State of Origin news: Mitchell Moses to take over goalkicking job for Blues, St Mary’s Ron Massey Cup train with Blues
Meet the Western Sydney concreter who skipped out on a $1000 payday to have Latrell Mitchell run at him in an opposed session with the Blues. Plus, NSW have decided their goalkicking for Origin II.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
This is the western Sydney concreter who sacrificed $1000 in pay to mark-up on NSW star Latrell Mitchell.
The St Mary’s Ron Massey Cup side travelled to Leura on Thursday to run an opposed session against the Blues at Blue Mountains Grammar School.
Saints’ right centre Semisi Kioa faced Mitchell, who will play left centre for NSW this Wednesday night in Melbourne.
Kioa, 25, runs his own concreting business and surrendered a day’s pay, around $1000, to confront Mitchell.
Semi-professional St Mary’s players – whose occupations include being school teachers, welfare officers, mechanical engineers and miners – gave up a day’s pay to help their state.
“I do concreting, we’re based in Hawkesbury. I had two jobs today and had to organise four boys for one job, and three boys (for the second job),” Kioa said.
“I’d be out-of-pocket over a grand, or something like that but it was worth it. When the coaches told us about coming up against the Blues, I had to take the day off.
“I marked up against Latrell, he’s a tough player, he plays with mongrel. He was giving me some tips, showing me the ropes and how he plays. It motivates me to keep training.
“I have played against some Blues players in the NSW Cup. It was a good experience against the Blues. We had a chat with some of the Blues boys after it and they said it was one of their best sessions.”
St Mary’s coach, Darren Baker added: “We all had to take a day off work to come and participate in the opposed session.”
Kioa was part of Manly’s premiership-winning under 20s side which claimed the 2017 Holden Cup with a 20-18 win over Parramatta.
The Sea Eagles’ side that day also included current NSW back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu and the late Keith Titmuss, who scored the matchwinning try.
Parramatta’s team included Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney, Oregon Kaufusi, Ray Stone and Sean Keppie.
Stephen Crichton’s brother, Christian, plays for St Mary’s but couldn’t secure a day off work to train against NSW.
“We’re very grateful for the sacrifices (St Mary’s made) - we got a lot out of it and I’m sure they did as well,” said NSW forward Cam Murray.
“If I was a young fella, or somebody in that position, I would probably jump at the opportunity to play against some of the standard setters in the NRL as well.
“It was exactly the kind of intensity that we needed.
St Mary’s were sharp and we got some good practice today.
“He (Kioa) did all right, Latrell said in a passing comment that the fella he was marking was a pretty strong guy.”
NSW winger Zac Lomax used to play with Kioa.“I used to play a fair bit of footy with him. He played Harold ‘Matts’ and SG Ball at Cronulla - he was actually a gun. I think he’s the same age as me, so we played a fair bit of footy together,” Lomax said.
Baker added: “We’re one of the strongest teams in the Ron Massey Cup. We see ourselves as a pretty good football team, but obviously it’s a different level.”
St Mary’s are the defending Ron Massey Cup premiers.
MOSES TO TAKE OVER GOALKICKING DUTIES
Parramatta star Mitchell Moses is poised to become NSW’s all-important goal kicker after a dramatic three way shootout in the Blue Mountains on Thursday.
Legendary goal kicker Daryl Halligan was drafted into the NSW camp and drove the goal kicking competition, taking vision on his iPad as each kicker fired at goal.
Latrell Mitchell and Zac Lomax were holding goal kicking practice at Blue Mountains Grammar School before Moses joined.
All three took shots from either side of the field under the watchful eye of Halligan, who kicked 855 goals from 1078 attempts (79.3 success rate) during a ten-year first grade career with Norths and Canterbury.
Halligan scored 2034 NRL points.
After NSW’s goal kicker for game one, Nicho Hynes, was dropped, the Blues are yet to make a final decision on their goal kicker but this masthead has been told Moses is a slight frontrunner.
Moses is kicking at 82 per cent this season.
Since his NRL debut in 2014, Moses has kicked 547 from 709 attempts for a success rate of 77.1 per cent.
The Eels playmaker could now run the team, kick in general play and kick for goal at the MCG.
Interestingly, goal kicking centre Stephen Crichton didn’t participate in the shootout.
Left-footed Crichton has a left thigh injury which he ices after training. He isn’t in any doubt for the game.
“Whoever takes the goal kicking role, just put ‘em between the sticks, mate. They’ve got to go up in sixes. I practice whenever I can,” Lomax said.
“I love kicking and have done it forever. Nothing would change (in Melbourne), your ritual, your pre-game, it’s not like you’re doing a different run-up, you’ve just got more people watching. It’s not like you would do anything differently.
“You don’t want to change what works for you. Goal kicking is like a golf swing. Not everyone’s the same. The pressure is what comes with it but you use it as excitement.”
Blues forward Cam Murray added: “We’ve got some good kickers. I leave that decision up to the coach – the best kicker kicks.”
Mitchell, Moses, Lomax and Jarome Luai also completed general kicking drills on Thursday. Luai appeared to focus on kicking high balls to the opponent’s right side.
Moses and Luai, NSW’s halves, were out on the training field early talking tactics.
Mitchell at one point performed a one-handed flick pass which travelled a staggering 35 metres.
He also caught a bomb behind his back.
Panthers to hold talks with restless To’o
Penrith Panthers have scheduled a meeting with winger Brian To’o’s management following revelations the State of Origin star is restless at the club.
Defiant Reynolds hits back at Tallis over call for captaincy strip
Embattled Adam Reynolds has hit back at Gorden Tallis over calls for him to be sacked as Broncos captain, going on to slam suggestions the Broncos players are acting like “rock stars”.