NRL
SportAustralian Associated PressMunster moved back to halves for Storm
Cameron Munster's brief stint at fullback is over, the star switched back into Melbourne's halves to cover for the loss of Jahrome Hughes.Munster was a standout for the Storm last week in the No.
SportAustralian Associated PressGraham in talks over new Sharks NRL deal
Wade Graham has commenced contract talks with Cronulla with the club's co-captain declaring he wants to extend his career into at least a 16th NRL season.Graham will turn 32 in October but has made a successful return this season from successive concussion blows that ended his 2021 campaign early.
SportAustralian Associated PressRaiders players have Ricky's back: skipper
Canberra will rally around coach Ricky Stuart and get on with keeping their NRL season alive, captain Elliott Whitehead says.The Raiders skipper, who was sitting alongside Stuart when he called Penrith half Jaeman Salmon a "weak-gutted dog" in Saturday's post-match press conference, said the controversy wouldn't distract the team at a critical stage of their season.
SportAustralian Associated PressStuart cops NRL ban, fine for 'dog' slur
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has declared Ricky Stuart's "weak-gutted dog" slur unacceptable in any circumstances as he banned the Canberra coach for one match and fined him $25,000.Stuart's penalty, the harshest ever imposed for NRL post-match media conference comments, followed his shock outburst about Penrith playmaker Jaeman Salmon on Saturday night.
SportAustralian Associated PressTigers confident Papali'i will still join
Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis insists he is confident Parramatta star Isaiah Papali'i will honour his contract with the joint-venture NRL club.Papali'i signed a three-year deal with the Tigers last November, joining Penrith hooker Apisai Koroisau as the club's big recruits for next season.
SportAustralian Associated PressEels' Papali'i delays call on NRL future
Parramatta superstar Isaiah Papali'i will wait until the end of the season to determine whether he honours a three-year NRL contract at the Wests Tigers.After a breakout 2021 season in which he snared Dally M second-rower of the year honours, New Zealand international Papali'i signed a deal to join Kiwis coach Michael Maguire at the Tigers for 2023.
SportAustralian Associated PressTigers ditch appeal over Cowboys NRL loss
Wests Tigers won't appeal a loss to North Queensland despite the NRL conceding it needs to clarify the captain's challenge rule as a result of the controversy.The Tigers still maintain the Cowboys didn't have the right to challenge a play late in the game that allowed a match-winning penalty to be awarded.
SportAustralian Associated PressPerformance anxiety at crux of Knights woe
Newcastle enforcer Daniel Saifiti claims performance anxiety has crippled the Knights' season and that players should look themselves in the mirror for the pressure put on coach Adam O'Brien.Newcastle's win over Wests Tigers on Sunday marked just their third since April.
SportAustralian Associated PressRaiders ready for Stuart's punishment
Canberra CEO Don Furner says the Raiders are ready to accept any punishment handed down by the NRL for coach Ricky Stuart's verbal attack on Jaeman Salmon, which could include suspension from future games.After Penrith's 26-6 defeat of the Raiders, Stuart labelled the Panthers' stand-in five-eighth a "weak-gutted dog" for kicking Tom Starling in the groin.
SportAustralian Associated PressSims NRL ban all but ends stint at Dragons
Tariq Sims looks to have played his last match with St George Illawarra after accepting a four-match ban for knocking Cronulla's Connor Tracey out with his shoulder in round 21.Melbourne-bound Sims was sent to the sin-bin for making contact with Tracey's head, leaving the winger motionless on the ground and in need of stretchering from the field.
NewsAustralian Associated PressNRL, NSW govt to meet again on grand final
NRL officials will hold further meetings with the NSW government in an 11th-hour bid to save the game's stadium strategy and keep the grand final in Sydney.The ARL Commission met on Monday to discuss the venue for this year's decider with the possibility of moving the match out of NSW.
SportAustralian Associated PressKnights grab much-needed win for O'Brien
Newcastle have alleviated pressure on under-fire coach Adam O'Brien, holding on for their first NRL victory in more than a month in a 14-10 win over Wests Tigers.After leading 14-0 at halftime, the Knights were forced to protect a four-point lead through a nervous final 16 minutes at Campbelltown on Sunday.
