Latest news with #MaoriAll-Stars
West Australian
24-04-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Melbourne Storm looking for new players amid injury crisis with Will Warbrick unable to train due to linger concussion issues
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says the club is actively 'looking' to bring in some new players from other clubs amid a 'testing' time with injuries which includes troubling ongoing concussion issues for star winger Will Warbrick. While Storm powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be 'playing somewhere' in his return from injury this weekend and centre Nick Meaney comes back for the Anzac Day clash with South Sydney, Bellamy said getting 17 fit players was becoming difficult. Captain Harry Grant remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, Jack Howarth is also out after dislocating his shoulder and Warbrick hasn't even started training as he deals with 'complicated' concussion issues. Melbourne has money in the salary cap to bring in some more players after the pre-season retirement of former captain Christian Welch. But Bellamy said getting deals done was becoming problematic in the current climate with other clubs also feeling the injury pinch. 'It has been testing but there's other clubs in the same boat. we're just struggling to put a 17 out there at the moment,' he said. 'We've already been looking at (bringing in players) since Christian retired. I'm not quite sure why we haven't got someone in. There's not too many clubs willing to release players. 'We need to make sure we get the best out of what we've got.' Bellamy said Kiwi international Warbrick, who has only played two games this season, was still feeling the delayed effects of a concussion suffered in the All Stars game in February and didn't know when he'd be back. 'To be quite honest I don't really understand it, it's fairly complicated with the head knock,' he said. 'He got the head knock in the Indigenous and Maori All-Stars game and he played a week or two after that and then he had delayed symptoms. 'I'm not 100 per cent sure what is happening. He hasn't even started training yet. It hasn't been great for us or Will.' Melbourne gave up 40-straight points in a first-ever loss to the Dolphins last week and Bellamy knows the main area they need to address against Souths, as he looks to continue a nine-year winning streak against coaching rival Wayne Bennett. 'Our completion rate has been a bit of a problem brushed under the carpet a little bit because we've been winning games,' he said. 'But our completion rate has been really poor to be quite honest so that's something that's come into view this week.' 'We need, as a team, to defend better and as individuals to defend better.' South Sydney have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne in 19 attempts since they joined the NRL in 1998.
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Not good': Storm star's concussion concerns
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says the club is actively 'looking' to bring in some new players from other clubs amid a 'testing' time with injuries which includes troubling ongoing concussion issues for star winger Will Warbrick. While Storm powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be 'playing somewhere' in his return from injury this weekend and centre Nick Meaney comes back for the Anzac Day clash with South Sydney, Bellamy said getting 17 fit players was becoming difficult. Captain Harry Grant remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, Jack Howarth is also out after dislocating his shoulder and Warbrick hasn't even started training as he deals with 'complicated' concussion issues. Melbourne has money in the salary cap to bring in some more players after the pre-season retirement of former captain Christian Welch. Nelson Asofa-Solomona will return from injury this weekend. NRL Photos Credit: Supplied But Bellamy said getting deals done was becoming problematic in the current climate with other clubs also feeling the injury pinch. 'It has been testing but there's other clubs in the same boat. we're just struggling to put a 17 out there at the moment,' he said. 'We've already been looking at (bringing in players) since Christian retired. I'm not quite sure why we haven't got someone in. There's not too many clubs willing to release players. 'We need to make sure we get the best out of what we've got.' Bellamy said Kiwi international Warbrick, who has only played two games this season, was still feeling the delayed effects of a concussion suffered in the All Stars game in February and didn't know when he'd be back. 'To be quite honest I don't really understand it, it's fairly complicated with the head knock,' he said. 'He got the head knock in the Indigenous and Maori All-Stars game and he played a week or two after that and then he had delayed symptoms. 'I'm not 100 per cent sure what is happening. He hasn't even started training yet. It hasn't been great for us or Will.' Melbourne gave up 40-straight points in a first-ever loss to the Dolphins last week and Bellamy knows the main area they need to address against Souths, as he looks to continue a nine-year winning streak against coaching rival Wayne Bennett. 'Our completion rate has been a bit of a problem brushed under the carpet a little bit because we've been winning games,' he said. 'But our completion rate has been really poor to be quite honest so that's something that's come into view this week.' 'We need, as a team, to defend better and as individuals to defend better.' South Sydney have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne in 19 attempts since they joined the NRL in 1998.
