Latest news with #TobyCouchman
Sydney Morning Herald
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
NRL 2025 LIVE: Dragons host Knights to kick off round 13
Loading Latest posts Latest posts 7.34pm Origin I the most watched show of 2025 By Adrian Proszenko The opening State of Origin match was the most watched TV program of the year after an 11.2 per cent spike in viewership from the corresponding match last year. Loading A national average audience of 3.755 million tuned in to watch NSW take a 1-0 lead in the series – a figure 38 per cent more than the next most-watched program of 2025, ABC's election coverage. The Blues' 18-6 victory was the highest-rating interstate clash since 2016 after it secured a national total television reach of 5.449 million. The game broke streaming records for Nine Now, attracting 963,000 viewers, beating the previous record by 11 per cent. That makes it the second-highest rating BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand) program of all time after a 26.7 per cent rise on last year's Origin series opener. 7.21pm Dragons v Knights team lists Dragons Former Australian Sevens star Nathan Lawson will make his NRL debut on the wing for the Dragons. Toby Couchman and Blake Lawrie replace Jack de Belin and Luciano Leilua in the starting pack. Valentine Holmes will back up from Origin I. 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 21. Nathan Lawson 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 17. Blake Lawrie 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 15. Toby Couchman 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Hamish Stewart. Bench: 8. Jack de Belin 11. Luciano Leilua 14. Jacob Liddle 16. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga Knights Kalyn Ponga is a late out for Newcastle after playing in State of Origin on Wednesday night. Fletcher Sharpe moves to fullback with Jack Cogger joining Tyson Gamble in the halves. 6. Fletcher Sharpe 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Kyle McCarthy 5. Fletcher Hunt 18. Jack Cogger 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Mathew Croker. Bench: 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Brodie Jones 17. Thomas Cant 7.21pm Welcome Hello and welcome to our coverage of Friday night footy, with St George Illawarra taking on the Knights at Jubilee Stadium. We've already had two doses of State of Origin this week, with the NSW men getting the job done in Brisbane on Wednesday before the Queensland women prevailed in Newcastle on Thursday, and now round 13 of the NRL season kicks off with an intriguing battle of two last-start winners. Shane Flanagan's Dragons had made an impressive start to the season before a three-game losing streak against the Roosters, Tigers and Warriors, but bounced back to stun the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium ahead of last week's bye. Newcastle meanwhile had lost seven of their past eight games before last week's win over Penrith in Bathurst. Which of these bottom-eight sides will put together back-to-back wins and get their campaign back on track?
News.com.au
24-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Toby Couchman's journey from Dragons fan to star forward revealed ahead of 'special' Anzac Day clash
Toby Couchman and his family used to circle the Anzac Day game against the Roosters in the calendar and travel up to Sydney to watch their beloved Dragons in action. He has plenty of fond memories including Matt Dufty's slashing solo try in 2019 where he beat five would-be defenders, but it's now his turn to create memories for the next generation of fans. Couchman will start in the front row on Friday at Allianz Stadium having lost his only other Anzac match 27-26 thanks to a Luke Keary field goal. 'I played my first Anzac game in 2023 and it was super special because growing up, that was the one game that me and my family went to,' he said. 'Every year, all six of us would try to get to that game as a family. It was always such a special day to watch the Dragons and Roosters play in front of a big crowd. 'When I got to play in 2023, I couldn't believe it. I'm sure it'll be no different this year.' Couchman has been a Dragons fan his whole life and looked up to Jack de Belin when he was moving through the grades. He was lucky enough to get a photo with him after an Anzac match one year, but the pair have now formed a potent combination in the middle where they've combined for line-breaks with short passes in each of the past two games. 'We work pretty hard at training together,' Couchman said after he burst clear against Manly last week. 'I love working with Jack. I'm pretty good mates with him and we've got a pretty good combo going at the moment. It's nice to have success on the field because we've been working really hard at training. 'When he was playing Origin in 2018, I was pretty young and I looked up to him because he was a Dragons player. 'As soon as I got into first grade, he was awesome for my brother and I. 'It's pretty surreal to be playing with him now because he was someone I always looked up to.' Couchman has been in career-best form this year averaging 112 metres per game, while he's already had 10 offloads this season after producing 11 in the previous two years combined. He is playing huge minutes in the middle where he was supposed to be carving up alongside his brother Ryan who suffered a serious knee injury in round one which ended his season. 'I was devastated for him,' he said. 'The work that he puts into his game, it doesn't seem like it's fair. But that's the way the ball rolls sometimes. 'I know what he's like so he's going to work hard and come back even better. I really thought this year was going to be massive for him, but we're going to have to wait until next year.'
News.com.au
24-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Toby Couchman's journey from Dragons fan to star forward ahead of ‘special' clash
Toby Couchman and his family used to circle the Anzac Day game against the Roosters in the calendar and travel up to Sydney to watch their beloved Dragons in action. He has plenty of fond memories including Matt Dufty's slashing solo try in 2019 where he beat five would-be defenders, but it's now his turn to create memories for the next generation of fans. Couchman will start in the front row on Friday at Allianz Stadium having lost his only other Anzac match 27-26 thanks to a Luke Keary field goal. 'I played my first Anzac game in 2023 and it was super special because growing up, that was the one game that me and my family went to,' he said. 'Every year, all six of us would try to get to that game as a family. It was always such a special day to watch the Dragons and Roosters play in front of a big crowd. 'When I got to play in 2023, I couldn't believe it. I'm sure it'll be no different this year.' Couchman has been a Dragons fan his whole life and looked up to Jack de Belin when he was moving through the grades. He was lucky enough to get a photo with him after an Anzac match one year, but the pair have now formed a potent combination in the middle where they've combined for line-breaks with short passes in each of the past two games. 'We work pretty hard at training together,' Couchman said after he burst clear against Manly last week. 'I love working with Jack. I'm pretty good mates with him and we've got a pretty good combo going at the moment. It's nice to have success on the field because we've been working really hard at training. 'When he was playing Origin in 2018, I was pretty young and I looked up to him because he was a Dragons player. 'As soon as I got into first grade, he was awesome for my brother and I. 'It's pretty surreal to be playing with him now because he was someone I always looked up to.' Couchman has been in career-best form this year averaging 112 metres per game, while he's already had 10 offloads this season after producing 11 in the previous two years combined. He is playing huge minutes in the middle where he was supposed to be carving up alongside his brother Ryan who suffered a serious knee injury in round one which ended his season. 'I was devastated for him,' he said. 'The work that he puts into his game, it doesn't seem like it's fair. But that's the way the ball rolls sometimes. 'I know what he's like so he's going to work hard and come back even better. I really thought this year was going to be massive for him, but we're going to have to wait until next year.'
