Latest news with #GregAlexander
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
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NRL's response to Shane Flanagan ref spray questioned as 'precedent' singled out
Rugby League great Greg Alexander has questioned why the NRL has decided not to fine Shane Flanagan for his blow-up at officials after the Dragons' 20-18 loss to Canterbury last weekend. An enraged Flanagan singled out a couple of refereeing decisions that he said were 'wrong' and potentially cost his side a chance to play finals footy this season. The Dragons coach took aim at two controversial calls during the final minutes of the two-point defeat. He accused Jacob Kiraz of planting the ball before he got to his feet and described the ensuing penalty against Luciano Leilua for ruck interference as 'outrageous'. The Dragons coach also claimed that Viliame Kikau knocked the ball forward into Tyrell Sloan when attempting a bat-on pass moments later, and was furious that the Dogs were allowed to play on. It proved costly as Lachlan Galvin set up the match-winning try with a superb cut-out ball to Jethro Rinakama that denied the Dragons a win and left them six points out of finals contention with just seven games left to play. "The Luciano Leilua decision was outrageous," Flanagan fumed in his post-match press conference. "He's got to get to his feet before he plants the ball. You can't be falling sideways. You can't ball-plant... but tonight we ball-planted and we lost the game because of it." And about the decision not to pull up Kikau for a knock-on, he added: "Kikau passes the ball, hit Sloan and goes forward, so in the collision that's a knock-on. Ever since 100 years, that's a knock-on and that was at the 78-minute mark... They're a good side the Bulldogs, they compete hard, but it was some decisions tonight that cost us two competition points and could cost us an opportunity to play semi-finals." NRL backs officials, decides not to fine Shane Flanagan However, the NRL backed their officials over both calls, citing footage that showed Leilua denied Kiraz an opportunity to play the ball correctly by grabbing the winger's arm before his foot dislodged the ball. The NRL also ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove that Kikau knocked the ball forward into Sloan. Both were viewed as 50/50 calls that could have gone either way and it's for that very reason that Alexander believes Flanagan wasn't fined for his outburst. The Penrith great pointed out that the NRL announced a blanket ban on coaches questioning refereeing decisions at the start of the year and suggested league bosses erred on their tough stance by not fining Flanagan. 'The precedent had been set and there was a directive from the NRL that you can't question decisions,' Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast. 'I thought Flanagan was in control of what he was saying. He didn't lose it but there's no doubt he was questioning the decision. 'He even said the decisions were outrageous. The NRL are hedging their bets. Normally, they would've fined a coach and they have fined coaches this year for questioning referee decisions." But Alexander insists coaches 'should be allowed to' air their grievances in the manner Flanagan did, without being sanctioned. RELATED: Scary Panthers detail that backs up legend's huge premiership call Tigers star linked with switch to rival clubs as medical detail emerges Broncos' cap squeeze could claim another star as 'formal' offers touted '(The NRL made the decision) not to fine him because it was a 50/50 call and it could've easily gone the way of the Dragons," he added. "Is that off-putting to some? Why can't a coach say that? As long as a coach handles themselves in the way that Shane Flanagan did. He wasn't saying that they'd been robbed. He said it in a matter which I believe coaches should be allowed to do.' However, the situation appears to fly in the face of what NRL head of football operations Graham Annesley said earlier in the year, when clarifying what coaches are not allowed to say about the referees. "They can't make derogatory comments about match officials, they can't attack their performance or integrity," he told Wide World of Sports. "They can't do anything that brings into question the integrity or the performance of the referee but they can disagree with individual decisions."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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Storm hit with NRL premiership truth bomb as legend makes huge call on Panthers
