Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n“One more box to tick” Walker dream year | 06:02<\/p>\n
Tedesco was rested after a gruelling finals campaign which ended in a premiership after he battled an ankle injury towards the back end of the season.<\/p>\n
His club coach Trent Robinson also revealed he had a knee issue leading into the Grand Final win over Newcastle.<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t stop him in the Grand Final however as he ran for more than 350m.<\/p>\n
While it was understandable that Tedesco was given an extra week to get his body right, what will playing well against Fiji and the Cook Islands do?<\/p>\n
Australia are expected to win both games with ease so even if he stars in them it won\u2019t be as big of a statement as what Walsh made against the strong Kiwi side.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Teddy can get out there and perform as well it puts some pressure on team selection,\u201d Hohaia said. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously Kevvie\u2019s picked his best squad for the Kiwis\u2019 game, I believe. The good thing about the way that the World Cup is, he\u2019s probably going to be able to give other guys some time much like the Kiwis this weekend against the Cook Islands.<\/p>\n
\u201cTeddy\u2019s definitely going to get some game time and then it\u2019s up to him to get out there and perform like he did in the NRL season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walker’s value continues to soar | 02:03<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a strong argument that having Tedesco in the side if they meet the Kiwis again later in the tournament is more ideal.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the Aussie forwards were dominated in the middle by the likes of Moses Leota, James Fisher-Harris and Naufahu Whyte who ran riot.<\/p>\n
If that happens again, Australia will need more metres from their back three.<\/p>\n
This is where Tedesco comes right into play.<\/p>\n
We know he\u2019s going to take 20-plus yardage carries while Walsh is not that sort of player. He\u2019s more about impact and big moments.<\/p>\n
Walters will find it difficult to pick one over the other but will have to in a few weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Australia\u2019s going to get better. I don\u2019t think they played their best even though they won the game,\u201d Hohaia said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought they looked a little rusty. I thought they looked better when Tommy Dearden came on at halfback.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Tommy Dearden is a great player. I thought the team probably clicked into gear a bit more when he was on but we should have won the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
ENGLAND\u2019S GLARING VOID <\/p>\n
England\u2019s hopes of progressing to the semi finals this World Cup took a major hit with a heavy 30-12 loss to Tonga, which led to criticism levied towards the Lions\u2019 attack.<\/p>\n
England could only manage 12 points in the clash with Tonga, a year after they scored just two tries across three Ashes games against Australia.<\/p>\n
However, England legend James Graham believes most of the criticism around the Lions\u2019 performance is unfair, even though he expected his former side to win their World Cup opener.<\/p>\n
\u201cI expected England to win that game, but I mean, I don\u2019t really accept much of the criticism. \u201cWe can critique it, but in terms of the attitude that the players showed, their willingness to offload the football,\u201d Graham said on The Bye Round podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the criticism that came after the Ashes series, I thought it was unwarranted. You come up against Australia. Like this idea that these two nations are equal. Well, then in terms of rugby league, they\u2019re not. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought they tried really hard against Australia, but the attack was found wanting. Maybe that\u2019s a personnel thing, maybe it\u2019s a coaching thing. Sean Wane (former coach) was moved on. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe English public wanted to see an improvement in attack. Well, look at the line break stats. They were breaking the line against Tonga. It was just that little bit of clinical finishing that was found wanting. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey went with an attitude to offload the football. They weren\u2019t going to die wondering and defend their way to victory. They actually had a crack England so I reject any sort of criticism thrown the way of the English team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Goosebumps from Fijian hymn | 01:33<\/p>\n
England have plenty of talent in their side, most notably centre Herbie Farnworth, half George Williams and fullback AJ Brimson.<\/p>\n
The problem is, this is a team that lacks an enforcer.<\/p>\n
Ex-Dragons coach Shane Flanagan believes it\u2019s a fact that will keep England from challenging the top teams this tournament. <\/p>\n
