SMH.<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cIt was going to be a big call either way. The thing with Latrell is we don\u2019t need to rely on him to pull out the big moments. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s got the big moments in him, but we can ease the pressure on him, let him play his football, and he can bring himself into the game when he sees the right moments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reece lightning strikes for Kangaroos | 02:09<\/p>\n
POSITIVE KANGAROOS SIGN AMID QUERY THAT LINGERS<\/p>\n
The Kangaroos will enter next week\u2019s World Cup semi-finals unbeaten through the pool stage, and whether fairly or unfairly, question marks over their form remain.<\/p>\n
Australia have hardly been convincing en route to the semis. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s fair to say the NZ and Fiji forwards won the battle in the middle although the Kangaroos were able to win those tight contests. <\/p>\n
Against the Cook Islands in Townsville, the Kangaroos flexed their muscles in the second half but there were several shaky moments early on. <\/p>\n
The form of the Aussie forward pack have come under some criticism, with one former NRL stars Brent Tate and Luke Keary worried how they\u2019ll measure up against the powerhouse pack of Samoa next week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like they just they\u2019re feeling their way at the moment, they\u2019re not dominant through the middle,\u201d Keary said on Channel 7.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re watching Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand like completely dominate oppositions, whereas Australia are kind of finessing their way around. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey have the ability to turn it up a few gears whenever they can, but they\u2019re gonna need to do it more consistently.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey certainly are, and even in the first 20 minutes, they started slow again tonight, which against better opposition, you could find yourself 18 points down early,\u201d Tate added. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m with you, Kez. I think in the middle and physically, they\u2019re not quite there. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re Tonga or Samoa, I think they\u2019re two forward packs that are licking their lips and thinking, \u2018you know what, we\u2019re gonna come through the front door of this Australian team and see if they can handle us\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
While there\u2019s room for improvement from the forwards, there are other reasons for Australia\u2019s somewhat underwhelming form.<\/p>\n
Former Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen believes the Kangaroos\u2019 flashed glimpses against the Cook Islands and against the much stronger opposition, need to maintain the attacking mindset.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably the style of play they want to play with. We can see they\u2019re trying to get the ball to Yeo a lot and then run their timing off that, and I think they\u2019re not doing that in a lot of other systems, so it\u2019s gonna take a few weeks to get used to that,\u201d Papenhuyzen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think once they do nail it and they\u2019ve got guys running in the right holes, getting their timing right, it\u2019s just gonna open up your Walshes, your Munsters and your Deardens to get out the back of that. I think that\u2019s where the threat is. <\/p>\n
\u201cKez mentioned it off the top of the show, but they\u2019re gonna have to play an expensive sort of footy to be anywhere in this tournament, and I saw the signs of it tonight, and I think that\u2019s how they\u2019re gonna get there.\u201d<\/p>\n
French suffer heartbreaking referee call | 05:58<\/p>\n
THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME<\/p>\n
James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Joseph Tapine, Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark, Xavier Willison, Briton Nikora and Isaiah Papali\u2019i.<\/p>\n
Or as Jacob Saifiti calls them, the greatest forward pack of all time.<\/p>\n
The Kiwis drove home their World Cup credentials with a 78-0 victory over Fiji on Saturday, with New Zealand\u2019s rampaging forward pack setting a perfect platform.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the post-match press conference, Fiji\u2019s skipper Saifiti explained nothing he could say to his teammates could help the hammering being handed to his side.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think, it was a bit of a shock to the system for some of the younger boys who haven\u2019t played NRL yet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet alone against the best forward pack who has ever been formed, you\u2019d say something and it was a big like talking to a deer in the headlights.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when it is all said and done at the end of our careers, we will talk about this pack as the best to ever play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tempers flare in huge NZ win v Fiji | 03:25<\/p>\n
Saifiti\u2019s claim may be bold, but it\u2019s hard to argue.<\/p>\n
Leota, Fisher-Harris, Willison and Whyte have all won premierships, tallying 10 in total between those four players.<\/p>\n
Throw in the mix multiple positional Dally M Awards and even an Origin appearance for Nikora, and the credentials are there to stack up with any pack in history.<\/p>\n
