Latest news with #JakeClifford
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Crawls ‘shocked' at Clifford axe-ing
NRL: The AFL 360 panel discuss North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten's decision to drop Jake Clifford for Jaxon Purdue.
West Australian
13-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Cowboys axe halfback to take chance on gun teen
North Queensland have sensationally axed halfback Jake Clifford to give impressive young gun Jaxon Purdue his first chance in his position of choice. Mackay product Purdue will start at five-eighth against Manly on Saturday night in place of Clifford, who missed two shots at a game-winning field goal in the 30-30 draw with Penrith last weekend. Purdue, 19, has been a revelation in the centres for the Cowboys this season, but played in the halves as a junior. He could remain there for another week if co-captain Tom Dearden is selected for Queensland in the State of Origin series opener on May 28. Purdue's promotion means Dearden shifts to halfback and Zac Laybutt comes into the outside backs for his first game of the season. Clifford has been solid this year after impressing on return to the first-grade side late last season, but lines up as replacement player. Out-of-sorts Brisbane have made a halves change of their own, recalling Ezra Mam for his first game of the year in place of the injured Ben Hunt. Mam, who served a nine-game ban for drug-driving, made his return to the field through reserve grade last week and will partner Adam Reynolds against St George Illawarra. Elsewhere, incumbent NSW winger Zac Lomax will have one last chance to push his Origin case provided he can clear a final fitness test for Parramatta's trip to Newcastle. The clash would be the gun recruit's first alongside Eels halfback Mitch Moses, who missed the start of the season with his own foot issue. A knee injury to Greg Marzhew has left the Knights to name debutant Fletcher Hunt on the wing as they look to recover from a demoralising loss to Gold Coast. Kieran Foran is in line to play his first game of the season, with the Titans naming their veteran playmaker to return from a biceps injury against Canberra. Alex Johnston will resume his push for the all-time try-scoring record when he returns from a hamstring injury for South Sydney's clash with Wests Tigers. Tigers coach Benji Marshall resisted the urge to make mass changes after his side's humiliating 64-0 loss to Melbourne. But Fonua Pole's knee injury has forced a reshuffle that leaves Tallyn Da Silva in the reserves. Storm hooker Harry Grant is listed in the reserves, so may have one last chance to return from a hamstring injury and push his Origin case against Cronulla. James Fisher-Harris and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have both been named to return for the Warriors in their clash against the Dolphins.
Perth Now
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Cowboys axe halfback to take chance on gun teen
North Queensland have sensationally axed halfback Jake Clifford to give impressive young gun Jaxon Purdue his first chance in his position of choice. Mackay product Purdue will start at five-eighth against Manly on Saturday night in place of Clifford, who missed two shots at a game-winning field goal in the 30-30 draw with Penrith last weekend. Purdue, 19, has been a revelation in the centres for the Cowboys this season, but played in the halves as a junior. He could remain there for another week if co-captain Tom Dearden is selected for Queensland in the State of Origin series opener on May 28. Purdue's promotion means Dearden shifts to halfback and Zac Laybutt comes into the outside backs for his first game of the season. Clifford has been solid this year after impressing on return to the first-grade side late last season, but lines up as replacement player. Out-of-sorts Brisbane have made a halves change of their own, recalling Ezra Mam for his first game of the year in place of the injured Ben Hunt. Mam, who served a nine-game ban for drug-driving, made his return to the field through reserve grade last week and will partner Adam Reynolds against St George Illawarra. Elsewhere, incumbent NSW winger Zac Lomax will have one last chance to push his Origin case provided he can clear a final fitness test for Parramatta's trip to Newcastle. The clash would be the gun recruit's first alongside Eels halfback Mitch Moses, who missed the start of the season with his own foot issue. A knee injury to Greg Marzhew has left the Knights to name debutant Fletcher Hunt on the wing as they look to recover from a demoralising loss to Gold Coast. Kieran Foran is in line to play his first game of the season, with the Titans naming their veteran playmaker to return from a biceps injury against Canberra. Alex Johnston will resume his push for the all-time try-scoring record when he returns from a hamstring injury for South Sydney's clash with Wests Tigers. Tigers coach Benji Marshall resisted the urge to make mass changes after his side's humiliating 64-0 loss to Melbourne. But Fonua Pole's knee injury has forced a reshuffle that leaves Tallyn Da Silva in the reserves. Storm hooker Harry Grant is listed in the reserves, so may have one last chance to return from a hamstring injury and push his Origin case against Cronulla. James Fisher-Harris and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have both been named to return for the Warriors in their clash against the Dolphins.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Panthers star blasts vicious social media abuse he was subjected to after 30-30 stalemate against the Cowboys
