Latest news with #KeaonKoloamatangi
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
SuperCoach NRL trade talk and tips, live Q&A, round 14 teams
I'll start, most unusually for me, with an apology. My Buy/Sell analysis will be truncated today due to a busy newsroom and the dreaded annual review. Not a bad week for that I guess with there being a reasonably limited number of quality buy/sell options and I will try hard to be concise (not my strength) when assessing them. Jayden Campbell – The most popular buy of the week and I can see why. Campbell had a great game at fullback in round 13 against the Storm with a try, two assists a bunch of offloads and some goals all of which added up to 93 points. His draw is good (covers next four games) but not great (he misses round 18). Campbell will revert to the halves if/when AJ Brimson is available (and the Titans are seeking an exemption to bring Brimson back this round) and while I prefer him at fullback his form at halfback has been solid. Campbell is behind only Nathan Cleary in terms of averages for halfback/five-eighths this year (minimum five games). His floor is good thanks to the goalkicking duties with a worst score of 46 he has a good ceiling (high score of 117) and four scores of 80+ from eight starts. BUY (NB a sneaky alternative buy is Nicho Hynes – he lacks the DPP flex of Campbell but he has scored 60+ in each of his past six matches and has an incredible ceiling – Hynes has scored 180+ against each of his next two opponents. Keaon Koloamatangi – Was the most popular trade of the round last week and special KK delivered for his new owners with 70+ in base, eight tackle busts and a try. Added $66K to his price thanks to that big game and while his price is getting up there I still see okay value at $660K. The fly in the ointment is the knee injury to Mitch Barnett which means NSW coach Laurie Daley is in the hunt for a middle forward for origin II. Koloamatangi, an edge forward remade into a middle, is almost an identical like-for-like replacement for Barnett which has owners on edge and should worry those looking to buy him. If picked for the Blues, KK changed from being a bye round miracle (locked in big scores and covering rounds 15, 16 and 18) to a bye round nightmare who would play at best three of the next six games and quite possibly just two of those. Owners and potential suitors will be hoping Laurie looks to the likes of Stefano Utoikamanu or even Terrell May instead. BUY Lehi Hopoate – No Turbo, no worries with Hopoate doing a superb job in his place at fullback against the Broncos. To be fair the Broncos were putrid, but you can only play what's in front of you and in Hopoate's favour the team in front of him for the next four rounds (Rd 14: Knights, Rd 15: Titans, Rd17: Tigers and Rd18: Souths) is not going to be very good. After that the draw gets much much tougher (Storm, Dogs, Roosters, Raiders) but that's not a reason not to buy. BUY Nathan Lawson – the former rugby sevens star acquitted himself well on NRL debut against the Knights but I do not understand the rush to buy. Christian Tuipulotu was close to being available for the game and should be fine for this week which will see Lawson revert to NSW Cup. NO Luke Metcalf – tonned up last week for his third triple-figure score of the season. that was good. Unfortunately, when he does not score 100+ Metcalf can be a bit quiet and fails to score 60+. Does not cover round 15 or 18 big bye rounds. NO Toby Couchman – Looking for a mid-range forward who will provide solid base and decent bye round coverage? I've got the guy for you. Averaging 63.1PPG (67 if you remove his injury affected game in round 10) of which near enough 55 comes in pure base, Couchman is a bit of a steal at a snip over $550K (that injury game saw him drop around $70K). The Dragons cover both remaining major byes which is an added bonus. Not just a worker bee, Couchman has some power to his game (averaging better than 8PPG in tackle busts/offloads combined) and as a result he has scored 65+ in six of his 11 starts. Might not be a keeper to the end but definitely worth a shot to medium term hold at his price. BUY Jack Williams – The Eels recruit is getting a fair bit of buzz in SC circles after scoring 96 in round 12 and 80 last week – each time with 59 points in pure base. Filling a hybrid role over the past fortnight where he moves between the middle and an edge there's a lot to like here. However, the Eels do not cover rounds 15 or 18 and I prefer Couchman's greater pedigree (he's basically been spending the entire season punching out a role like Williams has for a fortnight). NO Corey Horsburgh – I had Big Red as a sell last week and nothing has changed (other than he lost $14K after scoring 51 against the Roosters). Origin selection push is growing, cash is