Latest news with #Molo
The Age
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Galvin? Walker? Katoa conquers all: Four things learnt in Dolphins' demolition
But the way Katoa has developed the full package, while still managing a team yet to truly click into gear since their 2023 inception, surely thrusts him ahead of the rankings. Molo buries Dragons' demons as engine room dominates Bit by bit, Francis Molo has built into his new chapter at Redcliffe, after casting aside a tumultuous period at the Dragons in which he sought a release following a behind-the-scenes dispute. With the Dolphins' chief enforcer Daniel Saifiti recovering from a shoulder injury, and Tom Gilbert sidelined with a ruptured pectoral, Molo needed to stand up, and the signs have been promising for the past three rounds. 'Daniel won't be available next week, he's seeing a specialist and we'll figure out where we go from there. It was obviously a serious injury, and we thought we'd treat that conservatively, rehab it and get him back, but it hasn't recovered as well as we thought it would.' Kristian Woolf on Daniel Saifiti Come his first meeting with his former club, and he was back to his best, finishing with 101 running metres from just eight hit-ups while running with speed and energy not seen since his Origin days. Molo did not return for his second stint until the final 15 minutes, with Woolf giving his other men chances to shine, but the damage had been done for the rest of the pack to thrive off, with Mark Nicholls (144 metres), Josh Kerr (135) and Lemuelu (142) taking over. The only heartache came in the form of Max Plath, who after running for 92 metres from just nine carries on his comeback from a foot injury, was taken off with a knee concern which, while not serious, has left him in doubt for next week's trip to the Cowboys. How Isaako resurrected his NRL career It is scarcely believable that before answering a call to join the Dolphins, Jamayne Isaako's career was in limbo. Loading Having been released by the Broncos to the Titans, only to be discarded after one game, the Kiwi flyer was in desperate need of new life. When inaugural Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett came knocking, that moment triggered the Test star's renaissance – playing every game in the club's short history, including his emphatic performance against the Dragons. Finishing with two tries, seven goals, five tackle busts, two linebreaks and 184 running metres, his 22-point haul on Friday night was a telling reminder of what he offers, as he admitted to seeking a contract extension which would keep him at Redcliffe for the rest of his career. Has one play put the Hammer back in the No.1 frame? Forget the two tries he scored courtesy of some classic inside support play for a breakaway Jake Averillo and Jack Bostock respectively, this is the play which has presented Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with his greatest case for the Maroons' No.1 jumper. With the scores just 10-0, the Dragons looked certain to score a runaway try through five-eighth Lykhan King-Togia, only for the Dolphins' custodian to have other ideas. Tabuai-Fidow's desperate tackle did not look enough to hold up his young rival, but his hand over the top was quick to dislodge the ball and garner a seven-tackle set 20-metres out. That immediately led to Nikorima slicing through the defence down the other end. While Kalyn Ponga returned to some form for Newcastle, Tabuai-Fidow will need to be more involved than he was in the centres come game two. His two tries and 152 running metres shows a man who can ignite a Maroons' attack with one try in its past two games.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Galvin? Walker? Katoa conquers all: Four things learnt in Dolphins' demolition
But the way Katoa has developed the full package, while still managing a team yet to truly click into gear since their 2023 inception, surely thrusts him ahead of the rankings. Molo buries Dragons' demons as engine room dominates Bit by bit, Francis Molo has built into his new chapter at Redcliffe, after casting aside a tumultuous period at the Dragons in which he sought a release following a behind-the-scenes dispute. With the Dolphins' chief enforcer Daniel Saifiti recovering from a shoulder injury, and Tom Gilbert sidelined with a ruptured pectoral, Molo needed to stand up, and the signs have been promising for the past three rounds. 