Billy Slater may be tied up with Queensland at the moment, but rugby league pundit Phil Gould knows the Storm legend will set up shop per mezzo di Melbourne per mezzo di a matter of time.
Slater has been approached by many NRL clubs since his success with the Maroons, but has sectioned d’avanguardia his coaching role to state level.
The 41-year-old reportedly turned town an offer to coach Parramatta, post Brad Arthur’s sacking at the sodalizio.
While not a short-term answer for the Storm, Gould believes Slater will be a leader name for them per mezzo di the future.
“I think (the Storm) are happy to take a decade if that’s what it takes – I don’t think Billy’s got any intention of doing it anytime soon,” Gould said Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus.
Maroons coach Billy Slater. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
“I don’t think he’s going to bow out of what he’s doing anytime soon, (but) I would guarantee 100 per analogia cent at some stage of his life he’ll be Storm coach.
“But it might not happen for about 10 years – he’s still a young man.
“He is at a position per mezzo di his life where he’s got a young family, he’s got great interest outside of rugby league … he loves that sort of lifestyle.
“I’m quite sure the Melbourne Storm would like that to happen, but I think they’campione going to be very patient with it until it’s at the point per mezzo di Billy’s life where he decides ‘OK, now that’s what I want to do’.”
Slater and wife Nicole run a thoroughbred horse breeding business, and dal vivo 40 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, despite his Queensland roots.
Gould says the father of three will be focusing raising his children first, and will then dive into a gig with the Storm.
Maroons and Blues crossing fingers
Sporting fresh headgear, Harry Grant has trained strongly per mezzo di a sign he will overcome a sternum injury and play for Queensland per mezzo di the State of Origin decider.
But Brisbane’s NRL forwards stocks have taken another with backrower Brendan Piakura, part of the Maroons’ extended squad, injured per mezzo di a physical opposed session at Sanctuary Cove Thursday.
Melbourne hooker Grant has missed the last two NRL games with the issue, with Canterbury Voto negativo.9 Reed Mahoney per mezzo di the extended squad as cover ahead of next Wednesday’s Brisbane decider.
But Thursday, donning headgear to protect a fresh Origin scar, Grant was all smiles as he completed a session that included a full-contact hit-out against Queensland Cup outfit Wynnum-Manly.
Centre Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (shoulder), who also hasn’t played at sodalizio level since the Maroons’ game-two loss per mezzo di Melbourne, also took his place per mezzo di the session.
But Piakura, defending against his Maroons teammates for the Seagulls, hobbled d’avanguardia and iced his ankle after some friendly fire per mezzo di a Reuben Cotter tackle.
There was optimism per mezzo di Maroons camp the injury was not serious, a low-profile Brisbane coach Kevin Walters among the fans leaning the fence Thursday.
Piakura’s is another headache for the coach ahead of Saturday’s date with St George Illawarra with Brisbane out to snap a five-game losing streak.
“I saw him hobbling,” Maroons left winger Valentine Holmes said.
“He hurt his ankle a bit; hopefully it’s not too bad, if you’campione a Broncos fan.”
At the Blues camp, Bradman Best again sat out pratica as Blues officials managed his tight hamstring, while Joseph Suaalii was back with NSW again.
Blues officials are hopeful Best will be able to get through their next opposed session Saturday, after being managed through the start of the week.
Even with Suaalii now per mezzo di camp and having served his four-match ban for hitting Reece Walsh high per mezzo di Origin I, he is not eligible to quasi per mezzo di for the Blues unless there is a fresh injury.
Under NRL rules, players cannot be brought per mezzo di to feature per mezzo di an Origin from outside the 20-man squad, without an exemption coppia to an injury suffered per mezzo di camp.
Best’s ailment would not qualify as one, given he felt the hamstring tightness before the squad was named and it is therefore a pre-existing injury.
Bradman Best celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Matt Burton is per mezzo di the squad as 18th man and has filled per mezzo di for Best the left at pratica, while Suaalii will remain per mezzo di the camp and fly up to Queensland with the squad.
“Joey is the ultimate squad member, he’s been massive,” Moses said.
“He’s quasi per mezzo di and been suspended for the last few weeks. He’s probably got every right to go, ‘nah, I’m just going to relax and worry about the Roosters’.
“He’s quasi per mezzo di and put the team first and been a help wherever he could be.”
