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Christchurch team could be as big as Warriors: Isaako

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Jamayne Isaako of the Kiwis scores a try in the tackle of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of Australia during the Men's Pacific Championships match between New Zealand Kiwis and Australian Kangaroos at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch, Sunday, October 27, 2024. (AAP Image/John Davidson, via Photosport)

Jamayne Isaako believes an NRL team in Christchurch could grow to the same levels of popularity as the booming Warriors in Auckland.

The NRL last week rejected three separate bids from New Zealand’s South Island among eight that were unsuccessful in the latest round of expansion applications.

But to players from the area, the Pacific Championships clash between New Zealand and Australia on Sunday was the latest reminder of the game’s potential in Christchurch.

While Christchurch has long been synonymous with Super Rugby powerhouse the Crusaders, some 17,005 fans packed into Apollo Projects Stadium for the Kangaroos’ first visit since 1989.

The last three NRL games played at the ground have also pulled crowds above 17,000, while construction on a 30,000-seat stadium in the Christchurch CBD is set to be completed in 2026 as another boon for sport in the area.

Teams from Perth and PNG remain the favourites to enter the NRL as the 18th and 19th teams in coming years.

But in his role heading up Christchurch’s leading bid the South Island Kea, ex-NRL chief executive David Moffett told Nine Newspapers this week he was committed to revisiting the push for inclusion in the NRL.

Players hailing from the area were hopeful Christchurch would be considered in plans to expand to 20 teams in the next decade.

“I definitely think that they’re ready for a team to be blooded here in Christchurch or in the South Island, wherever it is, that they look to bring another team in,” Dolphins winger Isaako said after playing in New Zealand’s 22-10 defeat by Australia.

“It was good to see the passion of the Cantabrians when it comes to rugby league.”

For further evidence of rugby league’s growth potential in New Zealand, Isaako pointed to the Warriors’ spike in popularity since their homecoming after COVID-19 restrictions eased.

The Auckland side became a national phenomenon en route to a preliminary final in 2023 and sold out every home game this season for the first time in any of their 30 years in the league.

“You see the fanbase that turn out for the Warriors. We could certainly have that here in the South Island if there was a team brought here,” said Isaako.

“Rugby league certainly is a game that’s growing here in New Zealand. If we could bring another team to New Zealand, it’d only add to that.”

Local product Jordan Riki knows first-hand of rugby league’s growth in Christchurch. The Brisbane second-rower’s mother Janelle sits on the board of the Canterbury Rugby League.

“I talk to her pretty much nearly every day and she’s been telling me about some cool plans that have been coming through for Canterbury Rugby League and South Island rugby league,” he said.

“It’s awesome to see that it’s growing down here.”

Written by: Jasper Bruce © AAP 2024

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NRL’s Hughes, NRLW’s Kelly voted best in 2024 by peers

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Jahrome Hughes has added the Players’ Champion award to his Dally M Medal, voted the best player in the NRL in 2024 by his peers.

Hours before the NRL grand final against Penrith, Hughes became the first Melbourne player in history to win the players’ union’s major men’s honour.

Sydney Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly claimed the women’s award, also hours before she was due to lead her side in the NRLW grand final against Cronulla.

Best of NRLW 2024, Isabelle Kelly
Isabelle Kelly of the Roosters on her way to scoring a try during the NRLW Round 3 match between the Sydney Roosters and the St. George Illawarra Dragons at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Thursday, August 3, 2023. (AAP Image/Mark Evans)

Both Hughes and Kelly have been standouts this season.

Hughes’ maiden Dally M Medal on Wednesday night came after a season in which he took charge of the Storm’s attack.

The No.7 then flourished upon Cameron Munster’s return from injury, with the pair’s combination a big part of the reason they finished first on the ladder and are in the decider.

The Kiwi halfback beat out fellow finalists in Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton, Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake and Canterbury centre Stephen Crichton for the latest award.

“This is a massive honour for me to be voted the Players’ Champion,” Hughes said.

“I really hold this in high regard, and I think it is definitely one of the best individual accolades you can get.

I’m so honoured to be able to receive it, and just to get the praise from the players that you go against week in, week out.

“For them to vote for this, it is truly massive for myself. I’m super grateful and really honoured to win the Players’ Champion.”

Voting for the Players’ Champion awards is done at the end of each regular season, on a 3-2-1 system open to all contracted NRL and NRLW players for their respective competition. 

Kelly’s award was also her first, following a year in which she shifted from fullback to the halves and then to centre for the Roosters.

The NSW State of Origin star was expected to feature prominently in the Dally M race last week, but was outgunned by her Roosters teammate Olivia Kernick.

But in the eyes of the players, Kelly has now risen to No.1 in the women’s game after a season in which she broke the line nine times and averaged 198 metres per game.

She won the players’ award ahead of fellow finalists Kernick, Parramatta’s Abbi Church, Brisbane’s Julia Robinson and Newcastle’s Tamika Upton. 

“Looking at the calibre of players who have won this award before is super special for me,” Kelly said. 

