Cowboys skipper Jason Taumalolo said there were “no words” to express what he and his teammates were feeling in the wake of Paul Green’s shock death.
The rugby league legend passed away at his Brisbane home on Thursday and tributes have since flooded in for the former North Queensland coach.
Green led the Cowboys to premiership victory in 2015, with Jason Taumalolo starting at lockout, having been coached by the former representative halfback from 2014 to 2020.
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Taumalolo was the only player to take the field on Saturday that was a part of the 2015 grand final team, giving an emotional plea for people to speak out no matter “how big or small the problem is”.
“It has been a big few days given what has happened, no real words really to express what has happened over the last few days,” Taumalolo said in the post-match press conference.
“How it has affected people in the rugby league community, and families, I can’t imagine what Amanda and the kids are going through right now.
“Everyone should have someone to talk to, regardless of how big or small the problem is, no one should have to carry around that pressure with them.
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Fletch lauds Green’s Roosters influence | 03:04
“We have a tight-knit group and I know rugby league teams have their own little groups, I just hope that if anyone is going through something they have someone to talk to about any problems.”
Taumalolo went on to say the loss of their former coach “shocked and rattled” the playing group after the club’s 32-18 loss to the Roosters.
“I think everyone copes with loss and grief differently and yeah, I am not sure about any of the other boys but everyone is affected differently,”
“I’d like to think we are a tight-knit group and we are able to talk to each other whether we are going through a tough time or something really difficult.
“But again, I think just what has happened has really shocked and rattled most of us and it is going to take some time to get over it.”
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Cowboys coach Todd Payten echoed Taumalolo’s sentiment, revealing NRL powerbrokers have provided the club with necessary resources to deal with the shock loss.
“The club and the league have been great with the resources they have provided us as a group,” Payten said.
“It is my job to make sure that we keep an eye out for each other, that everyone feels comfortable that they can go and see me or someone within the club to get some help.”
During the Cowboys and Roosters clash, both teams wore black armbands to remember Green, who had a lasting impact on both clubs.
Green was assistant to Trent Robinson in 2013, his first year at the helm of the Tricolours club — and in that year they won the premiership.
Green also played 35 games for the Cowboys and 20 for the Roosters during his glittering 162-game playing career.
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The Panthers are facing an injury crisis ahead of their blockbuster clash with the Melbourne Storm.
The Premiers are already without a host of players and could now add young gun Taylan May to the list.
Read on for all the latest NRL team news
THURSDAY
Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm 7.50pm at BlueBet Stadium
panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Taylan May 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jaeman Salmon 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Moses Leota 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Matt Eisenhuth 11. Chris Smith 12 Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Mitch Kenny 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Sunia Turuva 18. Charlie Staines 19. J’maine Hopgood 20. Robert Jennings 21. Kurt Falls 22. Viliame Kikau
Early Mail: The Panthers’ injury toll could be about to get worse after young gun Taylor May turned up to training in a sling. He was named in the Panthers side on Tuesday but will be in doubt for the blockbuster clash with the Storm.
storm-team: 1. Nick Meaney 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Marion Seve 4. Justin Olam 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Cooper Johns 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Harry Grant 10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 11. Tom Eisenhuth 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Josh King 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tui Kamikamica 16. Chris Lewis 17. Tyran Wishart 18. Alec MacDonald 19. Dean Ieremia 20. Young Tonumaipea 21. Jordan Grant 22. Jack Howarth
Broncos set to make changes after losses | 01:53
FRIDAY
Warriors vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6pm at Mt Smart Stadium
warriors team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Viliami Vailea 4. Marcelo Montoya 5. Edward Kosi 6. Daejarn Asi 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Tohu Harris 11. Euan Aitken 12 Jack Murchie 13. Josh Curran 14. Freddy Lussick 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Eliesa Katoa 17. Jackson Frei 18. Bayley Sironen 20. Adam Pompey 21. Taniela Otukolo 22. Tom Ale 23. Rocco Berry
bulldogs team: 1. Jake Averillo 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Aaron Schoupp 4. Braidon Burns 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Max King 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Paul Vaughan 11. Josh Jackson 12 Jackson Topine 13. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 14. Zach Dokar-Clay 15. Joe Stimson 16. Harrison Edwards 17. Chris Patolo 19. Declan Casey 20. Kurtis Morrin 21. Bailey Biondi-Odo 22. Jeral Skelton 23. Phillip Makatoa
