The Cowboys have locked away one of their young guns for 2023 with second-rower Jeremiah Nanai signing a new deal.
North Queensland faced competition from several NRL rivals for the 19-year-old forward’s signature but he agreed to terms.
Nanai, who recorded for his first career hat-trick in the Round 3 win over Brisbane, has made just eight NRL appearances but has emerged as the most promising forward prospect in the league.
The New Zealand-born Cairns Kangaroos junior scored a memorable try on debut as an 18-year-old in Round 22 last season.
Nanai has also announced he will pledge his representative allegiance to Queensland and Australia.
“We are over the moon to be able to announce the extension of Jeremiah’s contract,” Cowboys general manager of football Micheal Luck said.
“As we’ve seen in the first eight games of his career, he is one of the most exciting talents in rugby league.
“We are thrilled to finalise the extension, which allows Jeremiah to concentrate solely on what is his first full season in the NRL and we will pick up long-term contract discussions later in the year.”
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Slater says Ponga should reject Dolphins
Maroons coach Billy Slater believes star fullback Kalyn Ponga would be better off staying with Newcastle rather than heading to Redcliffe to be part of the Dolphins’ expansion side next year.
Ponga, who is contracted to the Knights until the end of 2024 but has a player option in his deal which he must take up by Round 12 to leave at the end of this season, has reportedly met Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett about the prospect of linking up with the new team.
According to a News Corp report, Ponga has told friends he is set to re-sign with the Knights on a longer-term deal.
The Dolphins are desperate to land a marquee recruit to be the face of their franchise and Ponga, as the Queensland fullback and one of the most marketable names in the NRL, would be a massive coup for the new club.
“It’s a big ask to go because they’re going to have to develop from the ground up, the Dolphins. I don’t like the term rebuild or building, but they haven’t got enough players at the moment. They need players,” Slater said on his Billy’s Breakdown program on Wide World of Sports.
“I’d be staying in Newcastle if I was Kalyn.
“You just get the feeling that the Dolphins need a big catch and if they could get Kalyn Ponga you feel that they would get two or three after him. But I think the first one is going to be the hard one to get.”
Slater said the Dolphins had signed plenty of honest toilers in Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, Felise Kaufusi and Ray Stone but “they need a big fish like Kalyn Ponga”.
“They’ve got the soldiers there to create a good work ethic and some good standards … I understand why Wayne Bennett would head down to Newcastle and try and entice him to go up there to Brisbane.”
Isaah Yeo (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Yeo, bro – Forward’s Dally M perfect start continues
Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo is off to an astounding start in his bid to become one of the rare forwards to win the Dally M Medal.
Yeo has polled three votes for the fourth week in a row to sit at the top of the leaderboard, two clear of Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who was player of the match in his team’s demolition of the Dogs on Sunday after racing in four tries.
With Yeo on 12 and Papenhuyzen on 10, they have already opened up a handy lead over the chasing pack with Sharks recruit Nicho Hynes, Knights five-eighth Jake Clifford and Raiders star Jack Wighton next best on six.
In the past 15 years of the Dally M Medal, only two forwards have collected the NRL’s most prestigious individual honour – Melbourne hooker Cameron Smith in 2017 and Cowboys lock Jason Taumalolo the previous year when he was named joint winner alongside Storm halfback Cooper Cronk.
Yeo was again at the forefront for Penrith in their emphatic 26-12 triumph over South Sydney on Friday night as co-captain Nathan Cleary made his first appearance for the season after shoulder surgery.
Dally M leaderboard
12: Isaah Yeo (Penrith)
10: Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
6: Nicho Hynes (Sharks), Jake Clifford (Knights), Jack Wighton (Raiders)
5: Siosifa Talakai (Sharks), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles), Mitch Moses (Eels), Jahrome Hughes (Storm), Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans), Josh Curran (Warriors), Addin Fonua-Blake (Warriors), Reece Walsh (Warriors), Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Dally M votes for Round 4
Titans v Tigers: 3 – Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 2 – Luciano Leilua, 1 – Luke Brooks. Judge: Greg Inglis
Sharks v Knights: 3 – Siosifa Talakai, 2 – Briton Nikora, 1 – Ronaldo Mulitalo. Judge: Ryan Girdler
Panthers v Rabbitohs: 3 – Isaah Yeo, 2 – Dylan Edwards, 1 – Taylan May. Judge: Nathan Hindmarsh
Warriors v Broncos: 3 – Addin Fonua-Blake, 2 – Reece Walsh, 1 – Shaun Johnson (WAR). Judge: Tim Mannah
Sea Eagles v Raiders: 3 – Tom Trbojevic, 2 – Daly Cherry-Evans, 1 – Josh Aloiai. Judge: Ben Creagh
Cowboys v Roosters: 3 – Joey Manu, 2 – James Tedesco, 1 – Luke Keary. Judge: Roy Masters
Storm v Bulldogs: 3 – Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2 – Jahrome Hughes, 1 – Harry Grant, Judge: Chris Heighington
Eels v Dragons: 3 – Dylan Brown, 2 – Mitchell Moses, 1 – Clint Gutherson. Judge: Jimmy Smith
Rooster facing grand final ban
Sydney Roosters prop Sarah Togatuki will have to head to the NRL judiciary on Tuesday in a bid to avoid missing the NRLW grand final with suspension.
Togatuki was cited for a grade-two careless high tackle on Brisbane’s Lavinia Gould which occurred in the fourth minute of the Roosters’ 22-16 semi-final win over the Broncos on Sunday.
