW star is reaping the benefits of his knowledge right now. The 20-year-old Southwell is on a season streak of 21 goals straight from six matches - a 100 per cent kicking record. Even in the wind and wet of the NRLW Magic Round at her home ground McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday, she landed all three conversions in the 18-0 win over the Raiders. "I did feel pressure because it's been spoken about a bit," Southwell told AAP in the Knights' sheds. "It was the ones in front I was stressed most about, (thinking) 'don't miss these Jesse'. But the girls have been scoring near the posts for me, so that's been brilliant." And her brains trust off-field is the man who still sits in the top 10 (No.8) for the NRL's greatest points-scorers with 2034 from 855 goals and 80 tries in 230 games (1991-2000), even though he retired 25 years ago. Halligan is a kicking consultant with the Knights. "I'm doing heaps of stuff with him when he's in town," Southwell said. "He wants me to make sure my processes are the same in training as in games. "He also helps with the pressure moments, and I'm actually enjoying my kicking - just trying to make sure I keep hitting it in the right spot." It's not just Southwell's goal-kicking skills that have impressed her skipper and NSW Origin teammate Yasmin Clydsdale and helped the Knights to third spot on the NRLW ladder off the back of four straight wins. Southwell has five try assists, five line-break assists and eight forced drop-outs, and averages 305 kicking metres a game. "She's only 20 and has so much composure on the field. We're extremely lucky to have a player like her in our team," Clydsdale said. Coach Ben Jeffries echoed that sentiment. "Really proud of Jess - she's kicking really well at the moment, and her decision-making and patience for a young player is remarkable," he said. The great North Sydney Bears and Canterbury Bulldogs goal-kicker Daryl Halligan retired five years before Jesse Southwell was born, but the young Newcastle Knights NRLW star is reaping the benefits of his knowledge right now. The 20-year-old Southwell is on a season streak of 21 goals straight from six matches - a 100 per cent kicking record. Even in the wind and wet of the NRLW Magic Round at her home ground McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday, she landed all three conversions in the 18-0 win over the Raiders. "I did feel pressure because it's been spoken about a bit," Southwell told AAP in the Knights' sheds. "It was the ones in front I was stressed most about, (thinking) 'don't miss these Jesse'. But the girls have been scoring near the posts for me, so that's been brilliant." And her brains trust off-field is the man who still sits in the top 10 (No.8) for the NRL's greatest points-scorers with 2034 from 855 goals and 80 tries in 230 games (1991-2000), even though he retired 25 years ago. Halligan is a kicking consultant with the Knights. "I'm doing heaps of stuff with him when he's in town," Southwell said. "He wants me to make sure my processes are the same in training as in games. "He also helps with the pressure moments, and I'm actually enjoying my kicking - just trying to make sure I keep hitting it in the right spot." It's not just Southwell's goal-kicking skills that have impressed her skipper and NSW Origin teammate Yasmin Clydsdale and helped the Knights to third spot on the NRLW ladder off the back of four straight wins. Southwell has five try assists, five line-break assists and eight forced drop-outs, and averages 305 kicking metres a game. "She's only 20 and has so much composure on the field. We're extremely lucky to have a player like her in our team," Clydsdale said. Coach Ben Jeffries echoed that sentiment. "Really proud of Jess - she's kicking really well at the moment, and her decision-making and patience for a young player is remarkable," he said.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy fans slam great of the game over the most cringeworthy sideline TV interview you'll ever see
NRL premiership winner and New Zealand international Daryl Halligan has combined with a Kiwi young gun to deliver one of the most confusing interviews the code has ever seen. Halligan was on-hand to interview players in the wake of the Warriors' 40-10 demolition of Cronulla on Saturday, and his line of questioning has been ridiculed by footy fans. Halligan, a New Zealand-born winger, transitioned from rugby union to rugby league in 1991, joining the North Sydney Bears before moving to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 1994. Renowned for his exceptional goal-kicking skills, he amassed a then-record 2034 points in the NRL, including 855 goals at a 79.31 per cent success rate, and played a pivotal role in the Bulldogs' 1995 premiership victory. But his footy ability hasn't translated to a stellar media career, highlighted by the puzzling interview he did for Sky Sports on the weekend with Warriors young gun Leka Halasima. It started innocuously enough, with Halligan praising Halasima for his efforts in the forwards in the Warriors' win over Cronulla. 'Leka great effort tonight, yourself and Jacob [Laban] in the back row, 80 minutes for you, brilliant,' he said. But it quickly skidded downhill as the questions became longer and more confusing. "Try scoring freak continues. You're on a little bit of a string. I mean, leg speed, take the line on?" Halligan said to confusion of fans and Halasima alike. 'What the f***, Darryl?' one fan asked about that particular question. All the young Warrior could do was laugh and reply, 'Pardon?' 'The try streak's five now, hopefully more to come,' he added as his teammates teased him and slapped him on the head. 'Shark Park here, you don't often put 40 points on Cronulla,' Halligan followed it up with. By then Halasima's concentration had been well and truly broken and he started to deliver replies that have been likened to former NRL star Darius Boyd's infamous one-word-answers interview. In that instance, Boyd's terse, one-word responses during a 2009 press conference became emblematic of his strained relationship with the media. 'You're going so well my friend, starting on the bench, now playing the full 80 minutes, in the back row, its a credit to you,' Halligan said to close out the interview. Fans have since taken to social media to ridicule the awkward exchange. 'Halligan's 'stream of consciousness' interviewing technique takes some getting used to,' one fan posted. 'Fucking great that Leka follows that gibberish with 'Pardon?',' another fan commented. 'Daryl has been getting stuck into the beers or something,' joked another. Others questioned whether Halasima was ready for on-the-spot media interviews, especially with curve ball questions like Halligan was throwing his way. 'Poor bloke was so nervous and clearly not really listening to the questions,' one viewer posted. 'As someone with years of media experience and a former player, he should be helping out these young kids that haven't had a lot of media training,' added another. 'Adding to the shyness, the lad was born in Tonga, so his first language isn't even English, making Halligan's word salad even more bewildering than it would otherwise be,' yet another pointed out.
