QUEENSLAND coach Kevin Walters has named two debutants to face New South Wales in Origin I next Wednesday night. North Queensland centre Justin O’Neill will fill the boots of retired great Justin Hodges and Brisbane giant Corey Oates will start on the left wing with Darius Boyd named fullback. “I’m excited for Justin O’Neill. He’s flourished at the Cowboys,” Maroons captain Cameron Smith said. “I’m also very pleased for Corey Oates. Both debutants deserve to be here.” Walters announced his team at a gala dinner on Tuesday night with Newcastle outside back Dane Gagai retaining his place on the wing after debuting in the Maroons’ 52-6 rout of the Blues in game three last year. The Maroons have stayed loyal to prop Nate Myles despite struggling for Manly at club level. Smith came to the defence of Myles. “I’ve never played a game with Nate where he’s let his teammates down,” Smith said. “I’m not concerned about what’s being said about his form.” Broncos workhorse Josh McGuire is back in the side on the bench after he missed game three last year due to injury. His teammate Sam Thaiday will start in the backrow alongside clubmate Matt Gillett, while Jacob Lillyman is 18th man. Smith said his side had their work cut out for them. “We haven’t got a good record in Sydney,” he said. “Conditions are different to up here where most of our guys play. We spoke about it briefly today to get our heads around preparing. Game one is important to base your series around.” Walters said he’s planning to bring some developing players into camp for the week. “It’s the next best thing for these guys is to be around our team,” he said. “They learn more from the players than the coaches.”Queensland team for game one: 1. Darius Boyd 2. Corey Oates 3. Greg Inglis 4. Justin O’Neill 5. Dane Gagai 6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Matt Scott 9. Cameron Smith (c) 10. Nate Myles 11. Matt Gillett 12. Sam Thaiday 13. Corey Parker Interchange: 14. Michael Morgan 15. Josh McGuire 16. Aidan Guerra 17. Josh Papalii 18th man: Jacob Lillyman Source : Fox Sports
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The following 17-man squad has been selected to represent the NSW VB Blues in Game One of the 2016 Holden State of Origin series at ANZ Stadium on June 1. Josh Morris and Tyson Frizell were released from the original 19-man squad on Wednesday afternoon and will be free to play in the NRL this weekend for their respective clubs before re-joining the NSW side on Monday. Holden State of Origin Game One tickets Four debutants have been named, with Josh Mansour, Matt Moylan, Adam Reynolds and Dylan Walker to have their first taste of State of Origin football if selected in the final side. Panthers forward Bryce Cartwright was initially added as a development player, but was subsequently removed from the squad due to a thumb injury. An announcement is yet to be made regarding his replacement. New South Wales VB Blues squad for Holden State of Origin Game One Greg Bird (Gold Coast Titans) Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters) Josh Dugan (St George Illawarra Dragons) Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers) Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters) Andrew Fifita (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Paul Gallen (c, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) Michael Jennings (Parramatta Eels) David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) James Maloney (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Josh Mansour (Penrith Panthers) Matt Moylan (Penrith Panthers) Adam Reynolds (South Sydney Rabbitohs) James Tamou (North Queensland Cowboys) Dylan Walker (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles) Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers) SOurce: NRL.COM SP Hunters player and PNG international Justin Olam will sign up with NRL Melbourne Storms from 2017 - 2018 season. This was announced by PNG Rugby League Football CEO Bob Cutmore at a Media Conference today. Cutmore said Olam will remain with the Hunters for the remainder of this season. "Justin made a commitment to himself and his family that he would dedicate himself to making the NRL – a commitment that is now in sight. "Justin's commitment and dedication has paid off and this is a wonderful opportunity for him," said Cutmore. It is a dream come through for Justin to play in the NRL. "It has always been my dream to play in the NRL. This is a great opportunity for me and I will give my best to make the most of it. "I want to thank the Lord firstly because without him, I am nothing. "Thanks to the sponsors for the making the Hunters program possible, coach Michael Marum, my old club the Lae Snax Tigers and of course my family and friends. "Thank you to everyone who has supported me. I really appreciate it," said Olam. Olam joined the Lae Snax Tigers in 2014 and played until the 2015 season. This is only his first season with the Hunters in the Intrust Super Cup. He also made his debut for the PNG LNG Kumuls side that beat Fiji Bati 24 - 22 in the recent Pacific Test. It was the Kumuls' first win on foreign soil in 16 years and Michael Marum said it's a massive result for rugby league in PNG. "It means a lot to everyone back at home...good to see the boys pull off that win, even though it was