News.com.au
24-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Melbourne Storm looking for new players amid injury crisis with Will Warbrick unable to train due to linger concussion issues
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says the club is actively 'looking' to bring in some new players from other clubs amid a 'testing' time with injuries which includes troubling ongoing concussion issues for star winger Will Warbrick. While Storm powerhouse Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be 'playing somewhere' in his return from injury this weekend and centre Nick Meaney comes back for the Anzac Day clash with South Sydney, Bellamy said getting 17 fit players was becoming difficult. Captain Harry Grant remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, Jack Howarth is also out after dislocating his shoulder and Warbrick hasn't even started training as he deals with 'complicated' concussion issues. Melbourne has money in the salary cap to bring in some more players after the pre-season retirement of former captain Christian Welch. But Bellamy said getting deals done was becoming problematic in the current climate with other clubs also feeling the injury pinch. 'It has been testing but there's other clubs in the same boat. we're just struggling to put a 17 out there at the moment,' he said. 'We've already been looking at (bringing in players) since Christian retired. I'm not quite sure why we haven't got someone in. There's not too many clubs willing to release players. 'We need to make sure we get the best out of what we've got.' Bellamy said Kiwi international Warbrick, who has only played two games this season, was still feeling the delayed effects of a concussion suffered in the All Stars game in February and didn't know when he'd be back. 'To be quite honest I don't really understand it, it's fairly complicated with the head knock,' he said. 'He got the head knock in the Indigenous and Maori All-Stars game and he played a week or two after that and then he had delayed symptoms. 'I'm not 100 per cent sure what is happening. He hasn't even started training yet. It hasn't been great for us or Will.' Melbourne gave up 40-straight points in a first-ever loss to the Dolphins last week and Bellamy knows the main area they need to address against Souths, as he looks to continue a nine-year winning streak against coaching rival Wayne Bennett. 'Our completion rate has been a bit of a problem brushed under the carpet a little bit because we've been winning games,' he said. 'But our completion rate has been really poor to be quite honest so that's something that's come into view this week.' 'We need, as a team, to defend better and as individuals to defend better.'
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ponga in nightmare moment for Newcastle as Ricky Stuart hit with ugly accusation
Kalyn Ponga had Newcastle Knights fans holding their breath on Saturday night in the NRL All-Stars game, putting his body on the line with a level of commitment that Adam Blair would have loved to see from Canberra Raiders players. But the Maori All-Stars coach has accused Ricky Stuart of encouraging his Raiders players to make themselves unavailable so they didn't get injured before the NRL season. Blair led the Maori team to a gritty 10-6 victory over the Indigenous All-Stars in Parramatta, before using his post-match press conference to urge the NRL to police availability properly. The former Kiwi international called out the Canberra Raiders, who will soon fly to Las Vegas for the season opener, and accused them of being the leading culprit for encouraging players to make themselves unavailable. "Everyone's dream is to play NRL and if you sit on the fringe of that it's hard to stand up to your coach and say, 'Hey, I want to represent my people'," Blair said. "I understand how it works … the more the game (NRL) can expose us to this game, the more the game can say, 'If you're Maori, you're available to play in this game'. "The more they hold everyone accountable then it becomes easier for the clubs to go, 'well, the game says you have to play - unless you're injured - you go and play'. There's so many talented players that could've been here but due to pressures… for example, I love our Canberra boys and we could have taken five or six of them and put them in our squad. But I get it, I'm on the other side now (working for Newcastle)... those are five of Canberra's best players." Blair said Raiders prop Joe Tapine would have been one of the first players picked for the Maoris alongside James Fisher-Harris, who captained the team. Blair praised Fisher-Harris' insistence on playing for his side and said it rubbed off on the group's younger players. "When you have someone as strong and as passionate as Fish for our people, it brings the likes of Kalyn (Ponga) into the team," Blair said. "Keano Kini is only a couple of years into his career but is brave enough to stand up to his club and say, 'I want to represent my people, because that's who I am first and foremost'. "The more we can have our best players