Latest news with #rugby league
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rival club's move to sign Broncos' talent as Sharks gun makes call on re-signing
The Broncos may have a battle on their hands to find the next superstar with the Warriors opening up a base in their rugby league heartland, while in-form dummy-half Blayke Brailey has admitted he wants to remain at the Cronulla Sharks. Warriors fans have enjoyed watching their side climb to fourth on the ladder in 2025 with their youngsters leading the way in a stellar season. And it appears the Warriors want to target the Broncos' feeder grounds for emerging talent as they prepare to open a base in Logan. The New Zealand-based club has watched plenty of their junior talents join Australian-based clubs on scholarships as they move through the system. The Logan Brothers have produced a number of NRL superstars across the years, but few of them have ever played for the Warriors. This is despite Southeast Queensland enjoying a strong population of New Zealand-born migrants. And the Warriors were losing these New-Zealand born stars to the surrounding teams with no easy pathway to bring them home. Naturally, there are more pathways into rugby league in Australia and players from New Zealand have made the move over to find an opportunity. Benji Marhsall is one of them, who moved to Queensland as a junior and was recognised as a star. He then went through the Wests Tigers system. And the club has moved to give locals a chance to join the Warriors juniors. The Warriors are aiming to identify the talent in the area and provide them an alternative pathway into the NRL through their system. "As a club, we focus on the person first and foremost. It's not just about footy – it's about providing opportunities to all young people so they can reach their potential," Warriors CEO George Cameron said. "Our elite academy for boys and girls in Logan will provide a direct pathway to the Warriors NRL and NRLW teams. Through the community program we'll also be offering come-and-try days, school visits and talent identification." The Brisbane Broncos have been the side that has benefited the most from having a rugby league mad town feeding them superstars, but the likes of the the Cowboys, Titans and most recently the Dolphins have all benefited. Now the Warriors will be looking to snare the next Cameron Smith or Corey Parker - who both played for Logan Brothers juniors - as rugby league gets bigger in New Zealand. RELATED: Latrell Mitchell moment says it all as Souths rocked by another injury Broncos sign 'next Benji Marshall' from rival NRL club's backyard Blayke Brailey looking to remain in Cronulla Meanwhile, the Sharks are beginning new contract negotiations with No.9 Brailey who signalled his intention to remain with the club. Brailey debuted for the Sharks in 2019 and has developed as a potential Origin star of the future. And the Sharks dummy-half is enjoying his best season so far having produced another player-of-the-match performance on the weekend against the Roosters. And while Brailey would attract plenty of attention if he was to leave, the 26-year-old has given Sharks fans a huge boost and claimed he wants to remain in Cronulla. "I have never thought about (playing against Cronulla)," Brailey said. "I love this club, I love this area. I grew up here. I was there when Gal lifted the trophy in 2016 and I want to be back there. I played on the family hill here at Shark Park. To me this place is home and hopefully the club sees that too. This is definitely home for me." The Sharks have jumped back into the top eight after the win over the Roosters and Brailey broke open the game. Brailey has been focusing on his running-game from dummy-half across the last two months and the 26-year-old admitted the shift in focus has been instrumental in his form. "I have put a lot more pressure on myself to run, it is a non-negotiable for me now," Brailey said. "It is obviously working well for us when I do run we get on the front foot and it does make our side flow a bit better." The Sharks take on the Rabbitohs this weekend and a win could be a huge step into cementing finals footy come the end of the year.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors put stake in Brisbane heartland with academy
The greatest rugby league players to lace a boot have come out of Logan and now the Warriors are in prime position to snare the next crop. The fourth-placed Warriors will establish a training academy and community program in the city in Brisbane's south to offer an elite training and identification program and assist young people connect with sport and find career paths outside of footy. Cameron Smith, Lote Tuqiri, Corey Parker, Brad Meyers, Josh Papalii and Jaydn Su'A are just a taste of the elite stars to have been produced by the Logan Brothers junior powerhouse club alone. The Warriors have watched on as a suite of their best junior players joined Australian-based clubs on scholarships and moved into elite development systems. The great Benji Marshall was a trailblazer who attended league powerhouse Keebra Park High on the Gold Coast as a youth before moving into the Wests Tigers system. His move inspired a suite of players from New Zealand to follow suit and most of them were snapped up by NSW or Queensland-based clubs. The new academy at Logan will help reverse that trend and with the huge number of New Zealand-born migrants in southeast Queensland will give them great access to elite youth, not just from Pacific nations but also local talent. Warriors boss Cameron George said the club would establish permanent staff in Logan to work closely with the community. "As a club, we focus on the person