Latest news with #Yeo
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
NSW have been ‘de-Pantherised'. And that's all they ever needed
At its peak, the use of Yeo in his usual Panthers link-man role in the 2022 decider had him passing 28 times, at a 1.65 ratio to every run he took. Hence the accusations of excessive 'Pantherisation' of the NSW attack by the end of Brad Fittler's tenure. In Fittler's defence, who wouldn't pick the key figures in the most dominant club side of the modern era, and permit them to play with the same distinct attacking structure that delivered Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai annual premiership rings? In time, though, Queensland learnt how to pick off the Penrith-esque sweeping shifts where Yeo linked to his club playmakers. Dane Gagai somehow furthered his 'Origin Gagai' alter-ego in 2022 by consistently swooping on those plays like he had the NSW game plan written down his forearm. He didn't always make the tackle, but Gagai's rushing defence often did enough to stifle the Blues' plays. Club defences just weren't equipped to do that when Penrith pulled them out. Yeo's approach first changed under Michael Maguire last year, and continued to the extreme when Daley and the Blues returned to Suncorp. Along with Payne Haas, Yeo repeatedly punched over the advantage line, found his feet and a quick play-the-ball to generate crucial early momentum. 'The ruck was pretty slow, so there was probably a struggle for momentum,' Yeo said of his run-first mentality. 'Which was a bit like the last series as well, so I don't think we were overthinking it or anything, just playing the game that was in front of us. 'That was the style of footy needed I think. Try to get through the middle as much as we can. 'That's probably more the nature of Origin footy I think, certainly [Wednesday night] was pretty middle-focused and that grinding style of game.' Daley agreed, but stressed Yeo is still welcome to give the ball air when he sees fit. The pairing of Mitchell Moses as a second dominant playmaker alongside Cleary naturally switches the skipper back to a run-first 13, though. 'I think having two halves like Nath and Mitch and the way they play, like to be on-ball, it does bring 'Yeoy's' running game out,' Daley said. 'I think it was a case of him mixing it up and playing what suited and the more that he can mix it up, the better. It did really help everyone, those carries of his. 'Yeoy' and Payne got us over the advantage line so often, it was a great captain's knock from him. 'And if the defence tries to jam him, he can still pass and add that depth to the attack, which he's so good at doing. And opportunities do come off the back of that too. 'I think he knows the balance in his game better than anyone.' Yeo's running game also had an impact on an underdone Maroons hooker Harry Grant, who was targeted like rarely before in a match. 'That was probably the worst game I've seen Harry play,' Johns offered after Grant was uncharacteristically frustrated, mistake-prone and fatigued by 43 tackles in 58 minutes. Again, Yeo noted that going after the opposition hooker and dialling up his defensive workload is hardly rocket science, even by rugby league standards. But Grant came into Origin I with just one Storm game under his belt after a six-week hamstring injury. And Yeo especially went looking for him, just as Daley's last Origin side failed to find an injured Thurston all those years ago. 'There was a little of looking for Harry and that's because he's such a good player, I think you'll find most teams try to wear him out in defence,' Yeo said. 'But this sort of game, if someone hasn't played a lot of footy, you probably do really try to dial that up and target someone as much as you can. 'Most hookers will lead the tackle count though and that's probably just how the game went with the middle focus.' And as for the Pantherisation of NSW, the Blues treatment of Queensland's dummy-half heartbeat followed the same script Penrith deployed in last year's grand final triumph. Loading Grant tackled himself to a standstill for Melbourne that night with 59 tackles in 80 minutes, a defensive workload the Blues replicated before Billy Slater gave his exhausted hooker a breather. Of all the exhaustive Origin analysis, Daley's sound selection moves delivering a cherished win in Brisbane ring truest. So too does the promise of more cohesion between Moses and Cleary after their first game as a halves pairing. The prospect of earlier ball to edge weapons Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton in Perth, where NSW have rattled up 38 and 44 points the previous two times they've visited, is especially tantalising. Particularly when they get the balance of game smarts and game plan right.
