NRL NEWS: Cleary sympathises with Flanagan, Togatuki 's tragic inspiration, Dragons coach speculation grows

Panthers star Nathan Cleary has offered sympathy to Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan, telling his opponent that he understands the pressures that come with leading a team around while having a famous surname.

“From experience, this week would have felt like a year,” he said in the post-match presser after his Panthers had downed Flanagan’s Bulldogs.

“He probably was waiting to get on the field and actually play. I thought he did a really good job.

“It’s hard when there’s constant media scrutiny around and you always hear your name on TV but the more you can block that out and just focus on what you need to do – that’s the most important thing.

“(I have) a little bit (of sympathy), but that’s what we signed up for. That’s the game we play and the sooner you realise that and come to terms with that, the better it gets.”

NRLW Grand Final player of the match Togatuki reveals tragic inspiration

Roosters forward Sarah Togatuki, who was named as Karyn Murphy Medalist for her player of the match performance in the NRLW Grand Final, has spoken of her inspiration to take up rugby league in a moving speech as she picked up her medal.

Togatuki, who works in mental health, said that her brother had told her to play footy before tragically taking his own life while in prison in 2015.

“He was one of my drivers and why I switched from netball to league,” she said.

“On my last visit I told him I didn’t like netball so he said ‘why don’t you give footy a try’.

“That was the last I heard from him before he took his own life and that conversation will stick with me for the rest of my life.

“I used to write his name on here (on her wrist strapping), but it’s in my heart now and I’ll carry it all the way.”

Togatuki also spoke of her family’s Samoan background and how she was breaking down barriers for Pasifika women. She jokingly insisted her father told her that she still had work to do despite being player of the match in the Grand Final.

“I hope I did him proud; he did give me a hug but said there were some things I need to work on, so I’ll take it,” a smiling Togatuki said.

“After a game people will say ‘you’re amazing’, but in our culture in Samoa the barriers are there. Females are looked at to be in the kitchen, not on the field.

“So it’s about breaking the stereotypes and getting dad to believe. It’s been a journey and we’re still pushing and I play for my dad so he can look and say ‘my daughter can do it too, not just my sons’.”

Dragons speculation mounts as Griffin pressure grows

St George Illawarra hoped their pre-emptive move in the pre-season to extend Anthony Griffin’s contract would stop any speculation about his future if the team kicked off the season poorly. 

But after their 1-4 start to the year, including four straight losses after beating the Warriors in Round 1, the dogs are barking about Griffin’s rebuild at the club. 

And according to a Sydney Morning Herald report, the Dragons would have to pay a relatively modest amount of $475,000 if they terminated Griffin’s contract this season. 

After dumping rising stars Tyrell Sloan and Junior Amone in favour of veterans Moses Mbye and Jack Bird, their form has not improved, leading to heavy losses to Parramatta and Souths. 

The win over the Warriors is the club’s only victory in their past 13 starts stretching back to the losing streak triggered midway through last season when former prop Paul Vaughan’s infamous house party in breach of COVID protocols led to a range of bans and fines for a dozen first-graders. 

St George Illawarra host Newcastle in Wollongong this Sunday before taking on the Roosters in their traditional Anzac Day showdown. 

They will be heavy underdogs in these two games and no sure thing the following week when they take on the winless Wests Tigers. 

Forwards Tyrell Fuimaono and Josh McGuire are available for selection this week after serving lengthy suspensions but Griffin will need a lot more than their collective input to stem the bleeding at the Red V and save his skin. 

Maguire denies Tigers going backwards 

The NRL’s other coach on the hot seat, Michael Maguire, rejected suggestions his team is getting worse despite five straight losses to start the season. 

After they were never in the contest in the 30-4 loss to Cronulla on Sunday, the Tigers coach was adamant they could start racking up wins with a few tweaks to their game. 

They welcome back Jackson Hastings from suspension for the Easter Monday match-up with Parramatta at CommBank Stadium but fullback Daine Laurie (COVID) will be unavailable again after he was a late withdrawal at Shark Park. 

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“We’ve got a few injuries so we just have to look at how we do things. They were moving the ball pretty quick in attack and that’s something we’ve got to make sure we do,” he said. 

“I wouldn’t say we’ve gone backwards, we’ve just been challenged.

“We’re looking at how we want to play and I spoke to the players about how we want to attack and we’ve got to keep working hard on those little areas that allow you to score.”

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