The battle for the Queensland No.1 jersey is on and coach Billy Slater says two rising stars are improving fast as they look to stake a claim for this year’s State of Origin series.
With little more than four weeks until the side is named for game one of the series in Adelaide on May 31, Brisbane’s Reece Walsh and the Dolphins’ Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow are looking to keep the heat on incumbent Maroons No.1 Kalyn Ponga.
After seven rounds Walsh had eight try assists, five line breaks and four tries. Over the same period, Tabuai-Fidow, known as ‘Hammer’, had notched two try assists, four line breaks and eight tries.
“They have been brilliant and both have done a great job for their clubs,” Slater told AAP, who also highlighted the work being done by AJ Brimson at the Titans. “It is a tough one for them – I know that position better than any other on the field.
CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO
“I can see their growth areas in the fundamentals of the position and not just in the highlights we see regularly that get us out of our seats, which is great.”
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Slater was impressed with the way Tabuai-Fidow handled a challenging 2022 at North Queensland and has kicked on under Wayne Bennett this year.
“He had a tough 12 months,” Slater said of the Dolphins player. “He had the No.1 jersey for the Cowboys in the first month of footy last year. Then he gets injured and Scott Drinkwater never gave it back. That’s the way footy goes sometimes.
“He got an opportunity to go to the Dolphins under Wayne and he’s really grown as a player.”
The Queensland coach said Brisbane’s Walsh has shown his willingness to get in front of attackers and put himself where he needs to be as he works on the defensive side of his game.
“With Reece, when you are talking about defensive plays as a fullback, he is putting his body on the line and being courageous,” Slater said.
Reece Walsh celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
“He is starting to get himself into good positions defensively as well and when you get that part of your game sorted you can help your team get in really good positions defensively.
“I see growth in both those players in that area.”
Ahead of Friday night’s clash with Parramatta in Darwin, Broncos coach Kevin Walters said Walsh had made a strong case for State of Origin selection.
“He’d be in my Queensland team but I’m not the coach so that’s up to Billy Slater and the selectors,” the former Maroons mentor said. “He’s progressing really well for us, Walshy, and all the work he’s been doing is terrific.
“He’s got to maintain that, and (then) all the rep teams and the pathway will look after itself. He’s a real footy-head, studies the game … he’s always thinking about footy.”
North Queensland have vowed to target Kalyn Ponga in Saturday’s clash as the Newcastle captain marks his return from a five-game stint on the sidelines due to concussion.
Ponga will bring up a milestone 100th NRL match back where his career began when the 3-3 Knights search for their first win in Townsville since 2015.
Cowboys coach Todd Payten says he’s watched the opposition closely in 2023 and acknowledged Newcastle’s revamped confidence, embodied by a strong back five and surging forward pack.
Kalyn Ponga leaves the field. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
But when Townsville’s prodigal son returns for his first game since round two, bodies will head his way.
“We’re going to send some traffic his way defensively,” Payten said on Friday.
“He hasn’t played for a while but I don’t think their shapes will change.
“Some of his habits is he likes to skip across the field and get into our edge – we have to hold width and trust our principles.”
Ponga was cleared to return after a trip to Canada where he underwent tests following his fourth concussion in 10 months, suffered against Wests Tigers in round two.
He has been named at five-eighth and in the frontline defensively, pushing Tyson Gamble to the bench.
Kurt Mann also comes into the starting side for Saturday’s clash with Jacob Saifiti back from a four-game suspension via the interchange.
The Cowboys will be without co-captain Jason Taumalolo who went under the knife this week to fix up a knee cartilage issue, with Jordan McLean covering that hole after returning from a hamstring injury.
Payten said McLean’s inclusion was a huge boost for his side that had 11 players either injured or suspended through seven rounds of 2023.
The Cowboys coach said it hampered their continuity and consistency, but his overall message against the Knights was to play relaxed even with their season teetering at 2-5.
“Its an important game for us within the context of our season, we’re all aware of that and we need to play well,” Payten added.
“I just need them to stay relaxed, stay in the game, stay in the moment, keep turning up for each other and keep fighting.”
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The NRL's match officials announcement on Tuesday lunchtime is usually cause for little fanfare, but sparked debate this week with top ref Ashley Klein…
It had all been going so well. Canberra were by far the better side for ten minutes, with Jamal Fogarty giving the Brisbane back…
Like most clubs, the Brisbane Broncos have had their fair share of big boppers over the years, many of them legends of the game.…
Who are the hardest working big men in the NRL?
My American mate wants a Canberra Raiders jersey. If someone had told me a couple of months ago that I’d have friends in the…
Derbies are often rated on intensity rather than quality, and that was very much to the fore at Suncorp for the third Battle of…