Fiji head coach Mick Potter echoed Saifiti\u2019s comments and tipped the Kiwis to push for the World Cup title, which could be another accolodate for an already decorated pack.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a professional team that came up against some young men as well as some NRL players,\u201d Potter said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe probably didn\u2019t handle it as well as we could have, but I thought they were red hot, especially in the first half \u2026 we weren\u2019t in the contest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will give the competition a shake I think.\u201d<\/p>\n
GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA \u2013 OCTOBER 31: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad of New Zealand, Joseph Tapine of New Zealand and James Fisher-Harris of New Zealand sing the national anthem ahead of the 2026 Men’s Rugby League World Cup match between New Zealand Kiwis and Fiji at Cbus Super Stadium on October 31, 2026 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Another key aspect of New Zealand\u2019s win over Fiji was their dominance \u2014 in comparison to the Kangaroos\u2019 choppy display a week earlier.<\/p>\n
Fiji rattled the Kangaroos, who only led by two points at halftime, and even took a lead just after the break.<\/p>\n
While Australia were able to pull away from their opponents, it was far from a convincing display.<\/p>\n
Compare that to the Kiwis domination, rolling through the middle of the park before their outside backs struck at will, and it\u2019s a fair yard stick as to where both teams sit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to set our game up \u2026 we weren\u2019t looking to score on every set, but I think we earnt that,\u201d Fisher-Harris said of his forward pack.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, head coach Stacey Jones highlighted his team\u2019s line speed.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight from the start, we carried the ball strong and the line speed from these guys was outstanding and they put pressure back on Fji and forced some errors,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
It was Fiji\u2019s line speed that rattled the Kangaroos \u2014 and it could be a sign of things to come later in this tournament.<\/p>\n
Samoa book Kiwi Ferns showdown | 00:49<\/p>\n
TONGA DARING TO DREAM AS EPIC FORWARD BATTLE ANTICIPATED<\/p>\n
Kristian Woolf knows Tonga will enter next week\u2019s semi-final showdown against New Zealand as underdogs, but he has fired a warning to the Kiwis and the rest of the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Tonga scored a late try to get past Samoa in a thrilling match on Sunday night in front of a raucous sold out crowd at CommBank Stadium.<\/p>\n
It was enthralling and high quality. It showed that both teams wouldn\u2019t look out of place in the grand final.<\/p>\n
Next up though for Tonga is a clash against New Zealand, who Woolf believes have been the benchmark of the tournament so far. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a tough game. They\u2019ve probably been the most dominant team in the tournament so far so it\u2019s a good rivalry for us and a game we\u2019re looking forward to,\u201d Woolf said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis group can do anything. We left four tries out there and we\u2019ve got plenty of improvement left in us.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we keep improving and heading on the right track, we can do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no doubt Tonga will have their admirers. <\/p>\n
Not only do they have a talented backline and an outstanding halfback pulling the strings, Tonga\u2019s engine room has to be feared.<\/p>\n
Former NRL star Aaron Woods can\u2019t wait for the pack battle between Tonga and NZ.<\/p>\n
Woods even thinks Tonga has a chance of winning it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Kiwis will have to get their shoulders ready because the contest between the two forward packs is going to be unbelievable,\u201d Woods said on Channel 7.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes they have Haumole Olakau\u2019atu and Addin Fonua-Blake but what I love about Tonga is their bench. Demetric Vaimauga, Stefano Utoikamanu and Taniela Paseka. Those guys came on and destroyed Samoa tonight in the middle period of that game.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve also got danger on the edges and the Kiwis won\u2019t have Ronaldo Mulitalo who is a massive aerial threat for New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI give Tonga a massive chance here.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d love to see it but it\u2019s how they can recover after this big night. This night is massive with the game and all the pre-game. They\u2019re going have to balance out this week and they won\u2019t be doing much training.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the forward pack clash as well,\u201d Samoa and New Zealand legend Roger Tuivasa-Sheck added.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Zealand have stars in Leota and Fisher-Harris and then you have the likes of Naufahu Whyte coming off the bench and them going set for set to set.<\/p>\n
\u201cTonga can go with New Zealand though. It\u2019ll be a great battle.\u201d <\/p>\n
Tonga v Samoa lives up to expectations! | 03:04<\/p>\n