Flanagan also noted that Victor Radley\u2019s length judiciary rap sheet means he probably isn\u2019t playing with as much of an edge as he is capable of.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know it\u2019s hard as England haven\u2019t got one of these type of players. You haven\u2019t got a James Graham, a Sam Burgess, an Adrian Morley in that team to go and out there and put a bit of fear into the opposition pack,\u201d Flanagan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought they were good and they carried the ball strong and they worked together, and as you said, they\u2019ve got some quality offloads, but just at the moment, and you can\u2019t ask Victor to do it because Victor\u2019s trying to be good Victor at the moment. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just feel that, and it\u2019s not one person on its own, but getting off the line and jumping into the Tongan or the Australian or the New Zealand side is something that they need to do because at the moment they just let the opposition play to a certain degree.\u201d<\/p>\n
England will aim to keep their finals hopes alive when they take on a France side coming off a 78-4 thumping at the hands of Samoa. <\/p>\n
KIWI LEGEND\u2019S WAKE-UP CALL… AND THE CHANGE THEY MUST MAKE<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s not beat around the bush \u2013 the Kiwis should have beaten Australia last week.<\/p>\n
And they probably should\u2019ve had a big lead by halftime after Australia scored their two tries from intercepts.<\/p>\n
Had Jack Bostock and Tom Trbojevic not taken those intercepts New Zealand would have scored two tries.<\/p>\n
Effectively those two plays were a 24-point turnaround.<\/p>\n
Kiwis hopeful of Ponga return | 00:49<\/p>\n
World Cup-winning fullback Lance Hohaia told foxsports.com.au that despite the dominant performance it counted for little.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite being dominant and having a lot of good stuff go our way we lost the match and at the end of the day wins and losses is what he\u2019s going to be judged on,\u201d he said of coach Stacey Jones.<\/p>\n
While the Kiwi pack won the battle in the middle of the field, Hohaia was critical of them, saying they need to be even better if they\u2019re to turn the tables on Australia.<\/p>\n
And in a word of warning, to the Aussies he thinks they are capable of being even more explosive. <\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest I thought the Kiwi pack probably didn\u2019t fire as much as I was expecting it to,\u201d Hohaia said. <\/p>\n
\u201cSome of those guys haven\u2019t played as much over the last six or seven weeks and I know there\u2019s another gear in there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that the boys can definitely play a little bit better than that in terms of getting those yardage metres.<\/p>\n
\u201cI expect the Kiwi pack to improve and keep pushing each other for those starting spots.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought Moses Leota was probably our best prop on the day. I thought he looked really good. He is a quality player. James Fisher-Harris, he\u2019s obviously right up there as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaufahu is nipping at his heels, (Xavier) Willison is a fantastic player and Erin Clark did a great job when he came on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katoa fit for crucial Lebanon clash | 01:05<\/p>\n
The other issue facing the Kiwis according to Hohaia is their attack out of dummy-half.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Marshall-King had just four runs for 36m which wasn\u2019t great considering he was playing behind a more dominant forward pack.<\/p>\n
Do the Kiwis need more zip out of dummy-half, particularly at the back end of each half when fatigue really comes into the game. <\/p>\n
Will Jones make changes to the side to make them more lethal in attack?<\/p>\n
\u201cI would have liked to maybe have seen (Kodi) Nikorima go to nine to give Te Maire Martin some time in the halves,\u201d Hohaia said. <\/p>\n
\u201cJeremy Marshall-King is a great little player but I thought Kodi could maybe just give us a little bit more spark around the ruck at the back end of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin has been in fine form for the Warriors in 2026 and was part of the six-man bench last week but didn\u2019t get onto the field. <\/p>\n
\u201cI guess we\u2019ll see what Stacey\u2019s going to do whether he gives Te Maire a chance to start at six this week,\u201d Hohaia said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s going to probably rotate his squad a little bit and give some guys some time this weekend. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s watching them train every day and obviously he\u2019s watched them play a lot through the NRL season so I think selections are always going to be debated and it doesn\u2019t matter who he picks, somebody\u2019s not going to like the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he knows what he\u2019s doing with the squad but selections are going to be key when picking guys in those key positions to really perform well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. They\u2019re going to focus on Cook Islands and getting better and making sure our combinations are solid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey just need to extract all the good things out of that game and, use that to try and get better. I think it\u2019s a winnable game for them on Sunday obviously versus the Cook Islands. So it gives them an opportunity to test a few combinations out. <\/p>\n
