Latest news with #Koroisau
The Age
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
‘The finished article': Five ways Jarome Luai has already improved the Tigers
Improved Koroisau's game Koroisau has always been a dominant dummy-half, especially last year when Lachlan Galvin was still learning his craft, and there was no one dominant playmaker. But with Luai's arrival, Koroisau has noticed teams devoting much of their attention to him, which in turn has started to open up more space through the ruck. The Dolphins only had eyes for Luai and Galvin in a recent match, and Koroisau was able to pinch easy metres before scoring a try. 'Everyone watches him when he's on the field,' Koroisau said. 'They're waiting for him to get the ball, [looking] at the shape on his outside, which frees up the middle of the ruck a bit more, and that helps my game. 'People are always watching him. He's a big talker out there, which has helped me as well.' Long kicking game There were plenty of questions about how Luai would handle running a team now he was without former halves partner and Penrith chief controller, Nathan Cleary. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary noted Luai had started to take on more responsibility last year while Nathan was out injured, and part of that transition included doing a lot of more work on his long kicking game. 'He's always had a good short game, but his long game is definitely getting better,' Cleary said this week. 'He's touching the ball more, being around both sides of the footy, and dangerous.' A marketer's dream The Tigers brand has been boosted by Luai and his natural charisma and charm in front of the camera and with sponsors. Richardson cannot recall the last time the recruit knocked back a chance to promote one of the club's community or Polynesian programs in Sydney's west. Before Christmas, at his first signing session with fans at Concord, Luai stayed back for nearly an hour and a half after training to sign every autograph and pose for every photo. Anthony Field, blue Wiggle and longtime Tigers fan, has spent his entire life in the entertainment industry. After welcoming Luai and a few of the players into the recording studio at the start of the year, he was so blown away by Luai's vocals he said he was prepared to produce an album for him. Overdue professionalism The best thing about signing premiership-winners is they know the lofty standards required to achieve success. Loading Luai has had a direct influence on the squad's youngsters, with Richardson saying: 'He sets a good example for the younger players, and has shown them what you need to do to be a professional – he's the ultimate professional.' Marshall said on Saturday: 'Jarome's impact on the club, you can't measure it. In terms of what he's brought to us in terms of standards, professionalism, competing on every play, leadership, all the things he's really good at, he's been outstanding for us. 'We won six games last year, four games the year before, and four games [in 2023]. We've won five so far [in 2025] – we're not happy with that, we think we've got more in us, but he's added a lot to us. We love having him here.'
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘The finished article': Five ways Jarome Luai has already improved the Tigers
Improved Koroisau's game Koroisau has always been a dominant dummy-half, especially last year when Lachlan Galvin was still learning his craft, and there was no one dominant playmaker. But with Luai's arrival, Koroisau has noticed teams devoting much of their attention to him, which in turn has started to open up more space through the ruck. The Dolphins only had eyes for Luai and Galvin in a recent match, and Koroisau was able to pinch easy metres before scoring a try. 'Everyone watches him when he's on the field,' Koroisau said. 'They're waiting for him to get the ball, [looking] at the shape on his outside, which frees up the middle of the ruck a bit more, and that helps my game. 'People are always watching him. He's a big talker out there, which has helped me as well.' Long kicking game There were plenty of questions about how Luai would handle running a team now he was without former halves partner and Penrith chief controller, Nathan Cleary. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary noted Luai had started to take on more responsibility last year while Nathan was out injured, and part of that transition included doing a lot of more work on his long kicking game. 'He's always had a good short game, but his long game is definitely getting better,' Cleary said this week. 'He's touching the ball more, being around both sides of the footy, and dangerous.' A marketer's dream The Tigers brand has been boosted by Luai and his natural charisma and charm in front of the camera and with sponsors. Richardson cannot recall the last time the recruit knocked back a chance to promote one of the club's community or Polynesian programs in Sydney's west. Before Christmas, at his first signing session with fans at Concord, Luai stayed back for nearly an hour and a half after training to sign every autograph and pose for every photo. Anthony Field, blue Wiggle and longtime Tigers fan, has spent his entire life in the entertainment industry. After welcoming Luai and a few of the players into the recording studio at the start of the year, he was so blown away by Luai's vocals he said he was prepared to produce an album for him. Overdue professionalism The best thing about signing premiership-winners is they know the lofty standards required to achieve success. Loading Luai has had a direct influence on the squad's youngsters, with Richardson saying: 'He sets a good example for the younger players, and has shown them what you need to do to be a professional – he's the ultimate professional.' Marshall said on Saturday: 'Jarome's impact on the club, you can't measure it. In terms of what he's brought to us in terms of standards, professionalism, competing on every play, leadership, all the things he's really good at, he's been outstanding for us. 'We won six games last year, four games the year before, and four games [in 2023]. We've won five so far [in 2025] – we're not happy with that, we think we've got more in us, but he's added a lot to us. We love having him here.'
Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bennett hails Koloamatangi's heroics after Souths outgun Tigers
'With all the injuries that we have, the best go-forward from the middles normally wins the game each week,' he said. 'Wayne put his trust in me – that I'm able to do that for the team. 'I don't care where I play. I just do my best each week and try and win the game for the boys ... my effort doesn't change. I try not to think about it too much. I don't think about my gas.' Adding to the Tigers' post-match angst, co-captains Jarome Luai and Api Koroisau, and prop Terrell May were overlooked by NSW selectors. 'I'll talk to Jarome privately,' Tigers coach Benji Marshall said. 'I'm sure he'll be disappointed, as we all are. That decision is out of our hands. 'I wish we could do more to get him in that team, but it'll make him hungrier and better.' Marshall said May had been 'outstanding' on and off the field since joining the Tigers this season. Koroisau scored two tries – one a spectacular 70-metre effort in which he beat Souths fullback Latrell Mitchell with a sidestep – but it was not enough for him to win a Blues recall. The Tigers were left ruing a dropped ball over the line by teenage five-eighth Lachlan Galvin when the match was in the balance. With the Rabbitohs leading 16-12 in the 76th minute and down to 12 men after Tallis Duncan had been sin-binned, Galvin stepped into a gap and sprinted 15 metres for what appeared to be a try that would have locked up the scores. But as centre Adam Doueihi started sizing up a conversion attempt that could have put the Tigers into the lead, the bunker intervened, ruling that the ball jolted from Galvin's grip before he grounded it. Two minutes later, Jai Arrow scored for Souths and the Rabbitohs were celebrating their sixth win of the season, which lifted them into the top eight – a noteworthy effort considering their injury toll this season. Koroisau's opening try, just before half-time, provided a timely boost for the Tigers after Souths dominated the first 40 minutes. Souths had opened the scoring in the 10th minute when dummy-half Siliva Havili burrowed over from close range and grounded the ball. Ten minutes later, the Tigers lost Galvin to the sin bin after he made a tackle from an off-side position on Isaiah Tass, who was in a try-scoring situation. Loading With the Tigers down to 12 men, Souths five-eighth Jayden Sullivan burst into a yawning gap and an exchange of passes ended with back-rower Euan Aitken diving over. Mitchell converted both tries. When winger Alex Johnston raced away for the 197th try of his NRL career in the 60th minute, the Tigers found themselves chasing a 16-6 deficit. But after Koroisau scored from dummy-half in the 69th minute, it was a four-point ball game. Loading The Tigers were coming home with a wet sail, and Galvin appeared to have earned them the lead, but the no-try ruling broke their hearts. Mitchell warmed up for Origin I with a solid game that included one 80-metre break.
