Updated ,first published
Manly is set to name Tolu Koula when team lists are announced on Tuesday afternoon in a boost to the club and his chances of retaining his place in the NSW side.
Koula is seeking an exemption from the mandatory 11-day concussion stand-down policy after his involvement in an incident that proved the turning point in the opening State of Origin game.
The Sea Eagles three-quarter failed a head-injury assessment after a shoulder charge from Maroons star Kalyn Ponga, who was sent off for the offence.
However, Manly is seeking an NRL exemption from the mandatory recovery period so Koula will be available for Thursday’s home clash against South Sydney. The 23-year-old has been symptom-free since the incident and the club hopes cognitive testing, and a clearance from an independent NRL-appointed expert, will allow him to line up against the Rabbitohs.
Koula was scheduled to be rested for last week’s clash against Cronulla, but a solid hit-out before Origin II will almost certainly result in his retention on the wing for the Blues.
The Sea Eagles are also close to finalising a contract with Kieran Foran that will transform him from their interim coach into their long-term head coach.
‘I wanted to be out there’: Ponga makes big statement for Knights after Origin calamity
Kalyn Ponga has revealed the mental challenge he faced to bounce back from his State of Origin send-off before leading the Knights to a scrappy 28-22 win over the gallant Eels.
Ponga escaped with a fine for his grade-two shoulder charge on Tolu Koula in Origin I on Wednesday night, but showed no signs of the mental scars with a typically busy display at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Dylan Lucas, fresh from Origin camp with NSW, was brilliant for Newcastle, scoring a double and proving a handful on the left edge for Parramatta half Ronald Volkman, while fellow NSW Blue Jacob Saifiti was menacing.
The Knights (8-4) have now won four on the trot, scoring 150 points in the process, and are fourth on the ladder midway through the season.
“It was more mentally [demanding],” Ponga said of backing up three days after such an emotional night.
“Physically, I actually felt pretty good out there, which is a credit to our staff, the way they handled the last 48 hours. It’s all mentally like the build-up of Origin, obviously the way Origin unfolded, and then to sort of park it and mentally prepare for another game.
“I think now that I’m older, I’m probably better at doing it. But yeah, it’s all mental. I was excited to get back around the boys, around my teammates. Probably selfishly, I wanted to play with my mates. I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. I wanted to be out there.”
Both sides scored two tries in the first half, the Knights heading into the sheds up 12-10.
The second half began disastrously for the Eels, with Newcastle bench hooker Harrison Graham splitting some porous defence on 44 minutes to run 50 metres from dummy half to score under the sticks.
What followed was a horrific period where both sides struggled to hold on to the ball, coughing up seven handling errors in 10 minutes.
When the handling errors slowed, Lucas scored his second for the Knights, only for Jordan Samrani to touch down for the Eels, before Fletcher Hunt again stretched the lead, only to see Isaiah Iongi set up a grandstand finish with a try with six minutes remaining.
Parramatta coach Jason Ryles was left ruing some missed opportunities from his young side, who were without a host of experienced first-graders, including Mitch Moses and skipper Junior Paulo.
“It’s disappointing in the end,” Ryles said of the loss. “[I] thought we tried really hard, the effort was there, we fought really hard, but unfortunately execution let us down.
“I reckon we left probably four tries out there that were genuine tries, so another week of lessons, and just little moments in games that are so important that are fundamental, which hurts, but it’s part of the journey, and we’ve just got to keep fighting hard and working hard to make sure we don’t let that happen.
“It is a very young side, but we’ve been really focused on what we can control, and that’s our best prep each week.
“They’re trying their hearts out, and they’re getting some lessons with the big boys, so it’s all part of it, but … we had a minibus bring our injured blokes up today, that’s kind of where we’re at. So to produce the effort and the fight that the boys did out there today, I’m really proud of them.”
Former Blues star signs with PNG Chiefs
Adrian Proszenko
Roosters star Connor Watson has become the third player to sign for the Papua New Guinea Chiefs.
Watson is contracted to the Roosters for next year, but has been given permission to explore other options. The NSW Blues representative will join the Chiefs on a two-year deal from 2028, but is likely to look for a “gap year” at another NRL club next season.
That stopover is most likely to be at St George Illawarra, sources not authorised to comment have indicated, although other clubs have also expressed an interest in a 12-month term.
Chiefs chief executive Lorna McPherson recently took Watson and his partner on a tour of Port Moresby to give them an understanding of the lifestyle. The pair were sufficiently impressed with their experience to commit to the franchise.
Watson joins Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai and record-breaking South Sydney winger Alex Johnston as high-profile Chiefs recruits.
It’s a strong start for the Chiefs, who are expected to become a major player in the market when a slew of big names become free agents on November 1. Many Panthers stars – including Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Moses Leota, Mitch Kenny and Isaiah Papali’i – could be among them should they not recommit to Penrith beforehand.
Watson can play at hooker and lock, as well as cover several positions from the bench. The Chiefs also feel the former Knights utility has leadership qualities.
The Dragons have held talks with Watson and he is likely to join Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Luke Metcalf and Phillip Sami as a 2027 recruit.
The Chiefs have also made another key off-field appointment, that of former NRL and Super League player Rhyse Martin as football operations manager. During his playing career, Martin represented the Bulldogs, English clubs Leeds and Hull KR, and PNG in 18 Tests. He also captained the Kumuls.
“Rhyse has had an incredible career as a player, but he still has so much to offer the sport,” said Chiefs general manager of football Michael Chammas.
“He has the trust of our coach Willie Peters from their time together at Hull KR and they will continue to work closely. Anyone who has ever met Rhyse will talk about the quality of person he is and how passionate he is about Papua New Guinea. The combination of those two things makes him such an important off-field signing.”
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