Latest news with #LiamMartin
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sorensen's tackle could be season-defining: Panthers
Penrith players believe Scott Sorensen's match-saving tackle against Wests Tigers could prove season-defining, with their bid for an NRL five-peat still alive. Sorensen provided a hero's play late in the Panthers' win over the Tigers on Sunday, rushing from the other side of the field to stop Jahream Bula inches from the line. Prop Lindsay Smith then provided a similar effort on the next set, getting back to help deny Bula again with the Panthers leading 18-14. The Panthers' win meant they finished the round in 13th spot but just one point out of the top eight, after a horror start to the season had them sitting last after 12 rounds. Penrith players saw similarities between Sorensen's effort, and Viliame Kikau's famed effort to hold Melbourne's Justin Olam up after the siren in the Panthers' 2021 grand-final rematch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NRL (@nrl) Kikau's desperate play has for years helped Penrith set the standards for success, and teammates believe Sorensen's effort on Sunday can have a similar effect. "We'll look back on that as a pretty defining moment. It was huge," fellow second-rower Liam Martin told AAP. "I remember the (Kikau) one, where he slid and held (Olam) up over the line. "It's just those little plays that you just value ... They're just little plays that probably not a lot of people notice, but they get so valued in our team. "It gives you so much confidence when you see stuff like that happening, your teammates doing that, and you just build energy off it." Penrith face a tough run ahead to keep their season revival on track, with a trip to Auckland without State of Origin players after the bye. They then face Canterbury off a five-day turnaround, before having the Bulldogs again, Melbourne and Canberra on their run home. Martin admitted the Panthers may have lacked that kind of desperation in their game as they went 2-6 to start the season, a point Nathan Cleary agreed with. "That's probably been the difference between winning and losing games," Cleary, who was involved in both tackles on Bula with Sorensen and Smith, said. "At the start of the year we weren't doing that at all and it was biting us in the butt a fair bit. "That's what we want our DNA and identity to be like. And we definitely applaud plays like that. "Then it starts to become something that happens just by DNA ... there were even a few of those last week (against Parramatta) as well." Sorensen, for his part, dodged the praise after Sunday's win. "It's no different to anyone else in this team," he said. "It's just doing your job, and tonight was my time to do my job. It's as simple as that."
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Gaming experts' first take on the Nintendo Switch 2 console as UK retailers launch stock
The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally on sale - here's what one gamer likes and dislikes about the new console The Nintendo Switch 2 has launched in the UK, after a flurry of pre-orders, the newest console is available to buy. Nintendo may have already sold out of stock, but the Switch 2 is still available to purchase at Currys, Amazon, Very and more, with prices starting at £395. Demand has been soaring, with retailers like Currys open its stores at midnight for gamers to pick up their pre-ordered devices. But is it worth the £395 price tag? The main selling point of the Switch 2 is its upgraded graphics, boosted performance, and a bigger and brighter display. The Daily Express Gaming Editor, Liam Martin, has shared his first thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2. He began: "The Switch 2 feels much better in the hand than the Switch OLED I've been using for the past couple of years. The kickstand is much wider than the flimsy stand of old, and easily on par with the OLED version, with the ability to move it from top to bottom and back again. "The console is around 10.7-inches long with the JoyCons attached, and feels a lot bigger compared to the Switch OLED, despite only having just over an inch on its predecessor. It's not as wide as the Steam Deck OLED, but much more svelte, although I think I prefer the slightly bulkier Steam handheld. "Even though the device is smaller than its Steam counterpart, the 7.9-inch screen is bigger and looks really impressive. It's actually surprising how good the display looks, considering it's not an OLED screen. If you turn the brightness up, there's not too much difference between the Switch 2 and OLED model, thanks in no small part to the superior resolution and HDR support." Speaking about the console's new magnetic JoyCons, Liam wrote: "They are also far superior to the OG controllers, attaching instantly to the