WHY THE CHIEFS HAVE ALL EYES ON A PNG STAR<\/p>\n
Jason Demetriou has declared Gairo Voro must spend the 2027 season in the Super League.<\/p>\n
Not only will that decision benefit Demetriou, who will be at the helm for the London Broncos, who are set to be promoted to the Super League after a Championship premiership.<\/p>\n
But his comments will be music to the PNG Chiefs ears, who have already signed Voro up for their debut NRL campaign in 2028, signing him the talented playmaker on a development deal.<\/p>\n
The 23-year-old scored in PNG\u2019s loss to England on Friday with a strong display, adding to a stellar individual campaign after winning Championship Player of the Year.<\/p>\n
Despite the Broncos\u2019 looming promotion, Voro has been linked with a shock return to Queensland Cup to feature for the PNG Hunters.<\/p>\n
PNG shock England with quick double | 00:32<\/p>\n
The Hunters are set to be the Chiefs\u2019 feeder club in 2028, but Demetriou was certain he will develop more with a campaign in England when asked where Voro\u2019s future lies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn London, I hope, that\u2019s the plan, that\u2019s where we want him,\u201d Demetriou explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, there\u2019s been some delays around that purely because the RFL and the English clubs are doing a great job at making this the most drawn-out process I\u2019ve ever seen. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut hopefully we\u2019re getting there. There\u2019s been a lot of talk about Gairo coming back to play for the Hunters, but from my personal opinion, I think that would be a step back for him. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think his best footy and his best development as a player and as a person will be to go back to London. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had that conversation with him, but I\u2019ll support whatever he wants to do. He\u2019s a great kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA \u2013 OCTOBER 30: Gairo Voro of Papua New Guinean passes the ball during the 2026 Men’s Rugby League World Cup match between England and Papua New Guinea at WIN Stadium on October 30, 2026 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Demetriou, however, did suggest Voro\u2019s talents could be wasted with another Championship campaign.<\/p>\n
But a promotion to the Super League could provide the perfect stomping ground for both on-field and off-field development.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think if we weren\u2019t playing Super League he\u2019d go back and play in the feeder system for the Chiefs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think playing in Super League would be another step up for him consistently, week in, week out.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso getting to work on his English and his comms and being out of his comfort zone. I think if he goes back into the PNG style of comms and stalls that, it\u2019s not gonna help him when the Chiefs come in. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo that that\u2019s my thoughts. He knows where I\u2019m at with it, but as I\u2019ve said, I\u2019ve got a lot of time for him. I\u2019ll support whatever he wants to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ponga’s stunning recovery hope | 02:07<\/p>\n
\ufeff\u2018CATEGORICALLY SH***\u2019: ENGLAND ERUPTS OVER FORMAT<\/p>\n
England star Herbie Farnworth and prominent reporter Aaron Bowe have launched a scathing attack on the format of this year\u2019s World Cup tournament after the nation was eliminated before the finals.<\/p>\n
Despite just suffering one defeat during the group stage, a change to the format means England has been eliminated, with Samoa and Tonga advancing to the semi-finals, where they will face Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
It marks a significant change from the previous World Cup, held in England, when the top two nations from each group progressed to the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
But under this year\u2019s format, only four nations progress and Group B includes six nations (rather than Group A\u2019s four teams), meaning they don\u2019t all face each other.<\/p>\n
England on brink of historic RLWC exit | 01:55<\/p>\n
Farnworth didn\u2019t hide his disappointment, questioning the tournament\u2019s structure after their elimination.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve only lost one game, but it looks like we\u2019re probably going to get knocked out,\u201d Farnworth told ABC Radio after their win on Friday night against Papua New Guinea.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot really a big fan of the format, but it is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dolphins centre\u2019s frustration was shared by The Guardian\u2019s Aaron Bower who delivered an even more brutal assessment of the tournament structure on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been one of the biggest critics of the format. It is categorically shite. There\u2019s no clearer way to put it,\u201d Bower wrote on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at some point, English rugby league will have to ask itself some brave questions. We\u2019ve treated our national team like an afterthought and this is what we deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
He wasn\u2019t the only prominent England reporter to call out the format on social media.<\/p>\n
