Latest news with #NRLRoostersDolphins
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Love to play Origin': visions of Inglis drive Toia
Sydney Roosters' explosive centre Robert Toia wants to follow in the footsteps of Greg Inglis and play for Queensland after being mentored by Joseph Manu. It is a wonderful goal and grounding for any 20-year-old to have. Toia had the best match in his nine-game NRL career in the 36-26 win over the Dolphins on Friday night. Two tries showcased his body swerve and deadly right-foot step. A sublime Matt Gidley-style flick sent winger Mark Nawaqanitawase over. Power, precision and defensive clout feature in his game. Watch all the highlights as the Roosters take on the Dolphins in Round 9!#NRLRoostersDolphins — NRL (@NRL) May 2, 2025 After two ACL ruptures, the former Nudgee College rugby union star and Redcliffe Dolphins junior is showing the rare skills he once showcased as a youth. State of Origin representation for the Maroons appears closer on the horizon. "I would love to play Origin," the former Queensland under-19 representative said. "Firstly I have to play good footy for the club week-in, week-out. I just remember watching GI (Inglis) and Will Chambers (in Origin). "GI was a good one for me, just how dominant he was. It didn't matter who was in front of him, he was just able to create havoc. I never watched him live but on TV and highlights clips … all the time." The Roosters swooped on Toia when he was in his early teens, despite interest from Brisbane. He was mentored by club great and former star centre Manu. "It is mainly just the little things. You would think it's the flashy things, but it was mainly the little stuff Joey did in defence that was what I took," Toia said. "Obviously everyone saw how good he was with the ball, but it was what he was able to do on the other hand that surprised me. I take a bit of that." The Roosters stuck with New Zealand-born Toia through an early injury nightmare. "I am just grateful for the opportunity first and foremost,'' he said. "Tonight went well, but I give credit to the boys for having belief in me and trust in me to give me the ball. "Injuries have been tough, but the reassurance from the club has just been second to none. They have backed me every step of the way. "There have been a lot of ACLs in the club. You could probably name five to seven players. All of them have had a say. I have probably leaned more towards (centre) Billy Smith. Billy helped me a lot. (The Dolphins) helped me throughout the juniors, but I am just grateful for where I am right now." Roosters coach Trent Robinson said Toia had shown maturity early in his career. "He knows what the foundation of his game is and what the rewards are off the back of it - he is very clear on that," Robinson said. "I talk about the foundation, but he has been doing that since he walked in. He has set that up and has been really patient waiting for when the opportunities come. "He has respected the process of becoming an NRL player ... and you have a game like you saw tonight."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Surgery for Dolphins' Plath damages lock's Origin hopes
Dolphins forward Max Plath has gone under the knife with foot surgery set to keep him out of action for up to a month. The 23-year-old missed the 36-26 loss to Sydney Roosters on Friday night but Kristian Woolf confirmed post-match the injury was more serious than first thought after Plath left the field in the 42-22 win over Melbourne on Good Friday. "Max ended up with a minor surgery so he will be out for three or four weeks," Woolf said. Watch all the highlights as the Roosters take on the Dolphins in Round 9!#NRLRoostersDolphins — NRL (@NRL) May 2, 2025 There was better news on prop Feliise Kaufusi (knee) and utility Kurt Donoghoe (calf), who also were unavailable against the Roosters. Woolf said both were likely to return for Thursday night's away clash with Parramatta. Plath had been in the frame for a State of Orgin debut for Queensland on May 28 after coach Billy Slater told AAP he was impressed with the versatile utility. Slater said Plath was building habits in his game that were "Origin worthy". That is why the Dolphins have missed his presence the last two games when they were exposed in the forwards. "What I was disappointed with the most is I don't think we defended to our standards," Woolf said. The Dolphins lost their opening three games of the season, won the next three and lost the following two. "We do need to get rolling again," Woolf said. "We rolled really well there for three weeks and, for whatever reason, things have changed. We need to figure out why they have changed and what we have got to change." The Dolphins have started the season 3-6 and can only lose another six games maximum in their next 15 or miss out on finals. Captain Tom Gilbert was blunt about his team's performance against the Roosters., which followed a 40-28 capitulation to Canberra after the Dolphins led 28-10 at halftime. "The Roosters came in with a tough mindset. In patches we showed that we do have a tough mindset but we didn't want to do that consistently," he said. "It is definitely something we need to address and is not something as a captain, or a teammate, that we want to see again this season."
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tedesco's hot form will force Daley to make No.1 choice
Sydney Roosters skipper James Tedesco has made another compelling case for a NSW recall at fullback with coach Laurie Daley now having to make a tough call about incumbent Dylan Edwards Tedesco, with 24 State of Origin games for NSW to his credit, has been front and centre of the Roosters' three wins from their last four outings. He won the Artie Legacy Medal as man of the match in the 46-26 win over the Dolphins on Friday night at Magic Round, which including two line breaks, two try assists and 212m. Former NSW captain Tedesco was dropped from the Blues side after game one last year and Penrith fullback Edwards took his place in a 2-1 series win for NSW. This year 32-year-old Tedesco's form has been superior to that of Edwards in a battling Panthers team. Roosters coach Trent Robinson said both had a compelling case. "It is just who the coach wants to choose," Robinson said of Tedesco's Origin hopes. "You can't go wrong obviously with Ted and everything that he has done, and you can't go wrong with Dylan. He is an amazing player. It is just the choice of a coach. Watch all the highlights as the Roosters take on the Dolphins in Round 9!#NRLRoostersDolphins — NRL (@NRL) May 2, 2025 "There is no right or wrong decision. It is whatever the coach feels like is his team. There are other positions you can debate. I don't think fullback is one of them." Daley said recently he was not concerned about the poor form of Penrith, who feature Blues stars like Edwards, Isaiah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Liam Martin. "I don't think I would have to worry about the guys who have won four competitions in a row and have performed at the highest level," Daley told Channel Nine. I think you look at form and you look at what people have done in the past at that level and then weigh it all up." Tedesco had a clear response when asked if he was shocked at his form as a 32-year-old. "I am very clear on how I play footy and prepare. Everyone is expecting me to not be as good but I am sticking to my routine weekly - mentally freshening up for each game and physically getting my body right and then playing," he said. "It's not my decision (who plays fullback for NSW). It is what the coach wants and how he wants to play. "I have been on the other side of it over the years where I am the (NSW) fullback and everyone is talking about form. It does put pressure on you. "I haven't felt any of that has freed me up to play some of my best footy. My focus is leading this team, playing my game and leading from the front. That will never change. "Everyone plays the game to play for their state or Australia. That is always a huge honour. That feeling has never changed for me." Robinson said it was an honour to coach Tedesco. "I have been lucky to coach some really great players and Ted stands up there with them all," he said. "When he plays for his internal value system he gets the rewards on the end of it and that is what has happened his whole career. It doesn't matter what happens external to him. "He is not trying to make Origin or make Australia. He is trying to play his best footy every week."