Perth Now
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Bennett takes Souths into top eight with miracle run
Wayne Bennett's magic dust has worked more wonders on South Sydney, with the injury-ravaged Rabbitohs entering the top eight with a 22-12 win over Wests Tigers. Smashed by injuries since February and still missing three of their biggest names, the Rabbitohs went to a 12-0 lead early on Sunday before holding onto win. The victory did not come easily, with the Tigers appearing to level the scores at 16-16 with five minutes to play when Lachlan Galvin went over on the left edge. But replays showed the departing Tiger dropped the ball as he dived over the line, before Jai Arrow crossed late to seal the win for the Rabbitohs. A desperate tackle from Campbell Graham in the dying minutes sees South Sydney secure the 2 points! 🫣#NRLTigersSouths Telstra moment of the match. NRL (@NRL) May 18, 2025 Bennett is renowned as one the greatest coaches in rugby league history, but if he is to keep this Souths side in the top eight it would be among his best feats. The Rabbitohs finished 16th last year and were only saved from collecting the spoon by a woeful Wests Tigers. They have then spent the first 11 rounds of 2025 without Cameron Murray, while Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker have headlined big names to spend time out. Even on Sunday night at Campbelltown they were still without first-choice five-eighth Walker, centre Jack Wighton and hooker Peter Mamouzelos. But still, they were clearly the better side, with Keaon Koloamatangi a man mountain in the middle of the field with 329 metres at prop. Siliva Havili got the Rabbitohs' first when he burrowed over out of dummy-half, before Jayden Sullivan laid on their next. Effectively on loan from the Tigers and set to return there next year, Sullivan spotted a gap behind the ruck and went 60 metres before Euan Aitken finished the job. In contrast, the Tigers failed to capitalise on their best chances with Apisai Koroisau playing a lone hand. On the same night he was again overlooked by NSW for Reece Robson, Koroisau almost single-handedly dragged the Tigers back into the match. He scored their first when he spotted a gap from his own 30-metre line and broke down field, The hooker got one-on-one with Latrell Mitchell, feigned a kick, dummied and stepped past the fullback to score while leaving the Souths No.1 falling to the ground. At 16-6 down Koroisau then got Souths down to 12 men when he burst into a gap from a Terrell May offload and forced a professional foul from Tallis Duncan. The hooker then made immediate use of the extra man, dummying out of the ruck on the next set and stepping through the defence to score. But any hope of a Tigers comeback were dimmed by Galvin's error over the line, before Arrow officially killed them off to leave the joint-venture stuck in 10th spot. May also had a big game for the Tigers with another 199 metres from 19 runs, but it will not be enough to win his way into the NSW team.
The Guardian
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wests Tigers and Lachlan Galvin: a modern-day NRL saga for the social media age
The future of 19-year-old playmaker Lachlan Galvin may be its catalyst, but rugby league's latest tug-of-war is a very contemporary NRL saga. It has been enriched this week by surprises, including the presence of a security guard at a local footy ground, an unusual intervention at a press conference by the Wests Tigers chief executive, a shock recall and now calls for 'urgent mediation'. But this latest episode of rugby league soap opera is different. It has spilled over into the online realm and become the latest spot fire in sport's failing efforts to extinguish the raging blaze of social media abuse. Now, that online harm has the potential to burst forth from screens and force clubs to proactively shield players from Instagram-borne threats to their welfare. On Tuesday, the teenage playmaker was selected in the Tigers' side for this Sunday's Leichhardt Oval blockbuster against Cronulla, ensuring the saga will simmer throughout the week. It comes just a day after an intervention by Tigers boss Shane Richardson, who interrupted a press conference with coach Benji Marshall and captain Api Koroisau on Monday, an oddity even for the circus of the NRL. Following Wests' 38-22 loss to Parramatta, a reporter asked how Koroisau was going to block out the Galvin drama. Richardson, positioned in the corner of the press conference room at CommBank Stadium as something of a standover man, let out a loud, dismissive, exhale prompting a brief to-and-fro. The reporter persevered, eliciting the captain's gruff response. 'Get together, we're here to play footy, we've just got to focus on that,' Koroisau said. 'We' is, of course, the problem. Koroisau and halfback Jarome Luai were less than warm about Galvin last week when they faced the press, as they grumbled that Galvin's agent Isaac Moses had voiced criticism of Marshall. 