NRL

Melbourne Storm's star winger Suliasi Vunivalu faces one game ban for leg pull

Vunivalu was on Monday charged with a grade-two offence for a leg pull on Canterbury fullback Nick Meaney early in Sunday's narrow win over the Bulldogs.

Meaney got up gingerly but the incident was not penalised by on-field officials, before Vunivalu was picked up by the match review committee.

The Fijian will miss just one match if he pleads guilty to the charge.

But if he contests the charge at the judiciary, he would risk sitting out the Storm's grand final rematch against the Sydney Roosters in round six.

Kiwi Ferns to meet Samoa in women's Test

The match will see the two nations meet in a women's match for just the second time - the Kiwi Ferns won the previous match 26-4 at the 2008 Women's Rugby League World Cup.

Kiwi Ferns representatives Louisa Gago and Sui Tauaua-Pauaraisa are both set to switch allegiance and represent Samoa in the game, while a host of other Holden Women's Premiership players including Oneata Schwalger (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Maitua Feterika (Brisbane Broncos) are also eligible for the island nation.

Manly thump Warriors

The Sea Eagles led 24-12 at half time and scored eight tries to two.

Daly Cherry-Evans scored twice for Manly and kicked seven goals.

Isaiah Papali'i and Issac Luke scored first half tries for the Warriors.

It's the first win of the season for Manly, while it's the second straight loss for the Warriors.

     

Added security for NRL match

Top-flight sport returns to the city on Saturday when Manly stage a "home" match at Christchurch Stadium a fortnight after the mass shootings at two mosques which claimed 50 lives.

New Zealand has been placed on a high threat alert since and police have reminded event organisers nationwide to be aware that a proliferation of memorial events has the potential to stretch law enforcement resources.

However, a large police presence remains in Christchurch and will be out in force at Friday's National Remembrance Service at Hagley Park.

Another emotional week for Warriors

Less than two weeks after the terror attacks in the city, the Sea Eagles will host the Warriors at AMI Stadium.

A heavy-hearted Warriors belted Canterbury in their season-opener in Auckland last week, but were fell back to earth when routed by Wests Tigers on Sunday.

"I thought it was a big week for the footy club last week as I said after that game, for a number of reasons," Kearney said after the loss to the Tigers.

"The lesson for this footy team is that the NRL, it's every week.

Marshall urges NRL to consider South Island

The debate about expansion and relocation has reignited, with the NRL to deliver a report into the viability of adding a 17th and 18th NRL franchise.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg has said that Rugby League Central no longer has the money to prop up struggling franchises - placing relocation on the agenda.

Should any side hit the rocks financially, it is likely the NRL would seek to move them interstate, away from the crowded Sydney market.

Marshall's club the Wests Tigers, along with Manly and Cronulla are mentioned as clubs most likely to be moved.

Gold Coast turn to 'chippies' as Ash Taylor ruled out

With a challenging three-week stretch on the road coming on the back of an ill-disciplined 21-0 loss to the Raiders on Sunday night, Brennan will put his faith in two carpenters in a restoration project of a different kind.
Scans on Monday confirmed that Roberts will miss up to three weeks with an Achilles tendon strain while Taylor's 2019 campaign won't commence until round three at the earliest as he spends another week recovering from a quadriceps injury.

Cowboys’ $10million monster Jason Taumalolo breaks own record with huge game

The $10 million man had a previous best game of 283 running metres, set in Round 15 of the 2017 season against Melbourne.

On a rainy Saturday night in front of a home crowd, he smashed his own record, steamrolling St George Illawarra for a total 301 metres according to Fox Sports Lab.

Taumalolo surpassed his own 283-metre record with 12 minutes still to play in the game. It took him 20 carries to do it, which took him to 287 metres for the night. He then had one more to crack the triple century.

Cowboys skipper Michael Morgan put it simply.

Sharks confident Johnson can provide bite

Johnson will play his first game for the Sharks against Newcastle on Friday night, after he was released by the Warriors in an ugly split at the end of last year.

His pick up couldn't have come at a better time for Cronulla, who lost their biggest attacking weapon in Holmes last November.

Holmes led the Sharks last season for tries, linebreaks, tackle busts and running metres, hitting his best just as Cronulla made a run to the preliminary final.

"I think what he brings to the side is a bit of X-factor which we lost with Val," Morris said of Johnson.

Matt Cecchin returns to NRL

After Cecchin twice had his visa application to referee in Super League rejected by the UK Government as match officials aren’t classified as professional sportspeople, the Rugby Football League tailored a job as Two Referee Technical Executive specifically for the 45-year-old.

Cecchin had agreed to a two-year deal with an option for another 12 months, had his dog immunised and had begun selling furniture when advised this week the job no longer existed after clubs decided to indefinitely delay the adoption of the NRL’s two-referee model.