Hasler hails skipper

BRISBANE: Manly coach Des Hasler says he’s proud of the leader Daly Cherry-Evans has become as the halfback prepares for his first National Rugby League (NRL) preliminary final in eight seasons.
The Queensland and Sea Eagles captain has been a much maligned NRL star over his 11-year career but has helped lift Manly out of a drought into a long-awaited grand-final qualifier for the first time since 2013.
It’s been a long road of development for Cherry-Evans but the 32-year-old is in the peak of his powers this season, going from a superstar in his own right to making his teammates better.
Fullback Tom Trbojevic has stolen the spotlight with his own individually remarkable form, but Cherry-Evans is more well-rounded than he’s ever been. It’s evidenced by not only his career-best 27 try-assists this season, but his stability and leadership to get Manly within one win of an unlikely grand final after a 0-4 start.
“There’s no doubt about the credentials of what Cherry’s done and he’s proven, and he’s been tested… he’s one of the top players and top leaders in the game,” Hasler said ahead of tonight’s grand-final qualifier against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
“It’s been a real focus for him and you can just see how much he’s grown and the work he does there and the way he goes about providing that support base for the players and teammates around him.”
Fixtures: Fri, Sept 24 — Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles; Sat, Sept 25 — Storm v Panthers. – Yahoo Sports Australia

Souths’ finals run comes at the back of huge losses: Cook

BRISBANE: When South Sydney were on the end of a 50-0 defeat at the hands of Melbourne earlier this National Rugby League season the Rabbitohs chalked it up to a bad day at the office and aimed to quickly move on.
Two weeks later, however, Wayne Bennett’s men were again humiliated with Penrith racking up a 56-12 win in Dubbo.
One flogging was an aberration but two in three weeks against last year’s grand finalists was something that couldn’t be ignored.
“The Melbourne one we pretty much did just let go,” Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook said.
“We said there’s nothing to get out of that game, don’t even bother.
“Once it happened again obviously there’s something wrong happening there to be beaten by two good sides by that much.
“We changed a few things — little things — around.
“The way we defend and stuff like that.
“Playing the long game, Wayne’s big on that.
“You wouldn’t want to start the season off bad with a few losses in a row but it wouldn’t bother him either.
“He knows you don’t win the grand final early in the year.”
Since that loss to the Panthers, the Rabbitohs have tasted defeat just once in their following 14 matches.
An upset victory over Penrith in Townsville two weeks ago put the Rabbitohs into a preliminary final for a fourth-straight season.
After falling one game short of the grand final in the past three seasons, Cook insists 2021 has a different vibe heading into tonights clash with Manly at Suncorp Stadium.
“This year I’ve got a lot of confidence in what we’re doing and how we’re playing as well,” he said. – Yahoo Sports Australia

‘Centres key in finals’

BRISBANE: The centres in this weekend’s preliminary finals will have a huge say in how each match pans out, with Justin Olam and Dane Gagai holding the edge for their teams, says league great Steve Renouf.
“Centres are always crucial and even more so in big games where defence comes to the fore because those in the No.3 and No.4 jerseys control a lot defensively,” he said.
“You control that line. If you want to push up and tighten things up in defence it always ends with you.
“As a centre, you get to make that call. It’s been known as one of the toughest positions to defend and decision-making is a big part of that.
“You have to be alert to what’s around you.
“There’s a lot of decisions to make in attack too if you have a two-on-one or there’s any type of overlap.
“We saw what happened with the Titans in their narrow loss to the Roosters.
“It can go wrong in a split second and you don’t want to be that person.” – NRL

Slater agrees to take up coaching role

BRISBANE: Billy Slater’s transition from Maroons great to Queensland coach is set to be confirmed after the former star fullback agreed to take on the State of Origin role next season.
Slater, who played 30 Origins and was a key member of Queensland’s eight-year domination of the interstate series, is expected to be announced as the Maroons next coach today after being approached to replace Paul Green two weeks ago.
Green stood down because he wanted to consider any National Rugby League jobs that come up next season or in 2023 but Slater has made it clear he is only interested in coaching the Maroons.
The 38-year-old’s former Origin teammates Johnathan Thurston, who was an assistant to Green in this year’s 2-1 series loss, and Cameron Smith may also be involved with next season’s campaign but only Slater’s position has been finalised at this stage.
It is understood that his appointment will be for two years and the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) are keen to find an experienced mentor to help him in his first coaching role, with Wayne Bennett believed to be a target for the role.
The QRL is yet to make an official announcement about the position. – NRL

Bennett unfazed with Hasler’s stats

BRISBANE: Manly’s Des Hasler has never once lost a preliminary final that he’s been involved in — both as a player and coach.
However, any suggestions that the astonishing record might be daunting to Manly’s preliminary finals opponents South Sydney tonight, have been emphatically shut down by veteran coach Wayne Bennett.
While Bennett is a veteran of 14 preliminary finals and 10 deciders as coach, Hasler holds an unblemished record in grand final qualifiers.
Eight times Hasler has reigned supreme in a grand final qualifier – three times with Manly as a player and five as a coach with the Sea Eagles and Canterbury.
Bennett denied there was any great significance behind Hasler’s preliminary finals record.
“That’s a bit of a myth stat, that one,” Bennett said of Hasler’s unbeaten record.
“What about all of the preliminary finals we don’t make as a coach? You just talk about how many you made, what about the ones you didn’t make? That’s a myth statement.” – AAP