AAP<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cSticky (coach Ricky Stuart) and I have spoken about that. It\u2019s more the opportunity of the PNG thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has been open, and I have been transparent with him on how I feel and what I want to do. Just sus it all out first and go from there.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mindset is pretty open. It\u2019s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I just want to make sure I am comfortable with the decision I make.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Raiders have given Young permission to tour PNG and meet with the Chiefs before November 1.<\/p>\n
If he signs, he would join a star-studded roster that already includes Jarome Luai, Brian To\u2019o, Joey Manu, Zac Lomax and Alex Johnston.<\/p>\n
Hudson Young. Picture: NRL ImagerySource: Supplied<\/p>\n
\u2018WOW\u2019: PERPLEXING DOLPHINS CALL AS GUN OPENS UP ON \u2018TOUGH\u2019 MOVE<\/p>\n
\u2014 Martin Gabor<\/p>\n
The decision to let Dolphins veteran Kodi Nikorima leave at the end of the season has been widely panned, with the classy five-eighth paying tribute to a current Souths star for elevating his game to scary heights.<\/p>\n
Nikorima, 32, spent time at the Broncos, Warriors and Rabbitohs before he returned to Queensland as a key member of the Dolphins\u2019 inaugural squad.<\/p>\n
He has spent the past four seasons at the club and has formed a potent halves combination with Isaiya Katoa, but that partnership will end in a few weeks when he heads south on a deal with the Dragons.<\/p>\n
Kodi Nikorima is in career-best form but will leave the Dolphins to play for the Dragons next year. Picture: Jeremy Ng\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The decision to sign English veteran George Williams was questioned at the time and seems even crazier given how well Nikorima is playing, but the Dragons aren\u2019t complaining with the five-eighth one of several great gets for the Red V in 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was their best player in the first half,\u201d former playmaker Greg Alexander said on SEN after watching Nikorima dominate the Roosters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like his ball playing and he\u2019s always been a great runner, but his ability to just hold the defence up, it was on show on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re thinking, wow, George Williams, seriously?<\/p>\n
\u201cNikorima, although 32, has lost no speed and is a better player now than he ever has been.\u201d<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll know in a year whether the Dolphins made the right call, with money playing a key role in the move. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was obviously very tough,\u201d Nikorima replied when asked about his decision to leave. <\/p>\n
\u201cI came here as an inaugural player. Brisbane is home, my family\u2019s from here, my kids were born here, so it was obviously a tough decision. But it\u2019s a business at the end of the day, and hopefully we can just go out on a high this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Katoa is widely regarded as the game\u2019s next great halfback, Nikorima has been the attacking spark this season which will see the Dolphins play finals footy for the first time.<\/p>\n
The crafty playmaker has carved up on their lethal left edge and has already set up a career-high 22 tries, with Nikorima looking a lot like Rabbitohs legend Cody Walker who always appears to have time with the ball. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of my favourite players,\u201d Nikorima said, having spent the 2022 season with Walker at the Bunnies.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s obviously played a massive part (in my game) whether he knows it or not. <\/p>\n
\u201cI spent that half a year at South Sydney just watching him go about his work. He\u2019s probably the most skilful player I\u2019ve ever played with. <\/p>\n
\u201cI went down there thinking that he was this player who just loves playing off the cuff, but he\u2019s actually a lot more structured than people think.<\/p>\n
Cody Walker played a key role in helping Nikorima reach this sort of form. Picture: Chris Hyde\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves his footy, he\u2019s got a great IQ and a great understanding of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatching him go about his work through training, the reps that he puts in with his ball playing, I tried to take that to the Dolphins and it\u2019s just pleasing that that\u2019s starting to come off at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dolphins are a genuine premiership threat this season given their ability to score points from anywhere on the field, but it\u2019s their defence that could be the trump card in the finals.<\/p>\n
At 174cm and 82kg, Nikorima is an obvious target in defence. But he\u2019s making a career-high 19.9 tackles this year and has reduced his misses from 12 months ago, with former coach Wayne Bennett playing a key role in his improvement. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt we were one of the best attacking teams last year, but I think what\u2019s helped us this year is the fact that we\u2019re able to defend our mistakes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Defensive improvements have the Dolphins on track to win a maiden premiership. Picture: Brendon Thorne\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cWe obviously know that defence wins games and it was a talking point in our pre-season, a big focus. We know we can attack, but if we can hold teams at bay and give ourselves opportunities, that\u2019s a win for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder Wayne, he\u2019s always making me do extras. He did it when I was at the Broncos as well. <\/p>\n
\u201cI guess for myself it\u2019s just making sure that I\u2019m ticking every box during the week to make myself physically right for the game and then going out there and putting my body on the line. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnderstanding the importance of defence, I think just a whole mindset around it has changed this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
