Latest news with #JoashPapalii
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I was about to cry': Emotional scenes before, during and after Joash Papalii's first game in the NRL
Joash Papalii may have had his eyes closed when he scored a try on debut on Friday night, but they were wide open as he embraced family and took photos with everyone in the CommBank Stadium sheds as they celebrated a moment that he'd been dreaming about since he was a young kid supporting the blue and golds. There were emotional scenes after the game as friends and family held up posters as Papalii posed with anyone and everyone in the home dressing room, with pride replacing the sheer hysteria they showed when he ran out for the first time two hours earlier. His dad was hugging senior players in the sheds while everyone soaked up the atmosphere, before the 20-year-old was whisked away from the deafening celebrations to a quiet place where he smiled for eight minutes straight in his first proper interview. It was a much more relaxed feeling compared to Monday when he was ushered into Jason Ryles' office after training with no idea what was about to unfold. 'I was walking in the physio room and he goes 'Joash' loud as. 'Come here, I need to talk to you in my office', so I ran there straight away,' the youngster explained. 'Nathan Brown then asked me if I was in trouble and I was nervous. He told me to sit down and I was shaking my legs. 'He asked me how it was going with my performance. He said I was killing it and then told me straight that I would be debuting this week. 'When he told me, in my mind I was saying 'are you joking?' 'I was about to cry but I held my tears. I didn't expect it this week, but I had to be ready for anything.' Papalii spent a couple of years in the Canterbury system but made the move to Parramatta this season where he's starred in reserve grade. But after being so close a number of times as 18th man, Papalii finally earned his shot after being picked on the bench for the showdown with the Sea Eagles. The message from Ryles was simple, with the rookie told to be ready for anything. So when Will Penisini came off inside the opening two minutes following a head knock, the lifelong Eels fan hopped off the bench and was straight into the action without any time to worry about what might happen. He was strong from the outset, with Papalii living out a childhood dream in the 24th minute when he finished off a big break up the middle to score in the right corner. It's a moment he'll never forget, but it's one he'll have to watch again and again given his eyes were closed as he grounded the ball for what should be the first of many NRL tries. Joash Papalii on DEBUT! 🤩ðŸ'� #NRLEelsManly Telstra Moment of the Match. — NRL (@NRL) May 23, 2025 'I did not expect it,' he said. 'I just told myself, just keep moving, just push and then when I saw Dylan Walker break the line, I was like, 'he's breaking'. I had to get on my bike. 'And then when I saw Dean Hawkins, he got tackled, and then he looked at me and he just chucked it (the ball). 'I was like oh, I've got to grab it. And I was about to go in the corner, and then I was like, I've got to come back in, and then I threw the dummy, and I was like, am I actually over the line? 'And when I opened my eyes I was like, wow, I actually got it. And I did not expect it. 'I was so happy. And when I heard the crowd it was so loud. I've always dreamed about this – watching it as the 18th man, experiencing the boys playing, it's all I ever wanted to do.' Papalii isn't sure if there were 150, 250 or 300 people who were there to support him on Friday, with friends and family travelling from as far as Melbourne to cheer him on. He was a ball of energy on and off the field, with the nephew of Raiders legend Josh Papalii cracking jokes and exuding pure joy from the moment he ran on until the recorders were switched off at the end of the interview, with the rookie just glad his parents were there after supporting him throughout his journey. 'All I ever wanted to do was to give back to them for all the sacrifices they've given me throughout my life,' he said. 'I just wanted to make them proud.'