'He's our coach, and at the end of the day, if you disrespect him, you disrespect us as a team,' Luai said. On Monday, Marshall rejected the notion that the players haven't been speaking to Galvin. 'I don't think that was a drama,' he said. Those relationships will be under the microscope this week. These tensions – the taking of sides – have spilled out into the public arena, with poisonous consequences. According to his social media, what Luai stands for is '#teamfirst', the not-so-subtle hashtag he posted when Galvin's departure was confirmed. Another post from Tigers winger Sunia Turuva – a teammate of Luai last year at Penrith – also appeared critical of the teenager's decision. Galvin trained last week with the Tigers' first grade side, but was dropped by Marshall, in consultation with senior players, to the NSW Cup for Western Suburbs' match at Lidcombe Oval on Monday. There he avoided questions from media thanks to the presence of a security guard. But there is little the hired muscle can do to protect Galvin online. The Tigers may not currently have a traditional media manager, but they maintain a slick social media operation. The post that announced the team for the game against the Eels included a stylised design and the tagline 'one jungle, no limits'. There in Galvin's No 6 jersey was not utility Adam Doueihi, the man brought into the halves, but Luai – the most influential voice in the locker room. If the optics of the team list weren't damning enough, the comments were. 'Everyone's been waiting patiently for this and boy am I happy to see that snake be dropped hopefully for the rest of the year. He should be thankful that Benji did him a favour by dropping him because who know [sic] what could happen if he was named,' one stated. The comment earned 764 likes. Galvin's last post on Instagram was 10 weeks ago. But the developments of the last week have driven thousands to his profile to join the pile on. 'Time to turn your Instagram comments off lad. Nice too [sic] see you bit the hand that feeds ya. Go tigers,' one comment said, rewarded with 684 likes. Co-captain of the AFL's Brisbane Lions, Lachie Neale, criticised the online abuse professional athletes face on Friday. 'It's getting beyond a joke now, the things I've seen sent are some of the most horrific messages I've ever seen. It's a game of football, grow the f**k up. Cowards.' The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) highlighted an 'urgent need for robust protections and support' last year around social media use, citing a Deakin University report that surveyed 138 elite female athletes and found 87% experienced gendered online harm. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Marshall was quick to reject allegations of bullying last week. 'We're not bullies, our players are not bullies,' he said. 'They had emotional reactions to one of their teammates, but it's not bullying, I guarantee that.' A court matter against another NRL outfit, Canterbury, about the club's treatment of former player Jackson Topine remains on foot. That case may not be about bullying, but it shows clubs must remain vigilant on protecting their employees. Galvin's lawyers issued a press release on Tuesday, saying 'we have sought an urgent mediation between the parties to resolve the issues in a constructive manner,' without divulging the issues concerned. Last week's development was the latest incident at the Tigers to draw the attention of RLPA, following several matters during the off-season that needed intervention, as the club seeks to re-shape their roster under a new administration. The club has been quick to challenge any criticism of its management of players. Amid reports on Monday that two fringe first graders had complained about their treatment to the club and the RLPA, Wests issued a club statement declaring 'the story is simply not true'. Marshall's defence of Galvin, particularly given the current climate around social media harms – including growing recognition of online abuse under workplace laws, and radical political moves to protect children from the threats of digital platforms – takes on a growing significance. His pleas for the abuse to stop were unquestionably justified. This week, Turuva has his Instagram account set to private. Luai posted an Instagram story after the Eels loss: 'Gotta love it all, good and the not so good. It's all part of the journey. Happy Easter.' Galvin's account, @lachlangalvin6 – complete with the number suffix – remains dormant. Parramatta's No 6, Dylan Brown, one of the Eels who helped beat the Tigers on Monday, revealed afterwards how he is managing the fallout from the announcement of his big-money move to the Knights. 'I've told a few people, you get off Instagram, you don't see anything, so I'm doing well,' he said.
