Sport Confidential: Eels toy with five-eighth plans, State of Origin I the most watched match in history of the concept
Exciting young fullback Joash Papalii could be given a crack at the No.6 jersey at the Eels as Jason Ryles works on a long-term plan for Dylan Brown’s impending exit. Plus, Origin I breaks records and more.
Parramatta will toy with the idea of giving exciting young prospect Joash Papalii a crack at Dylan Brown’s vacant No.6 jersey.
With Lachie Galvin-Belmore bound the Eels will consider a host of options as they work out who will be Mitch Moses’ long-term halves partner. There is support for Papalii to be given a shot given how quick and skilful he is.
Papalii rose through the ranks as a fullback and finally made his NRL debut last week off the bench against the Sea Eagles.
The other options include Sandon Smith and Jonah Pezet.
Papalii, 20, has spent some time in the halves in NSW Cup this year and may get a crack at five-eighth at some point in first grade this year.
State of Origin I sets TV ratings record
State of Origin has delivered bumper ratings for the NRL after 3.755 million watched the game on a Channel 9 – significantly higher than last year entrenching the NRL as the No.1 sport in Australia.
It was also the highest watched program of the year with 38 per cent more viewers than the next highest watched program which was the ABC federal election coverage.
The ratings were up 11.2 per cent from Origin I last year with Wednesday’s clash at Suncorp Stadium the most watched Origin in history.
It was the highest rating Origin match since 2016 and the highest broadcast television result since game three 2019.
The match had a reach of 5.449 million people. It was the no.1 program in Sydney (1.073 million), Melbourne (316k), Perth (168k) and Brisbane (843k).
NRL boss Andrew Abdo said it was clear where rugby league stood in the Australian market.
“The State of Origin ratings result is the highest in almost a decade, cementing rugby league’s position as the number one sport in Australia and the Pacific,” Abdo said.
“State of Origin was the number one show of the year so far, winning in every demographic and dominating in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, as well as delivering a record streaming audience.
“A sellout at Suncorp stadium provided an intense atmosphere which could be felt by fans watching all over the country.
“Rugby League broke numerous records in 2024 and the results are even stronger in 2025.
“The players are phenomenal athletes and the football has been unpredictable and enthralling all season. It is no surprise that fans are responding so positively.”
In Adelaide it was the second most watched program of the night with 92k people.
For 9Now the match was also the highest streamed event on the channel smashing the previous record by 11 per cent. The Origin was also the second-highest rating streamed program of all-time in Australia.
A sold out Suncorp Stadium crowd of 52,483 people watched NSW beat Queensland 18-6. The next match in Perth is expected to also be a sellout with about 60,000 people expected to attend Optus Stadium.
There were also more than a million Google searches for Origin in the 24 hours surrounding the game.
BENNETT AND THE KANGAROOS?
Mal Meninga is knee-deep in negotiations to become the inaugural coach of the Perth Bears and a surprise candidate has appeared as talk turns to who could replace him at the helm of the Kangaroos.
Wayne Bennett has had two stints as Australian coach and it is understood he is open to a Kangaroos comeback should Meninga accept the Perth job and stand down from his position with the national side.
Sport Confidential understands that South Sydney has no issue with Bennett combining international duties with his club job, setting the scene for the seven-time premiership winner to take up the reins with Australia.
Meninga is expected to make a final call in coming days over the prospect of taking up the job in Perth, where he would lead the side as they prepare to enter the premiership in 2027.
It is understood talks with Meninga have reached the pointy end of conversations as he looks to finalise terms and staff ahead of a return to the NRL coaching ranks.
Attention will then turn to the Kangaroos, who are due to play an Ashes series in England later this year. Cam Smith, Brad Fittler and Kevin Walters have all been linked with the job but Bennett is by far the most credentialed candidate, having coached the Kangaroos in 1998 and then returned to the job for two seasons in 2004 and 2005.