console with a satisfying snap. It's much faster and feels more secure than the fiddly rail system used in the previous Switch. The bigger analogue sticks and buttons are a big improvement on the older model, although I'll still probably hunt down a version with a d-pad once a quality third-party alternative is available. "I've always favoured the HORI Split Pad Pro for the original Switch," Liam reveals, however, that he believes the JoyCons are 'definitely an upgrade', adding: "Hopefully the lack of Hall Effect sticks won't lead to drift problems further down the line, but this remains to be seen." One of the Switch 2 elements Liam is looking forward to the most is the mouse controls. He explains: "I'm really excited to play first-shooters, strategy and point and click adventure games using the mouse controls. I played Metroid Prime 4 using the mouse controls during a previous hands-on event and thought they were a revelation. "You can enter mouse mode by holding a JoyCon sideways against a flat surface and sliding it like you would a mouse on PC. There's no need to fiddle around in the menu screen, just press it against a flat surface and you're instantly in mouse mode." Liam notes the other big draw of the Nintendo Switch 2 is its additional power: "When docked, the console is capable of playing games in 4K at 60 frames-per-second, or at 120 frames-per-second with a lower resolution. 120Hz is also possible with supported games in handheld mode. "Whether many games reach these lofty heights remains to be seen, but for now at least, Switch 2 fans can hope for visuals and performance closer to the PS5 and Xbox Series. It also means many of the bigger third-party games can now be ported to the Switch 2, something we've seen with titles like Street Fighter 6 and Cyberpunk 2077 launching with the console on June 5." Liam concludes that his early impressions of the Switch 2 have 'so far been positive', adding: "While the Switch 2's £395.99 price tag might be off-putting to some, I think early adopters will be pleased with the upgrades. Likewise, if you've spent £429.99 on the Mario Kart World bundle, you'll be having too much fun to care."
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I got my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 and this is what I think so far'
The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launched today, and eager fans have been clamouring to get their hands on the highly anticipated latest console all morning. It includes a lot of the selling points that made the original so popular, albeit with shiny new innovations and upgrades, such as a larger screen, better frame-rates and the ability to use the detachable JoyCon controllers like a mouse controller on PC. Following a short teaser trailer in January and a full reveal in April, the Nintendo Switch 2 made its debut this morning on June 5, alongside brand new games including Mario Kart World and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour. Gaming editor Liam Martin was one of the first to get his hands on the brand-new console and share his initial thoughts with the Express. Read on to find out what he makes of it so far. After a long wait since the teaser trailer in January and the Direct in April, I've finally got my hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 console and have begun transferring my games to the new system. I've had the opportunity to try out the device on several occasions, and I'm ready to share my initial impressions in this early review for fellow Nintendo enthusiasts. Stay tuned for a comprehensive review later this weekend, but for now, here's what I like and dislike about the Switch 2 so far. Firstly, the Switch 2 feels much more comfortable in hand compared to the Switch OLED I've been using over the past few years. The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here, with the brand-new gaming console now on sale at numerous retailers. After initially showing as out of stock on the Nintendo website, supply has come back to meet demand. €469.99 The kickstand is significantly wider than the previous flimsy stand, matching up to the OLED version, with the flexibility to adjust it from top to bottom and vice versa. With the JoyCons attached, the console measures around 10.7-inches long, feeling considerably larger compared to the Switch OLED, despite only being just over an inch longer than its predecessor. It's not as broad as the Steam Deck OLED, but it's much sleeker, although I must admit, I have a slight preference for the slightly chunkier Steam handheld. Despite being smaller than its Steam counterpart, the 7.9-inch screen of the device is larger and looks truly stunning. The display quality is surprisingly impressive, given that it's not an OLED screen. Cranking up the brightness reveals minimal difference between