'Daniel won't be available next week, he's seeing a specialist and we'll figure out where we go from there. It was obviously a serious injury, and we thought we'd treat that conservatively, rehab it and get him back, but it hasn't recovered as well as we thought it would.' Kristian Woolf on Daniel Saifiti Come his first meeting with his former club, and he was back to his best, finishing with 101 running metres from just eight hit-ups while running with speed and energy not seen since his Origin days. Molo did not return for his second stint until the final 15 minutes, with Woolf giving his other men chances to shine, but the damage had been done for the rest of the pack to thrive off, with Mark Nicholls (144 metres), Josh Kerr (135) and Lemuelu (142) taking over. The only heartache came in the form of Max Plath, who after running for 92 metres from just nine carries on his comeback from a foot injury, was taken off with a knee concern which, while not serious, has left him in doubt for next week's trip to the Cowboys. How Isaako resurrected his NRL career It is scarcely believable that before answering a call to join the Dolphins, Jamayne Isaako's career was in limbo. Loading Having been released by the Broncos to the Titans, only to be discarded after one game, the Kiwi flyer was in desperate need of new life. When inaugural Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett came knocking, that moment triggered the Test star's renaissance – playing every game in the club's short history, including his emphatic performance against the Dragons. Finishing with two tries, seven goals, five tackle busts, two linebreaks and 184 running metres, his 22-point haul on Friday night was a telling reminder of what he offers, as he admitted to seeking a contract extension which would keep him at Redcliffe for the rest of his career. Has one play put the Hammer back in the No.1 frame? Forget the two tries he scored courtesy of some classic inside support play for a breakaway Jake Averillo and Jack Bostock respectively, this is the play which has presented Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow with his greatest case for the Maroons' No.1 jumper. With the scores just 10-0, the Dragons looked certain to score a runaway try through five-eighth Lykhan King-Togia, only for the Dolphins' custodian to have other ideas. Tabuai-Fidow's desperate tackle did not look enough to hold up his young rival, but his hand over the top was quick to dislodge the ball and garner a seven-tackle set 20-metres out. That immediately led to Nikorima slicing through the defence down the other end. While Kalyn Ponga returned to some form for Newcastle, Tabuai-Fidow will need to be more involved than he was in the centres come game two. His two tries and 152 running metres shows a man who can ignite a Maroons' attack with one try in its past two games.
News.com.au
26-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
NRL SuperCoach analysis and scores, live updates from Sunday fixtures
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has given a glowing endorsement of controversial prop Frank Molo as the ex-Maroons enforcer prepares to put his messy Dragons divorce behind him. Molo will make his first appearance for the Dolphins in Sunday afternoon's clash with the Raiders in Canberra. It will be the former Broncos hit-man's first NRL game since last year following an off-season saga at St George Illawarra. Molo, 30, refused to report for pre-season training with the Dragons in the New Year, reportedly because he took offence to comments made by a Dragons staffer around his decision to abstain from alcohol. Molo says he has been sober for about two years after pleading guilty to a domestic violence offence relating to an incident in December, 2022, on the NSW South Coast. The father-of-three was handed an 18-month conditional release order in March, 2023, and two-match ban by the NRL. Late last year, Molo said giving up alcohol and embracing Catholicism saved his relationship and career. 'Two years ago I had a bit of a rough patch with my relationship,' he told the Against the Grain podcast. 'I was on the brink of losing my family and relationship because of the selfish things I was doing. 'I was drinking a fair bit and wasn't being a good partner. 'My partner was going to leave me with the kids. 'I hit rock bottom. I feel like I've hit rock bottom a few times, but this was pretty bad. 'I chose to give up the drink and have been sober ever since. It was the best thing for me.' Molo has had a turbulent career since making his NRL debut for Brisbane in 2014. He had six NRL games under his belt in 2015 before producing a banned shoulder charge in a reserve grade game that resulted in the death of Sunshine Coast player James Ackerman. The incident rocked the game, with Molo receiving an eight-match suspension and falling out of the NRL system until he returned with the North Queensland Cowboys in 2018. He made his Origin debut for Queensland in the 2021 series and became a mainstay of the Dragons' pack over the past three seasons before his bitter exit last month, with the Dolphins handing him a two-year contract. Woolf has held an association with Molo since his junior days and said the hard-hitting forward had turned his life around. 'He is a great story, Frank,' he said. 'He has been through so much in his life and has got every reason not to be sitting here as an NRL player or the man he is. 'He's made some really good choices in his life and changes. He's a great example and it's great to have him as part of our team. 'I've known him since he was 18. I was part of the Broncos when he debuted as a 19-year-old. 'He's always brought a real desire for the physical side of the game. He lets you know he's on the field because he wants to run hard and hit hard. 'He loves the physicality. That's what I like about him as a footballer. 