just by two points but it's probably about time we start winning some games too and getting recognised back in the international stage. Back in PNG probably...everyone's going to stop and keep talking about this game but it's a great win and all we have to do now is work from here and move on to whatever games we're having end of the year or maybe next." Michael Marum was only contracted as Kumuls coach for the one-off test but he and PNG Rugby League officials have indicated a desire to extend that deal through to next year's World Cup. RNZI The stinging defence of David Mead and the flair of the Boas brothers have inspired PNG to its first win over Fiji, 24-22 at Pirtek Stadium. The Bati might have lost, but they unearthed yet another quality winger in the form of hat-trick hero Etuate Qionimacawa. Mead rocks Fiji with man-of-the-match performance David Mead said he had no hesitation in returning to the PNG side after spending the past two years playing for Country Origin. It's a decision rugby league fans in Port Moresby are thankful for. The Titans speedster ran for 161 metres and made two line breaks in his first international game since 2013, but it was his defensive work that stole all the headlines. Mead produced tackles worthy of 'hit of the year' and 'try saver of the year' in the space of 13 minutes to keep his side in the game leading into half-time. Sea Eagles winger Brayden Williame was the first victim, making a clean break before being met front on by Mead in a tackle that left both men dazed. The Fijian centre was stopped in his tracks before falling in a heap onto the Parramatta turf courtesy of a shot Fox Sports Commentator Braith Anasta likened to being hit by a truck. "Williame, he doesn't know what's hit him," Anasta said. "He's hit a semi-trailer – no it's not a semi-trailer – it's David Mead." Mead then swapped brute force for dogged determination to deny Fijian fullback Tyrone Phillips what would have been a certain 70-metre solo effort. Phillips was in the clear and looked set to score, only for Mead to find energy he didn’t know he had to reel him in five metres out from the line, drag him to ground and somehow hold him up all in the one motion. Given the Kumuls won by two points, it was a play that probably won them the game. Poor completion rate costs Fiji Fiji had their chances to get back into the game in the second half but either came up with a dropped ball or conceded a penalty to let PNG off the hook. The Bati finished the game with a completion rate of just 63 per cent and were penalised eight times on the night. Roosters cult hero and Fijian try scorer Eloni Vunakece bemoaned his side's lack of discipline when he spoke to NRL.com after the game. "I think we only completed 25 per cent of sets in that second half," he said. "I don't know if that's the right statistic but that's what it felt like. We shot ourselves in the foot by flicking little passes and they capitalised on that to get the win." Boas constrict Fiji David Mead might have been named man of the match but the Boas brothers can't have been far behind. Halfback Watson Boas scored a try in each half while his brother Ase Boas nailed four goals to guide his home by two points. The PNG halves controlled the game with a series of impressive long kicks that kept turning the big Fiji forwards around. It was an incredible night for Watson as he got to celebrate his PNG debut alongside his older brother. "We've been playing throughout our childhood grades together up until now so it's normal to us but it's really special for our family," he said. "We normally play in the halves for the SP Hunters in the Intrust Cup but for us to play a Test match together is really special." Fiji produces yet another quality winger Akuila Uate was meant to be the headline act on the flanks for Fiji on Saturday night, but he was upstaged by his teammate on the other side of the field who grabbed a hat-trick on his international debut. Etuate Qionimacawa scored two tries late in the first half and crossed for his third five minutes from full time to set up a grandstand finish. His first two efforts came on the back of pinpoint kicks from Fijian five-eighth Sitiveni Moceidreke; although Qionimacawa has to take the bulk of the credit for his first four pointer after reeling in the kick and slamming it down all in one motion. A lot of the talk leading into the game was about Semi Radradra. It appears Fiji will do just fine without him. Could we see a PNG team in the NRL one day? Logistically and financially speaking it will be a challenge, but the PNG players are certainly keen on the idea. PNG already has a team in Queensland's Intrust Super Cup after joining the competition in 2014. They have already had plenty of success, finishing in second spot on the ladder last season and going on to make the preliminary final. Halfback Watson Boas told NRL.com that the players would handle the step up to first grade because they already have such a tight bond. "I think if they wanted us to have a team in the NRL then we would make it," he said. "We know each other and we speak the same language to each other so it will be easy for us to play in a big stage like that." Source: nrl.com Papua New Guinea has provided rugby league with the feel good story of the year after they stormed home to