SportAustralian Associated PressCanberra refuse to give up on NRL season
Canberra insist the race for this year's NRL top-eight is not over as they set their sights on winning their last four games in a bid to keep their finals hopes alive.The Raiders' loss to Penrith on Saturday night left them two points behind the Sydney Roosters in ninth, but also with a far worse for-and-against record than the teams above them.
SportAustralian Associated PressCowboys grind down Bulldogs in Bundaberg
North Queensland have consolidated their push towards a top-two NRL finish with a grinding 28-14 win over Canterbury in Bundaberg.After missing the finals since 2017, the Cowboys face the Roosters, Warriors, South Sydney and Penrith to try to lock up a top two finish and two home finals come September.
SportAustralian Associated PressV'landys prefers NRL GF to stay in Sydney
Peter V'landys has indicated he wants this year's NRL grand final to stay in Sydney but says he remains open to a push from other commissioners to move the showpiece match interstate.The ARL Commission will meet for a vital discussion on Monday about the October 2 fixture, a week after Sydney stadium stoush with the NSW government began.
SportAustralian Associated PressFisher-Harris to join sidelined Panthers
Penrith's depth is set to be further tested before the NRL finals with front-row leader James Fisher-Harris facing at least a two-game ban.Already without star halves Nathan Cleary (suspended) and Jarome Luai (injured), the ladder-leading premiers now face the prospect of being without their most powerful forward for the next fortnight.
SportAustralian Associated PressSalmon family wants NRL action on Stuart
Jaeman Salmon's family has called on the NRL to take action against Ricky Stuart after the Canberra coach labelled the Penrith playmaker a "weak-gutted dog".Stuart apologised on Sunday after making the comments in a post-match press conference, claiming he was speaking as a father and not as a coach during the outburst.
SportAustralian Associated PressStorm's Hughes cleared of serious injury
Jahrome Hughes will miss Thursday night's NRL clash with Penrith but the Melbourne halfback could return the following round after he was cleared of a serious shoulder injury.The Storm feared Hughes could be ruled out until the NRL finals or even for the season after he appeared to dislocate his shoulder in Friday night's 32-14 win over Gold Coast.
SportYahoo Sport AustraliaRicky Stuart condemned over 'weak-gutted dog' swipe at Penrith star
The Canberra coach's swipe at the Panthers youngster left the rugby league community gobsmacked. Read more here.
SportAustralian Associated PressSims' Dragons' time likely up after charge
Tariq Sims may have played his last game for St George Illawarra after being hit hard by the NRL's match review committee for a high tackle that floored Cronulla's Connor Tracey.Sims was on Sunday hit with a grade-three high tackle charge over the first-half shot, which led to the NSW State of Origin discard being sin-binned in the Dragons' 24-18 loss on Saturday night.
SportAustralian Associated PressCronulla shut finals door on NRL rivals
Coach Anthony Griffin concedes it will be difficult for St George Illawarra to make the NRL finals after a 24-18 loss to Cronulla, which may also have coincided with Tariq Sims' last game at the Dragons.St George Illawarra trailed 18-6 at the break, but desperate to avoid a fourth straight year without finals, capitalised on the sin-binning of Blayke Brailey and an error-prone Sharks attack to wage a second-half comeback.
NewsAustralian Associated PressHot feud continues as Penrith beat Raiders
Penrith's 26-6 triumph against Canberra has been overshadowed by the ongoing feud between the rival clubs, with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart labelling Panther half Jaeman Salmon a "weak gutter dog".It followed a controversial second-half incident where Salmon appeared to kick Raiders hooker Tom Starling in the groin and the face while being tackled, one of a number of reports from another fiery clash.
SportAustralian Associated PressSouths thump Warriors, move to NRL sixth
There's a difficult road ahead but South Sydney's top-four ambitions remain intact following a ruthless 48-10 NRL victory over the Warriors.Coach Jason Demetriou says he's excited about what his side can achieve against the competition's top teams when they face four sides currently jn the top eight before a likely finals tilt.
SportAustralian Associated PressPotter right for any NRL club: Addo-Carr
Canterbury winger Josh Addo-Carr says Mick Potter would have his full support if he chose to take a coaching job elsewhere from 2023.Since taking over from Trent Barrett on an interim basis in May, Potter has hoisted the Bulldogs from the bottom of the ladder by reinvigorating their attack.
SportYahoo Sport AustraliaBrutal James Graham truth after sacking by Dragons: 'P****s me off'
The NRL icon is upset after being left blindsided by his sacking at the Dragons. Details here.
