Queenslanders expecting Tom Gilbert to channel his inner “madman” will be sorely disappointed.
The State of Origin debutant reckons that’s not him, going as far to say efforts to shed that tag are the reason he’ll complete a childhood dream and play in next Wednesday’s State of Origin decider.
Set to replace the unavailable Felise Kaufusi for the Suncorp Stadium clash, the in-form North Queensland forward has been billed as the fire and brimstone the Maroons need to respond to their game two thumping.
But the 21-year-old didn’t play to that narrative in a thoughtful and polite discussion with reporters on Tuesday, the shock of receiving his jersey from his mother and twin brother in camp the night earlier still sinking in.
“I’m no madman,” he said.
“It’s probably what’s helped me get this jersey this year.
“Times gone past maybe I was just not putting the energy in the right spot in my game and that was probably a distraction.
“Each week I get my job and that’s where my energy’s going and all the little stuff that happens around it just happens.”
That fits with rookie coach Billy Slater’s approach, the mentor sticking fat with his side despite a 44-12 loss in Perth that forced a game three decider.
“You’ve got to be thinking about your footy, it’s not just a bash and barge game,” Slater said.
Tom Gilbert lining up for the Cowboys. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Gilbert admitted he’s found it hard to “get back to normal” after receiving a call from Slater he never thought would come.
But the perspective remains ahead of a move to new Redcliffe NRL franchise the Dolphins next season, alongside Kaufusi.
“Funnily enough, I went to the Dolphins for the opportunity to get rep honours,” he said when asked if he now felt like a marquee player.
“But I still want to develop as a player; I’m still young and have dreams to chase.
“There will be a few more dreams and goals there (at the Dolphins) and I’ll learn off the older boys as much as I can.”
Gilbert counts Johnathan Thurston as a hero and pretended to be Darren Lockyer in the family living room growing up watching Queensland play on Wednesday nights.
“That’s what Origin was about; the long day on Wednesday til 8pm kick off, wearing a Maroons jersey to school with my twin brother, my best mate,” he said.
“I’m definitely ready. It’s a full circle moment in Brisbane, in my hometown in front of my family.
“There’s something about it that feels right.”
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Annesley: six-again here to stay
NRL head of football Graham Annesley has defended the six-again rule despite conceding Canberra could have been awarded three penalties rather than fresh sets in the last 20 seconds of their 12-10 loss to St George Illawarra.
The Raiders were attacking the Dragons’ line in search of a late try on Sunday when St George Illawarra captain Ben Hunt was guilty of three infringements.
The first two calls – an offside and a flop on prop Joe Tapine on the penultimate play of the game – were rewarded with six-agains by referee Peter Gough.
The third was where Hunt was not square at marker on the last play of the game and he rushed out to stop dummy-half Tom Starling.
Gough didn’t signal for a penalty and it meant the 11th-placed Raiders were cut adrift from the battle for a finals spot by four points.
A penalty would have allowed the Raiders the chance to tie up the game and send it to golden point.
Dragons players celebrate winning over the Canberra Raiders at WIN Stadium. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart claimed Gough lacked “courage” in not penalising Hunt, with Annesley conceding the Raiders could have been awarded three separate penalties.
“In most cases when you see that kind of tackle (to stop Starling) it results in a penalty,” Annesley said. “In our view that should have been a penalty.
“There are three incidents; the offside, the flop and then there is the move around to tackle the dummy-half. Any of those three could have been determined to be a professional foul and a penalty and possibly a sin bin.”
Annesley said Stuart had been spoken with the NRL’s referees department on Monday.
He also claimed the six-again rule was here to stay and said the NRL wouldn’t revert to a two-referee system.
“We think that a single referee has added a lot to the game and has allowed the game to continue,” Annesley said.
“The six-again has been a bonus for the referees in allowing them to try and get a level of compliance with stopping the game.”
Annesley also said referee Gerard Sutton made a mistake by penalising Sydney Roosters hooker Sam Verrills for a tackle on Penrith’s Scott Sorensen on Friday.
In the 39th minute, Verrills made a straightforward tackle on Sorensen who nosedived towards the ground, earning a penalty which led to a try to Viliame Kikau on the next set.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson, whose side lost 26-18, called it a “horrible decision” and Annesley concurred.
“In the history of the game, most would agree that it is a copybook around-the-legs tackle,” he said.
“We don’t believe there is any reason why this tackle should have been penalised.”
Suluka-Fifita makes immediate switch
Roosters forward Daniel Suluka-Fifita has joined South Sydney this week after gaining an immediate release from his contract at the Sydney Roosters.
The Rabbitohs had already signed the 22-year-old Matraville Tigers junior for the next three seasons but he has been released mid-year so that the Roosters can accommodate former Warriors prop Matt Lodge in their 2022 salary cap.
Suluka-Fifita has played 20 NRL matches for the Roosters since making his debut as a 20-year-old against the Titans in 2020.
He was a member of the South Sydney SG Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup squads between 2014 and 2017, playing alongside current Rabbitohs stars Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham.