beat Fiji 24-22 in a thriller at Pirtek Stadium. Fiji led 16-8 at the break but had no answers for a PNG side that helped breathe fresh air into the international game. Papua New Guinea's spine proved the difference in the end with halfback Watson Boas scoring a double, his brother Ase kicking four goals and hooker Wartovo Puara Junior proving a handful whenever he touched the ball with two try assists. But it was fullback David Mead who truly shone. In his first international game since 2013, the Titans flyer ran for 162 metres and came up with two of the best tackles you're likely to see in 2016 to guide his side to victory. The first was a bone rattler that stopped Brayden Williame in his tracks after he had earlier made a scything run into opposition territory. It was as if time stood still as the Fijian centre was momentarily frozen before crumbling to the turf. Mead wasn't done there, however, lifting his game to another level with a gut-busting effort to deny Tyrone Phillips a certain try five minutes before the break. The Fijian flyer looked set to score after racing 70 metres but was somehow chased down by the PNG No.1 who not only made the tackle, but also held him up all in the one motion. Fittingly it was Mead who almost set up the game's opening try when he put winger Justin Olam in space, but the international debutant couldn't hang on to the ball. Given their early dominance it came as no surprise that the Kumuls were first to score. Fijian fullback Phillips failed to defuse a Watson Boas bomb, allowing the PNG halfback to gather the loose ball and hurdle over the fallen bodies to score. A powerful charge from wrecking ball Luke Page off the kick off, followed by a clean line break by Mead put the crowd favourites straight back on the attack before a penalty allowed them to push their lead out to eight points. That would be their last highlight of the opening 40 as Fiji's experience started to show. Roosters cult hero Eloni Vunakece charged onto an inside ball from No.7 Maurice Kennedy, before a penalty goal levelled the scores shortly after. PNG went close to retaking the lead but reserve Brandy Peter couldn't handle a great offload from veteran Rod Griffin. Instead it was the Fijians who kicked clear courtesy of the boot of Sitiveni Moceidreke and the magical hands of Etuate Qionimacawa who combined for two special tries to finish off the half. The first came on the back of terrific vision from the Fijian No.6 to find his winger with a pinpoint kick, but Qionimacawa has to be commended for his amazing efforts to reel in the ball and slam it down in one motion. The pair combined six minutes later – this time via a grubber – to give Fiji a deserved eight-point lead at the break only moments after Olam had been sent to the sin bin for a professional foul. Any concerns of a blowout were quickly put to bed as PNG came out all guns blazing after the break to hit back just two minutes into the second stanza. Canberra's deputy rake Kurt Baptiste played a big part in the four-pointer, sniping out of dummy half before hitting a hard-running Kato Ottio to crash over on the left edge. Having pulled to within two points of the lead, the Kumuls then found themselves in front by the same margin 10 minutes later as Boas – who was stationed at right centre – ran onto a perfectly timed pass from No.9 Wartovo Puara to grab his second of the evening. The pint-sized halfback almost had his third three minutes later but was correctly penalised – much to the chagrin of the PNG fans – for a double movement Any form of structure quickly disappeared as the game turned into a free-flowing festival of footy that saw both teams let the ball sing from sideline to sideline. Fiji went very close to reclaiming the lead on the hour mark when some incredible hands down the left released the red-hot Qionimacawa, but the winger couldn't control the ball as he went to ground. In a game that at times resembled Nines, both No.9s lived up to the name with PNG hooker Puara going straight through only to have his pass picked off on the next play by Fiji's dummy half James Storer. With the game in the balance, it was fitting that Puara stepped up when his side needed him most, dancing across field before linking up with Nene MacDonald who charged through to make it an eight-point game inside the final 10 minutes. There was one final nervous moment as Fiji scored late to close the gap to two points, but Qionimacawa's third try of the night – largely thanks to Sisa Waqa – proved little more than a consolation. Papua New Guinea 24 (Watson Boas 2, Kato Ottio, Nene MacDonald tries; Ase Boas 4 goals) defeated Fiji 22 (Etuate Qionimacawa 3, Eloni Vunakece, tries; Sitiveni Moceidreke 2, Maurice Kennedy 1 goals) at Pirtek Stadium. Half-time: 16-8 Fiji. Sin bin: Justin Olam (PNG). The Papua New Guinea Kumuls believe they could hold an advantage heading into their rugby league test with the Fiji Bati on Saturday. Coach Michael Marum selected 11 players from the Hunters Super Cup team in his squad for the match. Marum, who also coaches the Hunters, said with the limited preparation time, existing relationships could be a key in the buildup. "We keep the same combinations going forward, especially for a short turnaround. Our focus is really just more mainly bonding with the players