Latest news with #Talakai
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Selfless': why NRL star played hours after funeral
Addin Fonua-Blake has been hailed as "selfless" for playing in Cronulla's breakthrough win only hours after a family funeral, but the prop says he only did what his grandfather would have wanted. Now the Sharks' prized recruit is preparing to honour his family name again in his 200th NRL game. The Sharks' coaching staff gave Fonua-Blake the option to miss last Friday's home game against the Dolphins after the death of his grandfather Talakai earlier in the week. Talakai was instrumental in Fonua-Blake's upbringing and had regularly cheered his grandson on from the stands, until travelling to games became too difficult in his later years. Last Friday, Fonua-Blake was determined to face the Dolphins not just to boost the Sharks, who had lost four of their previous five games, but to pay tribute to his grandfather. "Going through the week that I had last week, I just thought he'd probably want me to play. He was probably one of my biggest fans," Fonua-Blake said. "He contributed a lot in my upbringing. I thought it was only right if I went out there and did my last name proud and carried his name, and just sort of represented him. "I'm extremely proud that I get to carry his last name." Fonua-Blake made an impression on his teammates with his decision to play, and ultimately help the side to a vital win over fellow top-eight hopefuls the Dolphins. "(He's) just a selfless person," said Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo. "He put the team first the whole week and didn't miss a beat. "Just the confidence that he gave the group being in that locker room was massive." The prop will have another chance to do Talakai proud when he reaches the coveted 200-game milestone against the Sydney Roosters this week. Since his 2016 rookie season with Manly, Fonua-Blake has developed into one of the NRL's premier front-rowers, proving particularly instrumental on the Warriors' charge to a preliminary final berth in 2023. He has had a mixed first season at hot-and-cold Cronulla, but will be crucial to the Sharks' hopes of a top-eight finish as the alpha male of their forward pack. "I'm extremely grateful that I get this opportunity (to play a 200th game)," Fonua-Blake said. "Not many people do. I'll just be looking forward to getting out there and representing my last name and the club well." The match is significant for the Sharks, who are hoping for consecutive wins over sides in the mix for finals. "It's no secret we've had an up-and-down year this year, but I feel like the boys have had a bit of a wake-up call," Fonua-Blake said. "It would be massive for our confidence to get this job done."
Perth Now
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Gutsy Sharks shock Melbourne to enter top four
Cronulla have pulled off one of the gutsiest wins of Craig Fitzgibbon's tenure, shocking Melbourne 31-26 despite spending most the night with just two players on the bench. In what was easily the Sharks' best victory of the year, they lost their right edge of Jesse Ramien (eye) and Samuel Stonestreet (ankle) to injury in the first 21 minutes on Saturday night. But a makeshift pairing of forward Siosifa Talakai and utility Daniel Atkinson stood up, combining for two tries and doing enough to repel the Storm's attack at Shark Park. Cronulla prop Addin Fonua-Blake was also immense, scoring a try, running 229 metres and making 109 of them in post contact. The game twice threatened to boil over in the final 20 seconds, when Talakai was penalised for a late hit and Ryan Papenhuyzen placed on report after the siren. But when referee Adam Gee finally stopped play, the Sharks were into the top four for the first time in 2025 and level on points with Melbourne. Still, this victory was anything but simple, with Xavier Coates scoring a hat-trick for the Storm as they threatened multiple comebacks. Cronulla had full control of the match at 25-12 up at halftime, piling more points on Melbourne in the opening 40 minutes of a game than any team have since 2003. Talakai and Atkinson had a role to play in part of that, with the former firing a perfect flick pass out the back while in contact for his outside man to score. But the Storm were able to hit back in the blink of an eye after halftime, getting back to 25-22 by the 46th minute when Coates and Nick Meaney both crossed. Coates used his pace to get on the outside of Atkinson for his try, while Meaney's came after Will Kennedy failed to contested a Papenhuyzen bomb and the ball bounced free. The Sharks then took back control of the game when Talakai produced lovely quick hands to send Atkinson over, again showing more brilliance in a position he hasn't played regularly in years. Yet there was another twist still to come. After Nicho Hynes missed a penalty goal to send Cronulla 11 clear, Melbourne went down field and Coates finished his hat-trick when he leapt high above Atkinson to score. The Sharks ultimately did enough to deny a Storm bomb at the death when a late penalty gave Melbourne one last attacking chance from 40 metres out. Cronulla have now won five of their last seven, with the run made even more impressive by the fact this was their first game back at home since March. Hynes and Braydon Trindall are showing signs of connecting well in attack, while Jayden Brailey is running more and more out of dummy-half. Kennedy had his moments under the high ball, but the Dally M leader is still inserting himself in attack and helped lay on a Ronaldo Mulitalo try with a bat-on pass.
News.com.au
02-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Shark Siosifa Talakai suffers two minutes of NRL hell against the Eels
Sharks veteran Siosifa Talakai's Magic Round turned into a horror show in two minutes of absolute madness in Cronulla's 28-18 win over the Eels. The 28-year-old second rower came off the bench with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half of this year's opening Magic Round clash at Suncorp Stadium. A grand total of two minutes and 16 seconds later, his night was over. It all started when the 100kg giant received a pass from Cronulla hooker Blayke Brailey and attempted his first hit up of the game. Talakai managed to spill the ball in a three-man tackle, with Parramatta's Ryley Smith grabbing possession and passing to fullback Isaiah Iongi, who took off on a sensational run from inside his own 30 metre line. As Iongi was breaking a couple of tackles before being ankle tapped by Sharks five eighth Braydon Trindall, Talakai was doing his best to force his massive frame back down the field to make up for his mistake. He launched himself at Iongi as the fullback was getting back to his feet, but got it all wrong and managed to knock himself out cold. Talakai was left slumped face first on the Suncorp Stadium pitch before being helped by a trainer and going off for a head injury assessment. Mere moments later, he was handed a category 1 assessment, meaning his night was over. 'Siosifa Talakai, he's only been on a matter of seconds,' Andrew Voss said on Fox League. 'So he was the one who lost the ball and then on the chase, I can only think he's picked up a boot (to the face) has he?' Cooper Cronk added it's 'big contact here'. Before the end of Talakai's night had been confirmed, Voss did his best to sum up the second rower's contribution to the cause. 'That is a matter of seconds,' Voss said. 'One hit up for a dropped ball and one tackle and off now for the mandatory time, 15 minutes.' Yet it took less than that for the Sydneysider to get the bad news and know his contribution to Magic Round had ended. The contribution, or lack thereof, was not missed by a number of fans on social media. Many took to X to make a wide variety of comments on his ever so brief performance. Sport Season wrote: 'Sifa Talakai knocking himself in that way is certainly something.' An account called Parker2490 said: 'Dude kills himself to make up for that mistake.' Dwayne Nicholls tweeted: 'Again, we see more players receive concussions when they're the defender, as opposed to the attacker. 'Unlucky for Talakai there. Can't penalise or sin bin that out of the game.' KMB Aussie offered: 'Talakai dove for his hips and knocked himself out. Funny, but it was scary for a second.' An account titled Not Pat Carrigan stated: 'Siosifa Talakai: Subs in, drops the ball, knocks himself out. Is this the new meta chat?' Deni McGuiness wrote: 'That's Cat 1 for Talakai, he was out before his head hit the ground.' One fan suggested slightly crudely that Iongi should have been allowed to play on after Talakai failed to complete the tackle. Yoel Monaro declared: 'Honestly should have been play on. Talakai had no control on Iongi, was literally unconscious.'
