MAROONS coach Kevin Walters believes Paul Green should make one major shake-up to his side by switching Michael Morgan to halfback ahead of Johnathan Thurston — rolling rugby league coverage.
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One of Boo Bailey’s finest toons to close out today’s NRL Daily blog, hopefully everyone enjoyed.
Evergreen….and red. @SSFCRABBITOHS legend John sutton is on the verge of paddling out for the 300th time, and the bra boy is still braining them. My tribute art for @telepaulcrawley column. @telegraph_sport #nrl #champion pic.twitter.com/yDsZ6Yndus
— Scott Bailey (@BooBaileyTele) 13 June 2018
WALTERS BACKS MORGAN AS COWBOYS NO.7
Sweeping changes may have been made by North Queensland coach Paul Green but Kevin Walters believes the Cowboys mentor should have made one more call – switch Michael Morgan to halfback.
Queensland coach Walters has backed Mal Meninga’s suggestion that Johnathan Thurston take a back seat for the rest of the year and hand Morgan the Cowboys’ No.7 jersey as they plan for life after the retiring great.
Green ran out of patience with his misfiring backline after the Cowboys slumped to a woeful 4-10 record following their error-riddled last round NRL loss to 16th placed Parramatta.
He dumped former Test centre Justin O’Neill and regular fullback Lachlan Coote while resting winger Antonio Winterstein (knee) for Friday night’s NRL home clash with the Warriors.
But Walters hinted that Green did not do enough to the backline after the Cowboys mentor ignored Meninga’s call to move Morgan to halfback. Queensland star Morgan was named at fullback for the Warriors clash after returning from a groin injury.
“I think it is a great initiative from Mal who threw the idea up,” Walters told Fox Sports’ Queenslanders Only.
“I know the Cowboys have struggled a bit this year and for whatever reason those two (Thurston, Morgan) haven’t gelled.
“They need to get their season going somehow. I think it (Morgan at No.7) would be a good response.” Walters said switching Morgan to No.7 may let the out of sorts playmaker reclaim his mojo.
Morgan is yet to recapture last year’s spark that helped inspire North Queensland’s unlikely NRL grand final appearance and the Kangaroos’ Rugby League World Cup success.
“A re-jigging of the jersey number can have a different influence over a player’s mindset so I think it’s a good move,” Walters said. “It will be interesting to see where the Cowboys end up with it.”
North Queensland need to win at least nine of their final 10 games to keep their finals hopes alive and provide a fitting farewell for Thurston.
After ignoring calls for Morgan at No.7, Green said it would take more than one person to get the Cowboys out of their rut.
“You need to build some confidence. At the moment we probably have too many losing habits,” he said.
“We need to get some confidence, bank some wins and change those habits.
“But we need everyone contributing. We are trying to find some consistency with how we play, when that comes I am not sure.”
– Laine Clark
SOUTHS PROVE THEY’RE THE REAL DEAL
These are the numbers that prove South Sydney aren’t just a feel-good story, but the real deal this NRL season.
While coach Anthony Seibold says he’s just as happy flying under the radar with no one is talking about his side, he acknowledges they can’t be ignored given what they have achieved.
When they take on Parramatta on Thursday night they’ll be aiming for a seventh straight win in a season for the first time since 1994.
Head to toe, the third-placed Rabbitohs’ have looked like a rejuvenated outfit with the most telling improvement in their attack.
After being 10th for tries scored last year, they now lead the competition with an average of four per game.
They were 14th for run metres last year and in 2018 are second with 1439 per game.
They’ve gone from 12th to first in linebreaks – 5.9 per game. And under new mentor Seibold they’re making the fifth most tackle breaks in the competition (26.8) – though they were relatively strong in that area in 2017 in sixth.
“It’s quite different at the start of the year. We were just trying to improve our performance and we weren’t spoken about like we have been the last week or two,” Seibold said.
“The group here is a level-headed group, we have a level-headed coaching staff, we’re trying to focus on our next job.
“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves but I understand when you win there’s expectation or external noise that you need to deal with.”
Most pleasing is the way they appear to be navigating the representative period.
After Origin players Angus Crichton, Damien Cook, Dane Gagai and Greg Inglis missed their win over Cronulla, they were rested against the Gold Coast last week but the Rabbitohs still had enough grit to grind out an 18-16 victory.
All four will return against the Eels at ANZ Stadium on Thursday.