together, getting them to know each other well before they get out there and play," he said. "Having those 11 players from the Hunters, together with the other boys overseas, they should form that combination and should know each other's play before Saturday." Marum hopes he has the right mix of players to try and exact revenge on the Fiji Bati. Fiji won last year's encounter 22-10 and have named a team including NRL stars like Sisa Waqa, Kevin Naiqama and Akuila Uate in their lineup. Marum brought Gold Coast Titans David Mead and Nene Macdonald back into the international fold from NRL duty. The coach also expected some impact off the bench from the Canberra Raiders Kurt Baptiste. "He does a good job for the Canberra Raiders there. He's a quality player, we just want him to know the boys a bit more. At the moment they are getting along really well. He'd be one of those players we'd be looking (forward) to come off the bench with impact and lead the boys around the park when he gets on" Source: Radio New Zealand Fiji v Papua New Guinea Preview Tony Webeck Wed 04 May, 2016. By Tony Webeck , Chief Queensland Correspondent , NRL.com Fiji v Papua New Guinea Pirtek Stadium Saturday, 5.35pm When Papua New Guinea went through the group stage of the 2000 World Cup undefeated (including wins over France and Tonga), it appeared rugby league's most passionate nation was on the verge of international significance. Since then they have failed to win a game in the past two World Cups and have lost their past seven Test matches but as they prepare to host World Cup matches for the first time in PNG in 2017 there is hope on the horizon. The introduction of the PNG Hunters to Queensland's Intrust Super Cup has exposed a greater number of players to regular competition at a high level and showcased them to NRL and Super League clubs who have come calling. Now contracted to the Canberra Raiders, Kato Ottio is believed to be close to an NRL start after some strong displays in the Intrust Super NSW Premiership and Rod Griffin has graduated from the Ipswich Jets to a full-time contract with the Wests Tigers. The return of David Mead to the Kumuls colours gives the team a major boost with Nene Macdonald, Luke Page and Kurt Baptiste also boast NRL experience. Semi-finalists at the 2013 World Cup, Fiji go into this game without Korbin Sims and Jayson Bukuya due to suspension and Marika Koroibete, Viliame Kikau and Apisai Koroisau due to injury and will rely heavily on the experience of Kevin Naiqama, Akuila Uate and Sisa Waqa out wide and young forwards Kane Evans, Daniel Saifiti and Eloni Vunakece. Both teams are guaranteed passage into next year's World Cup but with few opportunities to play Test matches need to start building now. Fiji are currently ranked seventh in the world and the Kumuls 14th (behind Serbia, Italy and Canada) but this represents a chance for PNG to show there is now little between them. Watch out Bati: The threat posed by David Mead at fullback is obvious to anyone who has watched the Titans play this season but one player who Fiji need to be particularly wary of is crafty hooker Wartovo Puara. A member of the PNG Hunters team that qualified for the Intrust Super Cup semi-finals in their second season last year, Puara is small in stature but big in footy smarts and is capable of causing havoc around the ruck with his speed off the mark. If the big Fiji forwards start to slow up, he's the man that can take advantage. Watch out Kumuls: It's been three years since Sisa Waqa last represented Fiji at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup and with his move to French rugby now less than two months away he'll be keen to go out with a bang. An enigmatic player with 95 NRL games to his name, Waqa has been forced to bide his time in NSW Cup with the Raiders this season but will no doubt have something special planned in what will likely be his final game for the Bati. He's never scored a try in four Tests with Fiji; I'm tipping that to change on Saturday night. Key match-up: Kane Evans v Luke Page. The loss of Korbin Sims through suspension puts further pressure on Roosters prop Kane Evans to lead the way up front and while he will tower over the PNG pack he faces a willing combatant in Luke Page. Having spent time with both Canberra and St George Illawarra in the past two seasons, Page is a ferocious runner of the footy who will push off the back fence at Pirtek Stadium before charging into the Fijian defence. When these two big boppers collide it will rock the foundations and inspire their teammates around them. History: Last year's Pacific Test represented the first meeting between these two island nations with Fiji running out 22-10 victors over a Papua New Guinea team boasting only two players with NRL experience at the time. While Fiji have steadily climbed the international rugby league ranks the Kumuls have gone the other way, losing all seven of their most recent Test matches. Match officials: Referee: Robert Hicks; Touch Judges: Russell Turner and Tim Roby; Review Officials: Bryan Norrie and Jason Robinson; Senior RO: Ashley Klein. The way we see it: The key outs of Sims and Bukuya level up the NRL experience within the two sides considerably and bring PNG right into the contest. More Kumuls players than ever before are training and