The Grapple: 3 October- penultimate show for 2019

Rugby League News:

NRL: 2 tough preliminary finals, some luck for the winners, desperate defence and losers probably not making the most of their opportunities

Friday night in Canberra, Raiders d Rabbits 16-10 to make it to their 1^st grand final in 25 years-

QRL: Grand Final day at Redcliffe Stadium last Sunday:

• Intrust Super Cup grand final between Burleigh and Wynnum saw Burleigh fullback and man of the match Kurtis Rowe save several certain tries to inspire his team’s 28-10 win over Wynnum-Manly. The kicking game of Burleigh half Jamal Fogarty was once again outstanding, particular in the second half against the wind where he found space away from dangerous South Sydney-bound Wynnum-Manly fullback Edene Gebbie.
• Colts grand final- The Sunshine Coast Falcons were crowned Colts champions after overcoming Wynnum Manly Seagulls 34-28 in a thrilling match. After a blistering first half from both sides, the Wynnum Manly Seagulls went into the break leading the Falcons 18-12 but with just over 10 minutes to go, the Falcons covered 70 metres after a line break to cross out wide and take the lead for the first time in the match 28-26 before sealing the win with a converted try to Tyson Smoothy 5 minutes from full-time.
• Sydney Roosters-bound Australian Schoolboys half Sam Walker had a blinder to inspire his side to a 36-20 win over the Junior Kiwis in an often brutal encounter. Walker, who scored late to cap a brilliant game, had plenty of mates as the Australians exploited the Kiwis on the edges with Melbourne Storm-contracted back-rower Jack Howarth, the official man of the match, a constant menace
• Inaugural Queensland Under 16 Country star Jeremia Nanai scored a hat-trick to help his team to an epic 44-4 win over their City cousins.
• Two exciting first half tries from second rower Sam Longobardi set up Currumbin State School to claim a 32-6 win over the Frenchville in the NRL Development Cup final.

QRL Awards Night:

• Jamal Fogarty was awarded this year’s ISC’S Petero Civoniceva Medallist. Fogarty polled 17 points in the final 10 rounds of the competition to claim the prestigious award from dynamic Sunshine Coast Falcons pair Todd Murphy and Harry Grant.

Other winners included:

• Grassroots Club of the Year: Atherton Rugby League Football Club
• Rugby League Volunteer of the Year: Bevan Owens – Normanton Stingers
• Women in League Achievement Award: Sharon Hickey – Pine Central Holy Spirit
• Intrust Super Cup Rookie of the Year: Tom Gilbert – Townsville Blackhawks
• Mal Meninga Cup Player of the Year: Joshua James – Norths Devils and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow – Townsville Blackhawks
• Colts Player of the Year: Tom McGrath – Northern Pride
• Queensland Men’s Representative Player of the Year: Xavier Coates
• Leading Points Scorer: Todd Murphy – Sunshine Coast Falcons – 270 points
• Leading Try Scorer: Jon Reuben – Sunshine Coast Falcons and Matt Soper-Lawler – Souths Logan Magpies, both 23 tries

·       Team of the Year:

• Fullback: Edene Gebbie – Wynnum Manly Seagulls
• Winger: Jonathon Reuben – Sunshine Coast Falcons
• Centre: Izaia Perese – Redcliffe Dolphins
• Five-eighth: Pat Templeman – Wynnum Manly Seagulls
• Halfback: Todd Murphy – Sunshine Coast Falcons
• Prop: Jordan Grant – Redcliffe Dolphins
• Hooker: Harry Grant – Sunshine Coast Falcons
• Second rower: Chris Lewis – Sunshine Coast Falcons
• Lock: Tom Gilbert – Townsville Blackhawks

·       Coach of the Year: Eric Smith – Sunshine Coast Falcons

NSWRL GRAND FINALS also held last weekend: 

• Saturday 28 September Leichhardt Oval
  • Sydney Shield 12.30pm – Cabramatta (1) 12 lost to Ryde-Eastwood Hawks (4) 22.
    Ron Massey Cup 3pm – Wentworthville Magpies (1) 32 d St Marys (2) 14 to make it 3 straight titles; halfback Beau Henry was named man of the match
• Sunday 29 September -Bankwest Stadium
  • Jersey Flegg Cup 12.30pm – Canberra Raiders (4) vs South Sydney Rabbitohs (5)
    The Newtown Jets claimed the 2019 Canterbury Cup NSW premiership with an enthralling 20-15 extra-time victory over the Wentworthville Magpies in a crazy game  with a try to William Kennedy with just two minutes remaining in extra-time which proved the difference – the livewire fullback supporting a Tyrone Phillips break through the middle after a pinpoint chip-kick from Billy Magoulias.

