NRL
The NRL have unveiled a bold plan to revamp the international calendar and it doesn’t include the controversial Denver test. The shake-up includes a proposed Oceania Cup to take place throughout 2019 featuring matches between New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. There are also plans to stage a Four Nations tournament Down Under in 2020 with Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia. England is also in line to tour New Zealand for a three-test series in 2022, while a new International Nines Tournament is scheduled for the end of next year, as well as a three-match Kangaroo Tour of the United Kingdom.
Retiring Queensland fullback Billy Slater wore his full Maroons playing kit all night following Wednesday’s game three State of Origin win over New South Wales. The 35-year-old finally got into some clean clothes around 9am yesterday, explaining he wanted to delay taking the Queensland No 1 jersey off for the final time.
Controversy continues to rage over whether Slater should have been named Player of the Series, after he missed game one and the Blues collected the Origin shield. Australian coach Mal Meninga, who voted on the award together with Kangaroos selectors Darren Lockyer and Laurie Daley, defended the panel’s decision which was reached by a points system. “Everyone has an opinion and that’s fine,” Meninga told NRL.com. “But when you start to question our personal integrity around how we do things, that’s unwarranted. That upsets me the most — that our integrity has been questioned. There’s no bias. It’s a decision by three individuals who I think have a pretty good knowledge of the game.”
Diminutive former halfback Allan Langer will be immortalised in bronze outside Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk confirmed before the third Origin that a statue of the former Queensland and Brisbane playmaker would stand proudly outside of the Maroons’ spiritual home. The former Queensland captain remains hugely popular with fans after playing 34 Origins for his state and 24 test matches for the Kangaroos.
State of Origin’s popularity took a dive with Queensland’s victorious performance reportedly attracting the lowest Australian television ratings since 2006. Just 1.77 million viewers across the Tasman tuned in for the dead-rubber clash — the first time league’s biggest event has drawn less Refs: TAB: Refs: TAB: Refs: TAB: Refs: TAB: Refs: TAB: Refs: TAB: than two million viewers since 2010. The last time Origin struggled so badly for numbers was when only 1.64 million bothered to watch game two of the 2006 series.
Satae signs new deal
The Warriors have re-signed front rower Chris Satae on a three-year deal. The 25-year-old has played 10 career games for the Warriors after emerging late last season, and has made seven appearances off the bench so far this season. Satae was offered a three-year deal with the Melbourne Storm, but the Warriors weren’t keen to let him go and confirmed on their website that they have locked him in long-term.