A brutally honest Blake Lawrie has conceded he could rightfully have been axed by Shane Flanagan, labelling his own early-season form at St George Illawarra as “s***house”.
The Dragons’ player of the year last season, Lawrie is the first to admit he has endured a below-par start to 2024 for the inconsistent Red V.
That had prompted reports last week that the 27-year-old could be axed for Sunday’s game against the Tigers.
Lawrie was ultimately spared and instead relegated from the starting side to the bench, but the prop admitted Shane Flanagan was within his rights to drop him.
“I was playing terribly so I wouldn’t have blamed Flanno at all,” Lawrie said after Sunday’s 24-12 win over the Tigers.
“I know I wasn’t playing well, and whatever happened would have happened.
“He just said, ‘fix your game’. And I know I wasn’t playing up to my standard, the team’s standard or his standard that he expects.
“I just have to go out there and ensure that Flanno trusts me to do a job. And it’s going to be week by week until I regain that trust.”
After entering this season the fittest and strongest he has ever been, Lawrie is scathing about his own start to the year.
With reduced minutes, the Wollongong junior’s run numbers are down.
But it is the six errors he has made in the opening six matches that stand out, given he made the same amount across 67 games in 2021, 2022 and 2023 combined.
Asked how he thought his past weeks had been, Lawrie was blunt.
“Honestly, it’s been s***house,” he said.
“I haven’t been happy with it.
“It’s about bouncing back. I know I am going to have bad games, but just happened to have a month of bad footy.
“I’ll keep reviewing myself. I am honest with myself. I’ll stand myself in the mirror and be able to get better.”
Regardless, Lawrie said he was not concerned about his ability to turn his form around, after being among the NRL’s best front-rowers this year.
The Dragons need him to stand up on Friday night against the Warriors in Wollongong, with Addin Fonua-Blake leading one of the form packs in the NRL.
“I’ve been through poor form and I’ve come out the other side and hopefully I come out the other side of this one too,” Lawrie said.
“If you get in that negative mindset, it can spiral down pretty quickly. If you’re always thinking why am I not playing well, you’ll continue not playing well.
“I’ve played 100-plus NRL games now. I know what I need to do to get my body right.
“I’ll continue to work hard and be consistent on the training paddock and on days off to keep stacking the odds in my favour, and the tables will turn for me.”
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Panther in strife for speeding video
Penrith centre Taylan May could face sanctions from his club and the NRL after posting a video of a car speeding in a residential area.
May posted the clip of someone driving an Audi at more than 90km/h in a residential area and although he is not the driver in question or accused of breaking the law himself, the fact that he has posted it on his social media account is not a good look.
After hitting the brakes abruptly when the car approaches a pedestrian crossing, a passenger is heard saying “holy moly, bra”.
NewsCorp has reported the NRL Integrity Unit is looking into the video, which was posted by May a week ago, on Instagram.
Penrith had the bye on the weekend but May is set to line up for Saturday’s stoush with the Wests Tigers at Bathurst.
Dolphins cannabis deal sets off alarm
The Dolphins could have a sponsorship deal with Alternaleaf torn up as the deal with the medicine clinic may be in breach of the Therapeutic Goods Act.
A two-year deal with the sponsor was announced last month and Alternaleaf’s logo has appeared on the team’s jerseys and in signage at home games but according to a Sydney Morning Herald report, the partnership could flame out.
Medicinal cannabis is legal but the Therapeutic Good Administration bans advertising of prescription medicine or constultations so the NRL may be forced to veto the deal.
“Partnerships between sport teams and entities involved in the supply of medicinal cannabis are not prohibited by the Act, however the advertising of medicinal cannabis, as prescription medicines, to the public is prohibited,” the TGA said in a statement to the SMH.
With the logo being visible in broadcasts and on the jersey, this could be seen as a breach of the rules.
Panthers face fight to keep Turuva
St George Illawarra and Newcastle are splashing the cash to pry Sunia Turuva away from Penrith with the premiers virtually conceding they will not be able to match the lucrative offers for the NRL Rookie of the Year.
The 2023 premiership-winning winger, who has already declared Penrith ‘home’, is off contract at the end of the current season.
But he has been linked with a move to the Dragons, who have space in their backline and the money to offer a pay rise having announced Zac Lomax will leave the club in 2025.
Turuva, 21, is not the first faced with a decision between a beefier pay packet and the chance for more success at the Panthers with several stars leaving the club in recent seasons.
The Dragons have put a three-year deal which is significantly higher than Penrith’s best offer and could also dangle the possibility of playing fullback to Turuva, a position which is locked up at the Panthers by club stalwart Dylan Edwards.
Bernie
Roar Rookie
Pie Man probs a bit down the pecking order in the pack - Raymond is going ok, Sele looks good, Molo improving, and big Tom can also play centre now.
Bernie
Roar Rookie
wonderful water views - especially at high tide.
andrew
Roar Rookie
I think Lawrie's been below average. He seems a bit too slow for my liking Tony. At least he recognises he's got to improve, and fast.
Good Grief
Roar Rookie
Hilarious. I guess May has never heard of Tod Carney… just as Leniu had never heard of Adam Goodes. I mean, how could anyone be aware of the issues associated with “sharing” online. Gormless.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
A heck of a lot of built upon coastal SE Qld is wetlands - read 'swamp'. Henry knew what he was on about. 'We love it up here' but personally I live on a hill which keeps me away from the canal and river mossies.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Yep....what a truly poor role model....just too dumb or full of his own gangsterness to give a poo. Bloody ridiculous. Is this the guy that disrespected a famous players daughter, or is he the one that hit someone from behind at a pub? What a disgrace. Do it in my neighbourhood and put my friends and family in danger and you will wear the consequences Taylan
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Unless the line is at the lamington stall
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Don't you just want to shake some sense into him. Penrith will say he's a great community man
Redcap
Roar Guru
For a number of years in the early 20th century, an outfit known as the Humpybong Steamship Company picked folk up from Brisbane for a cruise up to the peninsula. As we know from Henry Miller who ran the short-lived penal colony at Redcliffe, the area was (and is) largely untenable as far as human life goes, fundamentally unsuitable for any form of civilisation and contains nothing of interest. The steamship company promised, and I quote, "refreshments of every description procurable aboard". Much as certain establishments of the time advertised themselves as respectable watering holes but were clearly bordellos, I'm convinced the the Humpybong steamer was mostly concerned with vice of 'every description'. :happy:
Tony
Roar Guru
I can't see anything wrong with the Humpybong Dolphins being sponsored by a cannabis distributor?
Tony
Roar Guru
He's frightened the odd all you can eat buffet though
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Or a fate worse than death - a ban from social media.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
We’re lucky to have him.
andrew
Roar Rookie
You've got that right.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Posting a video of a speeding car is the vilest thing I’ve ever heard. Lifetime ban for May, hopefully, and a lengthy prison sentence too.
Bernie
Roar Rookie
there's a touch of the Sharons Headband in the run-up.
andrew
Roar Rookie
He definitely doesn't put any fear into opposition sides when he trots up to the line.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Refreshing honesty there from Big Thumper.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Bernie
Roar Rookie
love the Pie Man, but didnt see anything against the Tiges to say he's turned his form around. couple more errors, and just seems to marshmallow into the defense when he has a hit-up, zero post contact metres.