NSW Secures State of Origin Coup

Sydney will host seven State of Origin matches over the next five years, including two in 2013, in a major coup for NSW rugby league fans.

NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell, welcomed the announcement. “Today’s announcement is a win for fairness and a win for fans in rugby league’s heartland,” Mr O’Farrell said.

“The NSW Government, with Destination NSW and ANZ Stadium, fought hard to ensure the Blues played more often at home - not only for NSW fans, but for the economic boost major events like State of Origin bring to our state,” Mr O’Farrell said.

“Our two games in Sydney next year will be a huge boost to the Blues’ 2013 campaign as we look to breaking through for a long-awaited series win under Paul Gallen and new coach Laurie Daley.”

Minister for Tourism and Major Events George Souris said the announcement re-enforces Sydney as Australia’s premier sporting and major events destination.

“Ensuring NSW has secured its fair share of State of Origin games to 2017 will guarantee that NSW’s great facilities and unique attractions will be showcased to rugby league fans.

“Between 2013 and 2017, the State of Origin games will contribute over $65 million to the NSW economy, including visitor spend by overseas, interstate and intrastate visitors.

“I congratulate Destination NSW on its winning bid strategy which will contribute to achieving our goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.”

(Source: Destination NSW)

2012 NRL Grand Final Jackpot for Canterbury Bulldogs' lucky Charm Sam Perrett

BY rights, Bulldogs winger Sam Perrett could have been joining his ex-Roosters teammates on an end of season trip to the US about now. 

Instead, the reborn Kiwi flyer bagged a double in the grand final qualifier last night to help his new club Canterbury-Bankstown into the final weekend of September.

Perrett's second try was sheer brilliance, picking up a looping ball from team mate Greg Eastwood before dancing along the sideline and crossing in the corner.

As the replays showed, there was a matter of millimetres between Perrett's boot and the white stripe of the touchline.

But like everything Perrett has touched since his mid-season switch from Bondi Junction to Belmore, it turned out to be pure rolled gold.

"It was a huge atmosphere. You couldn't hear a thing out there between each other but somehow we managed to all be on the same page and execute what we wanted to," Perrett said.

"The move has been chalk and cheese. I felt like I absolutely needed that and it's been an absolute blessing from the moment I first spoke to Des and the club up until now."

On his dance down the sideline for his second try after some brilliant lead-up from Greg Eastwood, Perrett said: "I remember a young, nippier Greg Eastwood back in his school days was able to do that.

"I wasn't sure if he still had it in him so it was good to see that he's still got it."

On the prospect of beating the Storm, Perrett said: "I've got all the belief in this team but we're going to have to work really hard. It's going to be our biggest challenge absolutely."

Aside from the performances of Perrett and Eastwood, another unlikely star for the Bulldogs was fellow mid-season convert Krisnan Inu.

Having previously tasted grand final defeats with Parramatta and the Warriors, Inu, who landed four goals and picked up a try, said the Bulldogs could go one better.

"No disrespect to the last two teams I've played with but we've shown we've got the team to be in the grand final," Inu said.

Manly Set to Storm Melbourne's Fortress

Manly are plotting to storm Melbourne's fortress and seize the mantle as the NRL's new super powers in Friday night's heavyweight preliminary final at AAMI Park.

The decade's most dominant forces will collide in a high-stakes encounter, the reward a shot at premiership glory and bragging rights as the NRL's most successful club.

Renewing their bitter finals rivalry, Melbourne and Manly are clashing in the playoffs for the first time since the Storm belted the Sea Eagles 40-12 in the 2009 qualifying final.

A year earlier, Manly buried the Storm 40-0 in the 2008 title mismatch at ANZ Stadium to avenge a 34-8 loss to Melbourne in the 2007 decider.

Now the Eagles are bidding to become the NRL's first triple premiers while the Storm could have been seeking their fourth title if they had not had two stripped for salary cap cheating.
Fittingly, the sides have split their past 10 matches.

But while the Eagles hold an 8-5 edge in clashes in Sydney since the Storm entered the league in 1998, conquering Melbourne on home soil has proven an altogether different proposition.
Manly have won only twice in nine matches in Melbourne and lost their only previous clash at AAMI Park - in round one last year.

"It is tougher playing them down there," admitted star five-eighth Kieran Foran.
"They always turn up. We're going to need to be at the top of our game."

Foran, 22, hasn't forgotten his finals debut in `09 - when the Storm ripped his side apart to end Manly's season before going on to win the premiership, which was later stripped for salary cap breaches.