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Eels rookies put on a show against Turbo and lacklustre Sea Eagles
A statement performance from Dean Hawkins has steered the Eels to a dominant 30-10 win over the Sea Eagles. Hawkins stepped in for NSW representative Mitchell Moses and starred with four try assists, while Joash Papalii celebrated his NRL debut with a try assist and try in the space of two minutes. 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 > Manly got on the board first through Lehi Hopoate, who went on to score a first-half double, but it was the Eels' new-look backline that stole the show in the first 40 minutes. Papalii was thrown into the action much earlier than expected after the Eels lost Will Penisini to a head knock 90 seconds into the game — and the 20-year-old shone. The Eels scored two tries in two minutes to lock up the scores before getting a third just before half time. Hawkins had a hand in all three tries, while Papalii set up the first and scored the second. The Eels picked up where they left off in the second half, with Isaiah Iongi and J'maine Hopgood scoring to extend their side's lead. Even with Tom Trbojevic in their side Manly couldn't find the spark necessary to keep up with a spirited Eels outfit. There's no tougher job than stepping in to replace a superstar No. 7 but Hawkins passed the test with flying colours. The Fox League panel challenged Hawkins pre-game given he was signed to the Eels for this exact reason – to steer ship when Moses was unavailable – and the 26-year-old delivered. He had a hand in all three of the Eels first-half tries with his kicking game, running game and passing game on show. Hawkins put in a grubber under pressure in the lead-up to the Eels' first try and then threw the final pass to set up their next two tries. Champion halfback Cooper Cronk was particularly impressed with how Hawkins was able to put Jack Williams into a gap to score with the Fox League expert analyst calling it a 'beautiful try assist' and added: 'Dean Hawkins, give yourself a pat on the back.' Hawkins had his fingerprints on everything in the second half too, adding another two try assists to his tally to take his final stats to four try assist and two linebreak assists as well as a forced dropout and 16 tackles with one miss. 'He was brought to the club for something like this and he has delivered for his team … he's been absolutely terrific,' Cronk said. After the head knock to centre Penisini, Eels debutant Papalii was almost immediately thrust into the action against the Sea Eagles. And the young gun, who arrived from the Bulldogs ahead of the 2025 season, well and truly proved he has what it takes to cut it in the NRL. The 20-year-old impressed in the pre-season challenge, with many expecting him to feature in first grade earlier than Round 12. However, he has taken his opportunity with both hands, setting up a Jordan Samrani try in impressive fashion before scoring one of his own. 'A moment to remember for this 20-year-old from Punchbowl … the joy belongs to this man. He has been compared in style to someone like Roger Tuivasa-Sheck,' commentator Dan Ginnane said. 'We haven't seen his step yet, but we have seen his smile and that could light up CommBank Stadium.' Papalii finished his side's big win over Manly with 54 running metres and a try from nine carries, slotting onto the wing. Tom Trbojevic, meanwhile, had chance to show NSW selectors they missed a trick by not picking him for the Origin opener, but instead it was a horror show for the Sea Eagles who looked lifeless without veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans. Trbojevic played a part in both of Hopoate's first-half tries and produced a strong tackle to deny a rampaging Luca Moretti, but he was well contained in attack and held to just one tackle bust.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Like Tuivasa-Sheck': Parramatta to name rookie for NRL debut
A young player who has been compared to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is set to make his NRL debut for Parramatta. Joash Papalii, recruited from the Bulldogs during the off-season, will be named on the Eels bench for Friday's clash with Manly. The 20-year-old was a star coming through the junior grades; he was named the SG Ball player of year in 2022, has tasted premiership success with Canterbury's Jersey Flegg side, represented NSW under-19s last year and was part of the Australian Schoolboys side that beat Fiji. Former Broncos winger Denan Kemp, who ran the rule over footage of Papalii's highlight reel during one of his Bloke in a Bar YouTube segments, predicted he had a future in the NRL. 'This guy's footwork is outstanding … a little bit like RTS [Tuivasa-Sheck], I would say,' Kemp said in the video. 'Joash Papalii: very impressive. That left-foot [step], that is from the gods. The talent is there … You can't tell me, with footwork like that and a good work ethic, that he won't be in a position to make his debut at some stage.' That time appears now. While Papalii has played everywhere in the backline, the Punchbowl product is expected to spend some time at dummy half against the Sea Eagles. In an interview last October, Papalii said he grew up a Parramatta supporter who dreamed of making his debut for the club. 'When I was young I used to support Parramatta. There was this guy called Jarryd Hayne and everything changed,' Papalii said.
The Age
20-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Like Tuivasa-Sheck': Parramatta to name rookie for NRL debut
A young player who has been compared to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is set to make his NRL debut for Parramatta. Joash Papalii, recruited from the Bulldogs during the off-season, will be named on the Eels bench for Friday's clash with Manly. The 20-year-old was a star coming through the junior grades; he was named the SG Ball player of year in 2022, has tasted premiership success with Canterbury's Jersey Flegg side, represented NSW under-19s last year and was part of the Australian Schoolboys side that beat Fiji. Former Broncos winger Denan Kemp, who ran the rule over footage of Papalii's highlight reel during one of his Bloke in a Bar YouTube segments, predicted he had a future in the NRL. 'This guy's footwork is outstanding … a little bit like RTS [Tuivasa-Sheck], I would say,' Kemp said in the video. 'Joash Papalii: very impressive. That left-foot [step], that is from the gods. The talent is there … You can't tell me, with footwork like that and a good work ethic, that he won't be in a position to make his debut at some stage.' That time appears now. While Papalii has played everywhere in the backline, the Punchbowl product is expected to spend some time at dummy half against the Sea Eagles. In an interview last October, Papalii said he grew up a Parramatta supporter who dreamed of making his debut for the club. 'When I was young I used to support Parramatta. There was this guy called Jarryd Hayne and everything changed,' Papalii said.