PRESTON OPENS UP ON BIG BULLDOGS CALL<\/p>\n
\u2014 Martin Gabor<\/p>\n
Bulldogs back-rower Jacob Preston isn\u2019t sure why his contract became such a hot topic, with the World Cup hopeful declaring his intention was always to remain at the club and he wasn\u2019t interested in hitting the open market on November 1.<\/p>\n
Preston agreed to a new four-year deal that will keep him at Canterbury until the end of the 2031 season, with the Bulldogs locking in one of the best edge forwards in the competition. <\/p>\n
He made his debut with the Bulldogs back in 2023 and has formed a potent combination with Lachlan Galvin on the right edge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m obviously super stoked to have it all sorted out and I\u2019m so happy that I get to stay here at this great club and continue my career here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just love this club. They gave me my opportunity, and everyone involved \u2013 the coaching staff, the players, the fans \u2013 make it an unreal place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last week\u2019s contract announcement ended speculation around his future that stemmed from reports that his management felt like he had been lowballed by the club.<\/p>\n
Coach Cameron Ciraldo repeatedly refuted those claims and was confident that Preston would stay put, with the try-scoring forward just glad he\u2019s not the focus of attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not really my forte. It\u2019s not really what I enjoy, but it\u2019s just good to have it all kind of wrapped up and hopefully those headlines die down now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really spend too much time on social media and stuff anyway, so I didn\u2019t really see that much of it, but it\u2019s good to have it out the way and it\u2019s all done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Preston commits to Bulldogs | 00:38<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bulldogs teammate Jake Turpin isn\u2019t worried about his future despite not having a deal in place for 2027.<\/p>\n
Turpin will be 30 in a couple of months and has spent the past three seasons at Belmore following stints with the Broncos and Roosters. <\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of stuff gets done after the year, so it\u2019s all up in the works at the moment, but I\u2019m sure my management are all sorting that out now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve still got one more game this week to get through and put my best foot forward. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever happens for this club and other clubs, it doesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019m just excited to get out there this week and play for our fans, our families and each other to work hard this week.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy last two contracts I think have been done at the end of the years. I think it\u2019s a common trend now.<\/p>\n
Preston has one last chance to impress Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters before the World Cup squad is picked. Picture: Darrian Traynor\/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThe teams that are in the finals are not looking for that sort of stuff, they have a lot on their plate, so as a player, you just put full trust in your management, and I have a good manager and management team, and they\u2019ll take charge of all that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs can\u2019t make the finals but are keen to give their fans one last reason to cheer when they face the Broncos on Thursday night. <\/p>\n
And for Preston, it\u2019s his final chance to impress Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, with the star forward pressing for a spot in the Australian squad. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll I can do is finish the year off strongly,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d love that opportunity to come, and if it does, I\u2019ll take it with both hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
NRL ADMITS SHARKS WERE DUDDED<\/p>\n
The NRL has conceded that Sharks prop Addin Fonua-Blake\u2019s disallowed try in the second half against the Eels on Sunday should have been awarded.<\/p>\n
Referee Ashley Klein pointed to the spot after Fonua-Blake stormed over from close range but the Bunker intervened and judged it a no-try.<\/p>\n
The Sharks prop had the ball close to the ground but there was an Eels hand under it which swayed the Bunker.<\/p>\n
Fonua-Blake eventually got the ball on the turf after some wrestling and Klein was satisfied he scored.<\/p>\n
Code Sports David Riccio reported the NRL has since come out and admitted there was not enough evidence to overrule Klein\u2019s on-field decision.<\/p>\n
The incident came at a crucial time in the game when the Sharks were mounting a comeback after the Eels stunned them to race out to an early 20-point lead.<\/p>\n
When Fonua-Blake\u2019s try was disallowed in the 62nd minute the Sharks were just 12 points behind and had all the momentum.<\/p>\n
They did end up scoring moments later, however, before the Eels sealed the game with two late tries. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sharks captain Cameron McInnes has slammed the six-again rule while claiming the NRL doesn\u2019t listen to players about…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":586976,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-586975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=586975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/586975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/586976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=586975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=586975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=586975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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