Parramatta Eels vs South Sydney Rabbitohs 7.55pm at CommBank Stadium
eels team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Tom Opacic 5. Waqa Blake 6. Dylan Brown 7. Jakob Arthur 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Isaiah Papali’i 13. Ryan Matterson 14. Ofahiki Ogden 15. Bryce Cartwright 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Marata Niukore 18. Makahesi Makatoa 19. Bailey Simonsson 20. Ky Rodwell 21. Sean Russell 22. Elie El Zakhem
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SATURDAY
Sydney Roosters vs North Queensland Cowboys 3pm at SCG
roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph Suaalii 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Sam Verrills 10. Matthew Lodge 11. Angus Crichton 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Connor Watson 15. Egan Butcher 16. Drew Hutchison 17. Terrell May 18. Adam Keighran 19. Fletcher Baker 20. Kevin Naiqama 21. Ben Thomas 22. Siua Wong
cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Coen Hess 9. Reece Robson 10. Reuben Cotter 11. Tom Gilbert 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Jason Taumalolo 14. Jordan McLean 15. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 16. Luciano Leilua 17. Griffin Neame 18. Brendan Elliot 19. Ben Hampton 20. Jake Granville 21. Riley Price 22. Connelly Lemuelu
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks 5.30pm at Scully Park, Tamworth
tigers team: 1. Daine Laurie 2. Brent Naden 3. James Roberts 4. Asu Kepaoa 5. Starford To’a 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Jock Madden 8. James Tamou 9. Fa’amanu Brown 10. Zane Musgrove 11. Alex Seyfarth 12 Kelma Tuilagi 13. Joe Ofahengaue 14. Fonua Pole 15. Austin Dias 16. Thomas Freebairn 17. Tyrone Peachey 18. Luke Garner 19. Jake Simpkin 20. Brandon Tumeth 21. Junior Tupou 22. Justin Matamua
sharks team: 1. Kade Dykes 2. Lachlan Miller 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Dale Finucane 14. Teig Wilton 15. Cameron McInnes 16. Aiden Tolman 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Kayal Iro 19. Royce Hunt 20. Luke Metcalf 21. Jesse Colquhoun 22. Matt Ikuvalu
Brisbane Broncos vs Newcastle Knights 7.35pm at Suncorp Stadium
broncos team: 1. Te Maire Martin 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Brenko Lee 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington 14. Jake Turpin 15. Rhys Kennedy 16. Corey Jensen 17. Keenan Palasia 18. Cory Paix 19. Ryan James 20. Jordan Pereira 21. Delouise Hoeter 22. Zac Hosking
knights team: 1. Tex Hoy 2. Enari Tuala 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Dominic Young 6. Anthony Milford 7. Adam Clune 8. David Klemmer 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Daniel Saifiti 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Brodie Jones 13 Mathew Croker 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Simi Sasagi 18. Jack Johns 19. Sauaso Sue 20. Chris Randall 21. Edrick Lee 22. Hymel Hunt
Rudolf opens up on Pride support | 01:19
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SUNDAY
Canberra Raiders vs St George Illawarra Dragons 2pm at GIO Stadium
raiders team: 1. Xavier Savage 2. Albert Hopoate 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Zac Woolford 10. Emre Guler 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Adam Elliott 14. Tom Starling 15. Ryan Sutton 16. Corey Horsburgh 17. Corey Harawira-Naera 18. James Schiller 19. Ata Mariota 20. Matt Frawley 21. Peter Hola 22. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
dragons team: 1. Moses Mbye 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Jack Bird 4. Zac Lomax 5. Tautau Moga 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Jack de Belin 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Josh Mcguire 12. Jaydn Su ‘A 13. Michael Molo 14. Tyrell Sloan 15. Aaron Woods 16. Tyrell Fuimaono 17. Billy Burns 18. Jayden Sullivan 19. Jackson Ford 20. Jaiyden Hunt 21. Cody Ramsey 22. Jack Gosiewski
Gold Coast Titans vs Manly Sea Eagles 4.05pm at Cbus Super Stadium
titans team: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Sosefo Fifita 3. Phillip Sami 4. Brian Kelly 5. Patrick Herbert 6. AJ Brimson 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Erin Clark 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Beau Fermor 13. Isaac Liu 14. Greg Marzhew 15. Herman Ese’ese 16. Jaimin Jolliffe 17. Sam McIntyre 18. Corey Thompson 19. Toby Sexton 20. Paul Turner 21. Klese Haas 22. Jarrod Wallace
Early Mail: The Daily Telegraph reports Titans coach Justin Holbrook could recall struggling half Toby Sexton. The cellar dwellers are looking to snap a 10-game losing streak and could promote Sexton from the extended bench
Sea Eagles team: 1. Reuben Garrick 2. Jason Saab 3. Morgan Harper 4. Tolutau Koula 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Toafofoa Sipley 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Martin Taupau 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12 Andrew Davey 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Dylan Walker 15. Ben Trbojevic 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Josh Aloiai 18. Josh Schuster 19. Kurt De Luis 20. Brad Parker 21. Kaeo Weekes 22. Morgan Boyle
The Bulldogs lodged the quickest captain’s challenge in NRL history and earned a dream start against the Cowboys.
That led to the first try in the opening set of the game and Matt Burton crossed for the Dogs’ second.
But the Cowboys hit back just before the break with quick-fire tries to Griffin Neame and Chad Townsend to make 10-10 at halftime.