playing at a high level and with David Mead at fullback have a class player in a key position. Fiji's greatest advantage comes up front where they have a host of towering props who will challenge the PNG defence but the Kumuls are used to playing well above their weight. The combination of brothers Ase and Watson Boas in the halves might just be enough for PNG to cause the upset. Kumuls by six points. New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has named two debutants in his side to take on Australia in next Friday’s Test match at Hunter Stadium. Penrith flyer Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Parramatta enforcer Manu Ma’u have been named to debut for the Kiwis in a 19-man squad which will be skippered by Jesse Bromwich. Issac Luke has been left out of the side with Brisbane rake Kodi Nikorima or Lewis Brown to wear the No.9. Kiwi stars Ben Matulino and Manu Vatuvei were also left out after the New Zealand Rugby League decided to stand by the Warriors’ club suspension of the six players left out of their win against St George Illawarra on Sunday, leaving New Zealand with a slightly new-look feel. “What we’ve said to the players is that representing your country in international football is a reward,” Warriors CEO Jim Doyle told NZ Newswire on Sunday. “It’s a reward for both how you perform on the field and also how you conduct yourself off the field. “Unfortunately this recent incident that we’ve had means they do not deserve a reward, hence the reason why they are not eligible to play.” Vatuvei, Matulino, Bodene Thompson, Albert Vete, Sam Lisone and Konrad Hurrell were ruled out of the 26-10 win over the Dragons in Auckland for what the Warriors said was a breach of club protocol. Instead, they turned out for the reserve-grade side in the curtain-raiser against the Canterbury Bulldogs. Tonga face Samoa in Parramatta on Saturday and will be without Hurrell, who has played four times for Tonga, for whom Vete was also considered to be in line for selection, while Lisone has one cap for Samoa. Thompson has been a member of a Kiwis squad but didn’t get game time. Doyle said the Warriors had spoken to the respective national organisations and to the NRL, and those parties had accepted the club’s decision. He said the players were disappointed but understood the club’s action. “They are very remorseful for what they have done, but they understand that was caused by them and no one else,” he said. Asked if the six faced further sanction, Doyle said the focus was now on working with the players “to make sure these things don’t happen again”. Kiwis squad (in alphabetical order): Adam Blair (Brisbane Broncos) Jesse Bromwich - captain (Melbourne Storm) Lewis Brown (Manly Sea Eagles) Greg Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs) Alex Glenn (Brisbane Broncos) Tohu Harris (Melbourne Storm) Peta Hiku (Penrith Panthers) Shaun Johnson (NZ Warriors) Jordan Kahu (Brisbane Broncos) Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters) Manu Ma’u (Parramatta Eels) Sam Moa (Sydney Roosters) Jason Nightingale (St George Dragons) Kodi Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos) Kevin Proctor (Melbourne Storm) Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys) Martin Taupau (Manly Sea Eagles) Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Penrith Panthers) Danny Levi (19th man) (Newcastle Knights) Source: Fox Sports News The SP Papua New Guinea Hunters's aggressive defence ensured they came away with a well-deserved 22 - 18 victory over the Redcliffe Dolphins at the National Football Stadium in Port Moresby this afternoon. The Hunters also walked away with the Stan Joyce Cup.
The Hunters opened the game through fullback Stargroth Amean. Co-captain Noel Zeming sent the ball between the uprights to take the lead 6 - 0. The game intensified with big hits but riddled with ball handling errors from both sides. The Dolphins constantly defused the Hunters attack and matched the Hunters physically. They scored through Rulon Nutira and leveled the score 6 - 6 all into half time. In the second half, the home side started the game in style with half-back Ase Boas sending Adex Wera over the line. Zeming missed the uprights and the Hunters led 10 - 6. In the next play, man -of-match player and co-captain Noel Zeming found a gap in the Dolphins defence line and raised several meters and scored under the uprights. He converted his own try to extend the lead to 16 - 6. The visitors were not about to let the Hunters get ahead with prop Faingaa crossing to cut the lead back to four after a successful Luke Capewell conversion and trailed 16 - 12. Spurred on by the home crowd, the Hunters muscled up in defence and in attack. Noel Zeming chased down a kick by the Dolphins half-back by sending the ball into the air and he regathered the ball and raised 70 meters to score under the posts. He converted his own try and extended the lead to 22 - 12. With seven minutes on the clock, the visitors regrouped and replied with a converted try to stay within reach with 22 - 18 score. The visitor saw victory was on their end and threw everything on the Hunters in the dyings minutes but the home team was too strong in defusing the attack and held on to win the game 22 - 18 at full time. |
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