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mushi
Roar Guru
I loved school yard mugby. Always just one serious injury away from a 4 week ban.
Cat Brown
Guest
I'm a Dragons supporter but the win against the Warriors left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. But Ben Hunt led his team to a victory and I'm sure that every player would have done the same thing.
Adam
Roar Guru
Isn't it funny how the simplest solution is the best. Quick taps should be allowed if they are within the vicinity (or at least behind) where the infringement takes place. I'm not sure why so many obstacles got placed in front of quick taps. Like not being able to do on inside the 10, not for an offside penalty, not until x, y,z. They only put these obstacles in place cause teams would have their pants pulled down because they'd infringe and someone would quickly tap and go over. But I think that's the true deterrent for giving away penalties within the red zone
Heyou
Roar Rookie
I borrowed your bus analogy, because its a good one :thumbup:
Adam
Roar Guru
I reckon just leave it as is, rather than making too many more rule changes. I'm not a fan o the 6-again at all. But then I don't mind penalties actually being called so I might be a bit deluded...
Adam
Roar Guru
Gotta rub the back of the boss
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
What's the alternative? Either stick with the six again across the park - which almost nobody seems to be happy with, or return to penalty for ruck and offside across the park where you have the old issue of teams infringing so frequently that the ref is either pilloried for letting the game degenerate into a wrestle-athon or criticised fro blowing the pea out of the whistle and 'spooning the spectacle'. Either end of the park is where defending teams perceive they can get and advantage from slowing the play the ball and jumping the gun off the defensive line. That's where it most needs to be policed.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Of course he did but when a Pete the pirate said it's entertaining and the wrestle has gone did a midstream diversion and backed Pete to the hilt . A little bit of job security .
Greg
Roar Pro
Six agains are joke. Despite some claims it has done nothing to counter the wrestle. It was easily and predictably manipulated leading to changes in its application (eg Penalites inside 40m). And is being easily and predictably manipulated again when defending the try line. Now we are being told that penalties and sin bins for repeat infringements are required. Well, correct me if I am wrong, penalties and sin bins were already the deterrent for repeated infringements prior to the six again!! If they wanted to speed up the game (which i don't believe was necessary) they should simply allow (or put less obstacles in the way of) a quick tap.
Adam
Roar Guru
We'd have a penalty inside you're own 40 but also a penalty in you're attacking 20. So a 6-again would only apply between the 40 and the 20? We have the 40/20 and the 20/40. Why not extend it to every facet of the game...? (I'm not being serious)
KenW
Roar Rookie
What a weird answer he came out with, to paraphrase: The rules are good. But when a referee follows them he is bad. I thought it was even better then one he said yesterday, to quote directly: 'on the footage which we have looked at … in our view it is impossible to say that he is perfectly square...... In our view that should have been a penalty.' So to bring that all together. Annesley says the referee was wrong to not blow a penalty, in contravention of the rule that he completely supports, for an offence that they can't prove took place, Great, glad we're all clear.
Nat
Roar Guru
That's what got us here in the first place.
Rob
Guest
Six again unfortunately has been a means of manipulation. They identified teams were being advantaged and disadvantages by its interpretation. Some teams would hear a six again and drop the ball which the ref would immediately reward with a penalty. Hence they have made every infringement inside the 40m a penalty. Frustratingly the ref also under certain circumstances after saying 6 again would just say lost ball? It was a lottery to know what the interpretation was. Sadly officials find the consistency of interpretation extremely difficult. NSW made a point of excessively holding down in the opening set just to take Klein. He changed his interpretation after 30mins.
Adam
Roar Guru
What we actually need is a game without rules. That will solve all our issues!
mushi
Roar Guru
Except then won't the players just break the rules with impunity?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The six-again rule is rubbish as the farce at the end of the game shows. It should always be a penalty and that would stop laying on the tackled player. There was no reason to speed up the game. Holding down became a good tactic when the try was changed to four points by Arko and Quayle in 1983. It devalued the penalty to encourage less kicking for goals so the crowds would return to watch the exciting bombs. No creative play but plenty of bash, barge and bombs. The best change would be to return to a three point try.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
How predictable was that!
Rellum
Roar Guru
It is funny that the portion of the old fan base have been desperately search for a reason to get rid of the 6 again. It is here to stay. Get used to it. The problem is the lack of clarity of it's implementation. The 10 mins in the bin in Origin two is the correct call BUT it should have been a constant interpretation from the get go. To me and I said this two years ago, that there should be black and white sin bins for multiple 6 agains. 2 in a set should be automatic. The goal is not to have endless 6 agains but to punish team so much they they cut that nonsense out of the game.
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
Revert to penalty for ruck and offside infringements inside the attacking 20m. Every team is taking advantage of the six again in this zone and the decision to sin bin then becomes subjective and arbitrary and impossible to keep consistent. The refs are on a hiding to nothing with this rule.
Nick
Roar Guru
Then he did a lap around the block and did it again...