Latest news with #Manly
ABC News
a day ago
- Sport
- ABC News
How Kaeo Weekes became one of the most improved players of the 2025 NRL season
For proof that everything has changed for Kaeo Weekes, look at the two matches the Canberra fullback played against Manly in 2025. The first one was back in Round 3 and it was a tough night for Weekes and the Raiders. Against his former club, Weekes had an awful time of it as he put down one bomb after another in a 40-12 loss. The rematch last Friday was a different story because in the time since, Weekes has become a star. When he fields a kick or finds a gap, voices rise and crowds stir. If he sees some space and goes for the pedal there's every chance all he leaves behind is a cloud of dust, some burnt up grass and defenders grasping at shadows. There's no flying under the radar any more for the Raiders or for Weekes — he is on opposition tip sheets and lists of the fastest players in the NRL and in television commercials for the club's major sponsor. The ink has just dried on a contract extension at the Raiders which will keep him at the club until the end of 2029 and soon he'll have to think about things like where his allegiances will lie in representative football. The second match against Manly, a professional 28-12 Raiders win, didn't feature much of the blinding football that has become Weekes' trademark but it's as good a time as any to reflect on exactly what one of the most improved players in the NRL has become. "A win's always good, especially against the boys but after the last performance in Round 3 – that was a pretty rough day," Weekes said. "I've found that belief in myself again (at Canberra). There was a time there where footy was mundane, I still loved it and was trying to get better but I wasn't fully invested. "The boys at Manly were awesome, there were some great leaders and some great people, but coming here was a challenge and that was the freshen up I needed to believe in myself and enjoy footy again." The 23-year old has long been a player of promise. His speed and balance as a runner made him a junior player of some renown as he came through the grades from Asquith Magpies and into Manly. His first season at the Raiders, where he started in the halves in relief of Jamal Fogarty before moving to fullback, was a strong one and ended with him winning's the Coach's Award. He came into the season as the club's top choice fullback and after a patchy start, some of the things Weekes has done have proved astonishing. The chip and chase try against Melbourne at Magic Round would be a certainty for individual try of the season if not for his long-range effort against St George Illawarra a few weeks back where he beat seven defenders on a 90-metre run to paradise to complete his first NRL hat-trick. There was the other length of the field try he scored in the first half of that game, or when he knifed through on another kick return to set-up the match-sealing try against the Roosters the previous month. Weekes can bump off defenders and glide between them like a puck on an air hockey table. He can cut up on a kick return or take a gap out the back of shape and all of a sudden the opposition is huddled under the goalposts, shaking their heads and wondering what happened. He might not have the work rate of other elite fullbacks but he's becoming more prominent from minute to minute as the season wears on to the point where he is now fourth in the league for tackle busts, third for kick return metres and eleventh for total run metres. Weekes also has the happy knack of coming up with at least one big play – a run, an assist, a try or a tackle – just about every week. He's not always sure how he does it himself, or how the important moments seem to find him. He's just glad they do. "You have to back your own ability and vision and you have to commit. If you half-commit, things go pear shaped. Sometimes it happens and time slows down, other times it happens really fast," Weekes said. "They talk about that flow state, you see everything, you recognise things. Then it just happens. "I'm just enjoying footy, enjoying being with the boys and the journey we're on. I love playing the footy we play, it's so enjoyable." Weekes puts much of his improvement with the Raiders down to coach Ricky Stuart, and his steadfast belief helped carry him through the difficult patch he endured earlier this year. Errors aren't as important as the response to them and there's a focus on small processes – like take three quick breaths or focus on their next seven steps and nothing else – to help reset, which has helped Weekes