Addin up nicely: Have Cronulla finally found the man to win them another title?

Addin Fonua-Blake, Cronulla’s new leader of the pack, needed just one hit-up to get fans excited about the NRL’s return to Las Vegas in a couple of weeks’ time.

The Sharks prop showed a wonderful combination of brute strength and neat footwork to score a try early in the second half against Canberra on Thursday night.

Addin Fonua-Blake carts the ball up for CronullaCredit: Getty Images

The Sharks triumphed 40-10 against fellow US-bound club Canberra, with the best result being no injuries to both line-ups.

Cronulla half Nicho Hynes had ice strapped to his right groin, and later said he had a bit of tightness in his adductor, but was in no doubt for the clash against premiers Penrith at Allegiant Stadium.

Fonua-Blake, who looked a little lighter – maybe it was the flattering Cronulla shade of sky blue – had a few nice runs early. Apart from a dodgy play-the-ball that led to a turnover, Fonua-Blake moved well, and was rewarded with a second-half try.

The powerful Tongan took the ball 20m out from the Raiders line, split Myles Martin and the promising Ata Mariota, then brushed past Chevy Stewart. It was all too easy.

Hynes was full of praise for Fonua-Blake after the game and told Fox Sports: “Addin is very silky, he can pass pre-line, post-line, [he has] footwork, he’s the [Dally M] front-rower of the year the past two years.”

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart gave most of his stars limited time, and did not even bother letting Joe Tapine and Corey Horsburgh take part in the final tune-up.

Stuart will pay no attention to the final scoreline, and knows most of his big guns will be fresh when they take on the Warriors in Vegas.

They were the better team in the first half, and made the Sharks pay for a few errors and cheap turnovers early in the game.

Kaeo Weekes and Ethan Strange combined for a long-range try, and Seb Kris pounced on a loose ball to give the Raiders a 10-0 lead. Hynes hit back for the Sharks, then threw a cutout ball for Sam Stonestreet to cross in the right corner and give Cronulla an unexpected half-time 12-10 lead.

Referee Liam Kennedy cracked down on sloppy play-the-balls, ordering no fewer than four handovers in the first half.

Welch warning as Storm prop retires

Roy Ward

Melbourne Storm prop Christian Welch has retired from the NRL departing with a warning to his fellow players about concussion.

The 30-year-old premiership player and Queensland representative was forced into immediate retirement on Wednesday after being unable to overcome a debilitating back injury after 12 years and 163 NRL games.

Melbourne Storm forward Christian Welch runs the ball during the 2024 NRL grand final.Credit: NRL Photos

Welch made a strong mark on the field as a dependable forward and off it as a thoughtful leader who completed a masters in business administration and excelled as an RLPA representative for several years.

While the pain from a herniated disc has made tasks like getting out of bed or tying his shoes a battle, Welch is also concerned if he will have problems down the line after suffering multiple concussions including one during preseason training.

“I’ve had a few concussions over the years which is really scary,” Welch said on Wednesday.

“The science isn’t perfect but you don’t want to have too many concussions, it is certainly an area where the NRL have really improved and they’re doing as much as they can to make our game safe with the protocols around it.

“I’m feeling alright now cognitively but who knows down the track? But I think adopting best practice and listening to the best neuro doctors [is what we need to do].

“I’m not one of those guys who do my own research on Instagram or Tiktok or whatever the others are. I trust people who have dedicated their life to understanding it and put my faith in what the best practice is.”

Welch admitted he needed regular doses of painkillers to play through many of his 20 games last season including the grand final loss to Penrith but he is adamant the Storm are even better this campaign and will challenge for the premiership.

But when the back issue continued to hamper him during preseason, Welch made the decision to take medical retirement after overcoming multiple serious knee injuries and a ruptured Achillies tendon earlier in his career.

“I saw a neurosurgeon and got some medical options, so I’ve been away and weighing those all up,” Welch said.

“It was manageable but I was looking taking a lot of neuro meds and painkillers and it was taking a bit of toll on me away from the field - it wasn’t the healthiest way to go about it.”

He likely faces back surgery later in the year once he returns from an overseas holiday.

Storm chief executive Justin Rodski thinks Welch has the potential to follow the likes of former AFL star Tom Harley in moving into an administration or even a CEO role in future.

Welch planned to play for “a few more” years but said he looks forward to a “Friday beer on Swan Street” and finding a profession he can be as passionate about as his first job playing rugby league.

“I’m not too sure where I’ll end up but sport’s been so good to me and I’m real passionate about the commercial side, if I can somehow come back one day and carry Rodski’s bag then that would be exciting,” Welch said.

“I’m going to have a good break with my partner Maddi, close this chapter and not jump into anything too quickly.”

‘It kept throbbing’: The $500 remedy Liam Martin hopes will leave him pain-free at last

Christian Nicolussi

Liam Martin is hoping a $500 pair of orthotics will help relieve persistent discomfort in his feet after being forced to undergo scans for a potential second bout of turf toe.

The international back-rower sent a scare through the Panthers camp two weeks ago after he experienced agonising pain beneath his right big toe.

Martin suffered ligament damage in the same area beneath his left big toe in Origin I last year, which forced him to miss an NRL game.

The 27-year-old confirmed to this masthead he was due to meet with a podiatrist on Wednesday in the hope of having his shoes and football boots fitted out with inserts.

