INSIDE ❘ TEAM LISTS ❘ STAT ATTACK ❘ SCORES AROUND THE COUNTRY + NATHAN BROWN ❘ HINDMARSH GETS HONEST WITH EELS ❘ BRONCOS POSTER MORE ROUND 12 Est. 1920 Volume 99. No.12. May 24-30 2018 Twitter&Facebook: @bigleaguemag REPLACING CAM Ballin’s advice for next Maroon in line The top-of-the-table clash will JOSH REYNOLDS decide more than a winne Thematch-upwe’ve been waiting for Team on Game Day Live Across Australia To find out where you can hear all the action, head to NRL Nation Radio Brett Brenton Renee Kimmorley Speed Gartner Gary Russell JIMMY Belcher Barwick SMITH Brent Luke Chris Tate Lewis Warren Scott PETER TERRY Sattler Psaltis CAMPESE Scott Prince Laurie Steve ‘Blocker’ Daley Roach The NRL Nation team brings you closer to all the league action 4 games per round, as well as the NRL Finals Series and State of Origin Join the conversation 1300 94 93 95 KICKING PAMELA OFF WHALEY NMondaytheStateofOriginteams Owill be announced for the first game of the series at Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 6. I don’t know where that time has gone,butithascomearoundfartooquickly formyliking.Origintimeisfranticinthe Big League office as we prepare not only your regular round magazines, but also the programsforeachgameoftheOriginseries. It’sablurofinterviewsandteamchanges anddeadlinesandalotofcoffee.Butat theend,wegettositdownwithourfamily andfriendslikeyouandcheeronourhome state. It’s my personal belief that waking up thedayofOriginIisasclosetothefeeling ofChristmasmorningasyoucangetasan adult. I spend the day trawling through all of thepapersandreadingeverypieceofnews, becausethepagesarejam-packedwith hopeandanticipation.Theweekendbefore the two teams are announced is similarly special. No doubt both Brad Fittler and Kevin Waltershavetheirsquadspencilledin,but astarperformancecouldchangeallthat. Thereissomuchunknownabouttheseries aheadofus.Nooneknowswhattoexpect, butI’mgoingtotakeashot.Idon’tbelieve thatJamesMaloneyisn’tassuredaBlues jersey – I think he’ll be there for Game One, ‘No culture crisis’ just as this week’s opposition, Ben Hunt, will befortheMaroons.Alargechunkofthe BluespackwillalsobemadeupofDragons players, who could be joined by Panthers for struggling Eels stars Trent Merrin and Reagan Campbell- Gillard. It also seems likely Panthers livewire ELS forward David Gower has “Wejustblockitout.Whenwe Tyrone Peachey has the utility spot to lose. slammed media speculation go out on the training pitch or Theyallhaveonegamelefttoprovethey’re Esuggestingthere’saculture thefield,I’mnotthinkingabout worthyofacallupfortheirstate.Luckilyfor problemattheclubafterhisside it because I know it’s not true.” us,theywillgettheirchanceonSaturdayin slippedtotheirninthlosstositinlast Back-to-back wins over the Sea the top-of-the-table clash. Regular season spotontheladderafter11rounds. Eagles and Wests Tigers had fans games don’t get any bigger. Read all about it Initiallytippedtochallengeforthe dreaming of a trademark Parramatta on pages 16-18. premiership,theEelsmustnowwinat resurgence, but three-straight losses least10oftheirremaining13games hasthembackinaholewithtime iftheywanttofeatureinthefinals. By MARTIN quicklyrunningoutastheytryto It’samassivefallafterfinishinginthe GABOR keepintouchwiththetopeight. @martinjgabor topfourlastyear,buttheplayersand With their backs against the wall, coachBradArthurareadamanttheirseason the Eels won’t have much time to dwell on last is still alive. week’sdisappointinglosstoanunder-strength FEATURES Whilethey’rewillingtoacceptcriticism Warriors team before they take on the Broncos 10 NATHAN HINDMARSH oftheiron-fieldperformances,playersare at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday. 16-17 PANTHERSvDRAGONS furiousthattheirculturehasbeenquestioned Whiletheoddsarestackedagainstthem, 18-19 NATHAN BROWN in recent weeks. Gowerrefusedtogiveupontheseasonand 20 MATT BALLIN “Ithurtsbecausethey[themedia]aren’tin saidtheshortturnaroundcoupledwithsome 21 JOSH REYNOLDS thedressingroomfivedaysaweek.They’ve time out of Sydney would serve the team well. 24 MICHAEL MAGUIRE gotnoidea,”GowertoldBig League. TheEelsclaimedahuge52-34winin “Whenyou’reonthebottomoftheladder, Brisbane last season, and Gower knows themediaisgoingtotalkbecauseitsells asimilarresultwouldbethesparkhisside UPFRONT 3-15 papers.It’sfrustratingbecauseweknowit’s needstoturnthingsaround. CLUB NEWS 26-29 nottrue,sotheonlythingwecandoisgoout “Istillfeellikewe’reahigh-qualityteam,but LITTLE LEAGUE 30-31 there and win and that will silence the noise. we’relackingconfidenceandwe’remissingout “Weknowwhatwe’vegothere,but onkeymomentsandthat’scostingus,”hesaid. NRL TEAMS 36-51 unfortunately the media scrutiny comes with the “Thegoodthingforusisthatit’sashort OTHER COMPS 52-56 territory. When you’re coming last, you’ve only turnaround.Weneedtogobackanddothe