first and foremost. It's not just about footy – it's about providing opportunities to all young people so they can reach their potential," he said. "Our elite academy for boys and girls in Logan will provide a direct pathway to the Warriors NRL and NRLW teams. "Through the community program we'll also be offering come-and-try days, school visits and talent identification." The Broncos, Gold Coast and most recently Dolphins have been in the best position to source juniors from their near neighbour Logan but now the Warriors are set to be a force. The partnership with Logan City Council is one that Mayor Jon Raven said should fit hand in glove. "Logan is the leading rugby league nursery in the nation and has one of the largest populations of people of New Zealand and Pacific Island descent outside of Auckland," he said. "The Warriors are known for their strong community connections and supporting development opportunities for young people, which are values we love here in Logan."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Adam Hills not hiding passionate love for rugby league
There aren't many people more enthusiastic about something than Adam Hills is about rugby league: he absolutely loves it. The Australian comic, known for hosting late-night talk and sketch show The Last Leg, makes no attempt to hide his passion for the 13-player code either. After all, the 55-year-old was adorned in Australia's rugby league kit from the 2017 Rugby League World Cup on a traditional London bus kitted out to mark 100 days to go until the return of the ABK Beer Ashes. It will mark a revival of one of rugby league's most iconic series which last happened in 2003 when Australia toured the UK to play Great Britain. 'I'm so excited,' the Sydney native said. 'It's been 22 years since the last Ashes, and I've been shocked by that; this is something that should be happening all the time. 'I'm so excited to show rugby league off to my London friends and go, 'OK, guys you have to watch this. I know you don't know what it's about, or you might think you know, but this is five levels up, especially when it's an Ashes Test'.' The launch began in Clapham – London's unofficial Australian capital – and also featured England captain George Williams, international teammate Jack Welsby and rugby league legend Martin Offiah. But Hills' presence at the event goes beyond his celebrity status, he is also the Rugby Football League president, a role he has held since the start of the year, and one that fills him with enormous pride. 'I honestly got goosebumps when the email came through offering it to me,' he beamed. 'Initially I was a little bit hesitant because I thought, 'How's it going to look having an Australian as the president of the RFL?' 'But I think it's good to have an Australian shouting about stuff, because sometimes rugby league gets a little bit forgotten over here. 'I come from a city where you go, 'this is the best sport in the world' and I'm not ashamed to say that. 'So, I thought, okay, I'll take the role so I can shout about rugby league in a positive way.' And Hill's has been doing just that, trying to raise the profile of the sport in every way possible, from the national to the community game, to everything in between, including speaking to Artur Martirosyan, the president of Ukrainian Rugby League. 'Off the back of [a Last Leg episode where the plight of rugby league in Ukraine was highlighted] that, I was put in touch with the president,' he explained. 'I had a FaceTime with him, and I said, 'when's the best time to chat?' 'He replied, 'Sunday is, because I'm in the army.' And I was like, 'because you get Sunday's off?' He said, 'no, no, Sundays are when my commanding officer is off so I can make a phone call. 'I was amazed at this point. I asked him what he did, and he just sent me a picture of himself behind an anti-aircraft gun. I was like 'holy s**t!' 'When then ended up talking about rugby league for an hour. We asked them what they needed, which was kit, balls etc, so we put out a plea on the Last Leg and the guys from Keighley Cougars said they'd make the Ukrainian national kit for them. 'So, as we speak, they've flown out to Poland to then take a 15-hour bus to present them with the kit. I'm loving stuff like that.' Hills was a member of the Australian side at the inaugural Physical Disability Rugby League World Cup in 2022 and hopes, through his role as RFL president, to try a promote disability rugby league as much as he can too. 'Regardless of the sport, there has to be an England v Australia Ashes,' he continued. 'I've played disability rugby league, and since becoming president, and even before then, I'm doing what I can to make sure there's disability rugby league at the next World Cup. 'We did it once and it can't be a one off. And I also think there should be a disability rugby league Ashes too. 'I really want that to be a thing.' The series kicks off at Wembley Stadium on October 25, before heading to Liverpool a week later, where a sold-out Bramley-Moore Dock will take centre stage. Leeds Rhinos' Headingley Stadium is the venue for the third and final Test on November 8, which is also a sellout. More than 60,000 tickets were sold on the first day of the priority sales window, which was a record-breaking figure for any rugby league series launch. Hills predicted a close series and expressed his desire for a winner-takes-all decider come the third Test. 'It's going to finish 2-1 to someone,' he said. 'Rugby League will be the winner, and I think that final game at Headingley will be unbelievable. 'As an Australian, where do you not want to be playing? I'm absolutely pumped for that match.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bennett: 'I've been under pressure for 40 years, mate'