Had Martin continued to play without orthotics, Panthers medical staff feared he would have been severely limited in terms of what he could do at training each week.

Martin, last year’s Clive Churchill Medallist in the grand final win over Melbourne, explained that his running style was behind the problem, and he was generating “too much power when taking off”. The way he positions his body means his big toes are absorbing most of his body weight.

Why Liam Martin is banking on a $500 pair of orthotics to stop his toe pain.Credit: Getty Images

“I felt it a couple of weeks ago, the toe was slowly getting more sore and it almost felt like a type of arthritis, and it kept throbbing,” Martin said.

“I mainly felt it when I was taking off. I said to the physios, ‘It’s pretty sore’, so they sent me for a scan. It came back clear, and there was no turf toe.

“But the way I run, I load up through the joint. They gave me a couple of days off legs. And the orthotics will hopefully fix the problem.”

Martin is not in doubt for the Panthers’ season opener against Cronulla in Las Vegas, and said his AC joint – which required painkilling injections most of last year – and a rib injury he picked up during a wrestling session before the NRL grand final, were fully healed.

The Panthers had several players undergo off-season shoulder surgery, including Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards, new recruit Blaize Talagi and Liam Henry. All four are expected to be available for the opening-round clash against Cronulla, with only Henry in some doubt.

The young front-rower is expected to play limited minutes this weekend when the club holds an in-house opposed session. Henry was the only player of the quartet to also require a rotator-cuff repair, which requires more time to repair.

The Panthers had hoped to have a hit-out against NSW Cup side North Sydney, only for Melbourne – for whom the Bears are a feeder club – to poach four players for their own trial this weekend.

Coach Ivan Cleary spiked the Bears’ trial because “we didn’t really get what we thought we were going to get.”

Cleary told this masthead over the weekend that had the scrimmage against a second-string Bears proceeded, it would have been the equivalent of “the grand final winner playing against a Ron Massey team”.

Sharks speedster Mulitalo re-signs as big man weighs up rival offer

Cronulla flyer Ronaldo Mulitalo has re-signed for another three years in a significant boost for the Sharks.

While prop Tom Hazleton weighs up a lucrative Dragons offer Cronulla will struggle to match, Mulitalo has re-committed until the end of 2028.

“The club has given me so much,” Mulitalo said. “I’ve been able to buy my mum a house by being here and committing to this family. I want to give back now to the club. I’ll try as hard as I can to do that.”

Panthers abandon trial because of Storm call

Christian Nicolussi

The Melbourne Storm have prompted their NRL grand final conquerors Penrith to abandon their last trial before flying to Las Vegas for the season opener.

The Panthers were banking on NSW Cup side North Sydney taking part in an opposed scrimmage on Saturday which would have allowed returning injured trio Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards and Liam Martin to get some valuable game time before the team heads to the US next Thursday.

Ivan Cleary had hoped for one final trial this weekend against Norths.Credit: Getty Images

But Panthers coach Ivan Cleary confirmed the trial against his former club was spiked after several Norths players were called up by Melbourne, with whom the Bears struck up an official alliance last year.

Morgan Harper, Ben Talty, Tui Katoa and Nathaniel Roache are among a host of Bears who will head to New Zealand with the Storm for a trial this weekend.

“We wanted a decent quality team, and Norths were the best option,” Cleary told this masthead. “[But] we didn’t really get what we thought we were going to get.”

Cleary said that had the scrimmage against the second-string Bears proceeded, it would have been the equivalent of “the grand final winner playing against a Ron Massey team”.

The Bears confirmed they were still happy for the trial to proceed, only to be told by Penrith on Monday it would not happen.

The change in plan means the bulk of Penrith’s squad, including Cleary, Edwards, Martin and Brian To’o, will take to the field against Cronulla at Allegiant Stadium on March 2 without having played an official trial match.

The premiers had reached out to the Bears after the NRL failed to schedule them in the Pre-season Challenge this weekend. Instead, Penrith will play a trial against Manly a week on Friday – when the bulk of their squad will be on the other side of the world.

It is not uncommon for senior players to skip pre-season games, but several Panthers underwent off-season surgeries, while Cleary also would have welcomed the chance to see his new No.6. Blaize Talagi, Jack Cole and Daine Laurie are some of the contenders to wear Jarome Laui’s vacant jumper.

Bold Gamble: Knights five-eighth backs club’s pursuit of Dylan Brown

Robert Dillon

Newcastle five-eighth Tyson Gamble believes it would be a smart move by his club to sign Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown, even it adversely impacts on his own selection prospects.

The Knights are reportedly pondering a huge play for Brown, who has a get-out clause in his contract with the Eels that he can potentially activate by round 10 to become a free agent at season’s end.

The New Zealand international has spent the majority of his career at five-eighth – Gamble’s preferred position. Gamble said he had noted the speculation about Brown but wasn’t losing any sleep.

Indeed, he encouraged Newcastle officials to swoop on the 24-year-old. “He’s a special player, Dylan Brown,” Gamble said.

“He’s played for the Kiwis at a young age, and he’s a hell of a professional. If the club do go after him, I think that’s a very good decision.”

Queried about how that might affect his own career path, Gamble replied: “There’s no point in me worrying about that.

“To be honest, it’s not for this year and we’re still not even playing trial games yet. I’ve just got to worry about how I’m training and hopefully get myself in that team for round one.”