He won 13 of his 17 games in charge. Bennett, who played two games for the Australian in the ‘70s, would guarantee exposure for the International game given the gravitas he commands across the sporting globe.
Meanwhile, Meninga confirmed he was in discussions with the NRL about taking over as the Bears coach.
“We are having conversations but nothing has eventuated yet,” Meninga said on Jimmy Smith’s show on SEN.
“It is something I would love to do. There are a few things going to Perth and family is one of those things … Where I have come from and where I am today it would be a great to fulfil a passion and fulfil a legacy piece.
“I am interested. They want to make an appointment sooner rather than later.”
Meanwhile, the Western Force have confirmed they are more than happy to share resources with the Perth Bears.
The Force and the Bears will eventually train out of the same high performance unit in Perth and the Force are open to working out how they can combine staff and training techniques.
“We want to see a strong West Australian sporting landscape, a strong Western Force and strong grassroots rugby union,” Western Force chairman John Hartman said. “That’s why we welcome the new NRL club and the potential to share resources. Both codes can grow together in WA.
“Rugby union should have mutual standing at the new high-performance centre. Grassroots rugby, particularly juniors and the women’s game, should also be supported in a comparable way.
“We’re excited to continue discussions on arrangements that leverage each other’s strengths and reduce duplication to help us grow both games in WA.”
GONE IN TWO GAMES
Dolphins winger Junior Tupou could be on the move just two games into a three year deal. Tupou has permission to explore his options elsewhere after failing to secure a starting spot with the Dolphins.
While he may not necessarily move on, rival clubs have been made aware that he could be open to joining them. The Dolphins signed Tupou in December 2023, before he played out the final year of his contract with the Tigers last year.
Tupou, 22, struggled with injuries in his final season at the Tigers but had a breakthrough 2023 season. He has spent a large chunk of this year playing Queensland Cup.
VETERAN’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Adam Elliott may have played his last game for the Knights with the forward expected to miss about four months before of a ruptured biceps.
Elliott came from the field for Newcastle in the opening half of their win to Penrith last Saturday. The off-contract Elliott will now have to navigate his future while on the sidelines. The injury will keep him off the field for between three to four months.
The 30-year-old is yet to decide his long-term future with his deal ending at the end of the season.
EELS’ BROWN REPLACEMENT?
GALVIN GOES BACK TO SCHOOL
Lachlan Galvin was given time off from training at the Wests Tigers this week and he made sure it didn’t go to waste.
The 19-year-old, who is expected to put the finishing touches on his move from the Wests Tigers to the Bulldogs on Friday, was spotted attending a schoolboys carnival with his agent Isaac Moses.
Galvin was a schoolboy prodigy himself, helping Westfields Sports High to the national secondary schools title and going on to play for the Australian schoolboys.
RABBITS RAMP UP ROOSTERS WAR
South Sydney are ramping up their bid to move back to Allianz Stadium – and fuelling their feud with the Sydney Roosters – as they look to maintain the momentum from a petition launched by TV and film personality Luke Carroll, which has now attracted more than 12,000 signatures.
On Thursday, as they looked to heap more pressure on the state government to rubberstamp their return to Moore Park, the Rabbitohs launched a ‘Return to Our Heartland’ T-shirt with Carroll and Rabbitohs legends Bob McCarthy and Yileen ‘Buddy’ Gordon.
The T-shirt includes a map of the South Sydney district stretching from La Perouse in the south to the Sydney CBD in the north. Notably, the map includes Allianz Stadium with an image of a pair of rabbits planting a flag in the middle of the venue.
The Roosters, who are rugby league’s major tenant at Allianz Stadium, have made it clear they have no interest in sharing the venue with their arch enemies.
That hasn’t stopped the Rabbitohs pushing for a return. Carroll, McCarthy and Gordon were joined for the photo by members of the Moore Park Broncos under 16 team – the club is part of the South Sydney District Junior Rugby League.
Souths say the photos and campaign highlight the connection between past, present, and future Rabbitohs generations.
