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Following a monster Round 1 performance, our Monday Bunker crew discuss whether Jason Taumalolo is the game's best player. There is news breaking at every club throughout the day and our rolling coverage will keep you posted.
Don't miss any breaking news in our blog, NRL Daily.
There is news breaking at every club throughout the day and our rolling coverage will keep you posted on everything you need to know.
Updates
WATCH: IS TAUMALOLO THE NRL'S BEST PLAYER?
TITANS LOSE STAR HALVES
Huge news out of the Gold Coast with both Ash Taylor and Tyrone Roberts ruled out of this week's clash with the Cronulla Sharks.
Titans half Tyrone Roberts underwent scans this morning on the achilles injury suffered in yesterday’s match.
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) 18 March 2019
The club can also provide an update on Ash Taylor.
Find out all the detail here: https://t.co/ut2BqOlYXE #WEAREREADY pic.twitter.com/9ISpsiHr7N
The count begins...
Mitchell Pearce is ready to lift for the challenge of James Maloney and Nathan Cleary but he insists it’s not because he wants their State of Origin jerseys.
Pearce will on Saturday night be pitted against the man he used to partner in the halves for NSW and the man who took his No.7 jersey, when Newcastle host Penrith.
The predominant Blues half of the past decade, Pearce looked set to keep his spot last year before a shoulder injury sidelined him and Cleary returned from his own knee problems to help win NSW the series.
That result means Cleary is in the box seat to be the NSW No.7 again in 2019, with Brad Fittler already declaring last year’s winners will have first dibs on positions.
But regardless Pearce – still only aged 29 – and Luke Keary would be the chief contenders to dethrone either he or potentially Maloney if the Panthers slip.
“Not anymore (is that an extra motivation). My job is just doing my job for this team,” Pearce said.
“It’s always good coming up against players who are quality players and Nathan had a really good year last year and played in Origin.”
Pearce has a 2-0 record over Cleary, beating his Panthers while playing at both the Sydney Roosters and Knights in the past two years.
But he said Maloney – who he won a premiership with at the Roosters in 2013 – was the man most important to stop at Penrith.
“The leader of that team is James Maloney, he is the older head, he seems to have a lot more touches on the ball. He is the player we need to stop,” Pearce said.
“It’s always a test. I love coming up against Jimmy, he’s always got plenty to say.”
Pearce kicked nicely in Friday’s 14-8 win over Cronulla, booting the most metres of any half over the weekend and notching up a 40-20 as the Knights controlled the territory battle.
He also had a hand in one try, as he was confident he and Kalyn Ponga were on the right track after their first game together in the halves.
“I think we overplayed a bit in the trials, and we wanted to simplify our game going into round one,” he said.
“The game plan we set out with the coaches was pretty how much how we played.”
Meanwhile Newcastle will be without prop Daniel Saifiti for Saturday’s clash, ruled out for between 2-4 weeks with knee and foot injuries.
– AAP
PEARCE OUT TO OWN HIS SUCCESSORS
Mitchell Pearce is ready to lift for the challenge of James Maloney and Nathan Cleary but he insists it’s not because he wants their State of Origin jerseys.
Pearce will on Saturday night be pitted against the man he used to partner in the halves for NSW and the man who took his No.7 jersey, when Newcastle host Penrith.
The predominant Blues half of the past decade, Pearce looked set to keep his spot last year before a shoulder injury sidelined him and Cleary returned from his own knee problems to help win NSW the series.
That result means Cleary is in the box seat to be the NSW No.7 again in 2019, with Brad Fittler already declaring last year’s winners will have first dibs on positions.
But regardless Pearce – still only aged 29 – and Luke Keary would be the chief contenders to dethrone either he or potentially Maloney if the Panthers slip.
“Not anymore (is that an extra motivation). My job is just doing my job for this team,” Pearce said.
“It’s always good coming up against players who are quality players and Nathan had a really good year last year and played in Origin.”
Pearce has a 2-0 record over Cleary, beating his Panthers while playing at both the Sydney Roosters and Knights in the past two years.
But he said Maloney – who he won a premiership with at the Roosters in 2013 – was the man most important to stop at Penrith.
“The leader of that team is James Maloney, he is the older head, he seems to have a lot more touches on the ball. He is the player we need to stop,” Pearce said.
“It’s always a test. I love coming up against Jimmy, he’s always got plenty to say.”
Pearce kicked nicely in Friday’s 14-8 win over Cronulla, booting the most metres of any half over the weekend and notching up a 40-20 as the Knights controlled the territory battle.
He also had a hand in one try, as he was confident he and Kalyn Ponga were on the right track after their first game together in the halves.
“I think we overplayed a bit in the trials, and we wanted to simplify our game going into round one,” he said.
“The game plan we set out with the coaches was pretty how much how we played.”
Meanwhile Newcastle will be without prop Daniel Saifiti for Saturday’s clash, ruled out for between 2-4 weeks with knee and foot injuries.
– AAP
The count begins...
VIDEO: GRAHAM SNAPS BACK AT CONCUSSION CONCERNS
KNIGHTS PROP SIDELINED FOR MONTH
Newcastle front-rower Daniel Saifiti will miss up to a month of NRL action with knee and foot injuries.
Saifiti limped from the field in the Knights’ 14-8 opening-round win over Cronulla, but the club were hopeful he could return as soon as round four.
“We’re looking at that two to four week mark. We’re hoping it’ll be at that lower end. It’s a small little hurdle for him but we will get him back bigger and stronger,” said Newcastle head of performance Balin Cupples.
– AAP
That's a wrap for Slipper Day!
Parramatta’s Michael Jennings is set to miss his side’s NRL clash with Canterbury after being charged for an ugly high shot on Isaah Yeo.
Jennings has been cited by the match review committee for a grade two high tackle which left the Panthers skipper dazed and forced him from the field in the Eels’ 20-12 upset victory on Sunday.
The Eels centre was sin-binned for the second half incident, which allowed the Panthers to claw their way back into the game, but was still charged.
He will miss one week even with an early guilty plea and his only hope of playing is if he fights the charge at the judiciary and wins.
Meanwhile, Penrith’s Waqa Blake has been hit with a $1350 fine after being charged with contrary conduct for pushing Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses in back play.
EEL JENNINGS FACES BAN FOR YEO BLOW
Parramatta’s Michael Jennings is set to miss his side’s NRL clash with Canterbury after being charged for an ugly high shot on Isaah Yeo.
Jennings has been cited by the match review committee for a grade two high tackle which left the Panthers skipper dazed and forced him from the field in the Eels’ 20-12 upset victory on Sunday.
The Eels centre was sin-binned for the second half incident, which allowed the Panthers to claw their way back into the game, but was still charged.
He will miss one week even with an early guilty plea and his only hope of playing is if he fights the charge at the judiciary and wins.
Meanwhile, Penrith’s Waqa Blake has been hit with a $1350 fine after being charged with contrary conduct for pushing Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses in back play.
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