League
Daley's search for experience has Mason in line for Blues
Brad Walter, Tim Barrow Willie Mason is set to be recalled by NSW coach Laurie Daley for the opening State of Origin match five years after making his last appearance in a Blues jersey.
League
Stewart-Hoffman Origin battle adds extra spice to Manly-Storm clash
Brad Walter Manly lock Glenn Stewart and Melbourne's Ryan Hoffman will go head to head for a place in the State of Origin opener when they meet at AAMI Park on Monday night.
Winning Starts Monday
Player stats give Daley a running start for Origin
Brad Walter NSW coach Laurie Daley is set to enter the State of Origin series with his players in better form than their Queensland counterparts.
League
Size matters as Daley sorts out Blues
Brad Walter NSW coach Laurie Daley must resolve the dilemma of whether to match the size of Queensland's forwards by picking four props or opting for more mobile back-rowers as he attempts to finalise his team...
Sin Bin
There's only one JT - and selectors are nervous
Brad Walter The biggest concern for Australian selectors before they met to pick the side to play against New Zealand on Friday was the fitness of Johnathan Thurston and who would wear the No.
League
Sheens picks mobility around ruck
Brad Walter New Zealand hooker Issac Luke's speed out of dummy half has prompted the Kangaroos selectors to choose just two specialist props for next Friday night's Test at Canberra Stadium.
WINNING STARTS MONDAY
Experience counts in obstruction rule debate
Brad Walter NRL coaches and players complaining about the obstruction rule have only themselves to blame if they are taking advantage of the inexperience in the refereeing ranks this season.
League
Price's popularity with players could show up bookmakers
Brad Walter St George Illawarra's Steve Price might be favourite to be the first NRL coach sacked this season but he has strong support within the club and there has even been talk of re-signing him.
Fa'aoso gets off one hook but may still be snared
Brad Walter Richie Fa'aoso is set to avoid becoming the first NRL player charged with the new offence of making a shoulder charge - but the Manly forward could be booked for dangerous contact over the incident...
Eels not alone in bid to lure Norman south
Michael Chammas, Brad Walter PARRAMATTA will have to fight off bids from St George Illawarra and Penrith to lure Corey Norman from Brisbane for next season.
League
Barba the star with hat-trick heroics
Brad Walter BEN BARBA picked up where he left off last season with a three-try, man-of-the-match performance for the Indigenous All Stars, despite playing just 60 minutes before succumbing to a hamstring injury.
League
Cap rise won't help Titans' bid for Lyon
Brad Walter A $1.4 million increase to this year's salary cap is expected to be approved within days by NRL players, but cashed up Gold Coast officials don't believe it will help their bid to entice Jamie Lyon...
Boxing
League and union stars to box for charity
Brad Walter NSW Origin forwards Greg Bird and Paul Gallen will team up with Willie Mason to take on New Zealand rugby union stars in a trans-Tasman, cross-code boxing event to raise funds for cancer awareness.
Premiership state of mind spreads among Souths greats
Brad Walter and Michael Chammas "THERE'S no pressure . . . but we need that 21st premiership."
Parra could get pick of Origin bunch
Brad Walter NSWRL directors still consider Ricky Stuart the best candidate to coach the Blues next season and by allowing him to do the job Parramatta will improve their chances of recruiting the Origin halves...
Stuart left with few options after Eels secure Moimoi's signature
Brad Walter RICKY STUART has little room to move as he tries to improve Parramatta's roster for next season because the re-signing of Fuifui Moimoi has left few players off contract in the league's last-placed...
League
NSW can't stop fuming
Brad Walter An independent analyst engaged by NSW officials to review Origin I has found that Queensland was able to get away with 10 incidents that warranted penalties, while match officials missed just one...
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...
Analyst blows whistle on Maroons' dirty play
Brad Walter AN INDEPENDENT analyst engaged by NSW officials to review Origin I has found that Queensland were able to get away with 10 incidents that warranted penalties, while match officials missed just one...
Tamou blinder forces Stuart into some forward thinking
Brad Walter JAMES TAMOU'S stunning show of athleticism against Wests Tigers on Sunday may help convince NSW coach Ricky Stuart to choose another front-rower on the interchange bench in place of Tony Williams for...