IS NAVALE CREATING AWKWARD TRBOJEVIC DILEMMA?<\/p>\n
Is Caleb Navale going to take the No. 13 jersey off Jake Trbojevic at Manly come Round 1 next year?<\/p>\n
The Manly fan favourite had his future questioned by many while coached by Anthony Seibold, but since Kieran Foran took over he returned to his best form and even signed a one-year extension. <\/p>\n
The Sea Eagles, however, may be turning an eye towards the future in 2027 and face a similar dilemma in the halves after Joey Walsh.<\/p>\n
Navale, meanwhile, had battled injuries but his performance for Fiji against the Cook Islands last weekend may have given Foran some food for thought.<\/p>\n
In the 40-12 win, he ran for 196m from 21 runs with a try, five tackle breaks and a line break<\/p>\n
Teddy replaces Walsh for Fiji test | 02:21<\/p>\n
Former NRL coach Shane Flanagan and ex-England Test forward James Graham debated just how much Foran and the Sea Eagles should read into that performance as they plan for 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cManly rate him highly. He did his ACL, he came back in like eight months. It was great work to come back,\u201d Flanagan said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure Kieran Foran\u2019s excited about having him in his squad. You need a lot of good forwards in your squad, and Manly haven\u2019t got that. That\u2019s one area they\u2019re probably weak in.\u201d<\/p>\n
But will Navale\u2019s World Cup form decide what role Trbojevic plays in his final year? Could it be off the bench?<\/p>\n
Flanagan doesn\u2019t think so at this stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe (Navale) was there when I was at Manly (as an assistant coach). He\u2019s a talented player, but Jake\u2019s been around for a long period of time, and the leadership and the experience that he\u2019s going to give to that whole football team is going to be valuable next year,\u201d Flanagan said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey (selection headaches) are the nice things to have for a coach, to have someone like that, a young kid come through and show some form.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the 23-year-old lock, who has played 12 first grade games for Manly since 2024, looked outstanding on the weekend, is shining against the Cook Islands a case to say he should start over Trbojevic?<\/p>\n
Graham doesn\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think for me, you\u2019ve got to be very careful about how you judge some of the performances at international level. Respectfully speaking, Fiji v the Cook Islands, I\u2019d be very careful about how I assess the (performance),\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt reminds me a bit of some of the hoo-ha that goes on around players during trials, and you\u2019d be very, very careful. You see a player have a good half in a trial game.<\/p>\n
\u201cKade Reed made a great impression in trials, and the noise comes. I don\u2019t want to be disrespectful and say it\u2019s like a trial, but you\u2019ve got to be careful when assessing a performance of a Fiji or Cook Islands because there\u2019s some players in that Cook Islands team that are not NRL standard players.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you make a judgment call that somebody stands out and plays well, even Manuleleua, he played lock against France and they\u2019ve pumped them and he looked really good, but you can\u2019t take that as evidence to go to Justin Holbrook and say, \u2018I\u2019ll tell you what, you\u2019ve got a great lock on your hands here\u2019\u2026 not based on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fiji make statement against Cook Islands | 02:32<\/p>\n
Veteran Trbojevic has been a rock in the middle, defensively, for Manly for a decade and has been an important cog in the side.<\/p>\n
But modern-day locks need to be more than just good defenders in the middle.<\/p>\n
They need some attacking flair, which Navale has, and he has more speed and power than the veteran.<\/p>\n
Maybe a true guide to how good he is will be seen on Sunday when he lines up against the might of Australia at Suncorp Stadium.<\/p>\n
Carve up the Aussies and he might just get Foran thinking. <\/p>\n
\u201cBe careful how we judge these performances when you\u2019ve got some nations that are clearly under-resourced in terms of player power,\u201d Graham said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The second week of the men\u2019s Rugby League World Cup is almost here, with a few powerhouse teams…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":637624,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[111,139,69,213],"class_list":["post-637623","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\/637623","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=637623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/637624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792641612_950_poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n