RESULTS 56-57 wontwogamesandtherearealotofexpectations, videoandworkoutwhatwentwrong.Toget DRAW 62 peoplearegoingtotalk.Weknowit’snottrue, awayfromSydneyandbetogetherisagood Hopkins/NRLPhotos.com Nathan andweknowthatifwewintwoorthreegames thing, but we just need to be better and get COVER PHOTOS: NRLPHOTOS.COM: GRANT TROUVILLE (MALONEY), ROBB COX (HUNT) then the noise stops. It’s that simple. wins for our fans.” PHOTO: Round 12 BIG LEAGUE 2018 3 Dugan declares he’s done enough By DARCIE McDONALD gottokeepplayingfootyand keepdoingthebestjobforthe ITH State of Sharks,” Dugan told Big League. WOrigin teams to If the 28-year-old was to be announced on get the call up into Fittler’s Monday, players have upped squad, Dugan said the foot theanteinafinalbidfor injury wouldn’t cross his mind selection. However, Cronulla and he would be willing and utilitybackandNewSouthWales abletomakehis13thOrigin regular Josh Dugan is confident appearance at the Melbourne he’s already proved himself to CricketGroundonJune6. new coach Brad Fittler. “I didn’t feel my foot at all The incumbent Blues centre (inSunday’sgame).Iwouldn’t returned to the paddock for the haveplayedifIfeltitduring Sharks on Sunday a week earlier theweek.Iranallweekanddid than expected after being allmyrehab.Themedicalstaff sidelinedwithafootinjury. arehappyandtheygavemethe Despite missing two weeks green light to play,” he said. duringthemostcrucial Dugan has played both in timeforOriginhopefuls, thecentresandatfullbackfor Dugan said he doesn’t NewSouthWalesandthesame need to play to keep flexibility has been required at his position because theSharksthisseason.Anumber his past performances ofinjuriesearlyonrequired in the Blues jersey a few shake-ups to the spine, areenoughtojustify but despite his ability to play his selection. both positions, it’s the custodian “I don’t think it’s so role that Dugan likes most. much about proving myself, “I’mhappytoplaywherever I’ve done that. I don’t think but I’m really enjoying my time I’veplayedabadgameforNew playingatfullback–Iloveit.It’s SouthWalesandmyformfor goodandit’sonlygoingtoget Australia has also been pretty better.Atthestartoftheyear good.AnytimeI’monthefield therewasabitofchoppingand IfeellikeI’mdoingallrightand changing,butnowwe’vegotthe my form’s been pretty good when flowandcontinuityand everyone I’ve been out there, but I’ve just knows their role.” Greenberg backs bin bonanza By MICHAEL BLOK “I don’t think it is being “I’m hoping that obviously it overused,”theNRLCEOsaid. gets better and better, and there’s RLCEOToddGreenberg “ThistimelastyearIheard a pragmatic approach from both Nhasdefendedhisreferees calls from players, coaches, the players and the referees. following14sinbinsandasend- fans and commentators, about We’ve found that balance over offlastweekend.Itwasthefirst puttingmorepeopleinthesin the past few weeks, so let’s hope timeintheNRLerathataplayer bin for repeated offences. That’s it continues to improve. wasmarchedfor10minutesin exactly what we’re doing, and “Thedirectiveissimple–ensure everygameoftheround. we’regoing to keep doing it players make a genuine attempt to This season alone we’ve untilsuchtimeastheplayers playtheballwiththeirfoot,andget alreadyseen49sinbins,eclipsing continue to follow the rules.” themback10metres–policethe lastyear’stotalfigureof46.In Thegame’sbossbelieves rules. We’re going to continue to do 2016therewerejust17players the referees’ crackdown with this, and when there are multiple marchedand13theyearbefore. penaltieshasbeensuccessful infringements, we’re going to GreenbergsaidtheNRLwill sofarthisseasonandthey’re continue to send players to the sin NRLPhotos.com: Gregg Porteous (Dugan), Nathan Hopkins (Mannering), Nathan Hopkins (Mannering), Porteous (Dugan), Gregg NRLPhotos.com: continuetousethesinbinasatool not going to change their ways. bin. Ultimately, we’re trying to do tocleanupthegame,believingit “Wewillholdour nerve,” onethingandonethingonly–give PHOTOS: Robb Cox (Twal) hasn’t been overused in 2018. Greenberg said. the fans a better game to watch.” Parramatta scored a total of 80 points in home and away wins over the Broncos in 2017. UU Warriors winger David Fusitu’a 4 BIG LEAGUE 2018 Round 12 ISSN: 0311-175X Editor: Pamela Whaley Subeditor: David Piepers Staff Writers: Michael Blok, Martin Gabor, Darcie McDonald Contributors: Fiona Bollen, John Davidson, Will Evans, BenEverill,NathanHindmarsh, Adam Long, David Middleton, Lee Reilly, Andrew Voss Art Director: Craig Loughlin-Smith Designer: Tina Colwell General ManagerRetailand Circulation: Brett Willis National Advertising Manager: Bowie Phillips (02) 8045 4779 Marketing and Circulation Executive: Nick Tsolakis Production Director: Mark Moes Production Manager: Chrissy Fragkakis BIG LEAGUE Level1,2HoltSt, SurryHills,NSW2010