The Age
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
NSW have been ‘de-Pantherised'. And that's all they ever needed
At its peak, the use of Yeo in his usual Panthers link-man role in the 2022 decider had him passing 28 times, at a 1.65 ratio to every run he took. Hence the accusations of excessive 'Pantherisation' of the NSW attack by the end of Brad Fittler's tenure. In Fittler's defence, who wouldn't pick the key figures in the most dominant club side of the modern era, and permit them to play with the same distinct attacking structure that delivered Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai annual premiership rings? In time, though, Queensland learnt how to pick off the Penrith-esque sweeping shifts where Yeo linked to his club playmakers. Dane Gagai somehow furthered his 'Origin Gagai' alter-ego in 2022 by consistently swooping on those plays like he had the NSW game plan written down his forearm. He didn't always make the tackle, but Gagai's rushing defence often did enough to stifle the Blues' plays. Club defences just weren't equipped to do that when Penrith pulled them out. Yeo's approach first changed under Michael Maguire last year, and continued to the extreme when Daley and the Blues returned to Suncorp. Along with Payne Haas, Yeo repeatedly punched over the advantage line, found his feet and a quick play-the-ball to generate crucial early momentum. 'The ruck was pretty slow, so there was probably a struggle for momentum,' Yeo said of his run-first mentality. 'Which was a bit like the last series as well, so I don't think we were overthinking it or anything, just playing the game that was in front of us. 'That was the style of footy needed I think. Try to get through the middle as much as we can. 'That's probably more the nature of Origin footy I think, certainly [Wednesday night] was pretty middle-focused and that grinding style of game.' Daley agreed, but stressed Yeo is still welcome to give the ball air when he sees fit. The pairing of Mitchell Moses as a second dominant playmaker alongside Cleary naturally switches the skipper back to a run-first 13, though. 'I think having two halves like Nath and Mitch and the way they play, like to be on-ball, it does bring 'Yeoy's' running game out,' Daley said. 'I think it was a case of him mixing it up and playing what suited and the more that he can mix it up, the better. It did really help everyone, those carries of his. 'Yeoy' and Payne got us over the advantage line so often, it was a great captain's knock from him. 'And if the defence tries to jam him, he can still pass and add that depth to the attack, which he's so good at doing. And opportunities do come off the back of that too. 'I think he knows the balance in his game better than anyone.' Yeo's running game also had an impact on an underdone Maroons hooker Harry Grant, who was targeted like rarely before in a match. 'That was probably the worst game I've seen Harry play,' Johns offered after Grant was uncharacteristically frustrated, mistake-prone and fatigued by 43 tackles in 58 minutes. Again, Yeo noted that going after the opposition hooker and dialling up his defensive workload is hardly rocket science, even by rugby league standards. But Grant came into Origin I with just one Storm game under his belt after a six-week hamstring injury. And Yeo especially went looking for him, just as Daley's last Origin side failed to find an injured Thurston all those years ago. 'There was a little of looking for Harry and that's because he's such a good player, I think you'll find most teams try to wear him out in defence,' Yeo said. 'But this sort of game, if someone hasn't played a lot of footy, you probably do really try to dial that up and target someone as much as you can. 'Most hookers will lead the tackle count though and that's probably just how the game went with the middle focus.' And as for the Pantherisation of NSW, the Blues treatment of Queensland's dummy-half heartbeat followed the same script Penrith deployed in last year's grand final triumph. Loading Grant tackled himself to a standstill for Melbourne that night with 59 tackles in 80 minutes, a defensive workload the Blues replicated before Billy Slater gave his exhausted hooker a breather. Of all the exhaustive Origin analysis, Daley's sound selection moves delivering a cherished win in Brisbane ring truest. So too does the promise of more cohesion between Moses and Cleary after their first game as a halves pairing. The prospect of earlier ball to edge weapons Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton in Perth, where NSW have rattled up 38 and 44 points the previous two times they've visited, is especially tantalising. Particularly when they get the balance of game smarts and game plan right.