'The changes he's made in his life, the man and father he's become and example he is … that's why I want him in the team.' After spending three weeks in the Hostplus Cup, Molo has been elevated following injuries to Dolphins forwards Felise Kaufusi (knee) and Max Plath (foot). The Raiders and Dolphins are both on three-game winning streaks and Woolf said his team faced a tough challenge in the nation's capital. 'The vibe is really good,' he said of Redcliffe's revival after four straight losses to start the season. 'We are training really well and have good confidence about us. They're nice and confident in their ability. 'This is another big challenge for us. We're going to play a top three team at their place. 'They're a tough side, playing well and coming off three wins in a row. They come at you for 80 minutes. 'We know we need to be prepared for them and it will be a real challenge.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Molo won't be able to solve Dolphins issues solo
The arrival of former St George Illawarra prop Francis Molo at the Dolphins is set to give the winless club much needed forward grunt but the 30-year-old may not be available to play NRL immediately. Molo secured a release from the final two years of his Dragons contract and will be at the Dolphins until the end of 2026 but due to a stand-off with his former club he had not been playing or at training doing contact work in recent months. He did train on his own on Thursday at Redcliffe and will re-join the squad next week in the lead-up to the round-five clash with Gold Coast at Robina on Saturday. Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf, speaking after the 20-12 derby loss to Brisbane on Friday night, explained the Molo situation. "Frank has done his own training and looks really fit but hasn't done anything with a team for eight or nine weeks," Woolf said. "We need to protect him and make sure we get some training and contact into him. I don't think it would be fair to throw him out there straight away. "How long that takes, I'm not sure. He won't be too far away and he can help us." Molo may start his stint at the Dolphins in the Queensland Cup initially. Woolf was on the Broncos coaching staff when Molo made his NRL debut as a 19-year-old in 2014. "He was a great young kid coming through that had a real fire in the belly. He had aggression with how he played and carried the ball and how he tackled," Woolf said. "He was very raw around the edges back then but you could see the power and impact he could make. "I took him up to the (Townsville) Blackhawks and he was great for us there. "He fitted into the group, added to us and earned himself an NRL opportunity at the Cowboys after what he did at the Blackhawks. "He is at a really good time in his life in terms of what he can offer us." The Dolphins pack has overall been underwhelming so far this season. Molo won't be able to fix the lack of impact on his own after four consecutive losses to start the season. Prop Daniel Saifiti, recruited from Newcastle, was outstanding against the Broncos but was the only forward to run for more than 100m for the second week in a row. "Daniel has been the best player for us at the start of the season so far," Woolf said. "He is certainly putting his hand up and not just with his carries. He is wanting to do the defensive work as well. We do need to support him more at times." The Dolphins were unable to defend their errors at key moments against the Broncos but were not lacking effort. "It is mixed emotions," captain Tom Gilbert said. "Winning solves lots of problems but leaving that field I was super-proud of our effort. Our attention to detail has probably been poor but at the start of our season there has been no lack intensity and physicality. "We are getting closer to a win but we are also making the same mistakes."
Reuters
11-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
US Gulf refiners paying premium prices for Trinidad's Molo crude
PORT OF SPAIN, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Some U.S. Gulf Coast refiners have recently paid prices over the Brent crude benchmark for Trinidad and Tobago's Molo heavy sour crude, the CEO of the country's state-owned oil company, Heritage Petroleum, said on Tuesday. Lower availability of several popular Latin American heavy crude grades since last year, including regional benchmark Maya from Mexico and Merey from Venezuela, coupled with prolonged output cuts by OPEC+ members, has driven some U.S. refining firms to pay more to secure other grades. Trinidad and Tobago is a marginal crude supplier to the Gulf Coast, but exports have ramped up in recent months. Last year, the U.S. imported some 44,000 barrels per day of Trinidadian crude versus 36,000 bpd in 2023, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. "We trade sometimes at a slight premium to Brent as the mix of crude we have is in fairly high demand, especially in the Gulf Coast of the U.S.," Heritage CEO Erik Keskula told Reuters on the sidelines of Trinidad's Energy Conference. Heritage will continue marketing cargoes to several U.S. Gulf Coast refineries to promote competition, leading to firm prices in that region, Keskula said.