English Super League:

• Unfancied Salford are just 80 minutes from a maiden English Super League grand final after squeezing the life out of Castleford in their elimination semi-final. Australian halfback Jackson Hastings, loose forward Tyrone McCarthy and centre Jake Bibby scored tries in Salford’s 22-0 victory that emphatically ended the Tiger’s bid to win the title from fifth place.

o   St Helens booked their place in the GF for the first time since 2014 after a hugely impressive seven try victory over derby rivals Wigan Warriors, winning 40-10.

• Salford v Wigan on 4 October while St Helens through to the GF on 12 October- exclusive preview with our English expert Tom Mather during Grapple on Thursday, 10 October

Prime Minister’s X111-Men:

• Ben Hunt will be given the chance to press his hooking claims for end-of-season Kangaroos selection after being picked at No.9 for the Prime Minister’s XIII.
• Hunt is one of five Kangaroos representatives to face Fiji on 11 October in Fiji with Cronulla co-captain Wade Graham unveiled as skipper
• Cody Walker and Mitchell Moses have been named in the halves after their career-best seasons for South Sydney and Parramatta, while Clint Gutherson is fullback.
• Brisbane youngster Payne Haas could also push his representative claims after being named as a starting prop, while fellow Broncos Thomas Flegler and David Fifita are on an extended bench.
• Players from teams who did not make the grand final were available for selection for the October 11 clash, ahead of Tests against New Zealand and Tonga.
• PM’s XIII: Clint Gutherson, Kyle Feldt, Paul Momirovski, Brad Parker, Blake Ferguson, Cody Walker, Mitchell Moses, Paul Vaughan, Ben Hunt, Payne Haas, Wade Graham (capt), Tyson Frizell Jake Trbojevic. Bench: Jai Arrow, Reuben Garrick, David Fifita, Reed Mahoney, Nathan Brown, Thomas Flegler.

Other:

• Phil Gould doesn’t want to return to the day-to-day stress of the NRL circus, but has told the Dragons they should chase three-time premiership winner Tim Sheens as director of football and Sharks drought-breaker Shane Flanagan as assistant coach. It is believed Flanagan – who is barred from a head coach job for the next two seasons, for breaking his ban from being involved with the Sharks while suspended – has already come to terms.
• Will he or won’t he- that’s the big question as Melbourne Storm are reportedly “stunned” by Cameron Smith’s response to a question about retirement from his former teammate Billy Slater. Smith raised eyebrows after the Storm’s preliminary final loss to the Sydney Roosters where he hinted that he would strongly consider retirement in the off-season.
• The NRL will likely decide within six weeks whether to move the grand final from Sydney for the first time in history as negotiations continue over 2021.Originally scheduled to be played at a refurbished ANZ Stadium as part of a 25-year deal, delays in upgrades mean it will be played at the SCG if it remains in NSW. The league have requested a compensation package from the government over the move, but are ready to open the door to other states if a deal can’t be reached. If the NRL do look elsewhere, they have already had a long list of interested parties make contact. It’s understood New Zealand have now made enquiries to host the game, along with front-runners Queensland, as well as Victoria and Western Australia.
• Brisbane director Darren Lockyer says the club would happily welcome Ash Taylor back if he was released from Gold Coast, but he’d have to prove himself on virtually a base salary. Taylor endured a troubled season at the Titans and was granted compassionate leave in June after a series of poor performances led to his confidence hitting rock bottom. The 24-year-old made one more appearance in Round 20, but played out the rest of the year in reserve grade.