7NEWS
5 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
NSW captain Isaah Yeo called ‘one of the greats' ahead of State of Origin opener
Paul Gallen has labelled Isaah Yeo as one of the greatest locks of all time as the NSW star prepares to become the next No.13 to captain the Blues. Six months after assuming the Australian captaincy, Yeo will lead NSW for the first time on Wednesday night in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium. In doing so, the four-time Penrith premiership winner has a chance to tick off one of the last remaining feats available to him and lead NSW to Origin success. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today NSW enter Wednesday night as favourites to defend the shield with all eyes on how halves Mitch Moses and Nathan Cleary combine in their first game together. Yeo will be crucial to that as NSW's link man in the middle, while also leading the blue wall in defence. 'He will be remembered as one of the greats and he deserves it,' Gallen, who was the last lock to captain the Blues, said. 'He is brilliant. The thing about Yeoy is he is known as a ball-playing lock, but he is more than that. 'He has the ability to play front row. He can play that hard role. If you're 10 metres out from your own line and you need someone to have a hit up, he will do it. 'But when you're in the 20-metre zone attacking the tryline, he comes alive. He is alive all over the field. 'He's got every part of the game you need to be remembered as a great forward.' The No.13 is often overshadowed by the likes of Cleary at Penrith, but those close to the game believe the 30-year-old deserves as much recognition. It was in that vein former NSW hard man Mark Geyer labelled Yeo an Immortal-in-waiting this week, a stance backed by Yeo's first Penrith captain Peter Wallace. 'The lock position we know now is pretty much because of Isaah Yeo,' former Blues halfback Wallace, who is now an assistant at Penrith, said. 'Even in 2020, all forwards passed but there wasn't a link man in the middle. He was one of the first who excelled in doing that role. 'And then he has gone on to win four premierships in a row, captain his country and his state now. Won series with both as well. 'When you think about the Immortals, those Immortals that have been named, Yeoy has done just as much.' By his own admission, Yeo is uncomfortable when it comes to adulation. The Dubbo product has long insisted his career goal was to outdo his father Justin and play more than 11 NRL games. But after debuting as a centre and playing second row until the start of 2020, Yeo has done far more than that. 'He's absolutely one of the best, if not the best lock of all time,' Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. 'He plays 80 minutes week in week out, even at training doesn't skip a session at training. 'He just doesn't stop. He will be absolutely knackered. Then you see him get the ball and just carry three blokes 10 or 15 metres. 'He doesn't miss a tackle, maybe misses one every five weeks. 'He's reliable, you know what you'll get every week and he is someone you want to put your body on the line for. It's pretty special to play alongside him.'
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Gallen puts Yeo among all-time best as No.13 leads NSW
Paul Gallen has labelled Isaah Yeo as one of the greatest locks of all time as the NSW star prepares to become the next No.13 to captain the Blues. Six months after assuming the Australian captaincy, Yeo will lead NSW for the first time on Wednesday night in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium. In doing so, the four-time Penrith premiership winner has a chance to tick off one of the last remaining feats available to him and lead NSW to Origin success. NSW enter Wednesday night as favourites to defend the shield with all eyes on how halves Mitch Moses and Nathan Cleary combine in their first game together. Yeo will be crucial to that as NSW's link man in the middle, while also leading the blue wall in defence. "He will be remembered as one of the greats and he deserves it," Gallen, who was the last lock to captain the Blues, said. "He is brilliant. The thing about Yeoy is he is known as a ball-playing lock, but he is more than that. "He has the ability to play front row. He can play that hard role. If you're 10 metres out from your own line and you need someone to have a hit up, he will do it. "But when you're in the 20-metre zone attacking the tryline, he comes alive. He is alive all over the field. "He's got every part of the game you need to be remembered as a great forward." The No.13 is often overshadowed by the likes of Cleary at Penrith, but those close to the game believe the 30-year-old deserves as much recognition. It was in that vein former NSW hard man Mark Geyer labelled Yeo an Immortal-in-waiting this week, a stance backed by Yeo's first Penrith captain Peter Wallace. "The lock position we know now is pretty much because of Isaah Yeo," former Blues halfback Wallace, who is now an assistant at Penrith, said. "Even in 2020, all forwards passed but there wasn't a link