Gary Carter, who works for The Sun said, \u201cYes, the tournament format is ridiculous. Yes, some of England\u2019s errors were ridiculous.<\/p>\n
\u201cSaid it before, say it again. English rugby league is being left behind. It will (be) dead soon unless they accept the NRL,\u201d Curtis Woodward, a freelance writer who was previously with foxsports.com.au posted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only reason it hasn\u2019t happened is because of very fat cats clutching their pearls in northern England. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is time for an NRL Super League in Europe!\u201d<\/p>\n
Fiji set to face Jillaroos in semi-final | 00:47<\/p>\n
CALLS FOR MAJOR ELIGIBILITY OVERHAUL<\/p>\n
After finishing last in their group, which also included Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, Cook Islands head coach Karmichael Hunt has called for the international rugby league eligibility rules to be expanded.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media after they fell to Australia by 60 points, which kept the nation winless in this year\u2019s World Cup, Hunt called for the eligibility rules to be expanded to include great-grandparents.<\/p>\n
Per the current rules set by the International Rugby League Federation, players can\u2019t claim birthrights above their grandparents.<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, as the rule stands your grandparent or your parent has to be born in the Cook Islands, or any nation for that matter,\u201d Hunt said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we all live in Australia or New Zealand. There are a lot of great-grandparents that have Cook Islands kids playing in good systems in Queensland and NSW and we\u2019d love to get access to those and hopefully we can get a decision in our favour. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to identify and represent your Cook Islands heritage and you have got that in your blood, you should have the right to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two sent off in NZ v Fiji from high shot | 00:45<\/p>\n
A change to the rules would have allowed Canberra Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes to represent the Kukis at the World Cup, where he would have slotted straight into the starting side.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Kiwis), Isaiya Katoa (Tonga), Francis Molo (Samoa), Joseph Tapine (Kiwis) and Xavier Willison (Kiwis) were all eligible to represent the Kukis but decided to represent another nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom all reports (Canberra fullback) Kaeo Weekes has grandparents that are Kukis or he has Cook Islands heritage,\u201d Hunt continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is sitting on the couch watching the tournament right now. We want our best players playing in this competition. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe should be playing. If the rules are freezing players like him out then I don\u2019t think that is a good thing for the game.\u201c<\/p>\n
TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA \u2013 OCTOBER 31: Cook Islands coach Karmichael Hunt looks on during the 2026 Men’s Rugby League World Cup match between Australia Kangaroos and Cook Islands at Qld Country Bank Stadium on October 31, 2026 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
He added that a change in the ruling\u2019s interpretation would benefit not only the Cook Islands but also smaller rugby league countries such as Lebanon and France.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe flip side is you can live in a nation for five years and you can go and play for the nation,\u201d Cook Islands Rugby League president Charles Carlson told overseas outlet RNZ before the beginning of the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are we being limited in our heritage and yet some being allowed to play for a nation when they have no heritage tied to that nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho defines what a Cook Islander is or who a Samoan is, Being a small island, it limits our players\u2019 ability. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou know for us it should include your grandparents or your great-grandparents. As long you can trace your relations back to your great grandparents, you\u2019re a Cook islander. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t quite agree with the rules given by the international federations.\u201c<\/p>\n
Reece lightning strikes for Kangaroos | 02:09<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The group stage is over. Bring on the semis. Australia will take on Samoa while New Zealand and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":949156,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-949155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/949155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=949155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/949155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/949156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=949155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=949155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=949155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Has](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/2d1716f658f0d86fa64e657d8ef77792.jpeg\")
Has Reece Walsh done enough to keep the Kangaroos\u2019 No. 1 jersey for the finals?Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n