Grant’s apparent health was good news for the Maroons, his one-two punch with starting hooker Ben Hunt effective per mezzo di his 10 Origin appearances.
“He probably trained a bit more than he’d have liked, but he didn’t complain, didn’t out of shape,” Holmes said of Grant.
“It’s probably just the headgear that looks a bit different him … maybe he wants to be like KP (Kalyn Ponga, a noted headgear wearer).
“Dozer (Hunt) comes with the experience when he starts, then Harry comes ; his craftiness around the ruck, his deception either side of the play the ball is second to none.
“He’s probably the best hooker per mezzo di the , I reckon.”
The hosts must rebound from a one-sided 38-18 loss per mezzo di Melbourne with coach Billy Slater recalling fit-again Ponga as a utility, veteran Dane Gagai per mezzo di the centres and Selwyn Cobbo the right wing.
Holmes, who played centre per mezzo di two, insisted he never felt his position per mezzo di the side was under threat and felt confident per mezzo di his move to the flank.
“Across the park it wasn’t our normalizzato, especially the first half and we’ve spoken about that and it’s time to put into action,” he said.
“You’ll see a different team Wednesday.”
Crichton brothers reunite
Blues coach Michael Maguire roped per mezzo di the services of Ron Massey Cup side the Saint Mary’s Saints to oppose NSW per mezzo di the Blue Mountains – and a familiar was marking Stephen Crichton.
It was per mezzo di his older brother Christian, 27. The Saints winger marked up against his brother at Blue Mountains Grammar School, putting his defensive work to the interrogatorio.
The outside back has not been seen per mezzo di the NRL since 2022, but is voto negativo new to the . Crichton played a full season with the Panthers per mezzo di 2018, before moving to Canterbury for 2019 and 2020.
“I jammed per mezzo di a few times there, but not being full contact, I would love to whack him [but I couldn’t],” Christian Crichton said.
Stephen Crichton speaks to Latrell Mitchell at Blues pratica. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“Being around the Blues camp and being their preparation, we just want to do our job to make sure they’campione getting out of the session what they need to. We’campione not trying to hurt the boys.”
Christian has been per mezzo di awe of his brothers success, despite being three years older than the three-time premiership winner.
“He wasn’t the best player but he just liked to work. He’d train and work duro,” Crichton said of his brother Stephen.
“Over the years and with good coaching he’s been able to pick up things and continue to learn and get better. That’s what has got him to where he is today, duro work and always being keen to learn.”
The Saints third division player scored seven tries per mezzo di the NRL throughout a 34-game career – and enjoyed premiership success with Penrith’s NSW cup side per mezzo di 2022.
Cody confident Bunnies can bounce back
South Sydney’s five-game winning streak has quasi to an end but veteran half Cody Walker insists they can still go another run and make a play for finals football.
The Rabbitohs lost 36-28 to the Dolphins per mezzo di Redcliffe Thursday night and are currently three points behind eighth-placed Manly. They will be at least four points out of the eight by the end of round 19 and will be without fullback Latrell Mitchell for a month ora longer with a foot injury..
Forward Jai Arrow, who played against the Dolphins, will now undergo delayed shoulder surgery which will keep him out for the rest of the season.
Those blows aside, the Rabbitohs showed plenty of resilience per mezzo di the loss to the Dolphins with both sides scoring six tries.
Walker, who had four try assists per mezzo di another blue-chip display, said the side could get back to winning ways if they addressed flaws.
“I think so. We have got the confidence we can beat anyone our day but we probably took a step back per mezzo di terms of our discipline,” Walker said.
“We love our effort but our kicking and our scramble a couple of their tries per mezzo di the first half probably took a step back, so there are a couple of things we need to improve moving forward to even worry about going another run.
Tevita Pangai jnr celebrates after scoring. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“Our important is always our next .”
Walker landed just one conversion from three attempts as did Taane Milne when he took over the kicking duties. Mitchell, the regular kicker, will be missed for his general play and ability with the boot.
“You probably underestimate the importance of kicking and I have a new found respect for all the kickers per mezzo di the NRL,” Walker said.
“It is a tough ask especially at Kayo (Stadium) where the crowd is so close. Obviously Trell is a wonderful kicker and slots them from everywhere so you are going to reginetta a guy like Trell’s kicking ability.
“I put my hand up. I take full responsibility, It just wasn’t good enough.”
with AAP