on the field, the more we can continue to be proud about who we are, the more we can be staunch about us as people. There should be no question around whether you represent your culture or not." RELATED: Maguire spills sad secret as Walters tipped to join Broncos' rivals NRL urged to take action after female reporter caught up in prank Ponga was perhaps the biggest name to feature in the exhibition match on Saturday night, after Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr were controversially allowed to use the match as part of their suspensions. The Knights had Ponga, Dane Gagai, Leo Thompson and Dylan Lucas in action, leaving fans holding their breath that none were injured. And Ponga sent a huge scare through fans in the first half when he pulled off a brilliant try-saver that put him at risk of injury. The fullback came screaming across field and body-checked Tyrone Munro when the winger appeared certain to score, with Ponga left sprawled on the ground afterwards. Thankfully he wasn't hurt, but Andrew Johns summed it up in commentary for Channel 9. "Everyone in Newcastle just held their breath," the Knights legend said. with AAP
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kalyn Ponga makes staggering pre-season call about Reece Walsh and the Broncos
Kalyn Ponga has backed rival Reece Walsh and his Broncos teammates to return to form in 2025 as he buys into the Michael Maguire hype train. Ponga is set to line-up for for the Maori All-Stars this Saturday only a few days after Walsh admitted he is weighing-up over whether to play in next year's edition. Ponga will be in a running battle with Walsh this year for the Maroons fullback role with Queensland going down to NSW 2-1. Ponga finished the NRL season in much better form than Walsh, but a shake-up to the Broncos hierarchy could help rejuvenate the 22-year-old superstar. The Broncos parted ways with Kevin Walters after missing out on the top eight and hired Michael Maguire for his hardline approach. Despite some backlash to Maguire's rigorous pre-season camp, the coach has been praised for whipping a number of players into shape. One of those players thriving under Maguire is Walsh. While there was speculation Walsh's condition wasn't up to scratch when he returned to pre-season, this has been shut down after confirmation the fullback is ready to go in 2025. And news of Maguire's training regime has made it's way around the NRL community with Ponga buying into the hype. The fullback was asked on SEN Radio on who he thinks will be the team to watch out for in 2025. Most players have selected the reigning champions Penrith to make it four in a row, or the Melbourne Storm who could even improve on last year's efforts with new recruits. But Ponga admitted the hype appears real around Walsh and his teammates under new management. "My team would be the Broncos. Why? I mean they have a handy roster. They are coming off a pretty disappointing year. And everyone has heard about how hard they are working, so maybe a redemption story brewing," Ponga said on Thursday. Ponga and his own Newcastle Knights teammates started pre-season on 21 November and have been undergoing their own brutal sessions. The Knights take on the Eels this Friday in their first trial match, but Ponga will be missing. He will line-up at fullback for the Maori against the Indigenous All-Stars in his first appearance in the exhibition for a number of years. And speaking to Greg Alexander and Andrew Voss, Ponga said his Knights and Maori teammates were all ready for the NRL season to get underway after months of waiting. "A lot of these boys are cherry ripe, bit over pre-season. We we are keen to get into it. We can't wait. For a lot of us this is our first run, but we are more than read," he added. Knights star Fletcher Sharpe is shifting from the wing to five-eighth in the first trial game this Friday in a hint for things to come this year. And without naming who will start in the halves for their first game against the Wests Tigers, Ponga showered Sharpe with praise over a potential switch. "I definitely think he has got the work ethic and IQ. He is a natural footy probably thing what a winger is doing playing is someone you need around the footy, he makes things happen. He is jut a natural footy player" At the end of 2024, there were reports suggesting Walsh had not returned to Broncos pre-season in top shape. This prompted Haas to defend the fullback and claimed everyone was buying into Maguire's high-standards. And this report was quickly put to be when, reporter Joel Gould dismissed concerns around Walsh and claimed the fullback was looking ready to go ahead of the 2025 season. "I was actually at a press conference when someone asked about that...I have watched Reece Walsh train at the Broncos - week-in and week-out - and I don't see any difference. He may have come back not as quick and not as good as some of the other players," Gould said. "I don't see anything other than Walsh putting everything into looks good and Walsh doesn't look off the pace. If he was, he has fixed it."