diminishing. SELL Zac Hosking – As I have mentioned before, while Hosking gets through solid work for a guy who is on an edge, he does not have a huge power game and so where he doesn't score a try you are stuck with low 50s (or worse). SELL Cameron Munster – The trickiest buy/sell of the week in my opinion. Five-eighth is a touch spot this season and Munster has been the best 'set and forget' option at the position all year. That said, I am pretty tempted to turn him into Campbell or Hynes and here is why. The Storm do not play round 15 (Origin/bye), their Origin players are unlikely to back up from Origin II (have just three day turnaround between game in Perth and the round 16 clash against Souths) and then miss round 18 (Origin). Origin players then have a three-day turnaround from Origin III (in Sydney) to their game in Newcastle in round 19 (which I do expect Munster to play but he may be rested). Assuming he misses the game following Origin II then I expect Munster to miss three of the next six rounds – and he could miss four. There's also price to think about. Munster scored consecutive tonnes in rounds 10 and 11 and as a result his price has soared to $746K. With some high BEs in his future then you could sell now and likely get him back once Origin is done for around $80K less. RELUCTANT SELL Robert Toia – The most popular sell of the week and I do understand why. The Roosters are on a bye this week and if Toia retains his Origin jumper then he might not play again in the next five weeks (Rd 14: BYE, Rd 15: Origin, Rd 16: unlikely to backup after Origin II in Perth, Rd 17: Bye, Rd 18: Origin). If dropped from the Maroons then he would provide tremendous coverage in the tricky 15/16 and 18 rounds. SELL
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
NSW State of Origin star Mitch Barnett to miss remainder of 2025 season with ACL rupture in right knee
Mitchell Barnett has been ruled out for the season after scans confirmed the Warriors and NSW State of Origin prop has suffered a ruptured ACL. Barnett had the worst news confirmed on Monday in Auckland, after being assisted from the ground in the Warriors' 36-30 win over South Sydney on Sunday. His injury comes as a mega blow for the Warriors, with Barnett a key member of the club's rise up the ladder to second spot this year. It is also a significant issue for the Blues. Barnett laid an early foundation for NSW in their 18-6 series-opening win, and has just two-and-a-half weeks before the next clash in Perth on June 18. Stefano Utoikamanu looms as the favourite for the spot, after he was part of NSW's 20-man squad for game one and placed on standby for Payne Haas. But Keaon Koloamatangi will also likely remain an option, after being the form prop of the NRL for the past month following his move infield from the second row. The Rabbitohs forward topped 200 metres again against the Warriors, scored a try, made eight tackle busts and played 80 minutes for the third straight game. Koloamatangi debuted in the 2023 dead rubber, starting in the second row and tapping on a pass in the lead up to the first NSW try. "Obviously one of my big goals is to get back there," Koloamatangi said. "But obviously you've got to play good at club level to be able to make the team. So I'm trying to just do that." Asked if he would enter the arena better prepared now with that experience under his belt, the Souths enforcer said he would. "Especially after playing for Tonga against Australia as well," added the 27-year-old. "They're obviously a mixture of both New South Wales and Queensland players. Koloamatangi's move to the front row has made him one of several big-minute machines in the middle. Haas has long been the benchmark for props, while Terrell May has also become an 80-minute option for Wests Tigers after his move there from the Sydney Roosters this year. Koloamatagi's situation is slightly different, given he lost 10kg in the pre-season — which made him the leanest he has been since he was a teenager playing centre. "You've got to be lean and a lot fitter than back in the day. There's not many big-muscle props anymore that play," Koloamatangi said. "Especially with the interchanges going down to eight. The more minutes you play, the more valuable. "No matter what position I play, I try and be the best at it. "Obviously, the best props in the world, like Payne, they play massive minutes and do a massive amount of work. So I just try and do that for my team." AAP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Koloamatangi ready for Origin after blow to teammate
