70 SPORT SATURDAY JUNE 29 2019 Reed’s out for revenge LUKE HAYES Young Eels hooker back in NT keen to secure victory ONE year on from his debut match against the Cowboys, special moment for me to be body physically right and the “Last time we played Raid- The boys are going to turn up.” promising young Eels hooker able to make my NRL debut. footy stuff will come. ers in Canberra, they beat us Mahoney will face up Reed Mahoney is back in Dar- It’s an odd place to make a “At the start of the season I 19-nil and it was pretty embar- against star veteran Raider win with the Parramatta outfit. debut, but I’d happily do it all wanted to be starting in the rassing to not score. They were hooker , who is In what has been an im- over again,” Mahoney, pic- number nine and I was lucky really dominant through the making his return from injury. pressive rookie year for the 21- tured, told the NT News. enough to do that and I’ve middle and they physically “I always like the challenge, year-old, Mahoney is happy to “Coming to the team half- been there ever since.” bashed us,” he said. he’s up there with the best of round off his first professional way through last year, we had Last time Eels faced Raiders “Us forwards were pretty them. He pretty much is the NRL season back where it about ten games to end the in the nation’s capital, they filthy about that, we pride our- leader in their team and gets started, in the Top End. year. We didn’t go too well, but copped a 19-0 hiding in Round selves through the middle. the ruck rolling so we’ve got to “I have good memories up I had a really good pre-season. 5. Mahoney will be out for re- (Tonight) is going to be won do a really good job on him,” here. This time last year was a My goal was just to get my venge tonight. through the middle of the ruck. he said. Tapine and Storm Raiders in rough Top rains on End arrival Roosters LUKE HAYES IT has been a rocky prep- aration for the Raiders, finally arriving in the Top End for to- night’s clash against Parra matta, after travel delays saw them touch down at midnight on Thursday night. Raiders lock has also had a rocky start to the season, suffering an ankle injury in Round 5 after Can- berra’s 19-0 win over the Eels, after only just returning from a season-ending thumb injury last year. Now, after MELBOURNE have opened up ROOSTERS returning to the biggest lead of the season 12 the field in atop the NRL ladder after edg- Round 11, Ta- ing the Roosters 14-12 STORM pine (pictured) in a tense grand final rematch. 14 acknowledged Both teams scored two tries SYDNEY the importance apiece last night at Adelaide Tries: J Manu D Tupou of slowing the Oval, however it was the boot Goals: L Mitchell 2 roll-on of a of that proved MELBOURNE skilled Eels forward pack at the difference. Tries: B Croft R Papenhuyzen TIO Stadium tonight. Goals: C Smith 3 The Storm captain was a “They’ve got a big and perfect three goals from as Refs: G Atkins, P Gough powerful forward pack, we just many attempts, while Roosters Crowd: 16,297 at Adelaide Oval need to work around them and centre nailed tire them out. Especially with two of his three looks at goal. the weather, we’re hoping that The axed NSW State of Ori- had been allowed to bounce will work to our advantage,” he gin star almost set up what by the Storm. told the NT News. would’ve been the game-win- The win extends Mel- “It’s been a big change for ner for , but he bourne’s winning streak to six me this year, I’ve gone from the was denied by four cover de- and lifts them six points clear edge into the middle and I’ve fenders. Roosters captain of the Roosters and South Syd- had a lot of setbacks with injur- Boyd Cordner also came close ney. The last team to hold a ies. But I’m enjoying my footy The Storm’s Ryan Papenhuyzen heads to stealing the game at the six-point lead after 15 rounds at the moment, just trying to for the tryline in Adelaide last night death but failed to cleanly take was the Storm in 2012, and get my match fitness back over Picture: AAP a bomb, which they went on to claim the title these last five weeks. I feel like I’m getting back there.” Tapine said the confidence brought by from a successful Blues campaign last week was welcomed, as well as the acquisition of the two Englishmen this year. Bears hit by second opponent’s forfeit “We’ve got and John Bateman, they’re playing excellent footy and I LUKE HAYES made to Bears A-grade coach “We’re in Round 7 now, and ition, with some struggles to NRL NT to transfer a Night- enjoy playing alongside them. Jake Barnes at training during we’ve only played five games. around getting player number cliff home game at Territory They bring their own factor to LITCHFIELD Bears have the week. With a few new fellas in the representation. Stadium to our team,” he said. “Jack’s been subject to a bout of mis- Both of the forfeited match- squad it’s hard to strike up the NRL NT says participation Litchfield’s Webber Park. game has stepped up levels, he fortune, with a second op- es were scheduled to be Litch- combinations that you want. numbers are up, but this could “Nightcliff have said that if was already a great player, but ponent’s forfeit already in this field home games. Game time is the most import- be due to increases in junior the NRL NT will let them, when he goes and plays Origin, year’s NRL NT competition. “It’s definitely pretty disap- ant thing and we’re missing numbers as well as the pro- they’re keen to come play at he brings those skills back to Northern Sharks pulled out pointing, we obviously like out a bit at the moment.” gression and spread of the our home next week instead of our team.” With a bye next of yesterday’s A and B grade playing at home, our support- A further issue is players women’s competition as two playing at the new stadium,” weekend, Tapine highlighted matches. Bears’ first brush with ers come out and get around missing out on potential Frank extra teams joined the compet- Barnes said. “Hopefully NRL the added importance of to- a forfeit came in Round 1 after us. So it’s disappointing to have Johnson medal votes. ition this year. NT can come to the party.” night’s match at TIO Stadium Souths failed to field a team for two forfeits out of the four Barnes said that it could be Nightcliff Dragons have NT News was unable to con- as the season nears the finals. the competition opener. home games we have sched- a reflection on the participa- been a potential saving grace. tact Sharks for further com- “It’s a four-point game for us,” The announcement was uled,” he told the NT News. tion rates in the senior compet- An application has been put in ment. he said.

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