find his best football. "I used to dwell on things, especially on the field. You mature a little bit and realise that when it's done you can't change and you have to get back on the horse to get back into your role and help the team," Weekes said. "Once you're done, that's it. You leave it where it is. Stick always talks about how he doesn't care if you make mistakes, he's watching what you do after. "He doesn't want you to go into your shell, he wants you to play footy." As the Raiders gear up for their premiership charge, Weekes is still coming to terms with his new-found status as one of Canberra's premium weapons and rugby league's freshly minted stars. A few weeks ago, with the Raiders leading Newcastle by plenty with a few minutes to go Stuart gave him an early mark and Weekes wasn't sure why. Key players get rested at this time of year when the game is in hand but Weekes had been so focused on proving himself, he didn't realise he'd become one. He's getting recognised more often as well, around Canberra and everywhere else. It's taken some getting used to, because Weekes is laid back and low key by nature, but that's what happens when you start to shine. "Being a one-team town you can get noticed and you can not. It's a good balance in Canberra, everyone's so nice and friendly when they have a chat or want a photo or whatever," Weekes said. "But I guess it is happening a bit more." Naufahu Whyte – Sydney Roosters Whyte proved himself a useful rotation forward for the Roosters in 2024, enough that he earned his Test debut for New Zealand in last year's Pacific Championship. But this season the 23-year old has taken his game to new heights, averaging 157 run metres per game and acting as an example of consistency for a Tricolours side that hasn't always found it easy to come by. For proof of how far he's come, look at the statistical company he keeps — Whyte is third in the league among all players for post-contact metres and when it comes to props only Addin Fonua-Blake, Terrell May and Payne Haas have run for more metres. Gehamat Shibasaki – Brisbane Broncos By this point, Shibasaki's story of rising from a train and trial contract to a berth in last month's State of Origin decider is well-known but that doesn't make it any less remarkable. After years wandering from club to club across Australia, as well as a brief stint playing rugby in Japan, Shibasaki has at last become the player his potential once promised. It's been a slower few weeks for the Broncos centre since the night he entered Queensland folklore but his size and consistency on the left edge will prove crucial as Brisbane fight to finish the season strongly without starting halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam. Thomas Jenkins – Penrith Panthers After leaving Newcastle at the end of last season, Jenkins was preparing to play out the season with St Mary's in the third-tier Ron Massey Cup before accepting an offer from Ivan Cleary to train with the Panthers over the summer. Since making his NRL return in Round 3 against Melbourne he's been a fixture for Penrith and has reaped plenty of rewards. Jenkins is seventh in the league for line breaks, leads the Panthers try-scoring lists with 12 and has relegated last year's grand final hero Paul Alamoti to reserve grade after striking up a fine combination with young centre Casey Mcealn. Kurt Donoghoe – The Dolphins Donoghoe has been with the Dolphins since their inception – he played in their first ever match back in 2023 – but in the previous two seasons he's mainly come off the bench as a utility. The club's injury crisis in the forwards presented him with an opportunity at lock and he's taken to it brilliantly. Donoghoe's passing, and especially the way he creates space for Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima, has helped unlock the scorching attack that pushed the Dolphins on a top eight charge and his support play and speed – particularly his length of the field intercept try against the Rabbitohs – have also stood out. Erin Clark – New Zealand Warriors Clark was one of the more underrated players in the competition during his time at the Titans, thriving once he moved from hooker to lock enough to make his Test debut for the Kiwis last year. But since signing for the Warriors, Clark has proven to be one of the buys of the season and while replacing retired captain Tohu Harris is no small order, Clark has risen to the challenge with aplomb. Clark is third among lock forwards for tackles, second for runs, second for run metres and his passing has been a feature of New Zealand's attack all season.