Mitchell Barnett has been ruled out for the season after scans confirmed the Warriors and NSW State of Origin prop has suffered a ruptured ACL. Barnett had the worst news confirmed on Monday in Auckland, after being assisted from Accor Stadium in the Warriors' 36-30 win over South Sydney on Sunday. His injury comes as a mega blow for the Warriors, with Barnett a key member of the club's rise up the ladder to second spot this year. It is also a significant issue for the Blues. Barnett laid an early foundation for NSW in their 18-6 series-opening win, and has just two-and-a-half weeks before the next clash in Perth on June 18. Stefano Utoikamanu looms as the favourite for the spot, after he was part of NSW's 20-man squad for game one and placed on standby for Payne Haas. But Keaon Koloamatangi will also likely remain an option, after being the form prop of the NRL for the past month following his move infield from the second row. The Rabbitohs forward topped 200 metres again against the Warriors, scored a try, made eight tackle busts and played 80 minutes for the third straight game. You can't stop Keaon Koloamatangi! 💪#NRLSouthsWarriors — NRL (@NRL) June 1, 2025 Koloamatangi debuted in the 2023 dead rubber, starting in the second row and tapping on a pass in the lead up to the first NSW try. "Obviously one of my big goals is to get back there," Koloamatangi said. "But obviously you've got to play good at club level to be able to make the team. So I'm trying to just do that." Asked if he would enter the arena better prepared now with that experience under his belt, the Souths enforcer said he would. "Especially after playing for Tonga against Australia as well," added the 27-year-old. "They're obviously a mixture of both New South Wales and Queensland players. "My confidence is high at the moment. I feel like I'm playing good footy. Whatever happens, happens." Koloamatangi's move to the front row has made him one of several big-minute machines in the middle. Haas has long been the benchmark for props, while Terrell May has also become an 80-minute option for Wests Tigers after his move there from the Sydney Roosters this year. Koloamatagi's situation is slightly different, given he lost 10kg in the pre-season - which made him the leanest he has been since he was a teenager playing centre. "You've got to be lean and a lot fitter than back in the day. There's not many big-muscle props anymore that play," Koloamatangi said. "Especially with the interchanges going down to eight. The more minutes you play, the more valuable. "No matter what position I play, I try and be the best at it. "Obviously, the best props in the world, like Payne, they play massive minutes and do a massive amount of work. So I just try and do that for my team."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Daley urged to backflip on Origin selection with NSW player likely to be ruled out
NSW fans are urging coach Laurie Daley to bring Souths enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi into the Blues squad for Game 2 of the State of Origin series amid fears Warriors prop Mitch Barnett will be ruled out with injury. The Blues and Warriors will be sweating on the results of scans for Barnett, who limped off with a knee injury in the first half of Sunday's 36-30 victory over the Bunnies at Accor Stadium. Barnett was immense for NSW in their Game 1 victory over the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium, but his availability for Game 2 in Perth has been left in serious doubt after a nasty incident on Sunday. Barnett clutched at his right knee after landing awkwardly on his leg while attempting to make a tackle midway through the first half, and will undergo scans back in Auckland on Monday. The injury came just four days after Barnett helped lay the platform for NSW in their series-opening win, and two-and-a-half weeks out from the second Origin game in Perth. "He's done a knee injury of some description, but we're waiting for scans," Warriors coach Andrew Webster said. "We honestly don't know what it is at the moment. He could be fine in a couple of weeks - I don't want to be talking like he is not with us any more. If you do a medial or PCL, you're never (mobile). There are different grades to different injuries, and until you look under the hood you never know." Mitch Barnett is off & won't return with a right knee mechanism - planted foot heavily & appeared to shift below knee + collapsed inward. Video brings concern for ACL injury, best case hopefully escapes with meniscus/MCL damage. No details from Warriors as yet. — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 1, 2025 If Barnett is ruled out, Daley will have a big decision to make about which prop will partner Payne Haas in the Blues' starting side, as well as who comes into the NSW bench rotation. Stefano Utoikamanu would appear to be the frontrunner after being named by Daley as NSW's back-up front-rower for the series opener, but his form has not been as eye-catching as Rabbitohs wrecking ball, Koloamatangi. Utoikamanu only played 27 mins for the Storm