“Being voted by the wider playing group is something that I am honoured with and I’m really grateful for all the girls who voted for me.”

“When you look at those (previous winners), they’ve been pioneers within our women’s game. 

“To be alongside them and have my name with theirs is a massive honour and something I don’t take very lightly and something that I am super proud of.”

Written by: Scott Bailey © AAP

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2020 grand final of little use to Storm now: Bellamy

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Storm Coach, Craig Bellamy says there is nothing but “nice memories” to take from Melbourne’s 2020 NRL premiership win as he leads the new-look Storm into the grand-final rematch against Penrith.

Rarely in the ensuing four seasons have triple-reigning premiers Penrith been as comprehensively outplayed as they were by the Storm in the 2020 decider.

Playing his last match, NRL great Cameron Smith skippered the Storm to a 26-0 lead early in the second half, with the side eventually holding on for a 26-20 win and fourth premiership.

Fuelled by their heartbreak, the Panthers twice eliminated the Storm from finals in the years that followed, before the two undisputed best sides of 2024 booked in a grand-final date for Sunday.

But while much has been made of roster changes undergone at Penrith over the past four years, the Storm have been undergoing their own regeneration.

Just four players from the Storm’s 2020 grand final team – Jahrome Hughes, Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Christian Welch – will face Penrith at Accor Stadium.

And while Penrith’s squad is now largely comprised of players who came through their famous junior nursery, nine of the Storm’s 17 were recruited after the 2020 triumph.

“I was just looking at the last team we had in a grand final in 2020. Nine of those 18 played against us this year,” Bellamy said.

“Having lost them and obviously Cameron (Smith) being the big loss, our side has changed a lot in four years. It’s changed a heap.”

Newly-minted Dally M Medallist Hughes, wily five-eighth Munster and athletic fullback Papenhuyzen were all in the spine on grand final day in 2020, with the last of that trio winning the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match.

But with Smith still the chief architect at the time, Bellamy said the team had undergone a shift since 2020, and was quick to point out injuries had meant the current spine was only just clicking into gear. 

“It’s a different era with those guys,” he said.

“These guys are just basically starting together. They’ve still got a bit to go, to be quite honest.”

While Sunday’s fixture marks only the second grand final rematch of the NRL era, Bellamy is looking at the two deciders as separate from one another.

“Four years is a long time in life, four years is a real long time in footy,” he said.

“At the end of the day, that was a great result for us back then but I can hardly remember it to be quite honest. 

“What’s important is now. In the past, they’re nice memories, but halfway through next week we’d like to have a nice memory of what happens (on Sunday) too.”

Written by: Jasper Bruce © AAP

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Premiership window wide open: Roosters skipper Tedesco

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James Tedesco wearing a Rooster Jersey standing with his arms crossed in front of the Sydney Opera House.

James Tedesco has laughed off suggestions the Sydney Roosters’ premiership window is closing as the side uses its imminent exodus as motivation this NRL finals series.

The Roosters will lose around 900 games and eight premierships worth of first-grade experience when they farewell Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joey Manu, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Luke Keary and Sitili Tupouniua this summer.

36-year-old centre Michael Jennings, the NRL’s oldest player, and third-string hooker Zach Dockar-Clay could join that list given neither holds a contract for 2025.

The changes will force the Tricolours to nominate two new first-choice centres, bank on Sandon Smith as Sam Walker’s full-time halves partner and find a new forward pack leader as the influential Waerea-Hargreaves heads to England.

But their ability to contend with on-field reconfigurations will be under the microscope even before then as Walker and Brandon Smith miss the play-offs, starting with Friday’s qualifying final against Penrith.

The Roosters were hot-and-cold beating lowly South Sydney in their first game without the injured pair and Victor Radley, sidelined with a shoulder issue.

James Tedesco of the Roosters makes a break during the NRL Round 27 match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium.
James Tedesco of the Roosters makes a break during the NRL Round 27 match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium Friday, September 6, 2024. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)

“‘Rads’ is still confident that he can be back during the finals some time, we’ve just got to see how it’s healing,” said Roosters captain Tedesco.

“The other two boys are doing it tough but they’re still in good spirits so that’s good.”

The Roosters have made finals in 11 of the last 12 seasons and Tedesco is adamant that even after Keary and co. left, their premiership window would not close.

“No, not at all,” he said laughing.

“(The window) is closing on their time at the Roosters and we want to make the most of that for those guys leaving.”

It nevertheless feels like the end of an era for Tedesco, who played alongside the departing Keary, Waerea-Hargreaves and Manu in the Roosters’ 2018 and 2019 premiership seasons.

Mark Nawaqanitawase’s stunning NRL debut against Souths will have assured the Roosters the ex-Wallaby can become a bonafide starter in the backline next year, while Sandon Smith has the chance to prove himself as an NRL-calibre half replacing Walker this finals series.

Nevertheless, Tedesco admitted it would be difficult for the Roosters to replace their outgoing brigade.

“The guys that are leaving at the end of the year are so big for our club, have been legends of our club now for a number of years now. It is sad to see a lot of those guys go,” he said.