man in the middle. He was one of the first who excelled in doing that role. "And then he has gone on to win four premierships in a row, captain his country and his state now. Won series with both as well. "When you think about the Immortals, those Immortals that have been named, Yeoy has done just as much." By his own admission, Yeo is uncomfortable when it comes to adulation. The Dubbo product has long insisted his career goal was to outdo his father Justin and play more than 11 NRL games. But after debuting as a centre and playing second row until the start of 2020, Yeo has done far more than that. "He's absolutely one of the best, if not the best lock of all time," Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. "He plays 80 minutes week in week out, even at training doesn't skip a session at training. "He just doesn't stop. He will be absolutely knackered. Then you see him get the ball and just carry three blokes 10 or 15 metres. "He doesn't miss a tackle, maybe misses one every five weeks. "He's reliable, you know what you'll get every week and he is someone you want to put your body on the line for. It's pretty special to play alongside him." Paul Gallen has labelled Isaah Yeo as one of the greatest locks of all time as the NSW star prepares to become the next No.13 to captain the Blues. Six months after assuming the Australian captaincy, Yeo will lead NSW for the first time on Wednesday night in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium. In doing so, the four-time Penrith premiership winner has a chance to tick off one of the last remaining feats available to him and lead NSW to Origin success. NSW enter Wednesday night as favourites to defend the shield with all eyes on how halves Mitch Moses and Nathan Cleary combine in their first game together. Yeo will be crucial to that as NSW's link man in the middle, while also leading the blue wall in defence. "He will be remembered as one of the greats and he deserves it," Gallen, who was the last lock to captain the Blues, said. "He is brilliant. The thing about Yeoy is he is known as a ball-playing lock, but he is more than that. "He has the ability to play front row. He can play that hard role. If you're 10 metres out from your own line and you need someone to have a hit up, he will do it. "But when you're in the 20-metre zone attacking the tryline, he comes alive. He is alive all over the field. "He's got every part of the game you need to be remembered as a great forward." The No.13 is often overshadowed by the likes of Cleary at Penrith, but those close to the game believe the 30-year-old deserves as much recognition. It was in that vein former NSW hard man Mark Geyer labelled Yeo an Immortal-in-waiting this week, a stance backed by Yeo's first Penrith captain Peter Wallace. "The lock position we know now is pretty much because of Isaah Yeo," former Blues halfback Wallace, who is now an assistant at Penrith, said. "Even in 2020, all forwards passed but there wasn't a link man in the middle. He was one of the first who excelled in doing that role. "And then he has gone on to win four premierships in a row, captain his country and his state now. Won series with both as well. "When you think about the Immortals, those Immortals that have been named, Yeoy has done just as much." By his own admission, Yeo is uncomfortable when it comes to adulation. The Dubbo product has long insisted his career goal was to outdo his father Justin and play more than 11 NRL games. But after debuting as a centre and playing second row until the start of 2020, Yeo has done far more than that. "He's absolutely one of the best, if not the best lock of all time," Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. "He plays 80 minutes week in week out, even at training doesn't skip a session at training. "He just doesn't stop. He will be absolutely knackered. Then you see him get the ball and just carry three blokes 10 or 15 metres. "He doesn't miss a tackle, maybe misses one every five weeks. "He's reliable, you know what you'll get every week and he is someone you want to put your body on the line for. It's pretty special to play alongside him." Paul Gallen has labelled Isaah Yeo as one of the greatest locks of all time as the NSW star prepares to become the next No.13 to captain the Blues. Six months after assuming the Australian captaincy, Yeo will lead NSW for the first time on Wednesday night in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium. In doing so, the four-time Penrith premiership winner has a chance to tick off one of the last remaining feats available to him and lead NSW to Origin success. NSW enter Wednesday night as favourites to defend the shield with all eyes on how halves Mitch Moses and Nathan Cleary combine in their first game together. Yeo will be crucial to that as NSW's link man in the middle, while also leading the blue wall in defence. "He will be remembered as one of the greats and he deserves it," Gallen, who was the last lock to captain the Blues, said. "He is brilliant. The thing about Yeoy is he is known as a ball-playing lock, but he is more than