Sport Confidential understands that Randwick City Council will also write to NSW Premier Chris Minns, NSW Minister for Sport Stephen Kamper, and Venues NSW to formally express their support for the Rabbitohs to Allianz Stadium plan.
SPECIAL ORIGIN MOMENT
Mitchell Moses was a vital piece of the Blues side that opened the State of Origin series with a win on Wednesday night and the joy with NSW’s victory was amplified by a special moment he shared with daughter Aspyn.
Cameras caught Moses and Aspyn together on the Suncorp Stadium surface moments after the Blues’ 18-6 victory in Origin I.
“Yeah unbelievable moment to share with my daughter,” Moses said.
“Put so much time and effort into 80 minutes of footy and to be able to just soak it all in on the field with her after it, mate it’s unreal.”
Asked what his daughter was saying to him, Moses said: “She was letting me know I had all the blood coming down my head. She kept telling me, ‘Get better soon Daddy’. It was a cool moment.”
ORIGIN SCHEDULE ON THE AGENDA
NRL club bosses are set to raise their frustration over the State of Origin schedule with chief executive Andrew Abdo on Friday as they push for change as part of the next broadcasting agreement.
Abdo has been meeting club bosses on the regular basis this season and Sport Confidential understands that scheduling is set to be top of their agenda for Friday’s catch-up.
Club bosses want it known that an eight-week Origin schedule won’t be tolerated as part of the next broadcasting cycle, which is due to begin after the 2027 season.
While clubs understand that a change for next season is difficult because of the existing broadcast agreement, they see no reason why the Origin schedule can’t be altered from 2028.
The NRL tried to ease the pain for clubs and players by introducing a stand-alone Origin weekend a few years back, but that was dispensed with.
One proposal from clubland is for the Origin period to last for five weeks, which would mean Queensland and NSW players are only unavailable for two rounds.
Under the plan, which has been floated by South Sydney, Origin games would be played on Sunday and Monday night.
AWKWARD SHOWDOWN
Mark down the June 14 clash between Newcastle and the Roosters before Dom Young will be able to return to the Knights.
It is understood that Newcastle and the Roosters have agreed to a mid-season deal which will enable Young to link up with his former club before the June 30 trade window closes.
That move will happen following the round 15 clash between the Knights and Roosters. After that game, Young will be free to join Newcastle until the end of 2027.
The Knights and Roosters were haggling about how much either party would chip in given Young is on a deal worth about $500,000 a season.
While the Roosters will carry a large chunk of Young’s salary this year they won’t be contributing towards his contract in future seasons.
Young staying put for a couple more weeks also gives the Roosters some coverage during the Origin period after centre Robert Toia made his Origin debut for Queensland on Wednesday night.
Young was axed to NSW Cup earlier this month before returning to play in the NRL during the Roosters’ win against the Sharks last Saturday. He has again been overlooked for a starting spot this weekend.
The Knights were never keen for Young to leave the club in the first place before he signed with the Roosters on a four-year contract last year.
The two parties were close to doing a deal weeks ago before talks broke down. They have rekindled with Young returning to the club where he made his NRL debut in 2021.
Young, 23, said after scoring a try in the Roosters’ 42-16 win last Saturday that all he wanted to do was play first grade.
“It was a reality check playing reserve grade,” Young told ABC Sport after the game. “It’s not where I want to be. It made me realise how much I want to be on this stage. It was good to be back
“It’s all happening behind the scenes. I want to playing NRL week in week out, wherever that is.
“It’s not that I want to leave the Roosters … I enjoy wearing these colours. We’ll see what happens.”
FLASHBACK
The Panthers launched a fresh raid to try to entice Brad Fittler back to the club from the Roosters on this day 25 years ago. “There is a special attraction in getting Brad back in that he is a Penrith boy and played all his junior football here,” said Panthers chief executive Mark Levy. The Panthers would be unsuccessful in their pursuit with Fittler recommitting to the Roosters.
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