in Saturday's win over the lowly Titans, running for 102m from seven hit-ups and making 15 tackles. While Koloamatangi put in another massive 80-minute shift playing in the middle for a losing Souths side on Sunday, that included a try, 39 tackles and a whopping 189 run metres. Koloamatangi has been in superb form since moving from from second row to prop, having run for a combined 494 metres in his previous two games since making the switch. And he was at his destructive best again on Sunday, busting eight tackles and scoring the Rabbitohs' first try when he barged through three defenders close to the line. "Keaon's numbers are great, and he is playing a full 80 minutes," Souths coach Wayne Bennett said after the match. "He is not even looking to be brought off the ground. That is the remarkable thing at the moment. For a middle forward it's all about workload. Payne Haas is pretty good at it too, but this guy is in that league." RELATED: Madge in telling dressing room moment amid fresh Broncos disaster Kalyn Ponga farce adds to calls for NRL comp to be suspended Sad details as Melbourne Storm sever ties with Queensland Former NSW coach Brad Fittler - who handed Koloamatangi his his one and only Blues appearance two years ago - was among those to suggest he should be considered to replace Barnett if the Warriors prop is ruled out. Koloamatangi's versatility and ability to play through the middle or on an edge could give him the advantage over the likes of Utoikamanu and Wests Tigers star Terrell May, who many thought was unlucky to be overlooked for the Blues' Game 1 squad. Something tells me it's going to be Stefano as he was the one on standby for Haas. Surely Keaon gets it — JG (@Jaiggg_) June 1, 2025 So Terrell May or Keaon Koloamatangi for origin as sadly Barnett seems gone #NRLSouthsWarriors — Nikki (@Easts4Life) June 1, 2025 That's my Blue 🫡 — Kmac (@Kjmac89) June 1, 2025 Stefano already there? — Rob Cotterill (@robbiecotterill) June 1, 2025 As a NSW fan, Keaon. As a Bunnies fan and someone who just traded in Keaon for fantasy this week, May. — Kingberry168 (@jberr59) June 1, 2025 with AAP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Barnett hurt in Origin blow as Warriors hold off Souths
NSW prop Mitchell Barnett is in extreme doubt for State of Origin II after suffering a serious-looking knee injury in the Warriors' 36-30 win over South Sydney. On a day when Alex Johnston scored a hat-trick and became only the second man to reach 200 career tries, the Rabbitohs fell short of pulling off a comeback at Accor Stadium. After they trailed 30-12 with 21 minutes to go, Johnston's second and third tries of the day got the Rabbitohs back within six points. Both teams then traded tries late, but the Warriors ultimately held on to remain deeply entrenched in the NRL's top four at the halfway mark of the competition. Still, the chief concern for the visitors will be their co-captain, Barnett. Four days after laying the foundation for the Blues' series-opening win in Brisbane, the prop had to be assisted from Accor Stadium on Sunday with a knee issue. The Warriors front-rower will require scans, after he clutched at his right knee while lying on the ground in pain following an attempted tackle on Jayden Sullivan. Beyond the Warriors, his injury may also have significant ramifications for the Blues, with game two in Perth just 17 days away. Stefano Utoikamanu was NSW's back-up front-rower for the series opener, but Keaon Koloamatangi again made his case in Souths' loss. After totalling 494 metres in his first two games since moving from second row to prop, the one-time Origin player ran another 189 on Sunday. The 27-year-old got through 80 minutes again, bust eight tackles and scored the Rabbitohs' first try when he barged through three defenders to go over the line. Johnston got his first moments later when he picked off a Luke Metcalf pass and went 90 metres to score, and at that point Souths looked on top, leading 12-4. Then the Warriors kicked into gear with five tries in the space of 24 minutes around halftime. Metcalf was the main star, with the Dally M leader setting up three tries for the match and scoring one himself when he went 85 metres from dummy-half. Second-rower Leka Halasima again showed his talent when he stepped back through a gap and beat three defenders to the line. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck also bagged a double in one of his better games of the season on the wing for the Warriors. Latrell Mitchell and Johnston still offered the Rabbitohs some late hope, with the Souths fullback sending his winger over for two late tries in the second half. And while that took Johnston to the 200-try milestone and have him within 12 of Ken Irvine's record tally, it wasn't enough to keep the Rabbitohs inside the NRL's top eight.