Wayne Bennett is remaining calm as pressure mounts in South Sydney's dismal season, saying he's become used to the heat during 40 years in the rugby league coaching furnace. Bennett insists he has seen signs the Rabbitohs are on the right track despite a horror year of injuries and on-field results that threatens to end with the club's first wooden spoon since 2006. Missing eight players to injury, Souths could drop to the bottom of the ladder this weekend if they lose to resurgent Penrith on Friday and Gold Coast beat Wests Tigers on Sunday. It's been a far cry from Bennett's first stint in charge, which ended with a grand-final appearance in 2021. The results have been enough for media coverage to begin questioning veteran mentor Bennett. "I've spent 40 years under pressure, mate. I don't feel it. It doesn't worry me," he said. It's not all doom and gloom from where Bennett is standing, though the coach felt it was inevitable lifting the Rabbitohs up the ladder would take time. "You can't click your fingers and think it's all going to work tomorrow for you. You've got to stay true to it and you've got to get the players to buy into it. I believe that's happening,' he said. "I know we're doing the right things and I know we're on the right track. But we're not where the top teams are." Bennett said Souths' attitude and their attack had impressed him. "They've been pretty brave, there's pretty good morale in the place still. We've had no crisis meetings, which I'm very pleased about," he said sardonically. "Their ball control has improved a great deal, there's a lot of energy in their games." Souths received some rare good news this week with mid-season recruit Brandon Smith likely to miss only two or three more weeks with what had been feared a long-term knee issue. Veteran playmaker Cody Walker, meanwhile, is four to six weeks away after tearing a calf muscle during his rehabilitation for a hamstring injury. Campbell Graham, Cameron Murray, Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnston and Jamie Humphreys are among other key men to have been sidelined in a diabolical season of injuries. Of the top-30 squad, only Jai Arrow and Keaon Koloamatangi have featured in every game but Bennett shrugged at suggestions Souths may need to review their strength and conditioning or training practices. "A lot of them have been on the field, they haven't been training injuries," he said. "Cody's is coming on a rehab run which he's got to do to get himself back from the hamstring injury and he tears a calf muscle. You can't blame anybody for that." Friday's clash with Penrith will mark only the fourth NRL game for Englishman Lewis Dodd, recruited on big money to become the Rabbitohs' new halfback but largely overlooked by Bennett this season. The coach wants to see some physicality from Dodd when he comes on from the bench for his first NRL game since round nine. "(He needs to) put his body on the line, he's a small guy and a lot of big players out there playing against him,' he said. "You've got to be committed to stopping them and taking them on with the ball. If he does that, I'll be pleased with him."

News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Veteran NRL coach Des Hasler says he won't be walking away from the Gold Coast Titans
Defiant Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler says he's not walking away dismissing reports he's heading towards retirement with his battling team set to win the NRL wooden spoon. reports last week suggested the premiership winner was set to end what has been a horror tenure at the Titans despite being contracted until 2026. The Titans are last on the ladder with just four wins from 16 games having won just eight games in 2024. But after going down 26-14 to the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday night, Hasler addressed his future and made it clear that the 'great signs' at the club were enough for him to stay out. Hasler said he was only getting started in his second season in charge and wanted to coach the team in 2026. 'Of course, yep,' he said. 'I don't take any notice of reports because I know what we've got here and I know what's been said, so the speculation is unfounded. 'We have only been at it 18 months. I'm not trying to make excuses, I'm one of the most competitive people that you could come across, and it's not something I am enjoying, particularly when I know what's in the four walls. 'I think if you're going to be fair, if you're not looking at it in a biased way or you don't have an agenda, there are some great signs there tonight.' The Titans have only played finals once in the past nine years. but Hasler was adamant the future of the club was 'strong'. 'What you saw tonight was the effort and the willingness to work hard,' he said. 'If we can just execute better, and limit some of the mistakes... it is a very competitive side, so the future of the Titans, I think, is quite strong.' Hasler had the backing of Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui who has been linked to a potential move away from the NRL battlers in pursuit of some success. 'For sure, I think every week, no matter what the situation is, you go out and play for your coach,' he said on Sunday. 'Nothing changes for me, same mentality every week.' 'What you saw tonight was the effort and the willingness to work hard,' he said. 'If we can just execute better, and limit some of the mistakes... it is a very competitive side, so the future of the Titans, I think, is quite strong.' The Titans next play last year's wooden spooners the Tigers next Sunday and a win could keep their mathematical chances of playing finals alive.