But Sea Eagles skipper Jamie Lyon is confident of qualifying for the club's fourth grand final in six seasons - a tally to match the Storm's dream run from 2006-09 - and says they are relishing the challenge.

"We know it's going to be a tough ask going down there. It's always hard," Lyon said.
"But if you want to be the No.1 team, you've got to beat everyone and we can't wait."

While Lyon completed the entire game after being in doubt for last Friday night's 22-12 semi-final win over North Queensland, his co-captain Jason King is a new fitness concern after lasting only 27 minutes before succumbing to a shoulder injury.

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State of Origin 2012: Game III preview

The 2012 State of Origin series between Queensland and New South Wales reaches a conclusion at the cauldron of Lang Park tonight.

Queensland remains favourite for the deciding game after winning the past six Origin series but the Blues are confident of claiming the series.

Coaches Mal Meninga and Ricky Stuart have only increased the tension with their barbs at each other during the past six weeks.

Tonight one of these Origin legends will bask in the glory of possibly their sweetest victory.
Maroons prop Petero Civoniceva makes his 33rd and final Origin appearance and will be hoping to go out - as Darren Lockyer did 12 months ago - a winner.

Ahead of tonight's game Grandstand previews the match and looks back at all the facts and figures since Origin began in 1980.

• State of Origin by the numbers
• Game I and II statistical analysis
• Stuart insists Blues not intimidated
• Civoniceva: It's not about me

Grandstand's broadcast on local and digital radio starts just after 7pm (AEST), or catch the live web stream of the game and follow our live blog.

QUEENSLAND		NEW SOUTH WALES
GREG INGLIS Age: 25 Origin: 17	1	BRETT STEWART Age: 27 Origin: 7
DARIUS BOYD Age: 24 Origin: 13	2	JARRYD HAYNE Age: 24 Origin: 15
DANE NIELSEN Age: 27 Origin: 2	3	MICHAEL JENNINGS Age: 24 Origin: 6
JUSTIN HODGES Age: 30 Origin: 14	4	JOSH MORRIS Age: 25 Origin: 4
BRENT TATE Age: 30 Origin: 17	5	BRETT MORRIS Age: 25 Origin: 5
JOHNATHAN THURSTON Age: 29 Origin: 23	6	TODD CARNEY Age: 26 Origin: 2
COOPER CRONK Age: 28 Origin: 8	7	MITCHELL PEARCE Age: 28 Origin: 8
MATT SCOTT Age: 26 Origin: 10	8	TIM GRANT Age: 24 Origin: 1
CAMERON SMITH (C) Age: 29 Origin: 26	9	ROBBIE FARAH Age: 28 Origin: 4
PETERO CIVONICEVA Age: 37 Origin: 32	10	JAMES TAMOU Age: 23 Origin: 2
NATE MYLES Age: 27 Origin: 19	11	BEAU SCOTT Age: 28 Origin: 4
SAM THAIDAY Age: 27 Origin: 16	12	GREG BIRD Age: 28 Origin: 10
COREY PARKER Age: 30 Origin: 7	13	PAUL GALLEN (C) Age: 30 Origin: 13
Interchange
MATT GILLETT Age: 23 Origin: 2	14	TONY WILLIAMS Age: 23 Origin: 1
BEN TE'O Age: 23 Origin: debut	15	LUKE LEWIS Age: 28 Origin: 10
BEN HANNANT Age: 27 Origin: 11	16	BEN CREAGH Age: 27 Origin: 10
DAVID SHILLINGTON Age: 29 Origin: 6	17	ANTHONY WATMOUGH Age: 28 Origin: 8

West Coast Pirates Fight For a Berth in NRL

THE Western Reds have been officially consigned to the history books and so has any chance of an alliance between the two Perth consortia bidding to enter the NRL in coming years. 

WA Rugby League chief executive John Sackson yesterday announced plans for Perth to push for a place in an expanded premiership as the West Coast Pirates, distancing the city from the Reds moniker it carried during its three-year existence in the 90s.

The Reds were eventually victims of the Super League war but Perth is among the favourites to regain a place in the premiership should the ARL Commission decide to expand in the near future.
A final decision is expected to hinge on the game's next broadcasting deal. While the WARL is ready should Perth gain the thumbs-up, it isn't the only interested party. Perth millionaire Tony Sage, who owns the Perth Glory soccer team, has also announced plans to bid for a licence.

Officials from both consortia recently met to discuss the potential for a united bid but were unable to find any common ground.