Gould was taken off for a HIA and did not return, leaving the Roosters prop staring at a two-game ban.
Togatuki can receive a one-game suspension if she takes an early guilty plea, but such a move would rule her out of Sunday’s decider at Redcliffe.
Togatuki, who has been one of the Roosters’ most consistent performers this season, has no other option but to fight the charge at the judiciary if she wants to play in Sunday’s grand final against St George Illawarra.
The prop is likely to seek a downgrade to the charge and hope to get away with the fine, but if she loses she will be handed a two-game suspension.
The Roosters have until 12pm on Tuesday to announce whether they will fight the charge.
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Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Do you remember Arana Taumata? That kid had a lot of potential. But he only ended up playing 14 games in the NRL. He played 5 games for the Bulldogs, 7 for the Cowboys and 2 for the Panthers. Before that he spent time at the Broncos and the Roosters before debuting in the NRL for the Dogs. He was dismissed from the Broncos for disciplinary breaches and then he was dismissed by the Roosters. After being dismissed by the Dogs for further disciplinary breachea in 2009 he joined the Storm and was about to be promoted to a playmaking role by Craig Bellamy when an off-field altercation saw him dismissed from his fourth club in four years! Taumata signed with the Wests Tigers in 2010 but never progressed beyond NSW Cup and joined the Cowboys by the end of that season. He was released by the Cowboys at the end of the 2010 sesson and signed with the Panthers on a one-year deal for 2011. In June 2011 he was involved in a police investigation into prescription fraud. The story only goes downhill from there. At the end of the day, potential might get you a job in the real world but hard work and your performance gets you an elite wage. It has to be earned, it is handed out based on potential. I think it is a poor business decision for any club to over invest in potential. Kids with great potential come and go all the time but there are other factors like discipline, work ethic, a drive to succeed, team spirit, patience and hard work. These attributes have more lasting benefits to footballers than talent alone wasted on gifted prodigies who blow their opportunities due self-centred arrogance and a belief that they are greater than they are without ever having proved themselves to be worthy of the hype and the money that goes with it.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
That would be pretty much the same comment coming from a state coach.
Rob
Guest
Potential is extremely high ( possibly one of the best) but the old potential has a habit of not coming to fruition a lot.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Turbo and Tedesco I can justify paying $1 mill a season but Ponga is a tier down from those two and already playing above his pay grade IMO.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Yeah, look I'm really happy he is with us for another year. I love watching the young kids get better and better . It one of the joys for of following a team. I guess because I know our history I keep worrying we will lose him in another year. He has all the skills . Just needs to develop physically and learn to stay in the game. We really do have some good prospects.
Rob
Guest
Exactly. It’s a 13 man team sport. The more you spend on one the less the rest get? If you’re not playing more than 22 plus games on 800k or more you’re killing your team.
Rob
Guest
I’m just happy young Nanai is happy to be on board for another year after this. They weren’t going to make a decision until round 6. Round 4 means he’s happy IMO. Who knows what the future holds. Is it sound judgment to throw big money and long term contract at a 19 year old with 6 NRL games? Is it in Nanai’s best interest? Would big money make him happy or 5 years make him more hungry to perform? Is Harry Grant on C. Smith or Papi on Slater money? The Cowboys clear McGuire, Masters and McCleans contract at years end. The problem is Holmes an outside back and Taumalolo a 50-60 minute player are on massive coin for many years to come. I don’t know if mateship or money drives Nanai. I hope it’s loyalty and mateship which will put the Cowboys in even a better position to negotiate fingers crossed.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Just continue to embarrass yourself
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Anyone else of note in the Blues team ? And wow he starred while losing game after game with the Tigers.
Rob
Guest
You could also say the Tigers finished no better or worse on the ladder before or after Tedesco went to the Roosters? The Roosters finished no better or worse on the ladder when or since Tedesco arrived?
Rob
Guest
We’ve been through this. It’s the colour of the jumper (officials view you differently). In a Tigers jumper you can’t run behind players, you can’t get blockers stopping players from out jumping you, you can’t score off forward ( flat)passes and you don’t get a penalty for falling into a defenders lap, the play the ball is usually much quicker and defensive lines much slower.
James Green
Roar Rookie
Not sure he's telling anyone to do anything. The reporting of the interview seemed more along the lines of "If I was in his shoes, I wouldn't" rather than a "Don't go there" imperative.
Tony
Roar Guru
It's what happens when people who are not real smart are asked to wear more than one hat.
Tony
Roar Guru
Agree Jimmmy. 1 year just sets him up as a massive poaching target once he develops a bit more.
Tony
Roar Guru
Yep. Best player on the park. How did May get a point ahead of Crichton?
Tony
Roar Guru
But does Bennett, another Queenslander outrank him?
Tony
Roar Guru
Severely overrated at that price. Hasn't achieved a thing yet.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I can’t fathom why Slater would consider it appropriate to publicly interfere with the Ponga decision. Bad look for a state coach
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
You just stay nice and healthy for origin, Isaah. Dont go burning off all this great form you have. Save some of it for the Queenslanders. Like Tommy Turbo. He's taking a few weeks off to get physically ready. And Nathan had the first month off for the same reason. Good boy Tommy. Good boy Nathy
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
YES IT IS! ITS BILLYS CALL! HE'S A QUEENSLANDER AND ORDERING KAYLN TO STAY IN NEWCASTLE! IT'S AN ORDER!!!!! FROM THE HIGHEST ORDER!!!!