League great Greg Alexander has cast doubts over suggestions the Melbourne Storm are NRL premiership favourites this year and has tipped the Raiders to beat them to the minor premiership. While fellow Penrith legend Scott Sattler says the stunning form of the resurgent Panthers has convinced him they can win a fifth straight grand final in 2025. The Storm's hopes of ending the regular season on top of the ladder took a hit on Saturday night when they went down by two points to Manly in a 16-18 nail-biter at AAMI stadium. Melbourne were seven wins from seven at home before that defeat to the Sea Eagles and saw their six-game NRL winning streak snapped after a gutsy display from Manly. It sparked fresh questions about whether the third-placed Storm deserved to be considered favourites to win the grand final this season. Craig Bellamy's side were still without superstar fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who missed his third game in a row with a calf strain. His return will be a massive boost for Melbourne's premiership hopes but Alexander says he's still not completely convinced they're the team to beat. "It's hard to go past Papenhuyzen, Munster, Hughes and Grant. That's the best spine in the game," Alexander said on SEN radio. "The size of the pack, the middles, (Trent) Loiero's an Origin player. Nelson (Asofa-Solomona), Stefano (Utoikamanu), Josh King, it's a big middle and they've got some quality players coming off the bench. "So I guess they are (premiership favourites) but they haven't set the world on fire and if you have a look at the six wins and who they've been against, they got beaten by the Sharks and then went on a six-game run. They beat the Titans, the Cowboys twice, the Bunnies, the Sharks - who were in a hell of a hole when they beat them - and Newcastle." Alexander says while the Storm have been short-priced favourites to win the premiership all season, he sees the same sort of inconsistencies in their displays as other rivals, save from perhaps the ladder-leading Raiders. "They will be the minor premiers, he said about Ricky Stuart's Canberra side. "The run they have home certainly favours the Raiders, who showed again just how dangerous they can be with the ball. They were down against the Eels but they destroyed them in the second half with five tries." The injury-hit Warriors are the only team currently in the top six who Alexander has written off as premiership contenders. But he believes any of the Raiders, Bulldogs, Broncos or Panthers are capable of preventing the Storm from winning the grand final. RELATED: Tigers player escapes charge over tackle that left superstar injured Craig Bellamy flags further absence for Storm star Cameron Munster Latrell moment says it all as Souths cop another season-ending blow Penrith legend backs club to win a fifth straight premiership And fellow Panthers legend Sattler is convinced his former club can win an unprecedented fifth straight NRL premiership after extending their winning streak to six games with Friday night's 30-10 win against South Sydney. 'They can, based on the aura... and it doesn't matter if they finish 5th or 6th, cause a home elimination/semi-final to them is irrelevant," Sattler said on SEN radio. 'And they've got players that know how to win and how to prepare.' The Panthers sat dead-last after 12 rounds and many had written off their chances in 2025 but Ivan Cleary's side are now up into sixth after their stunning resurgence. And veteran league reporter Andrew Webster backed Sattler's call about the Panthers and believes their Origin stars will have extra motivation to win another comp after their heartbreaking series loss with NSW. 'When Queensland lose (in Origin), those Melbourne Storm Queenslanders usually rise to the occasion and they go pretty close (to winning),' he said on SEN. 'I reckon that could be the case for Penrith. That will be the motivation for the likes of (Liam) Martin, (Dylan) Edwards, Cleary, Yeo and (Brian) To'o. They go to a new level, and they are a different team in September, and that's how they approach it.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
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'Hasn't done anything': State of Origin hero under fire over 'disappointing' scenes
League great Greg Alexander has ruled the Cowboys out of playing finals footy this season after Thursday night's disappointing defeat to the Dolphins. And he's singled out Queensland State of Origin winner Reuben Cotter for specific criticism, after the Maroons back-rower continued his underwhelming club form for North Queensland. The Cowboys were blown off the park in the 43-24 flogging by the Dolphins, who ran in seven tries to four to jump into seventh on the NRL ladder. It was another dismal defensive display from North Queensland, who have the worst record in the competition after conceding a staggering 531 points in their 18 games so far this season. That equates to an alarming average of almost 30 points against per game and heaps more pressure on coach Todd Payten. As it currently stands, North Queensland are five points adrift of the top eight with six games to go. But Alexander said on the evidence of Thursday night's heavy defeat and their woeful recent form, he gives them no chance of featuring in this year's finals series. 'Put a line through the Cowboys after last night, it's the end of them,' Alexander said on SEN radio on Friday. 