“You can’t just replace guys like that but we’ve talked about that amongst ourselves and at the club that this is a great opportunity for us.

“We won’t be able to play with these guys again (after finals).

“We won’t leave any stone unturned, just go all in at training and away from training and make sure we’re as prepared as we can for Friday.”

WRITTEN BY: Jasper Bruce (AAP)

PHOTO FILE: (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi) AAP ©

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Panthers insist hunger remains despite Cleary doubts

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Penrith Panthers players insist their desire for a fourth consecutive premiership has not waned despite suggestions from coach Ivan Cleary the Panthers are lacking hunger on the run to NRL finals.

Saturday’s surprise 22-18 loss to Canberra marked Penrith’s first back-to-back defeats since April last year, the Panthers struggling for cohesion without injured halfback Nathan Cleary.

The timing of the slump is unfortunate for the triple reigning premiers, who now sit fourth on the ladder – lower than at any point in the second half of a season since 2019.

Penrith are at serious risk of forfeiting the top-two finish that appeared a formality only a fortnight ago. With another loss, they could fall out of the top four altogether.

The elder Cleary said on Monday there was “probably a question mark” around Penrith’s desire to keep their winning ways going, but players refuted that claim on Wednesday.

“I’m not satisfied with what we did last year, I definitely want to win again this year,” said second-rower Luke Garner, who plays his 100th NRL game against South Sydney on Friday.

“The hunger is still there, I think it is with all the crew. We’ve just got to maybe change a few things and hopefully we’re on the way to being there at the end of the year again.

“We’re still a good team. We’re still in the top four. I think if we can gain some momentum in the next two games, hopefully the finals can look good for us again.”

Prop Lindsay Smith said it was “disappointing” the Panthers could not win their first game since co-captain Cleary aggravated his shoulder injury in the round-24 loss to Melbourne.

But he remained confident in their premiership credentials.

“Obviously it’s not great to ever have two losses in a row at any stage of the season, whether it’s the start of the season or the end of the season but there’s obviously learnings there,” he said.

“People will be externally questioning our belief but I think internally we’ve got all the belief in the squad that we’ve got.”

The Panthers have made three changes for their penultimate match of the regular season, welcoming Mitch Kenny back from suspension to replace Luke Sommerton at hooker.

Sunia Turuva returns to the right wing after two weeks working on his defence in NSW Cup, with Paul Alamoti back from a broken arm to replace rookie Casey McLean at left centre.

Right centre Izack Tago, below his best in recent weeks, felt Turuva’s recent axing was a wake-up call for the rest of the Panthers.

“Everyone here is a professional athlete so it’s pretty hard,” he said.

“Everyone’s pushing for a spot and it’s just the way things worked out. I’m sure Tito’s grateful to be back in. It’s well-deserved.”

Written By: Jasper Bruce_AAP ©

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Stuart: Horsburgh could still play for Raiders in NRL

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Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

By: Jacob Shteyman (AAP)

Want-away prop Corey Horsburgh may have another chance to prove his worth at Canberra, with coach Ricky Stuart claiming the former Queensland State of Origin representative still has a job to do.

Horsburgh has this year failed to match the lofty heights of his impressive past two seasons.

The Raiders enforcer has made just two NRL appearances off the bench in an injury-disrupted 2024, with the majority of his football limited to reserve grade.

It was playing in the NSW Cup that the 26-year-old received an ignominious three-game ban for headbutting and punching Warriors forward Jacob Laban in June.

Since his return from suspension Horsburgh has remained on the outer, with Stuart preferring 23-year-old Simi Sasagi on the bench against Manly on Saturday in place of the injured Zac Hosking.

Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
Ricky Stuart needs all hands on deck as the Raiders push for a finals spot. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Horsburgh, who has been given permission to speak with other clubs despite being contracted to the Raiders until the end of the 2027 season, has been named only on the extended bench.

But Stuart said he still saw the former fan favourite playing a role in the NRL this season.

“Yeah I do. We need everybody available, fit and healthy,” he said.

The Raiders could do with reinforcements, likely needing four wins from their remaining five matches to make the finals.

Horsburgh has impressed in the NSW Cup – brawling notwithstanding – and could be a handy addition to the side after Hosking was ruled out for the season.

Hosking will undergo surgery next week after re-injuring his shoulder in the Raiders’ 22-18 loss to Canterbury on Sunday.

It was a disappointing blow for the rangy second-rower after only recently returning from a long-term injury lay-off, Stuart said.

‘He’s a new boy to the club, started the season extremely well,” he said.

“And unfortunately, the injury early in the piece to his shoulder forced him into a really long, arduous rehabilitation campaign.”

Teen five-eighth Ethan Strange comes back into the starting line-up after he was rested from the Bulldogs match.

The promising playmaker has been forced to shoulder substantially more game time than Stuart had initially planned this season, in the absence of Jamal Fogarty.

But with the experienced halfback back in the squad, Stuart felt the time was right to give Strange a much-needed breather.

“It was something that you learn as a coach from experience in regards to how a young boy feels physically and mentally, too,” he said.

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