News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Mrunal Thakur Calls Bipasha Basu ‘Manly' In Viral Video, Gets Trolled: ‘I'm Far Better Than Her'
Last Updated: In an old interview clip, Mrunal Thakur asked her Kumkum Bhagya co-star Arjit Taneja to "marry" Bipasha Basu. Mrunal Thakur likely never imagined that a lighthearted moment from years ago would resurface to spark present-day backlash. What happened is that an old interview of the actress recently surfaced on social media, where she was seen playfully teasing her Kumkum Bhagya co-star Arjit Taneja. The clip ignited heated discussions after she made a remark about Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu. In a throwback clip shared on the Bollywood-centric subreddit BollyBlindsNGossip, Mrunal Thakur and her co-star Arjit Taneja were seen giving an interview during their Kumkum Bhagya days. At one point, Arjit playfully dared her to do a headstand, to which she jokingly replied that he could sit while she balanced on her head. Arjit then challenged her again to do push-ups, prompting Mrunal to quip that he might be interested in marrying a strong, muscular woman. How Did The Internet React To Mrunal Thakur's Remark On Bipasha Basu? Mrunal Thakur's remark has now gone viral on the internet, with people divided over what she said about Bipasha Basu. Some people rushed in to defend the Raaz actress, pointing out how some insecure people would target her. A user said, 'She is extremely beautiful, tall, and confident, but certain women seem to get triggered by it because she is dusky and they can't fathom her getting the kind of recognition and attention. It's the same way certain white women feel insecure when women of colour get attention and recognition for being beautiful." Another added, 'Bips is hot, tall and confident. I don't blame these insecure women for being mad; they know they can't match up to her inner and outer hotness." 'The full clip of the interview was far worse; she even taunted Bipasha for looking Manly with muscles," quipped a different user. Meanwhile, people also brought up her conduct in Nach Baliye and the way she acted on the BeerBiceps podcast. Another person also added to the discussion, pointing out her alleged relationship with Tamil star Dhanush. Suggesting that her personality is the reason why the actor is rumoured to be dating Mrunal, the user mentioned, 'No wonder Dhanush sath kyu hai." What's Mrunal Thakur Up To These Days? The 33-year-old actress was most recently seen in Ajay Devgn's comedy drama Son of Sardaar 2. Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, the film, a sequel to the 2011 movie Son of Sardaar, also featured Ravi Kishan, Neeru Bajwa, Deepak Dobriyal, Kubbra Sait, Chunky Panday and Sanjay Mishra. As of now, Mrunal Thakur has Dacoit: A Love Story, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai and Pooja Meri Jaan in the pipeline. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘It's personal': Council ignores woman's dying wish
When Elizabeth Beerworth passed away aged 80 last year, one of the last things she mentioned was 'the trees'. The long-time Manly resident was living in a home and suffering from dementia, but still preoccupied with a years-long battle with council to have some towering trees pruned. For many years Ms Beerworth had lived in a Manly apartment with a spectacular view of the harbour. 'Mum bought the apartment 20 years ago when the kids left home,' her daughter Sally Beerworth told 'It's not a huge place, but it has an amazing view. She had always wanted to live by the water. It was the happiest time of her life – she loved it.' Across the road from the apartment was a stand of tall trees, but under an agreement with the then-Manly Council they were regularly pruned so they didn't encroach on Elizabeth's view. 'Manly Council would come and trim the trees for her. I remember being on the phone with her and she'd say, 'the tree man's here,'' Sally recalled. In 2016, however, the newly-formed Northern Beaches Council refused to honour the old agreement with Ms Beerworth. That year, Elizabeth moved into a home, having been diagnosed with dementia a few years before. But she refused to give up on her battle with council. 'People with dementia, they become fixated on things, and she became obsessed with maintaining the trees,' Sally said. 'She died in 2024, and by then she was non-verbal. But she'd say, 'Sally' – I think she called everyone Sally – and she'd always talk about 'the trees, the trees, the trees,' and I knew what she meant. 'It was one of the last things I heard her say.' Almost immediately after Elizabeth died, Sally contacted the council and tried to get the trees pruned – the first of many attempts over the past year. The apartment had been left to Sally and her siblings and they were determined to pick up the fight on their mother's behalf. Northern Beaches Council, however, told them their requests didn't meet the criteria of its Tree Management Policy, which requires a 'minimum five-year ownership and evidence of view loss exceeding 75 per cent'. 'For us it's highly emotional because mum was so passionate about it. I just kind of feel like I'm letting mum down,' Sally said. She offered to pay to trim the trees and eventually got her solicitor involved, but Council wouldn't budge. 'For us it was personal, and I've kind of given up. Finally they sent a note saying they won't talk about this anymore,' she said. 'I just thought this is lousy – mum lived in the area since 1973. I'm not asking them to pave the beachfront or something.' has contacted Northern Beaches Council for comment. Highland Double Bay director Bill Malouf said having a view obscured could affect as much as 30 per cent of a property's value. 'Water views do have an effect on a property – as long as your living area's got the view. The bedroom view doesn't really make a difference,' Mr Malouf said. He knew of other cases in Sydney where councils had trimmed trees on a yearly basis, only to stop providing the service. 'There's really not a lot you can actually do about it. 'It's wrong, I disagree with it, because you should be able to protect your property's view.'