"We were interested in what they had to say," Sackson said.
"But . . . there were differences of approach. We felt our model was a better model in terms of nurturing development and promoting grass roots rugby league."

Sackson held a phone hook-up with ARL Commission officials last week and finished that conversation with the impression the broadcasting deal would be completed in late September, whereupon a decision on expansion would be made.

Southeast Queensland is considered the other most likely destination should the game decide to go from 16 teams to 18.

Meanwhile, the frantic few days before the June 30 deadline for player movement continued yesterday when Penrith winger Sandor Earl joined Canberra and Newcastle forward Lisiate Fa'aoso linked with Melbourne for the remainder of the season.

The Sydney Roosters have also brought in ex-Penrith hooker Nafe Seluini as a replacement for Anthony Mitchell, who is joining North Queensland.

And former Roosters winger Sam Perrett will have his first training with Canterbury this morning.

Maroons Coach Mal Meninga Expects Better Of His Team; Unfazed By NSW Selection Issues

QUEENSLAND coach Mal Meninga has turned up the heat on his side ahead of the Origin decider by admitting he has not been completely satisfied with the Maroons' performances in the first two games. 
 
The Maroons have struggled with their execution this series without the cool-headed organisation of former skipper Darren Lockyer, putting pressure on his five-eighth replacement Johnathan Thurston to fire in the Suncorp decider next Wednesday night.

Emboldened by their 16-12 win in Origin II, the Blues are growing in confidence and believe they have finally struck the right formula in team balance and attitude to end Queensland's six-year interstate dominance.

While praising his side's commitment and desire, Meninga said the major lesson he has learned from the opening two matches is Queensland's need to be more clinical across the board.

Meninga's warning came as the Maroons prepared to launch their preparations for Origin III with the first training session at a rain-soaked Stockland Park on the Sunshine Coast today.


"We have always talked about preparation and the effort has been there but we have let ourselves down a bit in execution," Meninga said.

"We have to come up with the right formula, the right plan and the right team to get on with the business of winning the decider.

"It is getting more difficult each year. Ricky (Stuart, NSW coach) has a very good side, they believe they are more desperate than us and they understand the cauldron of Suncorp Stadium.

"It's a challenge each game we play. It's different to club footy, you have to focus intensely on each game and you only have three games so every time you put the Maroon jersey on you have to be at your best.

"It's about how we handle it all. The side has to realise NSW are coming to our home and we have to start well."

While the Maroons are sweating on the fitness of injured fullback Billy Slater, Queensland hierarchy do not expect Blues hitman Glenn Stewart to take a knee injury into the decider.

Asked about how the Blues were shaping up after naming another extended squad, Meninga said: "I don't really care to be honest with you, it will sort itself out.

"We have had to endure this before in regards to their make up. We will plan around what to expect, we don't expect Stewart to play but we have to make sure we are settled to prepare as best we can."

Maroons prop Petero Civoniceva said he was not concerned that Queensland's 20-man squad could derail their preparations.

"It's not disruptive at all," he said.

"It's something we have to deal with week in, week out with our own (club) teams.

"You get guys who are carrying injuries into games every week and it's a process.

"The core of our team is our strength and we've got some great combinations that has brought us a lot of success over the years.

"I'm sure that familiarity will help us in our preparation."

Brisbane City Landmarks Turning Maroon In Lead-Up to 2012 State of Origin Decider

Last night, Brisbane took on a new shade of parochial pride with the Story Bridge, Kuripla Bridge, Wheel of Brisbane and City Hall among the city landmarks to turn maroon in the lead-up to this year's Origin series decider tomorrow week.

The new colour scheme is part of the "Show Your Colours" campaign, which was launched in the Queen Street Mall yesterday.

The campaign is designed to get the state behind the Maroons as they go for a record seventh consecutive series wins over New South Wales, and to promote Brisbane as a major events destination.


The city's residents are being asked to play their part and decorate their houses, cars, workplaces and everything else in maroon to celebrate being a Queenslander and display their pride in their state.

FANS: Darren lockyer with Breeanna Dwyer, 7, Hudson Spencer, 9, Chloe, 9, and Kane Martin, 6.

Former Queensland captain Darren Lockyer said the campaign would lift the Queensland players for their must-win game.

"As a rugby league player, it doesn't get any more exciting than Origin at Suncorp (Stadium)," Lockyer said.

"It's about supporting your team, the more maroon we see the better we'll play."

Pictures: Annette Dew

Source: The Courier-Mail