'Even though their draw is favourable, and they still have a bye up their sleeves, I can't see the Cowboys rallying after that." Reuben Cotter's form for the Cowboys under fire And Alexander says the form of Cotter has been particularly concerning after his impressive performances for Queensland in this year's Origin series win. The Maroons back-rower has been nowhere near his best for the Cowboys in 2025 and is averaging just 88 run metres and less than nine hit-ups per game, from his 12 appearances in clubland this season. RELATED: 'Real concern' for Panthers as Nathan Cleary floated for $3m exit Wayne Bennett 'ban' set to be upheld amid awful news about Latrell 'Some of their players, Reuben Cotter has only had two good games, and they were both for Queensland," Alexander said about the Maroons star. "He hasn't done anything for the Cowboys this year. He has been very disappointing as he was again last night.' Cotter's form does not bode well for his hopes of selection in the Kangaroos squad for their Ashes series against England later this year. The Cowboys forward has been a mainstay in the Kangaroos squads in recent years and played in their victorious Pacific Championships campaign last year, and was part of Australia's squad for their World Cup triumph in 2023. But he's fallen well down the pecking order in terms of the NRL's best back-rowers this season. Cowboys slip further out of NRL finals contention And it's indicative of the struggles of the star-studded Cowboys, who had four players featuring on Thursday night against the Dolphins that played in last week's Origin decider. Winger Murray Taulagi - who suffered a late hamstring injury - has also been a regular for the Maroons in recent years. But they are now staring down the barrel of missing the finals for a third time under Payten, having made it to the second week of the playoffs last season. Many critics insist the Cowboys should be pushing for the top-four but Payten has been unable to get the best out of his star-studded side in 2025. And it's left his position in serious threat, with the Cowboys slipping out of finals contention after six losses in their last seven games. "Their defence is just terrible," veteran NRL reporter Andrew Webster said on SEN radio. "I know they can score points and we saw that with three tries in eight minutes (against the Dolphins) but I don't know if it's the coach, I don't know what's wrong with them but they just don't seem to be able to stop points."
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
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Dylan Brown cops brutal reality check about NRL role after surprise call from Eels
Greg Alexander says Dylan Brown's shock switch from five-eighth to hooker has signalled the beginning of the end of his playmaking days at Parramatta. Coach Jason Ryles made the surprise call before Sunday's loss against four-time defending premiers Penrith to shift the Newcastle-bound Brown to hooker and play youngster Joash Papalii in the halves instead, despite naming the Kiwi Test star at No.6. Brown is set to join Newcastle next season after signing a 10-year, $13 million deal and with the 15th-placed Eels little chance to play finals footy this season, Ryles has decided to turn his attentions to the future. And as far as Alexander is concerned, that means Brown has likely played his last game as Parramatta's starting five-eighth, with the league great backing the move to give Papalii a chance to prove he can be Mitch Moses' long-term halves partner. 'It's very odd,' Alexander said on SEN radio on Monday. 'Jason Ryles is looking to the future. The Eels are not going to figure in finals. Brown is not part of the future and you're now at a stage where you look back on the season." Alexander questioned whether the Knights may actually be having second thoughts on their mega-money move to bring Brown to the club next season after his recent performances for the Eels. And he said the fact Ryles replaced the Kiwi star in the first half and only brought him back on in the dying stages of Sunday's 32-10 defeat to Penrith, suggested Brown was no longer in the coach's starting team plans. RELATED: Laurie Daley's worrying call as glaring NSW Origin mistake exposed Nathan Cleary lifts the lid on father Ivan's act after heartbreak Sam Walker's future cast into doubt after news about father and uncle 'For Brown, has he done anything? Is he doing things during the game that are likely to win you a game? I'd say not," Alexander said about Brown's recent form. "Playing the Dragons a fortnight ago, Newcastle would be watching this and thinking '(is) that our man?' 