NRLW Grand Final:

• Defending champions Brisbane and pre-season favourites St George Illawarra meet in the 2019 NRLW grand final in a match-up that many predicted would take place to start the season.
• The Broncos will have the experience on their side with up to 10 players remaining from the squad that won the inaugural title at ANZ Stadium 12 months ago, and the Dragons have three former Broncos players in their line-up who were also part of the big day last year.
• The Warriors proved the Broncos weren’t invincible last week when they upset the defending premiers 10-8 at the SCG. How the Broncos react to their first-ever defeat will be new territory for the club leading into the grand final.
• St George Illawarra have the momentum with back-to-back wins, but can they take the next big step and stop the Broncos from securing consecutive titles?

o   Key match-up

• Ali Brigginshaw v Maddie Studdon. It was a similar story in round one and it was Brigginshaw who got the upper hand to lead her side to victory. This clash presents a different scenario, though, with Studdon finding some form leading into the grand final.

Dragons star Jessica Sergis has completed the first leg of what could be a career-defining double by winning the female Dally M Medal. Sergis became the second NRLW player to take out the game’s highest individual honour after Brittany Breayley won the inaugural women’s Dally M in 2018. With three tries, a try assist, 21 tackle breaks and an average of 153 metres per match in three appearances this season, Sergis showed her class in a star-studded Dragons backline.

Female player of the Year nominees

• Jessica Sergis (Dragons)       Botille Vette-Welsh (Dragons)
• Millie Boyle (Broncos)          Charntay Poko (Warriors)

QRL: Women’s Representative Player of the Year: Annette Brander – Queensland Maroons

• The Australian PM’s XIII Women’s side will be captained by Sydney Roosters and Queensland player Karina Brown.
• PM’s XIII Women’s Coach Brad Donald said: “It’s an incredible opportunity for these women to be on show, empowering communities and women throughout to the Pacific both on and off the field.”
• Both teams will travel to Brisbane next Monday (7th October), before departing to Fiji the following day (Tuesday).

Dally M:

But as the final votes were read out Smith only received the single vote to hand the award to Tedesco with 34 votes to his name. The top five on the NRL’s night of nights was James Tedesco (34), Cameron Smith (31), Mitchell Moses (29), Payne Haas (27) and Cameron Munster (22).2019

Nominees

Fullback of the Year nominees

• James Tedesco (Roosters)                Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Raiders)
• Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors)       Clint Gutherson (Eels)
• Jahrome Hughes (Storm)

Winger of the Year nominees

• Blake Ferguson (Eels)            Daniel Tupou (Roosters)
• Edrick Lee (Knights)              Josh Addo-Carr (Storm)
• Ken Maumalo (Warriors)

Centre of the Year nominees

• Brian Kelly (Titans)               Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers)
• Jarrod Croker (Raiders)         Latrell Mitchell (Roosters)
• Will Hopoate (Bulldogs)

Five-eighth of the Year nominees

• Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers)          Cameron Munster (Storm)
• Luke Keary (Roosters)                       Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)
• Jack Wighton (Raiders)

Halfback of the Year nominees

• Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)              Chad Townsend (Sharks)
• Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)       Mitchell Pearce (Knights)
• Mitchell Moses (Eels)

Prop of the Year nominees

• David Klemmer (Knights)     Josh Papalii (Raiders)
• Paul Vaughan (Dragons)        Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters)
• Payne Haas (Broncos)

Hooker of the Year nominees

• Cameron McInnes (Dragons)             Cameron Smith (Storm)
• Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)                 Josh Hodgson (Raiders)
• Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers)

Second-rower of the Year nominees

• John Bateman (Raiders)       Kenneath Bromwich (Storm)
• Manu Ma’u (Eels)                   Ryan Matterson (Wests Tigers)
• Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs)

Lock of the Year nominees

• Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)          Dale Finucane (Storm)
• Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)               Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)
• Paul Gallen (Sharks)

Interchange player of the Year nominees

• Braden Hamlin-Uele (Sharks)           Brandon Smith (Storm) 
• Francis Molo (Cowboys)                   Manase Fainu (Sea Eagles)
• Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Panthers)

Rookie of the Year nominees

• Bronson Xerri (Sharks)                      Maika Sivo (Eels)
• Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)               Briton Nikora (Sharks)
• Payne Haas (Broncos)

Captain of the Year nominees

• Boyd Cordner (Roosters)                   Cameron Smith (Storm)
• Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)       Jarrod Croker/Josh Hodgson (Raiders)
• Josh Jackson (Bulldogs)

Coach of the Year nominees

• Brad Arthur (Eels)                              Craig Bellamy (Storm)
• Des Hasler (Sea Eagles)                     Ricky Stuart (Raiders)
• Trent Robinson (Roosters)