League

Dogs to fight Hasler's ref slur fine

Brad Walter CANTERBURY will fight a $10,000 fine against coach Des Hasler after the Bulldogs coach was accused of using a false account of an on-field discussion between match officials to imply that decisions...

Nothing for granted: how chubby boy with a grass allergy turned Blue

Brad Walter WEIGHING 100 kilograms at 13 years of age and allergic to grass, new Blues prop Tim Grant was given little hope of playing in the NRL, let alone State of Origin.

Form guide backs Stuart's blueprint for success

Brad Walter BEFORE this year's State of Origin series, Ricky Stuart challenged NSW players to make him pick them - and those who are in the Blues team for next Wednesday night's series decider have delivered on...

Pressure on Pearce to fix his stray boot

Brad Walter NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce has admitted his kicking game has to improve in Origin III if the Blues are to win the series decider.

League

Tate to plead guilty over Bird punch

Brad Walter Queensland winger Brent Tate is expected to plead guilty to a grade one striking charge for punching Greg Bird in the opening exchanges of last night's epic Origin match, which was the most watched...

State of Origin

'Unfinished business' set to keep Ricky with Blues

Brad Walter AFTER coming within one point of stopping Queensland from a seventh consecutive series win, NSW coach Ricky Stuart was last night asked if he had ''unfinished business'' in the job.

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Junior Stuart sticks with dad to run Blues

Brad Walter It's not just NSW players and officials who want Ricky Stuart to stay on as coach - his son Jackson is also keen for the 45-year-old former premiership winning player and coach to do the job again.

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Rugby league

Hurt shocker: coaches want refs to stop for injuries

Brad Walter and Glenn Jackson WAYNE BENNETT and Tim Sheens, the two most experienced and successful coaches in the NRL, are angered over the failure of on-field officials to stop play for seriously injured players in weekend...

Almost cannonball ruin, but Tate finally returns

Brad Walter BRENT TATE has called on NRL officials to crack down on the cannonball tackle this season after the controversial ploy almost ended his career.

Inglis down but the count may not be as long as first feared

Brad Walter GREG INGLIS is confident he has suffered only ligament damage to his left ankle and not another case of syndesmosis, but the South Sydney star still faces up to six weeks on the sidelines.

Jennings gets origin chance despite Panther snub

Brad Walter Dumped Penrith centre vows to repay the faith of Blues coach Ricky Stuart.

League

Carney's blunders let Qld off the hook

Brad Walter It wasn't the Origin debut Todd Carney had hoped for but NSW coach Ricky Stuart could be satisfied with the performance of his new-look Blues side.

Coach can be satisfied with everything but the result

Brad Walter It wasn't the Origin debut Todd Carney was after but NSW coach Ricky Stuart could be satisfied with the performance of his new-look Blues side.

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Blues teammates should have been involved in fray, declares Stuart

Brad Walter, Chris Barrett NSW coach Ricky Stuart last night admitted he was disappointed at Michael Jennings for being sin-binned - but then declared that more of his teammates should have been involved in the fight.

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Rugby League

Referees just 'not experienced enough' for big game, say Blues

Brad Walter BLUES officials are privately fuming that Brent Tate or Matt Scott wasn't sent to the sin bin along with Michael Jennings after the first-half brawl on Wednesday night, and believe the incident...