the Switch 2 and the OLED model, largely due to the superior resolution and HDR support. The magnetic JoyCons are a significant upgrade from the original controllers, snapping onto the console instantly with a gratifying click. This is much quicker and feels more secure than the somewhat cumbersome rail system employed by the previous Switch. In terms of the JoyCons, the larger analogue sticks and buttons mark a substantial improvement over the older model. However, I'll likely seek out a version with a d-pad once a high-quality third-party alternative hits the market. I've always had a preference for the HORI Split Pad Pro for the original Switch. It's ideal for most genres when attached to the console, but unlike the official JoyCons, it can't be detached and used wirelessly. For the time being, the new JoyCons are certainly a step up from the old ones. We can only hope that the absence of Hall Effect sticks won't result in drift issues down the line, but this remains to be seen. I'm also particularly keen to play first-person shooters, strategy games, and point-and-click adventure games using the mouse controls. Having played Metroid Prime 4 with the mouse controls at a previous hands-on event, I found them to be a game-changer. The Nintendo Switch 2 introduces a novel 'mouse mode', which can be activated by simply holding a JoyCon sideways against a flat surface and sliding it as you would with a computer mouse. There's no need to navigate through menus - just press it against a flat surface and voila, you're in mouse mode. In games like Metroid Prime 4, this feature allows you to aim using the mouse function, while the buttons control Samus Aran's abilities as usual. The other JoyCon is used for movement. Since getting my hands on the Switch 2, I've only really tested the mouse mode on the menu screen where it functions as expected, though it doesn't seem particularly necessary there. Of course, another major selling point of the Nintendo Switch 2 is the significant boost in power it boasts. When docked, the console can handle gameplay in 4K at 60 frames-per-second, or alternatively at 120 frames-per-second at a lower resolution. Even in handheld mode, 120Hz is achievable with supported games. Whether many games will actually reach these impressive performance levels is yet to be seen, but for now, Switch 2 enthusiasts can look forward to visuals and performance that edge closer to those of the PS5 and Xbox Series. This also means that many of the larger third-party games can now be ported to the Switch 2, as we've seen with titles like Street Fighter 6 and Cyberpunk 2077 launching alongside the console on June 5. On paper, the Switch 2 seems to tick all the right boxes in terms of visuals and performance, although it's still too early to deliver a definitive verdict on how this will pan out. The same goes for new features like GameChat, which I plan to trial over the next few days with mates. However, my initial thoughts on the Switch 2 have been largely positive so far. I've clocked in about an hour on Mario Kart World since getting my hands on my Switch 2, and it's been a blast every step of the way. I'm eager to dive deeper into the exhilarating Knockout Tour elimination mode, and uncover fresh missions in Free Roam. I've also had a brief stint on Hitman Signature Edition, which appears to perform just as well as it does on Steam Deck and PS5. The loading times even took me by surprise, as I was expecting them to be lengthier. While the €469.99 price point of the Switch 2 might deter some, I reckon early birds will appreciate the enhancements. Similarly, if you've shelled out €510.72 for the Mario Kart World bundle, you'll be too engrossed in the fun to mind.
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
State of Origin Game I: Queensland Maroons v NSW Blues, live scores, updates, analysis
Queensland face a huge assignment handling Blues back-rowers Angus Crichton and Liam Martin who dominated last year's series, prompting one Origin legend to call for a Maroons star to 'snap a few Blues in half'.
ABC News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Angus Crichton: Its a privilege to step into an arena where everyone hates you
NSW back-rower and 2024 Wally Lewis medallist Angus Crichton spoke to Andrew Moore, Matthew Elliott and Michael Carayannis for Thursday NRL on ABC Sport. Angus said the Blues were relishing the opportunity to defend the last year's Shield win under new coach Laurie Daley. He said it was a privilege for the team to feel the hate of Queensland fans at Lang Park in the series opener. Crichton said fellow back-rower Liam Martin was living on aggro pills and together they were ready to demolish the Maroons halves. The panel also discussed the possibility of Mal Meninga being appointed as the inaugural coach of the Perth Bears.