MATCH CENTER: Bulldogs v Cowboys, stats, teams, videos
North Queensland kicked off the match and the touch judge ruled it to bounce out, but Braidon Burns said he got a hand to it with his foot planted out.
The Dogs challenged and replays proved Burns correct, giving Canterbury a penalty on halfway which led to the first try.
Burton put through a grubber and Peta Hiku hesitated just long enough for Josh Addo-Carr to swoop through and score in the third minute.
Burton then turned scorer when he proved too strong from close range off the back off a scrum move in the 18th minute.
The Cowboys were finally rewarded for their sustained pressure when forward Griffin Neame barged over from close range in the 31st minute.
North Queensland halfback Chad Townsend made it two tries in three minutes when he put his head down and burrowed over in the corner.
34TH MINUTE
North Queensland halfback Chad Townsend put his head down and burrowed his way over in the corner.
31ST MINUTES
The Cowboys were finally rewarded for their sustained pressure when forward Griffin Neame barged over from close range.
18TH MINUTE
Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton proved too strong from close range to finish off the back off a scrum move.
3RD MINUTE
Matt Burton put through a grubber and Peta Hiku hesitated just long enough for Josh Addo-Carr to swoop through and score.
“Hiku thought the fullback Scott Drinkwater was going to come in and attack the ball and the Foxx is right there on the sport,” Steve Roach said on Fox League.
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MATCH PREVIEW
The Bulldogs have brought Raymond Faitala-Mariner into their starting side at lock to face the Cowboys, with Tevita Pangai Junior moving to the bench.
Canterbury look like a new side under Mick Potter and the Dogs are chasing a third straight win in what would be their biggest scalp of the season.
North Queensland have won six of their past seven and are looking to solidify a second spot on the ladder.
The Cowboys are 1-17 on side coach Todd Payten named on Tuesday.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow takes Kyle Feldt’s place after it was confirmed he would miss two games with a hamstring injury. Jake Granville slots onto the bench.
Wests Tigers winger Ken Maumalo has revealed a chat with cousin Nelson Asofa-Solomona almost convinced him to head to the Storm on loan for the rest of the season, but in the end, his young family kept him in Sydney.
Maumalo and teammate Daine Laurie were reportedly some of the players the Storm chased before the August 1 deadline as they looked to bolster their outside backs after long-term injuries to Ryan Papenhuyzen, Reimis Smith and George Jennings.
And while Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma did make the move south, his teammates stayed put.
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David Nofoaluma has settled right in with teammates Brandon Smith and Xavier Coates. Picture: Tony GoughSource: News Corp Australia
“They’re looking for some players at the moment, but I just said that I’ve got a family and it’s too much of a move for me,” Maumalo said.
“’Nofa’ is the perfect person to go over because he’s got no family, no kids, so it’s better for him.
“I got my cousin who called me from Melbourne – Nelson – and he said that Craig (Storm coach Craig Bellamy) mentioned my name to him.
“He said I should keep it on the backburner and just see where things are at. I said if things go well and to plan, then why not, but it was too much of a move.”
Maumalo said the lure of playing football finals and potentially winning a premiership was tempting, but he couldn’t turn his back on the Tigers who are looking to bring back the glory days under Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall.
“It’s a good opportunity to go over and be in a good system and a system that has been good for a number of years now,” he said.
“That was the exciting part of it, but I’m doing this for my family, myself and my teammates here. I’m trying to build this club up again to where it was back in 2005.”
Tigers fullback Daine Laurie was also linked with a move to Melbourne, but the youngster says that may not have been entirely true.
Daine Laurie denies he was ever linked to the Storm. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“I didn’t know anything about it. I only saw it in the media,” he said.
“I saw it on Instagram and I was kind of confused about it because I hadn’t heard anything off my manager.
“I would’ve been shy as if I’d gone down there. If that opportunity had come, then I probably would’ve wanted to stay here anyway.”
Maumalo’s focus remains on helping the Tigers finish strongly in 2022, but he does have one eye on the World Cup at the end of the year.
The 28-year-old has represented both New Zealand and Samoa, but says he’s ready to commit to the Kiwis.
Ken Maumalo is hoping for more of this in the UK. Picture: AAP Image/David RowlandSource: AAP
New Zealand has lost a number of players, including Jason Taumalolo, to second-tier nations over the past few years, but Maumalo says the team is getting back to its best as they look to dethrone the Kangaroos at the World Cup.
“The Kiwis jersey sort of lost itself around 2016-17 when those players were jumping ship to play for Tonga and Samoa,” he said.
“I was lucky enough to debut in 2018 to help build that jersey with the number of players that were there.
“The jersey is in a good spot now where it should have been for the past couple of years, and now I’m keen to push that jersey and keep building on that jersey.
“There’s so much depth now in the Kiwis squad, so no matter who turns to Tonga or Samoa, we’ve still got a big roster with a number of good Kiwis playing across the NRL and the UK.”