Penrith Panthers star Mitchell Kenny has revealed the vile abuse he received on social media in the wake of Penrith's 30-30 draw against the Cowboys on Saturday. Ivan Cleary's side are currently enduring one of their worst starts to an NRL season, with the defending champions having slumped to second-bottom on the ladder, having lost six of their opening 10 matches this year. Following Saturday's match, both the Cowboys and Panthers may be thinking about what could have been, with both sides missing opportunities to win the match. Jake Clifford and Scott Drinkwater both failed to convert shots at match winners for the home side, while Cleary had a shot at goal himself in extra time charged down. Kenny, meanwhile, could have given the Penrith halfback a shot at goal in regulation time. But the hooker had instead opted to shift left on the last tackle and found contact. Following the match, Kenny took to Instagram to reveal the disgusting abuse he has copped on social media from some fans. One appeared to have been incensed by his decision not to pass the ball to Cleary in the dying embers of the game, claiming Kenny had lost him 'a trillion dollars'. 'F*****g useless ****, you've f*****g cost me a trillion dollars cause your a f*****g hog,' the social media user had said to Kenny. 'Imagine having the greatest ever player and not using him so the most f*****g mid **** on the planet can scoot on the last play of the game instead of kicking a field goal. 'What could of possibly been going through your f*****g thick head. 'Moron. F*** you.' Kenny clapped back with a funny response. 'Send us your bank details, I'll send you the trillion sorry legend,' he added. He then added: 'These things happen aye! Have a good weekend, everyone.' Scott Drinkwater (pictured) also missed several opportunities to seal the victory for the Cowboys It is not the first time an NRL player has been lambasted by a fan over a bet with Josh Morris having once copped flak from a fuming fan. He replied to the supporter: 'I don't care about your multis'. North Queensland, meanwhile, will be ruing their missed chances following Saturday's game. As Todd Payten put it after the match, it's 'two weeks on the trot they had been in winning positions and couldn't get it done'. 'I'm sure I'll feel a little bit better about it tomorrow but right at the moment it's just frustration,' Payton added. The four-time reigning premiers also regretted giving up a 12-point lead twice in the game, the second time when the Cowboys scored twice in two minutes late. 'Whenever that happens you feel a little bit disappointed,' said Panthers coach Ivan Cleary. 'I feel like we should've definitely closed it out in the second half but having said that, once it was 30-all, I think we did quite well to not lose.' The four-time reigning premiers also regretted giving up a 12-point lead twice in the game, the second time when the Cowboys scored twice in two minutes late Talagi continued his rise to help the Panthers in the fight to salvage their slow-starting season, while the Cowboys moved into the top eight to finish the round. Prized recruit Talagi was unable to break into the team when Penrith fell to the Cowboys in round five but had a hand in all five of their tries this time around. Talagi managed a one-handed offload to help in-form Isaiah Papali'i open the scoring inside five minutes, with the five-eighth then throwing the last ball for Luke Garner's first. With his boot, Talagi threaded a grubber kick for Garner to complete his double in the first half and then channelled Cleary by sending a perfect kick over the defensive line for Tom Jenkins to score. Talagi then put the Panthers ahead by 12 points by scoring a try of his own following a knock-on in the in-goal from Cowboys winger Robert Derby, who had a hellish night. 'He's certainly on the right trajectory,' coach Cleary said of Talagi. Penrith boss Ivan Cleary (pictured) admitted he was disappointed his sidecould not get the victory 'He's a bit like the moment Blaize, when he gets the ball, both coaches hold their breath. But that's what we love about him, he just comes to the game, gets better all the time. 'I'm really enjoying him being part of our team.' The Cowboys locked the scores at 30 scoring twice in quick succession in the final 10 minutes, with Derby first redeeming himself on the right before Drinkwater found Tom Dearden in support. Fighting to hold his NSW fullback jersey from in-form James Tedesco, Penrith's Dylan Edwards had a quieter performance than he'd have liked, notably dropping a Dearden kick to put the Panthers under early pressure. He finished with 190 metres and one tackle break in his final game before State of Origin teams are picked, with the Panthers on the bye next weekend.