'The Eels don't have a five-eighth for next year and they want to see Joash Papalii can handle it. After taking Brown off 30 minutes in and (Ryles) not putting him back on until the last five minutes when the game was lost, I think we know where Dylan Brown stands now... his time at the Eels is done in terms of playing at six.' With Moses out injured for much of the season, many expected Brown to stand up in the halfback's absence and lead the Eels as their chief playmaker. That hasn't been the case though, with rookie fullback Isaiah Iongi seemingly taking on that mantle and being a standout for Parramatta in his first season at the club. And after Sunday's defeat to Penrith, Ryles has since confirmed that Papalii will get another shot at the No.6 role for next weekend's clash with the ladder-leading Raiders. But with first-choice hooker Ryley Smith returning from suspension to share dummy-half duties with mid-season recruit Tallyn Da Silva, it raises further question marks over Brown's role for the rest of the season. "(Papalii) will get the first opportunity and then we'll just see what it looks like going forward," Ryles said. He's going to take a little bit of time to find his way; I think he's five or six games in. We'll just let him keep working on his game and let that keep evolving." The Eels coach says Brown understands the situation though and has handled his demotion well. "Whilst he's still here, he's happy to do what's best for the team. It's a good reflection of his character," Parramatta's coach said about the Kiwi playmaker.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
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League great slams NRL as Benji Marshall spray lands Tigers coach in hot water
League great Greg Alexander has leapt to the defence of Benji Marshall after the Wests Tigers coach's criticism of officials looks set to land him in hot water with the NRL. Marshall blew up over two controversial calls against Jarome Luai during Sunday's loss to Penrith, with the penalty for a late tackle on Panthers kicker Blaize Talagi particularly baffling. Luai was also pinged for an escort penalty during the second half of the 18-14 defeat that Marshall thought the officials also got wrong. But the NRL's head of football Graham Annesley insisted on Tuesday that both incidents were reviewed and the right calls were made. 'It's clear from the vision that Jarome Luai props on his left foot and turns his back to initiate contact with Liam Martin,' Annesley said about the escort penalty. 'Regarding the contact on kicker Blaize Talagi, the rules are very clear, and have been reinforced with clubs on multiple occasions over recent seasons. "Players have a duty of care to avoid dangerous contact with kickers who are in the process of kicking and in a vulnerable position. This is a player safety policy which has been in place for a number of years.' But a frustrated Alexander wasn't having a bar of that explanation and echoed the fan backlash by insisting that Luai made the tackle on Talagi as he was kicking the footy. Luai's shot was not late, high or dangerous and the former premiership winner lamented the fact that current rules tend to penalise defenders for what has long been celebrated as exemplary kick pressure. "The tackle wasn't late, it wasn't high. He was within his rights to make that tackle," Alexander said about the penalty against Luai. "Please tell me that we haven't ruled that out of the game. "Do we just allow a kicker to take all the time in the world to kick the ball? As long as he hasn't made contact with the legs of the kicker - which he didn't - then I think it's gotta be alright. Veteran NRL commentator Andrew Voss agreed it did not warrant a penalty. "If he was passing the ball, then there's no dramas," he added. With the scores locked at 10-10 at the time, the decision proved costly as Nathan Cleary's ensuing penalty goal put the defending premiers up by two, before Thomas Jenkins completed his hat-trick late on to help get Penrith home. Marshall was clearly infuriated in his post-match press conference and suggested the officials decided the outcome, in comments that look to have landed him in hot water. 'The game is so hard and demanding. And I actually feel sorry for our players because they didn't actually get to decide tonight," the Wests Tigers coach said. RELATED: 'Cringey' Galvin promo infuriates fans as Raiders hero cops huge snub Slater under fire for Ezra Mam move as QLD axe skipper DCE 'It was a wrong call. I agree with protecting the kickers, but he didn't take his legs out. They didn't put him in a dangerous position. It was simultaneous when he kicked it and he made contact there. Like, that's not a penalty. "And I thought it actually cost us because we're in a cycle there where they got field position, kicked the goal, got the ball back, went down, got a penalty and then scored, so anyway, I've had my rant.' And it could prove costly for Marshall and the Tigers, with CODE Sports reporting that the NRL is reviewing the comments to determine whether any form of sanction will be handed down. That's two horrible calls by officials this week when it's come to putting pressure on the kicker. You want Luai to do that every 5th tackle play if he could #NRLTigersPanthers — Jay Keegan (@JayMK1994) June 8, 2025 Free 2 points there because of a perfect tackle by luai, game is so far gone. #NRLTigersPanthers — Tiger96🐅 (@tiger959505) June 8, 2025 Jarome Luai has done absolutely nothing wrong then 🤦♂️ #nrltigerspanthers — Alex Sutton (@TosBetting) June 8, 2025 This game is unwatchable. Nothing wrong with that tackle from Luai.#NRLTigersPanthers — Rewster (@Rewster7) June 8, 2025
