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Read Now: NSW star defends 'grub' act in Origin decider – 101 Latest News

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Jarome Luai defended his actions during one of the most controversial moments in the State of Origin decider, which saw the Blues five-eighth stand over a groggy Selwyn Cobbo.

The moment came amid a fiery start, with three players rubbed out of the game with concussion.

Cobbo was knocked unconscious after colliding with the hip of Maroons teammate Patrick Carrigan in just the second minute.

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Luai, stood over Cobbo and unleashed a verbal barrage as the winger’s teammates rushed in, with Josh Papali’i shoving the five-eighth, sparking a melee of sorts.

Wearing a neck brace, the 20-year-old was eventually taken off the ground on a medicab and was ruled out for the remainder of the match minutes later with a category one head knock.

The act was denounced on social media but Luai denied he knew Cobbo was concussed and checked on the Broncos flyer after the match.

“I actually didn’t know he was knocked out,” the five-eighth said on Thursday.

“But that’s Origin, heat of the moment stuff. I play with a lot of passion.

“I spoke to him (Cobbo) after the game and he was all good, so good to see that.”

Hunt charge-down intercept wins Origin for Queensland

When asked if he said sorry to the Maroons star, Luai responded: “I don’t think I have anything to apologise for.

“There wasn’t any harm. I didn’t touch him.”

As for the fierce reaction from fans, the premiership winner said he was unbothered by claims he’s a “grub”.

“They’ve always called me that (grub),” the 25-year-old said.

“So that’s the fans of the sport and you need to take into consideration they’re not out there on the field.”

Gagai, Burton binned after fight erupts

While Cobbo was stretchered off, teammate Lindsay Collins had an early night as well, when he was knocked out by Tom Gilbert as the pair attempted to tackle Daniel Tupou.

New South Wales lost Cameron Murray in the early exchanges, when he attempted to tackle Corey Oates and clashed heads with the Maroons winger.

“You’d have to go back quite some time to match this physicality, this intensity,” Cameron Smith said of the early carnage during Nine’s coverage.

“We’re seeing game one and how fast it was, but I can’t say we’ve seen the hits like we have tonight. It’s unbelievable.”

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Read Now: Lions star whacked over 'contact to eye region' – 101 Latest News

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Brisbane veteran Dayne Zorko has copped a one-match ban after appearing to make contact with a players’ eye in the aftermath of a dangerous tackle.

The incident occurred in the first quarter of the Lions’ loss to Adelaide on Sunday, when Zorko wrapped up Crows youngster Luke Pedlar in the Crows’ forward line.

After catching Pedlar high, Zorko appeared to rub his right hand in the region of Pedlar’s eye, with the incident catching the attention of the match review officer.

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The MRO assessed the incident as intentional conduct with low impact and high contact, giving Zorko a one-match suspension as a result.

Zorko was not the only star to be given a ban in the wake of Sunday’s thriller, with Crows midfielder Rory Laird handed a one match-ban for a tackle on Lachie Neale.

Laird’s tackle was assessed as careless conduct with medium impact and high contact after he appeared to sling Neale’s head into the turf.

If the two players choose not to contest the bans at the tribunal on Tuesday, Zorko will miss Brisbane’s clash against Hawthorn in round 13, with the Lions having a bye in round 12, while Laird will miss the round 12 clash against the Suns.

Richmond star Dustin Martin was the other player to be charged by the MRO, with the Tigers star copping a $3000 fine for striking Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston.

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Read Now: Kylian Mbappe confirms plan for next season amid Real Madrid interest – 101 Latest News

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Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that he will stay at Paris Saint-Germain this summer despite interest from Real Madrid.

The French superstar has been consistently linked with a blockbuster move to Los Blancos over the last 12 months, with reports emanating from Spain recently suggesting that the club were keen to make another approach for Mbappe this summer.

Despite said interest, during Sunday evening’s UNFP awards – in which Mbappe won Ligue 1 Player of the Year for a fourth time – the striker confirmed that he intends to stay at Paris Saint-Germain for the 2023/24 season.

“I am here to talk about the trophy,” he responded to a question about his future. “Next season I’ll be playing at PSG. I have one year left on my contract and I’m going to honour my contract.”

Read the latest PSG news here

Mbappe’s current contract was signed last season at a time when it seemed that the forward was all-set to join Real Madrid. Since signing the contract, PSG have continued to dominate Ligue 1 but also continued to struggle in the UEFA Champions League.

Despite tying down Mbappe and signing Lionel Messi, Les Parisiens have failed to go beyond the round of 16 in the competition since 2021.

Likely with a new manager at the helm, as Christophe Galtier looks set to leave the club this summer, and without Messi, who looks destined to return to Barcelona, Mbappe and PSG will be hoping to finally win the Champions League for the first time next season.

Galtier, however, has stressed that he has earned the chance to stay at PSG and try challenge in Europe, telling reporters: “I deserve a second season at Paris Saint-Germain!

“I repeat it once again because no one wants to hear it but it was a very special season. We had to stay the course even when we thought everyone had their heads under water. I pay tribute to my players who have not given up. I am very happy and I don’t want us to trivialise [this title win]!”

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On this week’s edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey to discuss all the latest transfer news. On the agenda: Tottenham’s pursuit of Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, Bayern Munich’s interest in Declan Rice, Joshua Kimmich, Neymar & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!


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Read Now: Latrell ruled out, Cleary in doubt for Origin opener – 101 Latest News

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Latrell Mitchell is out of the State of Origin series opener at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night with a calf strain.

And it may yet get worse for the Blues, with star half Nathan Cleary also in doubt with a wisdom tooth issue.

Nine’s Danny Weidler reports Nicho Hynes has been told to prepare to play at No.7, and Matt Burton — already on his way to Adelaide as 18th man — would move onto the bench should Cleary be ruled out.

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But Weidler said NSW is currently still expecting Cleary to play.

Mitchell was picked to play in the centres, but has been ruled out after scans revealed the extent of the strain.

He will not travel to Adelaide with the rest of the Blues squad on Monday morning, and has been replaced in the side by Stephen Crichton.

“This is huge … he had build that combination on the left side wth Hudson Young, they had worked out how they were going to play so now Stephen Crichton goes there [and] they’ve got to tweak things,” Andrew Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.

Watch the 2023 State of Origin series LIVE and exclusive on Channel 9 and 9Now.

“Stephen Crichton is a world-class player, but [Mitchell] is a big loss this close to the game.

“I think it’s only a small strain, but you just cannot risk an outside back.”

The new combination will have just the captains run on Tuesday to gel, before the match on Wednesday night.

Mitchell didn’t finish training on Sunday night, and joked with the Sydney Morning Herald he was “a bit cold”.

‘It’s a big loss’: Latrell Mitchell out of Origin Game I with calf injury

“I thought I’d give Nicho [Hynes] and Critta [Stephen Crichton] a run out there,” he said.

It wasn’t until later in the evening the extent of the injury became apparent.

The injury is believed to be only minor, and his fitness for game two on June 21 is not in doubt.

For Crichton, it’s the second Origin promotion in the space of a week. Having originally been left out of the squad, the Panthers centre was made 18th man after Campbell Graham was withdrawn with a sternum injury.

In a statement the Blues confirmed Bulldogs half Matt Burton would travel to Adelaide on Monday afternoon as the new 18th man.

It’s the second injury scare to rip through Brad Fittler’s camp after Payne Haas spent much of Friday’s training session in the grandstand at Coogee Oval with an ankle injury.

He completed Sunday’s training session, and is not believed to be in doubt for the series-opener.

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