The last-placed Eels are coming off a promising win over North Queensland – their first after five straight losses – but are being forced to back up on a five-day turnaround and a return trip from Darwin.
“There’s not a lot we can do, we’ve just had the one training session, keep things nice and simple,” Eels coach Brad Arthur said.
“We’ve recovered well after the flight. We got the red eye back to get and have an extra day in Sydney.
“Every team has to go through it, we’ve got no excuses.”
STATS THAT MATTER
*The Eels have won the past three matches against Souths, after losing nine of the previous 10.
*This year is the third time in the NRL era (since 1998) that Parramatta have started a season with three wins from their first 14 matches (2012 and 2013). They finished with the wooden spoon on those occasions.
– Steve Zemek
WALTER HINTS AT PONGA ORIGIN DEBUT
Growing calls for Kalyn Ponga to make his State of Origin debut look set to be finally answered in game two after Queensland coach Kevin Walters admitted he “can’t hold him back for too much longer”.
Walters says veteran fullback Billy Slater will be the first picked for June 24’s must win Origin II in Sydney if he can overcome a hamstring injury that forced him to withdraw just days ahead of last week’s series opening loss in Melbourne.
Slater has been named to make his injury return in Melbourne’s NRL clash with Newcastle on Sunday – the day before the Maroons unveil their Origin II team.
But Walters and fellow Maroons selectors will be just as interested in the player Slater lines up against this weekend – Knights No.1 Ponga.
Even if Slater is passed fit, Ponga is expected to feature in the Maroons 17 after calls from the likes of Mal Meninga and Wally Lewis for the 20-year-old to be unleashed by Walters.
And it seems Walters has now also jumped on the Ponga bandwagon.
“Since the opening round everyone has been throwing up his name to play Origin,” Walters told Fox Sports’ Queenslanders Only.
“The selectors are certainly aware of his ability. It’s just what is the right time to blood him?
“Is it game two? It could very well be.
“I can assure all the Queenslanders out there that he is very much in the picture for game two – we can’t hold him back for too much longer.” Ponga – who has played just 23 NRL games – is already tipped to become Slater’s long term Maroons No.1 successor.
In the meantime Ponga is expected to be considered for a bench utility role in game two.
Slater is desperate to add to his 29 Origin tally after announcing that he will retire from representative football after the 2018 interstate series.
When pressed on team changes for game two, Walters said: “There will be some changes.
“Billy Slater hopefully will come back into the side. That will be one definite change,” he said.
“As for the rest we will see how the week goes. I am confident we can give a really good account of ourselves on Sunday week.”
As they sweat on Slater, the Maroons have been rocked by news that 28 Origin veteran Darius Boyd had retired from rep footy effective immediately after being overlooked for game one.
Boyd now joins fellow retired Maroons greats Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston on the sidelines this year.
– Laine Clark
DE BELIN PUTS BODY ON THE LINE FOR RED V
St George Illawarra star Jack de Belin insists he’s ready to put his body on the line for the Dragons despite still suffering from a hip injury that could hamper his State of Origin hopes.
De Belin has needed the aid of painkilling injections – including during Origin I last week – since picking up a hip pointer issue against Melbourne early last month.
But the NSW Origin forward has already told Dragons coach Paul McGregor that he won’t be resting at any point and is resigned to playing through the pain through the entire series.
De Belin was one of the Dragons’ best in last week’s win over Canterbury, clocking 110 metres and making 35 tackles in over an hour of game time. “If I pulled up sweet, I was always playing. Even if ‘Mary’ advised me not to play. I definitely would’ve been saying, ‘No, you’re playing me’,” de Belin said on Wednesday.
“I love playing club footy and love donning the Red V so it was never an issue.” The 27-year-old said his hip remains an issue and while he is confident he can tolerate the pain, is unlikely to fully recover until he gets some rest. “It’s obviously still giving me a little bit of grief but to the point now where I don’t really notice it as much. It’s coming along really nice,” de Belin said.
“It’s just one of those niggly injuries that hangs around and when you’re playing Origin and backing up, it’s just hard to get it right. It’s really good, full training and everything.
“I said to myself, ‘It doesn’t matter how you’re feeling, you’ve just got to go out there and perform’.” Ahead of Saturday’s NRL clash against Manly, he also said he’d be surprised if his name wasn’t read out when Origin teams for game two are announced on Sunday.
With only a seven-day preparation, Blues coach Brad Fittler is likely to go with the same 17 players.