The Age
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Surface tension: Roosters stars losing patience with Allianz Stadium pitch
Sydney Roosters players have described the playing surface at Allianz Stadium as 'slippery', 'wet', and 'not too crash hot' as the $828 million Moore Park venue prepares to host four rugby league games in just three days as part of the NRL's Gadhu Gathering. Less than an hour after the Bulldogs and Manly clashed at the venue on July 27, ground staff were straight to work on the playing surface. And on Monday morning, giant heat lamps were baking grass at the northern end of the venue. There was also a sprinkler with a heat lamp positioned over a bare patch of grass in the north-western corner. Giant puddles and divots have become a common feature of NRL games at Allianz, with Venues NSW awaiting the findings of a review into the turf and drainage systems. The Roosters and Bulldogs meet on Friday night, followed by South Sydney and Parramatta Saturday night, then the Wests Tigers and Manly on Sunday afternoon, including the NRLW as a curtain-raiser. Tigers CEO Shane Richardson said there were no contingency plans to relocate the Sunday game, and had full confidence the surface would remain safe by the end of the weekend. Roosters skipper James Tedesco said the surface made life difficult for his side, and said stadium chiefs had to 'sort that out'. 'For a first-class, elite stadium like this that hosts a lot of topline clubs in Australia, and around the world, the surface needs to be top class, as the stadium is,' Tedesco said. 'They need to sort that out. 'Every time we play here, it's slippery and wet. It's not the driest conditions.'
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Ayman Manly: NSW Courts order accused killer to submit hourly after ankle monitor ban
The NSW bail system has been thrown into turmoil, with an accused killer ordered to send NSW Police a selfie every hour of the day under extraordinary new bail conditions. In a move senior police have labelled 'bizarre', Ayman Manly was last week directed by NSW Supreme Court Justice Richard Weinstein to purchase a new Apple iPhone for the officer in charge of his murder case and submit a photo of himself every hour between 8am and 8pm. The orders come as the Minns Government phases out the use of ankle monitoring bracelets by September 12, after a private monitoring firm shut down without telling police, courts or ministers. Manly is among dozens of accused offenders having their bail reviewed before the deadline. Opposition police spokesperson Paul Toole blasted the selfie requirement, calling it 'dangerous' and saying: 'To be frank, this is bulls**t. To think selfies can be a form of bail is mind boggling and just does not pass the pub test.' Manly, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, has been on bail since January under strict conditions including virtual house arrest and a $5 million surety. With his bracelet soon to be removed, he must now keep his phone on him at all times, ensure tracking settings such as Find My iPhone remain active, and send hourly photos to the case officer. The court order states: 'The Applicant is to transmit a photo of himself every hour between 8AM and 8PM (inclusive) on a daily basis … at 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.' Not all accused criminals with ankle monitors are being offered similar alternatives. Earlier this month, alleged drug manufacturer Kalid Kaddour had his bail revoked after Justice Desmond Fagan ruled that the impending end of his bracelet made him a greater 'flight risk'. 'He (Kaddour) must be aware that on that date (the September deadline) he would be in breach and would likely be returned to custody if in the meantime he cannot secure continuance of bail on terms that do not include monitoring,' Justice Desmond Fagan ruled. 'The risk of flight is immediately exacerbated by this change of circumstances.' Attorney-General Michael Daley said 'transitional arrangements' and 'risk assessments' had been underway since the decision to end private monitoring in March. 'To date two-thirds of these defendants have had their bail conditions reviewed by a court and the remainder are expected to be back in front of a magistrate or judge before the cut-off date of 12 September 2025,' Mr Daley said. 'Where the judicial officer reviewing the bail conditions considered it appropriate the defendants have been remanded in custody.'