that. "He has the ability to play front row. He can play that hard role. If you're 10 metres out from your own line and you need someone to have a hit up, he will do it. "But when you're in the 20-metre zone attacking the tryline, he comes alive. He is alive all over the field. "He's got every part of the game you need to be remembered as a great forward." The No.13 is often overshadowed by the likes of Cleary at Penrith, but those close to the game believe the 30-year-old deserves as much recognition. It was in that vein former NSW hard man Mark Geyer labelled Yeo an Immortal-in-waiting this week, a stance backed by Yeo's first Penrith captain Peter Wallace. "The lock position we know now is pretty much because of Isaah Yeo," former Blues halfback Wallace, who is now an assistant at Penrith, said. "Even in 2020, all forwards passed but there wasn't a link man in the middle. He was one of the first who excelled in doing that role. "And then he has gone on to win four premierships in a row, captain his country and his state now. Won series with both as well. "When you think about the Immortals, those Immortals that have been named, Yeoy has done just as much." By his own admission, Yeo is uncomfortable when it comes to adulation. The Dubbo product has long insisted his career goal was to outdo his father Justin and play more than 11 NRL games. But after debuting as a centre and playing second row until the start of 2020, Yeo has done far more than that. "He's absolutely one of the best, if not the best lock of all time," Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. "He plays 80 minutes week in week out, even at training doesn't skip a session at training. "He just doesn't stop. He will be absolutely knackered. Then you see him get the ball and just carry three blokes 10 or 15 metres. "He doesn't miss a tackle, maybe misses one every five weeks. "He's reliable, you know what you'll get every week and he is someone you want to put your body on the line for. It's pretty special to play alongside him."
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Gallen puts Yeo among all-time best as No.13 leads NSW
Paul Gallen has labelled Isaah Yeo as one of the greatest locks of all time as the NSW star prepares to become the next No.13 to captain the Blues. Six months after assuming the Australian captaincy, Yeo will lead NSW for the first time on Wednesday night in the State of Origin series opener at Suncorp Stadium. In doing so, the four-time Penrith premiership winner has a chance to tick off one of the last remaining feats available to him and lead NSW to Origin success. NSW enter Wednesday night as favourites to defend the shield with all eyes on how halves Mitch Moses and Nathan Cleary combine in their first game together. Yeo will be crucial to that as NSW's link man in the middle, while also leading the blue wall in defence. "He will be remembered as one of the greats and he deserves it," Gallen, who was the last lock to captain the Blues, said. "He is brilliant. The thing about Yeoy is he is known as a ball-playing lock, but he is more than that. "He has the ability to play front row. He can play that hard role. If you're 10 metres out from your own line and you need someone to have a hit up, he will do it. "But when you're in the 20-metre zone attacking the tryline, he comes alive. He is alive all over the field. "He's got every part of the game you need to be remembered as a great forward." The No.13 is often overshadowed by the likes of Cleary at Penrith, but those close to the game believe the 30-year-old deserves as much recognition. It was in that vein former NSW hard man Mark Geyer labelled Yeo an Immortal-in-waiting this week, a stance backed by Yeo's first Penrith captain Peter Wallace. "The lock position we know now is pretty much because of Isaah Yeo," former Blues halfback Wallace, who is now an assistant at Penrith, said. "Even in 2020, all forwards passed but there wasn't a link man in the middle. He was one of the first who excelled in doing that role. "And then he has gone on to win four premierships in a row, captain his country and his state now. Won series with both as well. "When you think about the Immortals, those Immortals that have been named, Yeoy has done just as much." By his own admission, Yeo is uncomfortable when it comes to adulation. The Dubbo product has long insisted his career goal was to outdo his father Justin and play more than 11 NRL games. But after debuting as a centre and playing second row until the start of 2020, Yeo has done far more than that. "He's absolutely one of the best, if not the best lock of all time," Penrith and NSW second-rower Liam Martin said. "He plays 80 minutes week in week out, even at training doesn't skip a session at training. "He just doesn't stop. He will be absolutely knackered. Then you see him get the ball and just carry three blokes 10 or 15 metres. "He doesn't miss a tackle, maybe misses one every five weeks. "He's reliable, you know what you'll get every week and he is someone you want to put your body on the line for. It's pretty special to play alongside him."