“(Fittler) said we’re all going to be there, but you never know what they’re thinking or doing. We got the job done and that’s all you can ask for,” de Belin said.
“We’ve obviously got a lot of improvement but we got the job done so it’d be pretty interesting if we he went and changed the side now.”
– Matt Encarnacion
TPJ OK WITH JOE O’S SWITCH
PASSIONATE Tongan Tevita Pangai says he has no problem with Brisbane NRL teammate Joe Ofahengaue turning his back on the Mate Ma’a and switching allegiance to Queensland.
And after hearing Pangai’s description of Andrew Fifita’s mentoring style in the Tongan team, it might be for the best for young gun Ofahengaue.
Broncos forward Ofahengaue is in line to be picked for Tonga’s one-off Pacific Test against Samoa on June 23 at Sydney’s Campbelltown Stadium but claims he will opt for the Maroons if coach Kevin Walters comes knocking. He is considered a bench chance for Queensland who play their must-win second State of Origin game on June 24 in Sydney – the same weekend as the Pacific Test.
Pangai said he had no regrets over knocking back NSW overtures and sticking with Tonga after the Blues’ Origin I win in Melbourne but had no issue with Ofahengaue’s stance.
“Everyone is different. He (Ofahengaue) is an Ipswich boy through and through,” Pangai said.
“I don’t blame him for wanting to play for Queensland. Thirty grand and putting on that jersey is pretty hard to say no to.” Pangai said it would be a shame not to see Ofahengaue in Tongan colours again after they featured in the Mate Ma’a’s remarkable surge to the 2017 Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.
But it seems Ofahengaue might have dodged a bullet, judging by Pangai’s recollection of their last Tongan camp.
Pangai joked that the only thing Cronulla star Fifita taught him during the Cup campaign was “bad habits”.
“He taught me you don’t have to prepare well to play a good game of football,” he laughed.
“But no, he’s good to have around the boys. He’s funny and competes when it comes to game day.
“I can’t wait to get into camp with him again.” Pangai was tipped to feature in a new-look Blues pack in Origin I before opting to play the Pacific Test.
He didn’t have any second thoughts as NSW claimed game one 22-12 at the MCG – probably because he was asleep for half of it.
“I fell asleep at halftime. I was knackered but I heard it was a good game,” Pangai said.
“Playing in front of 90,000 fans is the pinnacle of our sport but, to be honest, I feel like I have made the right decision (turning back on NSW).” Pangai hoped to warm up for his Tongan campaign by leading Brisbane to victory over Fifita’s Sharks in Saturday night’s clash.
“I just want to get one over big Andrew and give it to him all week in camp – that would be good,” Pangai laughed.
-Laine Clark, AAP
KNIGHTS BOOSTED BY BUHRER NEWS
Newcastle co-captain Jamie Buhrer has been cleared of a season-ending ACL injury, but he will miss up to two months of action.
It was feared the Knights utility would not be sighted again this season after going down with a knee injury in last Saturday’s loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Buhrer was first feared to have ruptured his ACL, however scans diagnosed him with a torn meniscus.
He underwent surgery on Tuesday night and is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks.
While the Knights’ finals hopes have all but evaporated on the back of a heavy injury toll, Buhrer is expected to return to the field this year.
He is now eyeing the Knights’ round 19 home clash against the Gold Coast as a possible return date.
– Steve Zemek
INJURY UPDATE: Bitter sweet news for Jamie Buhrer
— Newcastle Knights (@NRLKnights) 13 June 2018
🤕 https://t.co/4HNc3shk0u#OurTownOurTeam pic.twitter.com/EskuZBQFvk
WOODS SUPPORTS NRL’S SIN-BIN FOR FOUL PLAY
Canterbury prop Aaron Woods says the NRL’s mid-season decision allowing referees to use the sin bin for late tackles will protect playmakers from injury.
“It’s not a bad rule to be honest … I’ve seen the ones (late tackles) on Johnathon Thurston as of late and they’re pretty late,” Woods told Big Sports Breakfast on Wednesday.
“You don’t want to see that sort of thing. I think it’s really good to protect our playmakers.”
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg announced on Tuesday that referees could use the sin bin for foul play, but had also been instructed to ease up on “nitpicking” penalties.
Immortal Andrew Johns and North Queensland skipper Johnathan Thurston have vocally campaigned for bigger penalties for anyone who targets a playmaker after they have passed or kicked the ball.
Canberra’s Charlie Gubb was handed a grade two dangerous contact charge for his late dive straight into Nathan Cleary’s legs midway through the Panthers’ 23-22 win on Friday.
Woods said the tackle was “pretty dangerous” and playmakers should be protected so they wouldn’t “be out for the whole season from a little incident that could be avoided”.
The prop says it is hard to get the timing right when tackling a kicker, after Cleary spent seven weeks recovering from an injury when he was felled in a tackle by Woods following a bomb.
“I did one on Nathan Cleary earlier in the year, sort of tackled him as he kicked it but he still hurt himself. There was no intent to hurt him,” Woods said.
– AAP
ORIGIN SNUB ‘LIT A FIRE IN MY BELLY’
Brisbanewinger Corey Oates admits he let his State of Origin game one snub affect hisNRL form but is now more determined than ever to regain his Queensland spot.
Oates playedthe last of his four Origins in game one last year and appears well down thepecking order behind incumbent Maroons flyers Dane Gagai and Valentine Holmesahead of June 24’s game two in Sydney.
Especiallyafter his disappointing display in Brisbane’s last round NRL loss to Melbourne.
But afternot getting a courtesy call from Queensland coach Kevin Walters about hisOrigin I omission, Oates believes the snub has “lit a fire in my belly” aheadof Saturday night’s NRL clash with Holmes’ Cronulla.
Queensland’steam for their must win Origin II clash will be named on Monday. “I didn’t getanything (phone call from Walters). It lit a fire in my belly,” Oates said.
“I mighthave let it get to me too much.
“But thisweek I will be clearing my mind and offering a lot more.” Oates admitted hedidn’t help his Maroons cause in the Broncos’ last round loss to the Stormwhere they were blown away in the second half.
However, hehoped to remind Queensland selectors of just what he can offer when he lines upagainst a Sharks line-up boasting Holmes at fullback. “Last week I don’t thinkI did myself any favours,” Oates said. “But this week I will be focusing ongetting back to my game, giving the team some go forward and doing that littlebit extra off the ball. “Every week I am trying to do my best and trying to getinto contention for Origin.” Sharks flyer Holmes has not looked back sincesnapping up Oates’ No.2 Maroons jersey, scoring five tries in three games.
While Oatesdreams of Origin, the Broncos are still digesting captain Darius Boyd’sretirement from representative football effective immediately. “I congratulatehim on a wonderful rep career. I think he will be (considered) one of the bestplayers to have ever played for Queensland or Australia,” Oates said of 28Origin veteran Boyd.
“It took usall by surprise to be honest. I think he had just made his mind up. “We knewnothing of it but I wish him the best.”
– Laine Clark, AAP
SOUTHS WANT SUTTON TO PLAY ON IN 2019
As he prepares to become South Sydney’s first player to break the illustrious 300-game NRL milestone, John Sutton has moved closer to re-signing for next season.
Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold says the club wants him to play on in 2019 and it was just a matter of coming to an agreement.
Sutton, 33, last month indicated he wanted to play on and the deal now appears to hinge on their salary cap and finding enough space for one of their most decorated players.
“Sutto’s indicated that he’d like to play and we’ve indicated we’d like to keep him if we can,” Seibold said.
“I’ll let the management sort that out.
“But both parties are keen for it to happen. We’re just going through that process.
“Sutto, if he’s not in career-best form he’s somewhere near it. “He’s terrific off the field for the club as well, his knowledge of football and his leadership.”
It shapes as a boost for the rejuvenated back-rower as he prepares to run out for his 297th NRL game against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.
The Souths local junior already holds the foundation club’s record for most games and barring injury or suspension will become the red and green’s first player to reach the 300-match milestone against the Wests Tigers in round 19 next month.
After captaining the club to their drought-breaking premiership win in 2014, he holds a special place in Souths folklore.
As part of the Rabbitohs’ in-form left-edge, Sutton has shaken off an indifferent couple of seasons to play some of his best-ever football this year under Seibold.
“I haven’t been surprised because his knowledge of the game is outstanding,” Seibold said.
“He had a really good pre-season, I’m a big believer that what you do on the training paddock transfers to game day.
“Not only on the field, but in the gym. He’s had career-best lifts inside the gym. So he’s strong, powerful, fit and with the skill level that he’s got, he set himself up for a positive season.”
– Steve Zemek
